Middle English Dictionary Entry
fāme n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | fāme n.(1) |
| Etymology | OF fame. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Reputation (whether good or bad) as to character or behavior; (b) good reputation, good name; (c) bad reputation; ill repute.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 Evang.(Dlw 22)343 : God man he was and of god fame.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)43/71 : Onliche men & women of gode fame & of gode name.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2476 : Þe land of sodome..was in an iuel fame.
- a1400 Mary moder well (RwlLtrg g.2)20 : Schilde me..fram alle wikkede fame.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20211 : Lo, þe saxons, so fals of fame, Of falsed and of weked name!
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1619 : Y graunte yow That ye shal have a shrewed fame, And wikkyd loos, and worse name, Though ye good loos have wel deserved.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)44 : Cuttede clothes and pykede schone, Thy gode fame þey wole for-done.
- c1450 How mankinde dooþ (Lamb 853)164 : To..bringe trewe folk in fals fame.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)13/8 : Men of good fame.
b
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)60b : Ha schal..þenchen leasse of godd & leosen hire fame.
- a1425(c1300) NHom.(1) Martin AM (Cmb Gg.5.31)p.71 : He had spylte this wommane fame.
- (c1453) Let.Oxf.in OHS 35320 : Wher ye..suppose hys worship and fame in this mater be hurt.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)131/245 : Þis day help me fro werdly schame, A-bowte þis awtere to kepe my fame.
- a1500 Holy Writ seyȝt (BodPoet e.1)18 : Lok þat þu no man defame, Ne a-peyer no mans fame.
c
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)111 : Natheles thise gode men fallen oft in fame.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1519 : Ȝyf þou bryng a man yn fame, Þat he haue euer lastyng shame.
- c1400(a1376) *PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)[5.74] f.12b : I haue..blamide hym behynde his bak to bringe hym in fame [vrr. disclaundre, defaut].
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)3413 : I may forsake nowt The fame that on me hys broght.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)34.112 (v.1:p.248) : She .. In al hir porte and gouernaunce so demenyd hir that nevir fals fame coude ner durst ony suspicion of vnclennesse feynen vpon hir.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)8229 : I fyght..to delyuyr hym of fame stronge That ys put on hym wyth wronge.
2.
(a) (Wide-spread) reputation, celebrity, renown, fame; (b) a reputation (for some specified or implied excellence or accomplishment).
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)27/26 : On of heom þat was of grete fame.
- c1330 Roland & V.(Auch)27 : Ebrahim was his name, Wide sprong his riche fame.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.4.24 : His opynyoun or fame wente in to al Syrie.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7883 : He had a dughti knight o fam.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.7.79 : The fame of the name of Rome.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1154 : Folkes that hadden grete fames of olde tyme.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1848 : I wolde fayn han had a fame, As other folk hadde in the toun.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)52/21 : It fyguryth sum thynge of ryght gret fame.
b
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)69a : Þis nu þenne, þet ȝe beoð alle as an cuuent, is ower hehe fame.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2412 : The mannes fame he overthroweth Of vertu.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2046 : By his manhod & his knyȝtly fame Þe Grekis alle wer put vn-to þe fliȝt.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)7210 : Toforn asaied he neuere that game, The Swerd to geten to haven a fame.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)606 : Why dede wee this offence Fully to shende the olde Englisshe fames?
- (1456) Paston (Gairdner)3.81 : The goode nome and fame of trouth, wysdom, and good conducte, the which I here of you.
3.
(a) Any report, rumor, or widely circulated opinion; also, a tiding or rumor, news; (b) without(en fame, without doubt, truly.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.245 : Þe comyn fame accordeþ in þat citee to þat sawe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.995 : The fame anon thurgh Rome toun is born, How Alla kyng shal comen in pilgrymage.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.5125 : This fame goth aboute Rome So ferforth, that the wordes come To themperour Justinian.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13024 : For to tell þat fule fame, He com right to herods hame.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.198r : He passed the see and the enmys, huryng the fame [L (Wm of Malmesbury): fama] of his comyng, lafte the sege of the citee.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)18/32 : Augustin had herd mech þing of him þat he had serued God in ful vertuous lyf, and þe fame was trewe in-dede.
b
- c1450 Man a-mong (Lamb 853)77 : Alle þingis sche trowiþ, wiþ-out fame, Þat goddis lawe techiþ truþe to be.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)108 : Segwarde was the stewardys name, A trewe man, wythowten fame.