Middle English Dictionary Entry
ē̆rnen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | ē̆rnen v. Also arne, (early) erne, ernien, earni(n, earniæn; p. (early) earnode, ærnode; ppl. (early) earned, ierned, iærned. |
| Etymology | OE earnian. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To earn (sth.) as compensation for labor; (b) to obtain, deserve, or merit (sth.) as recompense or punishment for behavior.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)342 : Betere ȝou is to swinke & erne ȝoure mete Þenne at hom to deye on hunger.
- c1500 The shype ax (Ashm 61)58 : He wyll drynke more on a dey Than thou cane lyghtly arne in twey.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)28/3 : He forþan earnode swa his sune hæle.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)94/7 : Þeo sawle bið iwlitegod swa heo on worlde ærnode.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)118/27 : God us is þæt we to Gode mid gode dæde earniæn þæt we moten mid him beon.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)132/33 : Þæt we mid stilnesse ure bedu singæn, & earniæn us þæt uplice rice.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)7 : We beoð on þisse liue for to ernien þa eche blisse in houeneriche.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)137 : He scal auon ðer of his mede and beon þenne ifunde alse hit bið nuðe ierned here.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12053 : Elc ane he ȝif æhte alse he iærned [Otho: i-sareued] hafde.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)53 : Þe synfulle lichame..erneð here þat ure louerd ihesu crist him she[n]deð.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)26/275 : Don his read, & earnin him crune up-o crune.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)66/706 : Godd..wule leote ful wel þe unwiht asaili þe, þet tu earni þer-þurh Kempene crune.
- c1225 St.Kath.(1) (Tit D.18)2255 : Nu þu art..i-cnawen þat tu haues deað earned [vr. ofseruet].