Middle English Dictionary Entry
entenden, -ien v.
Entry Info
Forms | entenden, -ien v. Also in-, an-. |
Etymology | OF entendre, L intendere. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. attenden.
1.
(a) To intend or plan (to do something); to have as one's purpose or object, aim at, attempt; (b) to strive or endeavor; also [without depend. inf.], strive to go (to a place), be bound for (a place); (c) to be inclined (to a virtue, vice, etc.), have a natural tendency or urge; (d) to desire, hope for; expect.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2347 : The trew man to the plowh Only to the gaignage entendeth.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.478 : Intendestow that we shal here bleve?
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)55b/a : In al oþer wondez forsoþ we entende [*Ch.(2): purpose] for to consolde without tentez & machez.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1155 : Al the longe day they tweye Entendeden to speken and to pleye.
- (1432) Paston2.35 : Not entending to comprehende in this desir the Stuard.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.2946 : This Delbora gan prudentli entende The Iewes parti bi wisdam to diffende.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)256 : We ouȝte not..entendi..eny werk being a boue þe boondis of kinde.
- (1449) RParl.5.153b : The Immunite and Liberte of the Chirch; the whiche Kyng intendith to kepe with oute hurt or prejudice in all wyse.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)1051 : This trewe boke of the pure pollicie Of see kepinge entendynge victorie.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)36/34 : Officers that entende not to ther distruccioun, but forto governe hem welle.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)998 : And yet detrude Entende thei the lond.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1238 : The hole multitude..entendeth not rebelle, But egged ar of theim that be to rude.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)289 : Entendyng for to distroye the arbischoppis powere.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.7 : Wherefore y..intende to compile a tretys of the state of the yle of Breteyne.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)4726 : To the kynge wolde he fare And entendyd to leve þere full yare.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)44/5 : Simplicite intendiþ god, purite takiþ him.
b
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3498 : For to entende To lerne bookes was al hir likyng.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.468 : Thei alle unto the herte ben Servantz, and ech in his office Entendeth to don him service.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.275 : No wys man nedeth for to wedde, Ne no man that entendeth vnto heuene.
- (1421) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)10.162 : Thanne myght they togeder entende ayeins Miscreants.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.61/4 : Othir men that intendid to the same place.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.3915 : Whos feeste..for to halwe he needis must entende.
- a1450(a1400) SLeg.Corp.Chr.(Bod 779)13 : For on scher-þorsday me may entendy nouȝt for to do þe seruise.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.20 : And what spirit so besily entendith Þe rounde world to wenden all aboute.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)313 : Vegetius it is, that I entende Aftir to goon in lore of exercise.
- (1476) Paston (Gairdner)5.258 : Iff ye entende hyddrewarde.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)3683 : To sen a trouthe, they nat entende.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10103 : An Ampte, a best smal,..To nouht elles doth entende, But on thys hylle vp tascende.
- a1500(a1475) Ashby Dicta (Cmb Mm.4.42)317 : Protecte ne defende no man by your myght, That by you to holpyn antendith, That shold mynyssh your goodenesse or ellis right.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)177 : Gye entendyd all that daye To serue that lady to hur paye.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4399 : That thei unto folie entenden.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.436 : Of þi ȝowthe þe disposicioun..Saue to vertu to no thyng doth entende.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)189 : And iouth entendeþ to Ioy & lustines.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.853 : This dooth me so to vertu for t'entende, That day by day I in my wille amende.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.192 : And þinges þat vnsouled ben also, Ne doth noght eueryche besily entende To þat his nature apperteneth to?
- a1475 St.Mary Magd.(2) (Dur-U Cosin V.2.14)211 : Hir brother Lazar entendid most to knyg[ht]hode.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.1321 : He that in youthe to delicate meete intendeth.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)71/31 : Loue is circumspecte,..not intendyng to veyn þinges.
- c1500 O Vanite (Ashm 61)58 : In ȝouth now styres mekyll wantonys, And oft intendyth to lustys & pley.
d
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1649 : I, that alle trouthe in yow entende.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)40 : He schal haue his hool natural perfeccioun..ouer which good he may desire or entende naturaly no grettir.
- c1475(1459) Pros.Yorkists in EHR 26 (Roy 17.D.15)514 : For asmuche as I intende a more appreciable good.
2.
(a) To pay attention or give heed (to something); ~ into, take notice of; (b) attend to or take care of (a business or duty), be engaged in or busy with (something);to devote (oneself); (c) to serve as an attendant or subordinate, wait upon (someone); to attend, accompany, or follow (someone);--with about, to, upon, with phrase.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(Hrl 2277:Horst.)245 : Her-afterward entende to þis lore.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.5.2 : Ne wile thou not entende to the desceyuyng of womman.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.2037 : That he unto thre pointz entende.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.689 : He to vertu listeth nat entende.
- a1400 12 PTrib.(1) (Roy 17.B.17)58 : If anoye so mykel fulfille þi hert þat hit may not be so entendaunde to prayer.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)601 : He entended not charyte no more þan a beste.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1230 : These worldly plesaunces to passe forbye And entenden to swech ioyes þat ar up on hye.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)100.90 (v.2:p.129) : The kyng .. devoutely entendyng into this blissid abbottis meritis, ordeyned his body to be diuided into thre partis.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)154 : Ye shall fight with hem and make hem entende to yow.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)3/26 : And ful unwise is he þat more entendiþ to oþir þinges þan to helpe of his soule.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.376 : Non entendeth To that which comun profit were.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1097 : He noght entendeth to no swich matere But daunceth.
- (1418) Proc.Privy C.2.357 : Þe King shulde entende to this matere.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.3/4 : Yn playes and othir courtly mokkys..intendyng, he lede forth the besynesse of alle the day.
- (1432) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)162 : Alle enfraunchised men..intending to alle manere wacches, wardes, taxes, [etc.].
- (1433) RParl.4.424b : To commaunde hym to entende to his service and Consail.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.13 : Potteres, which to that craft entende.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)79 : He left the study of Divinity, and entended al to nigromancie.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)145 : Thai entendet but litle..to þe kynges maters.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.81 : Somme peple tylle the erthe..somme intende to sapience and discipline.
- a1500 Lychefelde Comp.G.(Cai 174/95)188 : Prisonerys, boundyn fote & handys, I wyll them vysite & to them entende.
- a1500 St.Jerome (Lamb 432)337/32 : Monkis..entending to holy redingis.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1900 : How may this be That Damyan entendeth nat to me?
- (1429) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)10.424b : The Service of the Men of Armes and Archers that have Entended with the said Cardinal.
- (1440-1) Visit.Alnwick2.125 : That no mo of your susters entende vp on yowe, save onely your chapeleyn.
- (1455) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)11.366b : That ye be with us at oure Castell..and Entende upon oure Persone.
- (1469) Ordin.Househ.Clarence in PSAL (1790)94 : Suche persons as shalle entend aboute the Duchesse.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)1179 : Vschere.. & mershalle..vnto whom alle þese officeres foreseid þey euer entende shalle.
3.
(a) To watch or attend with eye or ear; esp., to look or listen; to perceive; (b) to be aware of, grasp; understand.
Associated quotations
a
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5325 : Balan, said he, to me entende.
- a1400 Bevis (Eg 2862)283 : Madame,..[to me] entende.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.893 : Ye..May to no long prologe as now entende.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.2.3 : Sche, entendynge to me ward with al the lookynge of hir eien.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.5/28 : His yene shall be opyn and his Eerys yntendyng one this howse, nyght and day.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.86 : En[t]ende what I schal say.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)13 : 'Lordinges,' quod she, 'entendeth hider.'
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.87 : When that kynge intendede [Trev.: took hede to] oon of theyme, an other did slee the kynge.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)310/11 : Sche ne a-tended to no-thinge but to be-holde and entende what songe thei seiden.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)280/48 : To my talkyng loke that ye be intendyng.
b
- c1300 SLeg.John (LdMisc 108)157 : Vnneþe ani Man eorþelich entendeth ȝwat it is.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)23896 : Here i haue a littel spend In word efter þat i entend.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.4282 : He list nat..entende Fro whens he cam, nor hymsilff to knowe.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)1121 : Ther his hert couth wel entende The message was trew she did him send.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)777 : As semeth wele by reson, who so can entende, that o mannys witt, ne will, may nat comprehende [etc.].
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)89/29 : They axed of all the forsaid [millers], tythes of the forsaid mylles..and they entende the axyng of the þyng.
4.
Latinate uses: (a) to turn or direct (desires); (b) entenden handes, lay hands (on someone); (c) to apply (a medical treatment to a disease); (d) to intensify (a state or condition).
Associated quotations
a
- a1500(1413) ?Hoccl.Poems PS (Eg 615)p.li/13 : Alle maner poepil, to wisshe & to teche..To his plesaunce hire hertes to intende.
b
- ?a1500 Job (Hnt HM 140)35 : This serpent and Devyll Sathan..desired power of persecucion..but not in Job his handes to entende.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)93b/b : In al casez be it entended to [*Ch.(2): werke aȝeyne; L intendatur] þe akyng & brynnyng wiþ popilion.
d
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f. 21vb : Humidite more may refreyne hete, than calidite intenden [L (Circa Instans): calidite intenden].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)192/5722 : What for the fere y had and drede lest thorugh them my sorow were biwried, Not wist y which vntend, yn verri ded, For so dismayd in alle þis world so side Was y.
Note: New form: Also..untend.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 2.(a).
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 from section: Also entend(e, entendi, intende(n, antenden, untend & (error) enend; ppl. entending, etc. & entendaunde; p.pl.3 entendeden, etc. & entendet; . Contraction: intendestou. --notes per MLL