Middle English Dictionary Entry
fallāce n.
Entry Info
| Forms | fallāce n. Also fallas. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. fallacīe n.
1.
Deceit or deception; trickery, guile, fraud; also, a trick or stratagem intended to deceive.
Associated quotations
- c1390 Body & S.(5) (Vrn)370 : Þou foule flesch..Ful of falsnesse and fallas!
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2509 : This craft [alchemy] is wroght be weie of kinde, So that ther is no fallas inne.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2778-9 : Þer a man swereþ by fallace. Fallace ys, as who seye, 'gyle'..Ȝyf þou swere to me for oght, And a-nouþer ys yn þy þoght.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)12.22 : He is reuerenced and robed þat can robbe þe peuple Þorw fallas [vrr. fallase, fallace] and false questes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.57 : For sche to somme, of fraude and of fallas, Mynystreth pyment, bawme, & ypocras.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)0b/b : Curacioun haþ o maner for to wirke vndolorosely .i. with oute aking or peyne & with oute fallace [*Ch.(2): desceyte; L fallacia].
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)61/11 : Alle þe falsnesses and fallases þat a man bigileþ and deceyueþ by in word and dede.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.177 : The fallace of Vlixes, fiȝhtenge by arte and not by armes.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)62 : Lest yee bien disceived for worldly delites and broken with worldly fallaces and guyles.
2.
Opinion, belief, or argument contrary to truth; falsehood or sophistical argument; also, a fallacy or sophism.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.2186 : Thei be sleihte and be fallas Of feigned wordes make him wene That blak is whyt and blew is grene.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)89 : Thou saist that we prechen but fallace and fables, and leve the gospel.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7077 : Late hym study in equipolences, And late lyes and fallaces.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)101 : Thei ben veyn fallacis as to schewe treuthe of feith.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.328 : It is [read: nis] a fallace nether opinioun, But verrey science suffisaunt and trewe.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)11648 : I studye..In Elenches off ffallas..To make ffablys seme trewe.