Middle English Dictionary Entry
emptī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | emptī adj. Also emti, am(p)ti. |
| Etymology | OE ǣm(e)tig, ēm-. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of vessels or receptacles: without content, empty; (b) of a building: unoccupied, vacant, abandoned; (c) of the stomach: without food, empty; (d) of the body or the skin: shrunken, flabby.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)293 : Þe pors al amti was.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)593 : He is in a veteles þat ampti is.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)553 : Þeos beoþ lo ampty lampes.
- ?a1350 Recipe Painting(1) in Archaeol.J.1 (Hrl 2253)66 : Seththe meltit aȝeyn, ant cast hit into an empti bacyn.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3894 : Til that almoost al empty is the tonne.
- (1422) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.122 : The tauerners of seint Bridis parissh set her empty tunnys and pipis in the hie strete, to nusauns of all folk ther passyng.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)888 : Tysbe ryst up..And saw hire wympel and his empty shethe.
- c1450 7 Sages(1) (Arun 140:Camp.)197 : A nempty [Auch: an empti] ton he dide forþe fett.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)87/9 : And cumeð þerto [to the house] and fint hit emti and mid beseme clene swopen.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)265/312 : His paleys empti þei fynd.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.542 : O paleys empty and disconsolat.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1888 : With empty wombe fastynge many a day.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)58a/a : Whanne a beest is deed þat gut is alwey founde voyde and empty.
d
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1681 : Hire chekes..rivelen as an emty skyn Hangende doun unto the chin.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.14 : All toome of blood my body waxeþ bad, Myn ampty skyn begynnyth to tremble and quake.
2.
Of an area, location, or position: unoccupied, vacant; also fig.
Associated quotations
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)42a : Nere þer nan empti stude þe heorte to underfon fleschliche lahtren.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)947 : Yrelond, Þat al ampty was of men.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)943 : Þat þou vs som place ȝeue Þat were ampty In þine londe.
- c1330 KTars (Auch)201 : Mani helme þer was of-weued & Mani bacinet to-cleued & sadles fel emtye.
- a1425(a1400) Titus & V.(Pep 2014)794 : He [God] wold þoruȝ his grace Fulfylle al þat empty place, Fro whenys þat þe aungel felle.
3.
Of a sail: without wind, becalmed.
Associated quotations
- (c1450) Papers Trevelyan in Camd.6766 : Our myllesayle will not abowte, Hit hath so long goon emptye.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.17 : O empti saile! quhare is the wynd suld blowe Me to the port?
4.
Of gods and devils: powerless, unavailing, ineffective.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)392 : Hwen þu forcweðest, for þi Crist, ure undedliche godes; ant seist ha beoð idele ant empti of gode.
- c1390 NHom.Devil Phys.(Vrn)98 : Þis hermyte þonked God almihti þat made þe ffendes craft Empti.
5.
Of the world, the soul, the mind, ideas, words: devoid of (good); without value, worth or meaning; idle.
Associated quotations
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)134/17 : Hwæt fræmeð þe þæt þin cyst stonde ful of gode, & þin inȝehud stonde æmtiȝ ælces godes?
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)23/23 : Wuten we fare te ðessere idele saule and amti.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)839 : Þe glistinde wordes..(þe beoð wiðuten godleic ant empti wiðinnen).
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)143 : Hi lokeþ ope þe erþe uram uer..and hise yzyȝþ..z[u]o emti, to þe ziȝþe of þo greate blisse.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.10.33 : The nature of thinges..procedith of thinges that ben alle hole and absolut, and descendith so doun into uttereste thinges and into thinges empty and withouten fruyt.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)105/22 : Þei haue in þis tyme ful emty soules of any trewe deuocion.
6.
Expressing some lack by means of empty hands; (with) ~ hand, empty-handed.
Associated quotations
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.415 : With empty hond men may none haukes lure.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)242/11 : Þus seiþ oure lord..Þou schalt not brynge tofore me empty honden.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)15.100 (v.1:p.155) : The tradicion of olde antiquite was that no man shuld commen to the presence of a god or of a kyng voide or empty-hande, that is to seyn withoute some maner of yifte.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.546 : In olde prouerbe it is saide..With empty hande men may no hawkes lure.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1200 Wor.Serm.in EGSt.7 (Wor Q.29)57 : He fand þe vmmanne heorte al to hemti of bileue
Note: New form: Also..(early) hemti.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 5., but gloss needs emending.
Note: Emended gloss: Of the world, the soul, the mind, etc.: devoid (of good, devotion, etc.); without value, worth or meaning; idle.
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section: Also emptie, emti(e, (with misplaced juncture) nempti & (early) hemti, æmtiȝ am(p)ti.--notes per MLL