Middle English Dictionary Entry
fantō̆m, -um, -em n.
Entry Info
| Forms | fantō̆m, -um, -em n. Also fantasme, -esme, -osme, -on, -ain, fauntom, fainton. |
| Etymology | OF fantosme, -esme, -asme; L phantasma. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
That which has only a seeming reality, permanence, or value; vanity (of the world, its riches, joys, etc.); also, any of the world's vanities.
Associated quotations
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)62 : Þe worldes dweole & hire fantesme [Psalm 118.37: vanitatem].
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)28 : Þis world..nis but fantum and feiri.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)55 : Hit [the love of paramours] neys bot fantum [Göt: fanton; Trin-C: fantom]..Today it is, to moru away.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)4.3 : Whi loue yhe fantom [vr. fantum]?
- a1425 Templ.Dom.(Add 32578)708 : Lorde, noȝt us þu lede In fondyngs ne in fantoms of noȝt.
- 1425(a1400) Spec.Chr.(1) (Lnsd 344)151/5 : His [the world's] ryches riche & worschippe grete nis but fantome [vrr. fauntome, fantum, fantom, fanton, fayntone, fantonye, fantasye, vanyte] and disseyte.
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn:Horstmann)318 : Alle es bot fantom & dreme þat þay with dele.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)493 : Fro fantome and illusion Me save!
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)4.8 : Thai ere draghen in many fald wricchidnes and fantome withouten end.
- a1500 All hyt is (Cmb Ee.1.5)1 : Al it is fantam þat we mid fare.
2.
(a) That which deludes the senses or imagination; illusion (as of dream or hallucination); (b) an illusory experience or object; an apparition, a specter.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)703 : Al [of a dream] was fanteme & al was in wast.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.5011 : He wende al hadde ben a jape Of faierie..It was fantosme.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22160 : All sli thinges wroght with art, O sothfastnes sal ha na part; With jugulori þai sal be wroght And fantum [Göt: faintum; Trin-C: fantom] be, and elles noght.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)240 : For fantoum & fayryȝe þe folk þere hit demed.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)943 : He þoȝte of þys fayre syghte..And sum-tyme he thoȝte a-yen Alle þys ne was butte fantayne.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)128/374 : Thi dreme makys the woode: It is bot fantom, by the roode.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 6.49 : Thei, as thei syȝen him wandrynge on the see, gessiden for to be a fantum.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)77b/b : In slepinge, for medlinge of resoun wiþ fantasmes, þe soule metiþ wiþ mony fantasyes.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2239 : Hyt ys fantome Þat y se.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1341 : Fals fantummes of fendes.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)135/6 : It semez as it ware a fantom and a dessayuable thing to þe sight.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)144 : The disciples, supposing that he had ben a fantasme, criden for drede.
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn:Horstmann)311 : Whene mene wenys he hase hym faste, als fantome he fra hyme glyddys.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)11 : Why this a drem, why that a sweven..Why this a fantome.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1861 : Þe fantom fyre, it vanyst sone.
3.
That which cannot be credited as truth or fact; error; lying, a falsehood; withouten fantome, truly, indeed.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.2589 : Josaphat..hield fantosme al that he herde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23857 : Bot war a ribaude us tald, Or a fantime, or of a fabel.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Eg 614)37.13 : Fantoms spake þai.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)15.341 : The xj day Aftir, with-Owten fantem, He sente to his dissiples..His holy gost.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)17 : Þis is no fantum ne no fabulle: ȝe wote wele of þe Rowun Tabull.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Pseudo-F.(Dub 245)321 : Newe ordinaunce is but fantym here.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)118/1 : Þat man ys of good mynde, & wel dysposyd in kynde..of lytill laghynge, and of lityll bourdyng, & of noon fantome.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10890 : Yt ar but fantasmes that ye speke.
4.
The practice of deception; deceiving contrivance; also, a deceit, guile.
Associated quotations
- ?c1400(c1340) *Rolle Psalter (Sid 89)Cant.Mo.1.9 : The enmy seyde..'i schal take þo with snares of shere temptacouns & many folde errours & fantoms.'
- a1425 This blessyd boke (LdMisc 286)56 : Copyed has this Sauter ben of yuel men of lollardry..Hur fantom hath made mony a fon thoro the fend that fele begiles.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)1522 : Wiþ fantasme and fairie þus sche blered his iȝe.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)282/297 : Thurgh his [Jesus'] fantome and falshed and fendes-craft, He has wroght many wondir.
5.
Med. morbid experience of hallucinations or bad dreams; delirium.
Associated quotations
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)2 : A gud oynement for fantome in þe heuede.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)26/9 : Botoyne is a ful gud herbe..For þam þat is ful of fanteme & hase trauellyng in þaire slepe.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)122/312 : For fantnns [read: fantuns] and dwelsynge make a garland of betayn and hange abowte thy neke..that you maist haue the savor ther off all nyght.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. phantom.