Middle English Dictionary Entry
fẹ̄ling(e ger.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | fẹ̄ling(e ger.(1) Also felunge, fielinge, velunge, -inge. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The act of touching, stroking, caressing; (b) the sense of touch, of movement, of temperature, and of pain and pleasure; ~ of touch; (c) capacity to feel by touching, or to feel movement, temperature, pain, etc.; a sensation of this type; sensibility, sensitivity.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)22/222 : Þe feorðe fulst to bismere & to merren meiðhad, þet is unhende felunge..for ȝef ȝe þenne hondlið ow in ei stude untuliche, þenne smit leccherie.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)31b : Hondlunge oðer ei felunge [Nero: velunge] bitweone mon & ancre is þing swa uncumelich.
- c1390 Lord sunged (Vrn)11 : Ichaue sunged in smellyng And also, lord, in synful felyng.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.942 : I take of love my fiedinge Withoute tastinge or fielinge.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2330 : Also he touched hys bare þe..sore þerof felt he noght, But for þe felyng, more on hym he þoght.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)273/15 : If þe mater be of wynd, þat þou myȝt knowe..bi felynge wiþ þi fyngris.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.133 : A mayde þat hatte Marie and moder, withoute felynge [vr. veling] Of eny kynde creature, conceyuede þorw speche And grace of þe holygost.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.10 : And wiþ þis felyng of þis womman, God ȝaf hir witt to prophecie þus.
b
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)4/18 : Þe monnes fif wittes: Sihðe & herunge, smechunge & smeallunge, & euch limes felunge [Tit: felinge].
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)30a : Þe fifte wit is felunge, þis ilke an wit is in alle þe oþre & ȝont al þe licome.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)31b : Þvs wes ihesu crist..in alle his fif wittes derfliche ipinet, & nomeliche i þis leaste, þet is i felunge, for his flesch wes al cwic as is þe tendre ehe, ant ȝe witen þis wit þe is flesches felunge ouer alle þe oþre.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)241 : Þe ilke þet is dyead bodilich heþ ilore alle his bodiliche wyttes: þe ziȝþe, þe hyerþe, þe speche, þe zuelȝ, þane smel, and þe uelinge.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.959 : Thy fyue wittes that ben sighte, herynge, smellynge, tastynge or sauourynge, and feelynge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)270a/a : Þe spiþur haþ best felyng of touche [L sensus tactus], for houynge in þe myddel of þe webbe, he feeleþ sodeynliche a flye þat is in þe furþest partye þer of.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9989 : Noþyr þe syȝt noþer þe felyng Haþ þerof any certeyn þyng.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)124/9 : Þou maist not conceyue..bi þi feling, not bot ouþer hote or colde, hard or tendre, soft or scharpe.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)40b/a : When it [þe aposteme] is in þe inward lacertez..it appereþ noȝt to þe felyng, bot it is shewed to resoun by more offendyng of..swolwyng þan of breþing.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.307 : For of a þing þat round is verrely, Lo sight and felyng knoweþ dyuersly.
- c1460 Cursor (LdMisc 416)17018 : Heryng, speche, sight, smellyng, & felyng ar wyttes v.
c
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)498 : Muð bute speche, ehnen buten sihðe..honden buten felunge, fet buten ȝonge.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2154 : The fielinge of a mannes Hiele Mai noght be likned to the Herte.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)246a/a : Broþ þer of..bryngeþ paralitik ofte to felynge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)312a/b : Þere is no witte of feelyng wiþoute touche or gropyng ioyned þerto.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)39/12 : Almyȝti god hath ȝeue to senewe greet felyng, & if þat he be hirt, he suffriþ greet akynge.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)305/19 : Þer is seid a cauterie po[tentia]le whanne it is not hoot in felinge.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)8b/b : And þof al musculez as to feling [L ad sensum] be symple membrez, neþerlez after sothfastnez þay bene componed of neruez & ligamentez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)80b/a : Vlcere dolorous is an vlcere in whych is founden sensibilite .i. feling of contrarie þing.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)138b/a : Haly Abbas forsoþ seiþ expressely þat þai [teþe] haue no felyng bi hem selfe, but bi resoun of a nerue þat is delegate to hem.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)15b/b : Synowis..whiche beren felynge and moyng to þe schuldres and to þe armes.
- c1440 St.Chris.(Thrn)297 : He hade no felynge till his fette.
- ?a1450 Arderne LW (Em 69)111 : There was a wommane that sodeynly loste the feelynge & movynge of bothe armys in the nyghte.
2.
Tasting; ~ of odoracioun, the sense of smell.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.344 : That other biter as the galle..makth a mannes herte palle, Whos drunkeschipe is a sieknesse Thurgh fielinge of the biternesse.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)11a/b : And in þe forthermore bene addicions mamillarez in which is founded þe witte or feling of odoracioun.
3.
(a) The sensory faculty attributed to man and beast (as distinct from 'thought' and 'life'); ability to perceive through the senses; (b) kind felinge, comon ~, soul of ~, spirit of ~, vertue of ~, the sensory faculty; (c) wittes of ~, the senses; lim of ~, sense organ; sinewes of ~, sensory nerves.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(Hrl 2277:Wright)p.139 : Ther cometh tuo maner soulen..As hit were a maner lyf that sent men velinge To the lymes al aboute.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.951 : For man of Soule resonable Is to an Angel resemblable, And lich to beste he hath fielinge, And lich to Trees he hath growinge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)8a/b : Þe soule þat ȝeueth resoun, felinge, and lif.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)20b/a : In which [book] he charged more for to shewe ane aposteme to þe wit or felyng þan to þe vnderstondyng.
- a1450 Where-of is mad (Dgb 102)6 : Þe soule of þre þat haþ þe mynde, Of lyf, felyng, and of þouȝt.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)132 : Thinges that hauen feelinge doon so.
- a1475 VPhilibert (Brog 2.1)p.23 : Without the sole the body his blynd and lame; My felyng, my mevyng, ale commyȝt of the.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)363 : He gafe felyng with bestes.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)21a/b : Þe vertue of felinge [L virtus sensibilis] haþ place in þe most subtile chambres of þe brayn, and ȝeueþ wilful meuynge & felinge [L sensum] in alle þe lymes..By þese sinewes þe spirit of felinge [L spiritus sensibilis] is I hilde & I schad in to al þe body.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)101a/b : By kynde felynge oþir houndes knowiþ & fleiþ a woode hounde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)330a/a : As þe cercle tokeneþ þe soule racional, so the triangle þe soule of felinge.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)142/6 : Þe spirit of lijf, of felynge, & meuynge passiþ whanne a membre is depertid from þe bodi.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)11a/b : In þe first partie of þe ventricle afore is assigned comon feling or comon witte, In þe .2a. ymaginatiue.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)92a/b : Smoke..comeþ out of vnclene blood, infectiþ þe sinewis of felinge in þe stomake and chaungiþ appetite & desire.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)130b/b : An element..is nouȝt perceyued by wittis of felynge.
- a1425 *Trev.Barth.(Mrg M 875)28b/b : And so þis spirite animalis is gendrid..& is perty mele sprad in to þe lymis of felynge.
4.
The condition of being aware, consciousness; blind ~, naked ~, simple awareness or consciousness.
Associated quotations
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1738 : But whanne I come out of swonyng, And hadde witt, and my felyng, I was all maat.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)141/25 : Þe poynte of þi beholding is moste substancialy set in þe nakid siȝt & þe blynde felyng of þin owne being.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)167/19 : Alle is awey fro þi feling, comoun grace & specyal.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)171/16 : Þat þou euermore..lene to þe nakid felyng of þi-self, euermore offryng þi being vnto God.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)4 : Al this mene I by Love, that my felynge Astonyeth with his wonderful werkynge So sore iwis, that whan I on hym thynke, Nat wot I wel wher that I flete or synke.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)552 : For so astonyed and asweved Was every vertu in my heved..That al my felynge gan to dede.
5.
(a) A feeling (of joy, sorrow, etc.), an emotion; mek ~, humility; (b) capacity for emotion, emotional sensibility.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1090 : The felyng of his sorwe, or of his fere, Or of aught elles, fled was..And down he fel al sodeynly aswowne.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)168/20 : Bot alle þees sensible swetnes, þees feruent felynges, & þees flawmyng desires..ben not grace bot tokenes of grace.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)172/3 : Sciencia inflat, karitas edificat. In knowyng is trauaile, in feling is rest.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.3.13 : Oonly whil thei ben herd thei ben delycious; but to wrecches it is a deppere felyng of harm.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)1172 : Algates songes thus I made Of my felynge, myn herte to glade.
- c1450(c1390) Chaucer Ven.(Benson-Robinson)32 : Al the revers of any glad felyng.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)9/4 : Hoolly all my passions and felinges weren loste.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.610 : For certes I am al Venerien In feelyng, and myn herte is Marcien.
- a1425(c1340) Rolle Psalter (LdMisc 286)130.3 : If i had not meke felyng..bot i heghid my soul in pride.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.108 : Every weleful man hath a ful delicaat feelynge, so that, but yif alle thynges byfalle at his owene wil..anoon he is throwen adoun.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)11 : Al is ylyche good to me -- Joye or sorowe, wherso hyt be -- For I have felynge in nothyng.
6.
(a) Mental awareness (of a fact); skill or discernment (in an art); understanding (of an idea or a branch of knowledge); (b) judgment, opinion; (as) to mi ~, in my opinion; (c) the understanding, the mind.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4483 : Ther with ye han in musyk moore feelynge Than hadde Boece or any that kan synge.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1333 : I speke..under correccioun Of yow that felyng han in loves art.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)1/10 : Þe general confuse knowing going afore þe specialist and clerist of þe same maters siȝt and feling.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)173 : Thilk ymage is clepid there a graued thing..with feeling good ynouȝ that the ymage was not God.
- c1450 My ladyes (Frf 16)204 : What woman ys of loue or was so trewe, Or therynne hath or hadde halfe your felynge?
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)49/10 : God make þe fast in way of knowynge and felynge of þreuth & vertues.
b
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)9 : For diuers causes þat been good & lawful to my felynge.
- (1429) RParl.4.338b : Desiryng and prayng ys seide Regent, yat..he certifie to ye Kyng his felyng and advys, yat ye Kyng may yanne forther do yerinne, as shal be thought resonable and behovefull to ye Kyng.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)87 : Ȝe muste needis graunte, for..the disturblaunce and dyuerse feelingis had among ȝou silf.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)29/8 : Þo lijknessis and ymagis..ben caried vp into þe foreheed, where þe seid inward comoun witt sittiþ, aftir felyng of alle philesofris.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)191 : Tho opiniouns were aȝens the felyng of the general chirche.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)144.125 (v.2:p.426) : To heryin .. whiche were an able maner of lyuynge to goon in the weye of God, wherein aftyr his felynge on wente oo wyse, anothyr anothyr wyse.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)626 : Thei of the reame of grete Breteigne..haue be discounfited, as to my felinge.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)10/18,19 : Yf þy felyng be goode, & þou for god leuest þat & folowist anoþer mannys felynge, þou shalt more profite þerby.
c
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6447 : But whoso hath in his felyng The consequence of such shryvyng, Shal sen that prest may never have myght.
7.
(a) Spiritual or mystical awareness or insight; gostli ~; ~ of grace; (b) intuitive knowledge or foreknowledge; divine prescience.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)267 : Þou miȝt be grace come to more knowyng of gostly felyng of gost & gostly þinges.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)156/4 : Þe goostly felyng of þe being of God.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)158/21 : A synner schuld com to be restful in þe goostly felyng of himself & of God.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)2.20.82a : For to come to clennes of herte & to felynge of grace.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)2.20.83b : Þat gostly felyng of þe luf of god.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)2.29.100a : Þere are many soules new turned to god þat han mony gostly felynges.
b
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)3/32 : Whan it plesyd ower Lord, he comawnded hyr & chargyd hir þat xuld don wryten hyr felyngys & reuelacyons.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)55/7 : The prest whech wrot þis boke for to preuyn þis creaturys felyngys, many tymes & dyuers tymes he askyd hir qwestyons & demawndys of thyngys þat wer for to komyn.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)74/28 : Euyr sche preuyd hir felyngys trewe.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)54/36 : For þe souerayne forluke of godd..hafand felyng of þe wirkyngez for to come, made man in that wyse.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1500(1446) Morstede Surgery (Hrl 1736)115 : When the mater ys Rype, the wyche may be knowne be softe felynge thee of.
Note: None of the glosses for feling(e quite covers this - seems to mean 'sensation of softness'. Belongs in sense 1., perh. under (c) - phr. needs to be given.--per MJW
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.32ra (2.3) : Alle þise forsaide synowes in mannes body arn callede 'nerui sensibiles,' synowes of wytte and of felyng, for þai ar as it were þe instrumentz of mannes wyttz & felynges.
Note: Additional quot., sense 3.(c).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 3.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. limb of feeling.