Middle English Dictionary Entry
familiēr, -iār, -ēr adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | familiēr, -iār, -ēr adj. Also famul-. |
| Etymology | OF familier, famulier, & L familiāris. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Belonging to one's household or associates; (b) servaunt familier, a household servant.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1784 : O famulier foo, that his seruice bedeth!..Lyk to the neddre in bosom sly vntrewe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4518 : A foo þat is famylyer.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.5.79 : What pestilence is more myghty for to anoye a wyght than a famylier enemy?
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)69/17 : Be-loued both of his owne familiar puple and eke of straungeres.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9064 : Enmy noon ys so perillous..As an enmy ffamylyer.
b
- (1447) Shillingford10/32 : Alle men of habite, servantis familiars.
- (1448) Shillingford66/15 : To have power to arreste chanons men, servants familiars.
2.
Closely or intimately associated, intimate; familier aungel, guardian angel; ~ devel, attendant devil; -- as pred.adj. constr. with to, til, with phrase.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.163 : He called out of Normandie some þat was famuliar to hym.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.215 : Ful wel biloued and famulier was he With frankeleyns.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1221 : This yonge monk..in his hous as famulier was he As it is possible any freend to be.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)146/26 : Hir famylier aungel þat hadde hir in kepynge.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)2 Mac.4.3 : That also bi summe famyliar frendis [WB(1): necessaries or niȝ freendis; L necessarios] of Symount mansleyngis weren don.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)88/4 : Þei seyn..þat Moyses was familier spekere with god.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.MG (Hnt HM 111)99 : Apostle, and freend familier of Cryst.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.1377 : Clitus..On the grettest of the kyngis hous..Most famyler..Aboute the kyng.
- c1440 Tales Contrition (Thrn)7/2 : He apperyde till ane þat was famyliare till hym in hys lyfe.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.26 : Sum supposed..þat þise had ben wiþ me famuliere And in myn houshold ben abiddynglye.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)47 : Þis fals man whech was..ful familiar with spiritis.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)78 : He councelled with his familiar deuel.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)18/12 : The said Thomas Chaumbur had bene afore right familier with the Kyng yn all places.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)25 : That same familiare devel whech he [Zorastes] haunted moost.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)31/30 : The Flemmyngis..by famuliar Communycacioun & conuersacioun been as Englyssh men.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)249/33 : Nye and famyliare art thow to God.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Christina Mirab.(Dc 114)128/32 : She was famylier and homely with þe nunnys.
3.
Overly free in social intercourse; lacking in proper ceremony; unduly intimate [partly contextual].
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3147 : He [Trojan] was lerned Of that he was to familier.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4013 : Thou art woxe to familiere Where thou shulde be straunge of chere.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)18/15 : Atte the laste she waxe right familier with me.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)89.39 (v.2:p.108) : It happid .. the popis fame to ben hurt .. by the birthe of a childe whos modir was nat cured by an husbonde -- and was famuliar in the popis court.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.5 : His frendes blamenge hym that he [Trajan] was so commune and familier to alle men.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)611 : A woman that hadde ben so with a kynge ne ought neuer be so famyler with noon other man of lower degre.
4.
Sociable, courteous, kindly.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4657 : Pallamydes..Famylier, curteis, and tretable.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1606 : Now was Jason..goodly of his speche, and familer, And coude of love al the art.
5.
Gentle or moderate of action or degree.
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)160a/a : With which medicynez is purgacioun to be done? Nouȝt with felle & dispitous bot with familier, homely, and corrected [L cum familiaribus et correctis].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)178a/b : Liquericia is temperate with a familier [*Ch.(2): litel] humidite.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)178b/b : Papauer is an herbe..wiþ a familier stupefaccioun [*Ch.(2): a softe slepynge].
6.
Well-known, familiar.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)80a/a : Þe heed is ofte disesid wiþ an famuler [L famularem] passioun.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)160a/a : Bicause of familier doctrine, It is to wite after þe doctrine of heben mesue.