Middle English Dictionary Entry
fervence, -ency n.
Entry Info
| Forms | fervence, -ency n. |
| Etymology | OF fervence. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Heat; bodily heat; (b) fermentation (of must); (c) turbulence, surging (of the sea).
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3384 : Boþe seed and greyn..He [Phebus] drieth vp and ripeth..With his feruence.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)356 : For þouȝe I brenne with feruence and with hete, Wiþ-in myn hert I mot complein of cold.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)324 : Hete and moysture directeth ther passages, With grene fervence to force yong corages.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Hrl 2251)858 : Whan Phebus takith his hete, Inportable ful ofte is his fervence.
- c1475 Of yiftis (Hrl 2251)12 : The Coleryk..Right drye of nature for the grete fervence Of heete.
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.444 : Of fynest must in oon metrete, Er hit be at the state of his feruence, Eight vnce of grounden wermode..honge.
c
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.59 : The heete and feruence [L Æstus] of the occean swellethe on Breteyne viij C cubites and moore.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.429 : At Basyngwere spryngethe an holy welle, whiche is of so grete feruence that hit castethe owte thynges caste in to hit.
2.
The ardor or excitement (of love, hate, piety, etc.).
Associated quotations
- (c1412) Hoccl.RPEnvoy (Roy 17.D.6)5462 : To the þat all seest of loues feruence.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1904 : This worþi kyng, euer in o sentence, Ay more & more fired with feruence, Hath his breues and his letters sent.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3715 : And Venus haþ marked hem of newe With hir brondes fired by feruence.
- (?c1425) Hoccl.Jonathas (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)229 : The hete & the feruence Of loue..Was qweynt.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)385/492 : A sparkle abood in his corage Of hih feruence toward his neuew diere.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)407/563 : Of hooly feruence [he] cast up his look to heuene.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.2578 : Men ther bodies will putten in distresse Off fals desir and coueitous feruence.
- c1440 ?Lydg.Charters (Add 14848)224 : I Hardecanut indede, seynge the maner, the fervence, and the guyse how Knut my fadyr..lyst for to fraunchyse the chirche of Bury.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Letab.(Hrl 2255)62 : Isayas..Seyde and wroot, with fervence set a-fyre.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)108 : Þe smert of þoght, I..knowe..His frosty swoot & fyry hote feruence.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)447/19 : Enflame hus, lord, with love of suche feruence, That to thy wurd we may yeue audience.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)1698 : The seuyn planettys..goddys were they called by oold poetys For her gret feruency of wyrkyng in her speres.