Middle English Dictionary Entry
expǒunen, expǒunden v.
Entry Info
| Forms | expǒunen, expǒunden v. Also exponen, expugnen. |
| Etymology | AF espound-re, pl.3 espounent; L expōn-ere. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
To set forth, reveal, (facts, doctrines, theories, rules of conduct); describe or tell (orally or in writing); to present (one's case).
Associated quotations
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)37 : To þat spot þat I in speche expoun I entred in þat erber grene.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1663 : As þe story suynge shal expowne.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1967 : That my brother, as thow hast expownyd, Desyreth so in Thebes to be crownyd.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)159/26 : The lawe of Emyle exponyth this vertu Iusticia in this maner in latyne: Iusticia est constans et perfecta voluntas.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Josh.20.9 : To the tyme that he to expounen [WB(2): declare] his cause stoond before the puple.
- a1425 Ordin.Nuns(1) (Lnsd 378)142/33 : Hir maistres salle expone hir þe rewle and all þe poyntis..of religiun.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 18.26 : Priscille ande Aquyla..besily expowned [L exposuerunt] to hym þo waye of God.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.27/10 : To expowne it is nat now necessarie.
- a1450 3 KCol.(1) (Roy 18.A.10)61/22 : Of þis..diuers causes be write and expouned in diuers bokys.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)6/4 : We bydde and commaunde that euery curat expowne and declare openly to the pepil..The articles of the fayth.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13033 : Expowne me..Hastow verrayly wombys tweyne?
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)123 : This may be wele expovned of the blissed virgyne marie.
2.
(a) To explain, interpret, or make clear (something obscure or difficult to understand); (b) to interpret or give the significance of (a dream, a parable, a vision); to solve (a problem, a riddle).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3398-9 : In al that land magicien was noon That koude expounde what this lettre mente, But Danyel expowned it anoon.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.873 : That figure Which Daniel in his scripture Expondeth.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)104a/b : Þese wordis beþ ful harde to vndirstonde but þey beþ in þis manere expowned.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)127a/b : Prestis declarid and expowned þe lawe [L lex exponebatur] to þe puple.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1492 : Dryȝtyn Expouned his speche spyrytually to special prophetes.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)12/8 : He þat makiþ þe lawe haþ power..to expowne & declare & telle þe menyng of lawe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4981 : After resoun no þing þei expowne, But after wil.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)2 Esd.8.13 : That he schulde expowne to hem the wordis of the lawe.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7172 : To expowne you the pith withynne.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)38b/b : Þe whiche schal be expowned [L explicabitur] when it schal be treted.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.1516 : Worthy Nynus that was kyng off Assirie Expowned his lauhtre to gret felicite.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)26 : The doom of resoun ouȝte not forto be expowned, glosid, interpretid, and brouȝte for to accorde with the seid outward writing in Holi Scripture.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)584 : Expoune me this and ye shall sothe it fynde.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)85/87 : Who xal expownd þis oute..God help us in þis dowhte.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)362 : Quat it signifiet..expovnet it wes to hir thurȝe an angel cler.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)11481 : Thogh a man..hadde ful experyence Off euery wysdom & scyence, & koude exponen euery doute.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)42 : The significance of the two dragons that Merlin hadde expowned to Vortiger.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)99/354 : What this may signifie Christ expoundes apertelie.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.13.36 : Expoune to vs the parable.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.663 : Thus expondeth Daniel The kynges swevene.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)630 : To sleen all tho..that diden fayle to expowne his mysty dyvynaile.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)736 : Thy problem fully is expowned.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1278 : Dremes many a maner man bigile. And whi? For folk expounden hem amys.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1456 : Cassandre him gan right thus his drem expounde.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Judg.14.16 : The redels..thou wolt not to me expowne.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.41.8 : He telde the dreem and noon was that expownede [WB(1): vndide it].
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)16 : I haue herd that thou expownest moost prudentli.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)25 : Y telde the dreem to expowneris, and no man is that expowneth [WB(1): out openith].
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1710 : Thus expoune I þis mannys dremyng.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)43/30 : The wise holi man..expouned and declared her avicion.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)437 : He that youre dreme expowned was Merlin.
3.
(a) To explain or comment on (an author or a piece of writing); specif., to expound (the Scriptures), to reveal the meaning (of Christ's teachings); (b) to give the meaning of (a word or passage); to render in other words or in another language; to translate or paraphrase.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.237 : Cassiodorus þe senatour..expownede [L exposuit] the sawter.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.221 : [Bede] made hym besy to studie and expowne holy writt.
- a1400 Cursor (Vsp A.3)990/383* : And þus he expounded þe prophesyes.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.14.3 : He þat expownys scripturis, he spekys to men to edificacyoun.
- ?c1425 Craft Number.(Eg 2622)3/23 : Þus expone the verse.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)105a/b : And þoghe þise be noght þe forþright wordes of ypocras, neuerþelatter Galien expowneþ it þus.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)30/28 : Þilk preier, Pater noster, is expowned in þe first parti of þe book.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)47 : Forto expowne, interprete, or glose dewli and treuly Holi Scripture.
- a1450 ?Audelay The pater noster (Dc 302)214/1 : The pater noster to expone.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apost.(Dub 245)433 : Ensaumple of siche deds exponeþ best Cristis lawe.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)17.13 : To translate or expound haly writ.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)272 : They..praide him that he wolde declare and expone tho versys to hem.
b
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.86 : First wolde I yow the name of Seinte Cecile Expowne..It is to seyn in Englissh heuenes lilie.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.1.23 : Emanuel, that is interpretid, or expounid, God with us.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.95 : I holde hit be worthy to write here and expowne meny termes of þese lawes: Mundbreche, hertynge of honour and of worschepe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1716 : His felawe gan he preye Texpounden hym this song in his language.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.277 : In englisch..it is wel harde wel to expounen.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)124/4 : Bi þese now last seid wordis, god wolde expowne þe oþire wordis afore in þe same chapitre writen.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)69 : Norwyche, a Greke..iche word, bothe gret & smal, In Latyne yt expugnyd.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)69 : Catacumbas is a meruelous name for it is not expowned in our latyne bokes.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)6691 : In scottys langage all he prechid; Þe kyng his preching walde expound, And telle it in englyssh tonge.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1056 : I telle you the texte, expowne ye the gloose!
4.
Misc.: (a) To display (goods); (b) to be exposed (to attack); -- pass.; (c) to offer (oneself) to the other sex.
Associated quotations
a
- (1471) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.12070 : All maner of warke of newe wroght within the same cite..and there expounded to saile.
b
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.363 : That oon [island]..is wonte to be vsede with the visitacioun of angelles. That other is expownede to the incursion of deuelles.
c
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)357/17 : Þe wyfe of Claudius..was so gyffen vnto luste & lykyng, þat furste privalie and syne opynlie sho wold expownd hur selfe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 ?Scrope Ribot First Monks (Lamb 192)48/38 : Baal in tho dayys myth not ȝevyn to hym reyn, ne expownyn [L soluere] the word of Helye, the wych he had seyd aforn to hym, 'Ther schal no dew no reyn be in these ȝerys but be the wordys of my mowth.'
Note: Ed.: "'expownyn' soluere, 'release from'. MED does not record any use of 'solven' as 'solve, expound', though the MED Corpus quotes Ranulph Higden: 'Y beseche youre maieste be not trowblede & grevede to solve oon question'. The earliest use recorded in OED is 1533."
Note: ?New sense: 'release (oneself) from'.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (BodeMus 187:Harvey)f.27r (2.4) : Þer I expounede þise 2 termes 'regnat' & 'dominatur.'
Note: Need date, sense 3.(b).