Middle English Dictionary Entry
entīcen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | entīcen v. Also in-. |
| Etymology | OF enticier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. ticen.
1.
To incite or instigate (someone to do evil, or to commit an offence or an act of violence); to tempt (to sin or vice); to provoke (to anger).
Associated quotations
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1259 : Þe deuel hadde entyced þe gywes þer-by-ffore To oure lordes deþ suþþe he was ybore.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)752 : Hor louerdes hii entissede [vr. ticede] þat hii hulde to gadere vaste & wonne al þis lond to hom & hor fader out caste.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)112/381 : Ac glotonye entycyþ To lecherye.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.584 : The feend enticed [vr. entiseth] hym.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1137 : For þenne þou Dryȝtyn dyspleses with dedes ful sore, and entyses hym to tene.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1808 : Unclannes..Entyses hym [the Lord] to be tene, tel[des] up his wrake.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)8.91 : Ryȝt so flaterers and foles..Entysen men þorgh here tales to synne and to harlotrie.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)26984 : Þe warlagh is euer aboute to entise man to synne to lende.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.322 : With enuye and yuel speche entysyng to fyȝte.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)49a/b : Persuade[o]: to engyne or entyse.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)3242 : Owre cruell enmies haue entised þis man To do this dede.
- a1450 SLeg.Suppl.Bod.(Bod 779)397/149 : Þe fend..gan entysy genewold & his wif also, so þat þey synnyd fleschliche.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)70/6 : Fals breþern þat..entyset oþer to do me doses.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)151/28 : He intised hure þrouȝ prayers and ȝiftis for to consent vnto the will of the yonge man.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)24/37 : The fals feynd..Entysyd man to glotony.
2.
(a) To lure, induce; to encourage or persuade (to do something); (b) to allure or attract (a blemish).
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4836 : Edelfred..enticede [vrr. entyced, tycede] oþer kinges here of þis lond þat hii wende to walis & þe brutons ssende.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1504 : Ȝyf þou..entycedest [vr. entysyd] any fro relygyoun, Gostly þou mayst hym slo.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)262 : Intycyn, or steryn to doon a dede: Incito, instigo.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)307 : To entyce the emperour to take ouere the mounttes.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)67b : To intise: incitare, instigare, instringere, prouocare, persuadere, suadere, suggerere in bono & in malo, solicitare.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)80/33 : In these maners oweþ yche preste for to entise the schewer of synnes..that he lyve wele and riȝtwysly.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)16/27 : He was that man þat stydfastly most hym held, and most hym entised [Rwl: styrrid] for to withstond and fight.
- ?1536(1402) Jack Upland (Gough)200/321 : Frere, what charite is this - to prese upon a riche man, and to entyce him to be buried among you from his parish-church?
b
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2436 : Þe fayntyse of þe flesche crabbed, How tender hit is to entyse teches of fylþe.