Middle English Dictionary Entry
entenciǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | entenciǒun n. Also in-. |
| Etymology | OF; L intentiōn-em. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. entente.
1.
(a) Purpose, intention, or design; aim or object; final entencioun, ultimate purpose or goal; (b) of entencioun, on purpose, intentionally; of on entencioun, with fixed purpose; unanimously.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2982 : The conseil of his freendes acorde with hire wyl and hire entencioun.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.703 : Ther ben folk of swich condicioun That, whan they haue a certeyn purpos take, They kan nat stynte of hir entencioun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2923 : Declaryng first of trewe entencioun.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)4.12 : He is discriuere of þe thoȝtis and intencyoun of þe herte.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.MG (Hnt HM 111)52 : For cryst of thee hath deyned for to take Flessh and eek blood for this entencioun: Vp on a crois to die for our sake.
- a1450 3 KCol.(1) (Roy 18.A.10)49/17 : Noon..knew of oþir purpose ne intencioun.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)337/14 : Þe aldermen..come yn..to here & know þe entencion of þese rebellis.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)216/30 : Diuerse men hauen diuerse entencions when thei fasten.
- (c1450) Let.Oxf.in OHS 35294 : Colleges of þe same Universyth, of piouse intencione to þe worshyp of god.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.2852 : Suche othis be to oure Lorde odible That be made and promised to ony evell entencion.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)354/5 : Clennes of hert hath þe principalite, as a fynalle entencyone and rewarde of alle þe trauailes þat a chosen knyghte of Criste is wonte forto receyue.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)16/14 : If god were euer þe true entencion of oure desire, we wolde not liȝtly be troubled.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)38b : Then shall your merites make you a great lorde; In this wise is elixer..gendred, a thinge of a ijd.intencion.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.263 : Fables whiche, of entencioun, They han contreved..To hyde trouthe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3211 : Priam, euere of oo entencioun, Stode alweie fix to þis conclusioun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2703 : Echon, of oon entencioun, Þei condiscende to þis conclusioun.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3515 : She..of intencioun Fledde anon.
2.
(a) Will, wish, desire; emotions or feelings [quot.: (a1398)]; (b) naturel entencioun, entencioun of kind, natural or innate urge, inclination, trend, or tendency.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)335a/b : Musike..abateþ intenciouns [L motus] and þoughtes.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.2.114 : Wel neygh al the entencioun of mortel folk travaylen for to geten it.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)437/1360 : The bysshop gan meruaylle, Fully diffraudyd off his entencioun.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)15.65 : Wit good herte And good Entenciowne.
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)12 : Alle hir mynde and hir entencioun was oonly in hym.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.39 : For euer my purpos was hem to displesen And letten hem fro þeire entencioun.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)153 : It is wel..myn entencioun that thou make me ther of collacioun.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)301 : He wold be loggid with hir; þat was his hole entencioun.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)422 : Say, deuyll, what Entencion had this woman before she Entred the kyrke.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)212a/a : Some trees been full of prikkes þat comeþ not of þe insencioun [L intentione] of kynde þat gendreþ þe substaunce of þe tre.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.11.172 : I ne trete not now here of willeful moevynges of the soule that is knowyng, but of the naturel entencioun of thinges, as thus: ryght as we swolwen the mete that that we resseyven and ne thinke nat on it.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.3.7 : Naturel entencioun ledeth yow to thilke verray good.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.6.43 : Remembrestow..whider that the entencion of alle kynde tendeth?
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.190 : Wilt þow trowe þat any þing..Hath þis of naturel entencioun, As to forleten vtterly to be.
3.
Heart, mind, understanding; taken to entencioun, take to heart; kepen in ~, keep in mind, watch; clene ~, pure heart; clere ~, clear understanding; just ~, impartial or fair mind, fairness; with hol ~, wholeheartedly.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.155 : Ȝif þyn eyȝen be symple, þat is, þyn intencioun riȝt, al þy body schal be briȝt, þat is, al þe hepe of þy dedes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2270 : Resonable entencion, The which out of the Soule groweth And the vertu fro vice knoweth.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2516 : He mot awaite at every tyde..Ferst of the distillacion..And kepe in his entencion The point of sublimacion.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.526 : He was accorded..With humble herte and hool intencioun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1095 : Priam now in his entencioun Cast & compaseth..How strong he was of riches & meyne.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4521 : Iewes and cristen men..Sal þan thurgh even entencion Assent in Crist als a religion.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6258 : Good herte makith the goode thought;..Ther lyth the good religioun, Aftir the right entencioun.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.4.40 : It hevyth up the entencioun to ryght heye thinges.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)255/10 : Of me þou askest now a questioun..of þe hyest þing þat any man..may conseyue be clere entencioun.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)19038 : Whanne þe dewk be-held this distrocciown, ful sorowful was he in his entenciown.
- c1450 There is no creatour (Lamb 853)92 : Þi passioun & þi mercy We take to oure entensioun.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)268 : A just intensioun Is him to have.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.155 : Si oculus tuus fuerit simplex, that is to say, if that the intencion be ryȝhte.
- a1500 Lydg.LOL (Adv 19.3.1)112 : Consyduryng hys feturis by and by With grett insyght and humble entencyon.
- a1500 Lydg.LOL (Adv 19.3.1)122 : The gold of love, the franke of innocence, And the chast myrre of clene intencion.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)109/1 : Þe eye of intencion must be clensid, þat it be simple and furþe riȝt & directe to me allone.
4.
(a) Opinion or view (concerning a situation); (b) significance or import (of a situation or doctrine); meaning (of a statement or word).
Associated quotations
a
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)142 : Ye sey I-nough after youre in-tencion.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1443 : Lat no man bisy hym this art for to seche But if that he thentencioun and speche Of philosophres vnderstonde kan.
- c1450(?a1402) *?Trev.Reg.Princ.(Dgb 233)1b/b : The intencioun, that is to say, þe inward menynge.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)5/5 : In myn herte is writte, of perdurable letters, al the entencions of lamentacion that now ben ynempned.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)110/140 : 'Necessary' and 'necessite' ben wordes of mokel entencion.
5.
setten entencioun, give attention; taken ~, render devotion, pray.
Associated quotations
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4701 : Now set wel thyn entencioun, To here of love discripcioun.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.61 : When sche..Had seen þat myn entencioun [L attentionem] and my will Was set to listen.
- a1500 Moste glorious lord (Voss Germ.Gall.Q.9)159 : Vn-to the, lady, we take entencyon..I Recomaund my sprete..To thy hye mercy.
6.
Law The substance or provisions (of a document).
Associated quotations
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 4567 : By thy wyttenesse I seye nowe the intention of my last wylle, to be fulfyllyd aftyr my day.
7.
Med. and surg. (a) An end or objective (in the treatment of an injury or a disease); also, a plan or method of attaining such an objective; (b) a general principle of medicine or surgery, a teaching or doctrine.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)32/12 : Al þe intencioun of helynge of woundis is for to sowden or to helen & to restoren.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)18/13 : Al þe entencioun of a surgian..is on þre maners: þe first is vndoynge of þat þat is hool, þe secunde to hele þat þat is broke, þe iij is remeuynge of þat þat is to myche.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)1a/a : To remoue sikenes..is þe ende & þe intencioun [*Ch.(2): entente] of þis science.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)1a/b : Þat he be made enfourmed with resoun of curatyue intencions [*Ch.(2): curyng entenciouns]..It byhoueþ..forto seke intenciouns [*Ch.(2): ententes] which bene possible & which may noȝt be perfourmed.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)3a/b : Yt by houeþ þat he knowe þynges agayns nature ouer þat þe sikenes, ffor why of it is proprely taken þe curatyue intencioun [*Ch.(2): entente of curing].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)54b/a : Of suche differencis forsoþe þe curatyf domes & entenciouns and helpynges ben taken and þe manere wiþ the whiche þai ben fulfilled.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)56b/a : The firste intencioun forsoþe is cleped when dyuerse þinges be ioynede to gedre wiþoute mene oute of dyuerse kynde.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)56b/b : The commune entencioun [*Ch.(1): entent] of all soluciouns of contynuhede is onehede.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)9a/a : Where it is to note, after þe intensioun of Galen Per Totum De Utilitate Particulorum, þat after þat þe inutile is componed, as it is said, cordez & rounde ligamentez destenden fro it.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)1b/b : We wote by þe generale intensioun of Cirurgiens þat þe Idropesy be cured or at þe leste þat þe passioun be alleged.