Middle English Dictionary Entry
envenimen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | envenimen v. Also in-, an-, enveminen. |
| Etymology | OF envenimer. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. avenimen.
1.
To poison (a person, a wound) by bite, sting, contact, drink, or the like; also fig.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)p.53 : Þare cam an Addre and envenimede þat child.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1011 : Men þat beþ enuenimed þoru graces [plants] of þe londe..hii beþ iclansed.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)62 : Þe scorpioun þet..enue[n]ymeþ mid þe tayle.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2457 : He was..with strong puison envenimed.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.474 : But age, allas! that al wole enuenyme.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)263 : Invenymyn: Veneno.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)51.169 : The wounde Envemyned was.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)14954 : Thys two sperys..envenyme as poysoun.
2.
To render (anything) poisonous, as by application, suffusion, or infusion of poison; also fig.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)19 : He nam one aruwe envenimed.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3455 : Hii enuenimed wiþinne þe welle aboute in eche stude mid hor luþer gynne.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)50 : Þe eyr is anuenymed of þe dede [of Sodom and Gomorrah].
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3314 : This sherte..Enuenymed was so subtilly..That..It made his flessh al from hise bones falle.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.195 : A morsell envenimed.
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5365 : Her bytt envenymed was.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.228 : Envenomed knyfe he bare also priuely.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)216/8 : Thou shalt haue dartes and arowe envenymet, and yf thou mayste cvm to the watyr..envenyme thou hit.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)979 : That arowe was al with felonye Envenymed, and with spitous blame.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)384/1 : The spere-hede was invenymed.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)67/124 : My synful steppys Anvemynyd [vr. anvempnyd] þe grounde.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)111/26 : Arwes and dartys enuemynd [sic].
3.
(a) To infect or corrupt (persons, institutions, etc.) morally; (b) to vitiate (a logical consequence).
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)268 : Thus ben knihtes gadered of unkinde blod, And envenimeth that ordre that shold be so god and hende.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)27 : Vor þe ilke zenne anuenymeþ alþeruerst þe herte of the enuious..Þe herte of þe enuious ys enuenymed and suo miswent.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4428 : Ne schuld he with wicchecraft be..purliche enuenemed.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)92 : Þei enuenymen oure peple wiþ cursed symonye.
- c1450 3 KCol.(2) (Add 31042)784 : Þe moste party of Cristyndome Was envenommede and blyndide in heresy.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)379 : Þis sinne..haþ envenemyd alle þe clergi.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)141 : Taking of temporaltees enuenymed.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)68/13 : Oure forme synne stanke soo..þat all our ospryng schall be enfecte and enve[ne]mode þerof.
b
- 1532(?a1400) RRose (Thynne)7470 : Men may fynde alway sophyme The consequence to envenyme.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.65ra (2.8) : Þat it [urine] is dym or elles bloisshe, it seiþ enfeccion of þe spirituales & also of þe lyuer, which infeccioun is causede of wickede mater, thike and dresty & venymouse, þat renneþ by 'vena concaua' to þe lyuer & þer enfectiþ, i. coruptiþ & envenymeth, þe blode.
Note: Additional quot. Editor's gloss: 'envenoms, infects'.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. (Note, among other needed forms) the error form in sense 1., (1340) quot.: enveymeþ.--per MLL