Middle English Dictionary Entry
ēm n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | ēm n.(1) Also eim, yem. |
| Etymology | OE ēam, usually 'mother's brother', as against fædera 'father's brother' (the latter not extant in ME). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
An uncle;--applied indifferently to the father's brother [paternal uncle, L patruus] and the mother's brother [maternal uncle, L avunculus].
Associated quotations
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1066 : Se eorl Leofric þe wæs his eam.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)3/7 : Asclepius was Ypocrates yem.
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1135 : Hi uuenden ðat he sculde ben alsuic alse the eom wes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)251 : Þis child hefde his eames [Otho: hemes] nome.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8142 : Androgeus wes his hem.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8792 : Mines æmes [Otho: hem his] muchele mod swa milde is iwurðen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8831 : Nu is min eam [Otho: heem] wel bi-ðoht.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8897 : Cassibellaune minne æm [Otho: hem].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11149 : Elene þe halie quene & hire þreo æmmes [Otho: heames].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11174 : Hire æem [Otho: heam] Leonin wes in Rome.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1758 : Ðus meðelike spac ðis em.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)921 : Til inglond wil y riue, Mark, mi nem, to se.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.564 : Is he þi nem or þi cosyin.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)341 : Fernagu myn eem was.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)301 : O leue hem..Was þis letter mad for me? [cp. 280: vnkel].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Esth.8.1 : He was hir em [WB(2):fadris brother; L patruus].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.235 : Phelip..þat was Aristobolus his eme and unkel [avunculo].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.21 : Machometus..was in his emes kepynge [Higd.(2): He was norischede..by his uncle.]
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3789 : Þou sal ha..tua doghters o laban, þi nem [vr. þin eeme].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.90 : Dunkan sauh his eam had his heritage.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20028 : How þe saxons wald neuer ces In his heme landes to mak vnpes.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.388 : Now, em,..what wolde ye devise?
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)421 : Eem William, who haþ do þe þis scham?
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)139 : Eem, faderys broþer: Patruus..Eem, moderys brothere: Avunculus.
- (1443) Paston2.56 : My emme also.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5258 : He is myn eem & y his neuewe.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)12180 : Myn owne dere sone..thin em he is..and my brother he is.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)7/31 : The Abbott a[t] was his eame.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)378/21 : Trystrames rode unto hys eme, kynge Marke of Cornwayle.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)2034 : Hyr eyme was come.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)41a : Eme: Avunculus, patruus.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2960 : Sir mordreid--The kynges soster sone he was,..Hys Eme-is wyffe wolde he wedde.
- ?a1500(a1471) Brut-1461(2) (Lyell 34)73 : I am thyne eme, thy faderes brother.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)301/487 : For neyther Aunt nor Eame getts this garment.
2.
An ancestor; also fig.
Associated quotations
- a1275 *St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)127 : Þou [Olibrius] dest ase techet satanas, þin em.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13600 : Þow has britnet my brether..Þat were þin emys.
3.
A nephew.
Associated quotations
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)20551 : Mi moder was ful wa for me, & squa was hir eme [Vsp: hir neuu; Göt: vr cosin (so Trin-C, Add)] Iohn.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Tim.5.4 : If any wydewe forsoþe hafe oiþer childre or emys [nepotes].
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)95/15 : A knyght..newely dobbid, fayre and stalwarth, Reymondes Eme [Dub: Neuowe].
4.
In phrase emes sone, cousin.
Associated quotations
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)652 : Y am Charlis Eemys sone.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Jer.32.7 : Ananeel, the sone of Sellum, thin emys sone [WB(2): the one of thi fadris brothir; L patruelis].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.5.1 : I shal synge to my looued a song off myn emes sone [WB(2): vnclis sone; patruelis].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.405 : Clito Ethelwoldus, kyng Edward his emes sone [Higd.(2): cosyn; L patruelis], roos aȝenst þe kyng.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)29 : He was hyȝt Athelston, Þe Kyngys cosyn dere; He was off þe Kyngys blood, Hys eemes sone.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)96 : Cosyn', or emys son: Cognatus.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)41a : Emeson or doughter: patruelis, ex parte patris; consobrinus [Monson adds: ex parte matris].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)23677 : Alle þase þat hattede arthur, his heme; In modredes oste þai com wel breme.
Note: Additional quot.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1.
Note: Add form: Also..nem.
Note: Note: the previous addition to the form section is but one of a number in the quots. which should be included. The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--notes per MLL