Middle English Dictionary Entry
āmē̆n interj.
Entry Info
| Forms | āmē̆n interj. |
| Etymology | L āmēn, ult. Heb. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
So it is in very truth, so be it, amen: (a) as a liturgical response of solemn ratification after the creed, prayers, etc.; (b) after an informal prayer or wish; (c) at the conclusion of a sermon, poem, letter, book, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Nic.Creed (Jun 121)5 : Ic abide..þes eche liues þære touwarde worlde. Beo hit so, amen.
- ?a1325 Creed (Cai 52/29)282 : Hic hleve in..eche lif. So bee hit, þat is, Amen.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)9/251 : Þis beþe þe wordes of cristnyng..Amen, Wane hit his ised þer-toe, Confermeþ þet þer to-fore.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.6.13 : But delyuere vs fro yuel. Amen, that is, so be it.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.15.33 : Sothli, God of pees be with ȝou alle. Amen.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.1 : Glorie be to þe fadir..euere in-to þe worldis of worldis, amen!
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.4 : Blessid be þe fruyt of þi wombe, ihesus! amen.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.36 : [Versicle:] Reste þei in pees! [Response:] Amen!
- a1475 Form Excom.(2) (Rwl B.408)3/38 : To dwelle in helle..without ende. Fiat, fiat. Amen.
- 1530(c1450) Mirror Our Lady (Fawkes)77 : Amen. thys worde Amen ys a worde of hebrew, and some tyme yt ys a worde of affermynge and ys as moche as to say as 'Treuly' or 'Faythfully'. And some tyme yt is a worde of desyrynge and is as moche to say as 'So be yt'.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Leidon þa Godes curs..þe ani þing undyde þet þær wæs ge don. 'Swa beo hit,' seiþ alle, 'Amen.'
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.335 : Þatt broþerr þatt tiss Ennglissh writt..Soþ blisse mote findenn. Am[æn].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2229 : 'Þe perles prince of heuen..saue vs!'..'Amen, sire,' seide meliors 'Marie þat vs graunt.'
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1781 : God yeve hem sorwe, amen [rime: men]!
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)102/14 : Ponthus, of whoes savle God haue mercy. Amen.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)16/528 : At sunday next..we gynne oure play..wherfore we pray That god now be ȝoure Spede. Amen.
c
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)217 : Swo do he ure alre, þe liueð and rixleþ. Amen.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)151/21 : Hit is riht ðat we heriȝen..fader and sune..Amen.
- a1275 *St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)313 : Ihesu crist..of us haue mercie. Amen, Amen, checun die amen.
- c1330 Clerk & Virg.(Auch)199 : Bring ous..Into þe swete blis of heuen. Amen. Explicit.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Eph.6.24 : Grace with alle men that louen oure Lord..Amen [WB(2): Amen, that is, So be it].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc. final rubric : Heere endith..the Newe Testament. Blessid be the Holy Trinite. Amen.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4635 : Brynge vs to his heye blisse. Amen. Heere is ended the Nonnes Preestes tale.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)335b/b : To his worschipe..þat is alpha & oo..Amen.
- a1400(?c1300) LFMass Bk.(Roy 17.B.17)60/630 : Þen is þo messe þo worthiest þing, most of godnesse. Explicit. Amen, fiat.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)137/14 : God wole..þat ȝe haue euerelastyng lijf. Amen, amen, so mot it be. Eende.
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)62/15 : Explicit Relegio Sancti Spiritus. Amen.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)2288 : Now Ihesu Criste..Grante vs all His blyssyng! Amen, for charyte!
- c1450 St.Wulfhad (Nero C.12)383 : God grante them hys grace..Amen, abc deus e f g h.
- c1450 Siege Troy(1) (ArmsAr 22)2066 : Thay ferdyn mery & so mot we. Amen, amen, pur charyte.
- a1475 Leve lystynes (Brog 2.1)33 : He is not worth a nay. Amen.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)428 : Amen, &c. Explicit Gestis Romanorum.
- ?c1500 Grevus ys (Sln 1584)113 : Prey for this ded body þat your vnkyndnes haith slayne. Amen. ffinis.
2.
(a) saien amen, to say 'amen', as at the end of a prayer or wish, or in response to a request; (b) as a noun: the liturgical response 'amen'; (c) used as an epithet of Christ.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Lucy (LdMisc 108)175 : Ase huy amen seide, Aungles þare weren redie..hire soule to heuene lede.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)785 : 'Luþer þrift vp-on his heued!' 'Amen' seggeþ alle, ffor luþer chapman he was.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)1 Par.16.35 : Blessid the Lord God of Yrael..and sey alle puple Amen.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.14.16 : How schal he seie Amen vpon thi blessing, for he woot not what thou seist?
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Magd.(Phys-E)p.20 : Amen say we al samen.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)29237 : Þat vr lauerd gif sua to be, Sais alle amen parcharite.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Deut.27.15 : Cursid be the man that makith grauen thing..and al the puple shal answer and seye Amen.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)3 Kings 1.36 : 'He [Solomon] schal regne for me'..And Banaie..answeride..and seide Amen, that is, so be it, ether verily, ether feithfuli.
- c1440(?c1350) Mirror St.Edm.(4) (Thrn)39/36 : Say we Amen! þat es to say, swa be it!
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)215/2066 : And that it may so be, Seyth all amen, for charite.
b
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)10/34 : Þenne schal siggen hwo se con 'domine labia mea aperies'..&, efter þe amen, 'per dominum'.
c
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Apoc.3.14 : These thingis seith Amen, the feithful witnesse and trewe, which is bigynnyng of Goddis creature.