Middle English Dictionary Entry
ē̆rthelī, ē̆rthlī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | ē̆rthelī, ē̆rthlī adj. Also eerth(e)li, erlich, eortheli(ch, orthlich, eorlich, orlich, ierthlich, ierlich, urthlich, urlich, yerthli, erdli, ertli. |
| Etymology | From ē̆rthe (1); OE eorþlīc. ME variants with a short vowel (sometimes with loss of th) are normal descendants of the OE word; variants with a long vowel are newly derived from ME ē̆rthe . |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Belonging to this earth (i.e. not of heaven or hell), terrestrial, worldly; having material and transitory existence on this earth (i.e. not spiritual and lasting), mortal or mundane;-- (a) of man or other creatures, (b) of man's faculties, emotions, striving, activities, possessions, power, or of any terrestrial or worldly thing.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)2/35 : He wolde wyrecen mann of eorðe, þat se eorðlice mann scolde geðeon & geearnian..þa wununge on heofone rice.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)18322 : Icc amm an erþlike mann.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25875 : Ȝif þu ært eorðlic cniht.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)27/1 : Ðis ne tahte ðe non eordlic mann.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)63/29 : Ne haue ðu hope..te nan ierlich mann.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)95/22 : Hie is gost and ic am dust; hie is heuenlich and ich ie[r]ðlich.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)4/3 : Margarete..feht weð þe feond & wið his eorðliche limen.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)788 : Vor þe mon mid his crafte Overkumeþ al orþliche [vr. eorþliche] shafte.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)715 : To þe kinge he cam; ase is erþeliche [vr. urliche] louerd he grette him.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1403 : Þoruȝ strencþe of eorþeliche [vr. urthlich] manne In þis pouwer ich am i-do.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)3344 : Erþliche man semeþ he nouȝt..Boute a fend stolen out of helle.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)125/296 : Erlych man..Ne þer-of [may] more aspye [etc.].
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3200 : Ne douteþ he non erlich gome.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.598 : In the name of Iesu euery knee of heuenely creatures or erthely, or of helle, sholden bowe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)35 : What urþly haþel þat hyȝ honor haldez.
- (1418) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)72 : Of alle erthely Princes our most dred soueraign Liege lord.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.3.1 : Ye men, that ben erthliche beestes.
- c1440(a1349) Rolle Bee (Thrn)55/14 : Ryghtwyse men..halde þamselfe vile and erthely.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)82.253-254 (v.2:p.94) : The loue of the holi goste .. makith to han but litle of erthely loue and moche of gostely loue, and makith hem nat to louen erthly thyngis erthely, but rather spritually.
- c1475(a1400) Amadace (Tay 9)43 : Als gay Als any erliche [vr. eyrthely] mon.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)419/36 : Of all erthely women she loved hir beste.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)7 : A duke, or an ȝerle, stonding ny a ȝerþli king.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)1612 : Erell or ony Emperour or erthlich [Ashm: erdly] prince.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)14/27 : God asende reinscuræs & eorðlice wæstmæs.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)82/33 : Heo libbæð on heofene..heo eorðlice mætes næfre ne brucæð.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)84/10 : He sceal smeaȝen..embe þa heofenlice þing swiðer þenne embe ða eorðlice þing.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)94/22 : Eorðlice wisdom.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)102/27 : He [Christ] alle ricen, æȝþer ȝe heofenlice ȝe eorþlicen, wissæð.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)132/10 : Swa wace & swa tealte beoð eorðlice dreames.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.244 : All forr þe lufe off Godd & nohht Forr erþliȝ loff to winnenn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4563 : Ȝæn erþliȝ kare & serrȝhe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11681,2 : Þe deofell spacc off eorþliȝ bræd, Off eorþliȝ lifess fode.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14141 : To winnenn erþlic ahhte.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)157 : Hom ofþuchte þet þis orliche lif hom to longe leste.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)153 : Al world wele & orðliche [vrr. erðeliche, eordliche, werldliche] blisse.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)89/20 : Ðat tin blisse ne bie of non ierðliche þinge.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)10/91 : Helle is..ful of brune uneuenlich, for ne mei nan eorðlich [vr. eordlich] fur euenin þer towart.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1717 : Nan eorðlich ehe ne mei hit seon..ne nan eorðlich eare hercnin ne heren.
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)174 : Heo noþer et ne dronk ne i-saiȝ non eorþelich liȝt.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)250 : Þe loue of god, þet is wel y-clensed of alle erþliche loue and of alle ulessliche willes.
- c1390 Ilke a wys (Vrn)55 : Of erþly ese þis is þe ende: Here to-day, a-wey to-morn!
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12114 : For ic [Jesus] am sundri..To bunden be til erthli [Göt: erli] lai..For erthli [Göt: erdli] fader haf i nan.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)135 : For vrþely herte myȝt not suffyse To þe tenþe dole of þo gladnez glade.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)22.94 : Eorthliche [vrr. erthelyche, eerthlich] honeste þynges was offred þus at ones.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)153/26 : God grauntyth the heynysse of honour herthely als wel to ewill men as to good men.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.4.18 : Þe phylosophrys ben blowyn with erþely wysdam.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)7/1 : For nan erþelike pouste aȝ he at for-gete [etc.].
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)41/2 : Luste of ely [sic] bewte settis before gostely clernes.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)44/20 : All ely þingis ar vayne whilk in erth ar desyrid.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)988 : Ich ertheli thinke hase ende.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1175 : Myne ertly Ioy, myne hertis ful plesaunce.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)13/23 : The science to fixe alle erþely þingis in nostra 5ta essencia, þat is to seie, oure heuene.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)176/240 : Non erthely tonge can telle.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)11.7 : Thai ere departid fra the erth, nathynge hafand of erthly filth.
2.
Resembling the substance earth.
Associated quotations
- c1450 Metham Palm.(Gar 141)88/20 : And yf the ryght parte of the tryangyl be depe and gret and off an erthely [vr. yerthly] coloure, yt sygnyfyith rudenes and boystusnes.
3.
Having the qualities of the 'element' earth.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)213b/a : Abyes..haþ non erþely humour.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)20/9 : Þis humour [melancholy] is erþely, coold, & drie, of þe nature of slowe saturne.
4.
(a) erthli Jerusalem, terrestrial Jerusalem; (b) erthli Paradis, ~ land of beheste, the Garden of Eden on earth; (c) erthli world, the cosmos, either macrocosm or microcosm.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.107 : In þe oþer, erþely Ierusalem..þe heuenliche is bytokened.
b
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)129 : Þet wes eorðliche parais.
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)527 : It is eorþelich parays þat Adam was Inne i-brouȝt.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.107 : It moot be, þat þere be tweye londes of byheste, erþeliche and goostlyche.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)648 : Wel wende I ful sikerly Have ben in paradys erthly.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)23 : Where dwellide he fourty dayes aftir his resureccioun, or he steiȝe up to heuene?..In erþely paradijs.
c
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1043 : Twa worldes here to-gyder may falle Þat men may erthely worldes calle.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1480 : Twa erthely worldes til þis life falles..Þe mare world of erthe, and þe les..Þe mare world es þis world brade, And þe les es man.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3200 : Ne douteþ he non erlich gome.
Note: OED treats this line, which MED quotes above under sense 1.(a), as an early example of 'earthly' reduced to an intensifier in negative contexts, especially after 'no' or 'none'; 'non erlich' = 'none at all.' MED prefers to sense in this quotation, as in the other similar quotations in this sense, a persistent, not yet fully reduced, implied contrast with 'heavenly' or 'supernatural' or 'immaterial'.