Middle English Dictionary Entry
fairīe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | fairīe n. Also faierie, feiri(e, farie. |
| Etymology | OF faerie. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The country or home of supernatural or legendary creatures; also, a land of such creatures; (b) coll. such creatures; (c) such a creature.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.659 : Hit is a kniȝtes of fayri, And al þis forest her-by.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)562 : Out of þe lond of fairy.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.7073 : An hauk..as he were of faierie, He scheweth him tofore here yhe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2227 : Pluto that is kyng of fairye.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)366 : Twoo olde men..dydde appere lyke ffolkes off ffeyrye.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)280 : Here fadyr was kyng of fayrye Of Occient.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)1035 : Þus Launfal..Was take yn to fayrye: Seþþe saw hym yn þis lond no man.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)230 : Þemperour wend witerly for wonder of þat child, þat feiȝþely it were of feyrye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.964 : Thi wif, which is of faierie.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2039 : Proserpina and al hir fairye.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)638 : I trowe verily that it be som fende, or of feire, that thus hath hir disceived.
- a1500 Orfeo (Hrl 3810)10 : Sum [lays] þer ben of the feyre.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.872 : This maketh that ther been no fairyes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5586 : Þer cam doun from þe hiȝe heuene..Like a fairy a merueillous ymage.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)66 : Galatee, the which was a fayrye.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)802 : Hic antepos, hec lamea: ffayery.
2.
(a) Supernatural contrivance; enchantment, magic, illusion; also, something supernatural or illusory, a phantom; (b) something incredible or fictitious, a figment.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)192 : Þe quen was..Wiþ fairi forþ ynome.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.6 : Me bi-fel a ferly, A Feyrie [B: of fairy] me þouhte.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)28 : Þis world..nis but fantum and feiri.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.201 : It [a horse of brass] was a fairye [vr. of fayry] as the peple semed.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4805 : More lik..A þinge y-made & founded be fairye, Þan any werke wrouȝt be fantasie Þoruȝ wit of man.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)1522 : Wiþ fantasme and fairie Þus sche blered his iȝe.
- a1450 Þis word lordlinggis (Sln 2593)p.245 : This word, lordynges, is but a farye.
b
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6909 : Þat þou herdest [from the oracle of the tree] is fayrye.
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6970 : Noman ne leue þat fayrye.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)9458 : Man wolde wene that men did lye, And holde it all for fairie.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)89 : 'I wot not what this tokeneth but if it be a fairye.' 'It is not so,' quod resoun, 'For of my mouth cam neuere out lesinge ne fairye.'
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9260 : Wher yt be trouth or fayrye.
3.
fairie knight, a supernatural or legendary knight.
Associated quotations
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.655 : A fairy kniȝt herin is.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)98 : Iich am comen here a fairi knyȝte.