Middle English Dictionary Entry
ēth(e, ẹ̄th(e adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | ēth(e, ẹ̄th(e adv. Also eithe, eȝaþe, iethe, ithe. |
| Etymology | OE ēaþ(e and īeþ, ēþ; comp. ēþ, ēþor, ēaþor. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Easily, readily; (b) the eth (ether), the more easily, the better.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)102/17 : Crist mihte eaðe mid ane worde þenne deofel senden on ece lure.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)17676 : I maȝȝ full æþe cnawenn All whillke shulenn cwemenn me.
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)219 : He [Lucifer] wolde and eaðe mihte bien his sceoppende ȝelic.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)29 : Al swa eða þu mihtest..smiten of þin aȝen heaueð.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)53 : We mugen michel eðere forðen wepinge þene song.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)62 : Ablinde þe heorte, heo is eð ouercomen.
- a1350 Horn (Hrl 2253)61 : So fele myhten eþe [Cmb: yþe] bringe þre to deþe.
- c1330 Floris (Auch)825 : Nou þou miȝt wel eþe Arede me fram þe deþe.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)7/173 : We seþe hit wel ine oure fey, And fredeþ hit at nede Wel eȝaþe.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)1281 : Of Lazar also þou miht i-seon eþe Hou he him arerede from þe deþe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7720 : I wil him sla ful eth [Göt: ethe] es now.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)11219 : Might he noght þan, þat alle purueyd, Be born of a maydin eth [Trin-C: eþe]?
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)489 : Here byfore he myghte ethe [Cmb: eyth] Sone hafe mad me asethe.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)232/141 : Oone worde myght thou speke ethe.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)12 : This wily feend deceving Eue thus eth.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)100/26 : Þenne maȝe we þisses þe æð ilyfæn.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26438 : Þu miht libben þa eð.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)23445 : Þat he þa æð [Otho: þe bet] mihte wið Arðure uihte.
- ?c1250 PMor.(Eg 613(1))88 : Þe þe Godes wille [?deð], ðe eiðer he mai him finde.
2.
As intensive: with reason, not without cause, well; wel (ful) ethe, with good reason, very well.
Associated quotations
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)19/50 : Ac eaðe þeos mihte axigen.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)173 : Hie..beð swiðe of grisen and ful eaðe muȝen.
- a1225 PMor.(Dgb 4)st.76 : We muȝen eaðe [Eg(1): eðe] ben ofherd.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)203 : Engelond, wel glad þov beo, for þou miȝt wel eþe.
- a1300 PMor.(Jes-O 29)368 : Bliþe mvwen heo beon eþe.
- a1300 PMor.(Jes-O 29)282 : Þer is þe loþe sathanas and beelzebub þe olde. Eþe [Lamb: Ieþe] heo mwue beon adred þat heom schulde biholde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4711 : Þei [Chaucer's poems] arn ethe to knowe [vr. esy to knowe], þei ben so excellent.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1300 Wenne hic soe (StJ-C A.15)8 : Hiþe hi mai weþen and selte teres leten.
Note: New form: Also..hiþe.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1.(a) (where it is needed for date).
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)25659 : Þai bare þam etheer þan þai salde, Better þan þar dignite walde.
Note: New form: Comp. ether.
Note: [L Extulerunt se ultra quam eorum dignitas expectebat.]
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1.(b).
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.--notes per MLL