Middle English Dictionary Entry
feue indef. pron. (plural)
Entry Info
| Forms | feue indef. pron. (plural) Also feawe, veawe, weawe, fæwe, fawe, fewe, vewe, fiewe, viawe, feuwe, feuȝe, fuwe, fowe. Forms: comp. fewer, feghur; sup. fewest. |
| Etymology | OE fēawe. ME feue develops from earlier ME fēwe . |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) As adj.: small in number, not many, few; but ~; ~ in nombre; ~ lesse (mo, more); at (in, mid, with) ~ wordes, in a few words, briefly; the feuer; at the feuest, at least; (b) a(n feue, a few. [For explanation of this construction see E. Einenkel, Anglia 27.92 (1904).]
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : In feuna geare wæs þæt mynstre gare.
- 1122 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1122 : Se fir..forbearnde..ealle þa gersumes þe þær binnan wæron for uton feawe bec.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)79.21/1 : Heo byrd feawe leafum.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)122.105/3 : Binnan feawen tide heo..þat yuel ut atyhd.
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1138 : Him com to gænes Willelm eorl of Albamar..mid fæu men & fuhten wid heom.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)50/2 : We wyllæð her specan feawum wordum be þam ðrym þingun.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13021 : To seggenn..Shorrtliȝ wiþþ fæwe wordess.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)354 : He us wile bringe Mid þo feawe [vrr. veawe, fewe, uewe] faire men bifore þe heuen kinge.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)41/10 : Se þe wis is, mid fæwum wordum he hit swutelað.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)454 : Þe wise mon mid fewe word can fele biluken.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)580 : Fewe [vr. Vewe] goddedes ich haue idon.
- c1305 Als i me rod (LinI 135)19 : Than answerde that maiden swote midde wordes fewe.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)254 : Mid ueawe wordes is yproued mannes lyf.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3874 : Saue fewe folk that with Pompeus fledde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1424 : Wher that he fewe frendes hadde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)150a/b : Þe pohenne..leggiþ xii eyren oþir fewe lesse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)296a/b : Pigges of þe secounde sowe ben fewere in nombre.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)104 : For twelve apostlis and fewe moo serveden al the world.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1177 : For freendis all to fewe hath he.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)29/37 : In Egypt þere ben but fewe Forcelettes.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2887 : Thay are fewere one felde þan þay were fyrste nombirde.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)397 : Deuoute preiers whiche wolen be seid in iij or iiij or in fewe wordis.
- (c1447) Let.Midylton in Lin.NQ 16200 : To sey at fewe wordys how yt ys rulyd and kepte.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)188 : Werkes he wrouȝte feyȝ and selde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7822 : Þe grekys fellyn in fyght þe feghur þat day and þe bigger in batell.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3599 : A selcuth nombre, At þe fewist, as I find, a fouretene thousand.
- (1460) Paston (Gairdner)3.209 : With yn fewe yeres, ye shulnot wete where it is become.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)16/37 : Within fewe yeres after, Arthur wan alle the North Scotland.
- a1475 Herkyn to my tale (Brog 2.1)85 : For of syche merewels I have herde fowe..Mylwardys in mortrous, syche have I sen ful foue.
b
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)2039 : Bi one feuȝe winter hit iwarþ suþþe þat aros..a swiþe riche king.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11746 : An vewe dropes of reine þer velle grete inou.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.639 : A fewe termes hadde he two or thre That he had lerned out of som decre.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2206 : They seyden a fewe wordes moore.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4354 : Adrastus with a grekys fewe.
- ?c1475 *Trev.Nicod.(Sal 39)132b : Y pray þe..þat þou hote þat y speke a weawe wordes.
2.
(a) As noun: a small number, a few persons or things; a (an) ~, but a ~, not a ~, right ~, so ~, wel ~; fele beth icleped ac ~ beth icoren, etc., many are called but few are chosen; (b) with gen. or of phrase: a small number (of persons or things).
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)424 : & tu shallt findenn swillke nu Bitwenenn uss well fæwe.
- a1200 PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)104 : Swo fele beð icleped, swo fewe [vrr. feuwe, viawe, uewe, lut] beð icorene.
- a1200 PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)349 : Narewe pað is godes has, þar forð fareþ wel feawe [vrr. feuwe, fiewe, viawe, fawe, uewe].
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)221/224 : Fele bieþ iclepede, ac feaue bieþ icornee.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)26669 : Petrius..mid mochele strengþe leope to þan Bruttus, and feue [Clg: lut] hii þar nemen and manye hii ofslowen.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)340 : Ycleped þer beoþ mony on, ak ffewe ychose þerto.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3215 : Vewe [vr. fowe] atten ende Aliue þer of scapede.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8362 : An vewe wiþ sunne of lecherie Mowe binime grace of god to al an compaynie.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)15/409 : So feawe stondeþ styf To fytte aȝenis senne.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)256 : Hi vindeþ veawe þet zoþ ham zigge.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1280 : Riȝt fewe went awey vnwoundet or take.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)953 : Al þe feldes þo wern yfuld of dede men..Saue an vewe þat leye & ȝulde.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.20.16 : For many ben clepid, bot few chosun.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2358 : Telle thy conseil but to a fewe.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1507 : Upon a Mule whyt amblaunt, Forth with a fewe rod this qweene.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1123 : Ther been ful fewe whiche that I wolde profre To shewen hem thus muche of my science.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)261b/a : Þe kynde may be saued in fewe and nouȝt to many.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)19495 : Þerfore of fewere [Vsp, Göt: quoner; Frf: lese] þen of þre May no bisshop sacred be.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)141/3 : He schal seen fewere die.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.983 : Bryngyng with ȝow Grekys nat a fewe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1229 : Þei wer but a fewe.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)214/33 : And so thou mayste vndyrstonde of manyer othyr fewere.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Num.26.54 : To the moo the more part thow shalt ȝyue, and to the fewer the lasse.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)15/141 : Þer bene bot feu truly.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)284 : How stedefaste widewes..Telleth Jerome, and that nat of a fewe.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)673 : For Fortune kan so many a wyle, Ther be but fewe kan hir begile.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)26/22 : They departed and drew towarde Arthure, and leffte a fewe to byde at the sege.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)33/123 : Of þi lore I ffynde but ffewe.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)539 : There was fewe that rewyd ther on.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1106 : & feawa oðre of þam heafod mannan þe mid þam eorle of Normandige þe gyt heoldan.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1120 : Feawa heora lichaman ahwær syððan fundena wæron.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)28/21 : To feawe of þam folce ilyfdon.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19764 : Ure Laferrd Crist..haffde off Judewisshe follc Himm chosenn ane fæwe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2356 : First shal ye clepe to youre conseil a fewe of youre freendes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1286 : Of wommen bot a fewe it wiste.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.4406 : Þei hadde..so fewe lorne Of her meine.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1459 : Thow most a fewe of olde stories heere.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)286 : Many a story, of which I touche shal A fewe.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)917 : Of trewe men I fynde but fewe mo.
3.
(a) With collectives: not large, little, small; (b) as noun: a little.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)148/13 : The Chane rood with a fewe meynee [Eg: a lytill cumpany; OF a poy de compaignie].
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)12/16 : He went to mete hym in þe felde wit a fewe menȝee.
- (1460) Paston (Gairdner)3.234 : And is with hir the Duc of Excestre and other, with a fewe mayne.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)27/33 : Whan the eleven kynges saw that there was so few a felyship that dud such dedis of armys, they were ashamed.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)27 : He saw so few a companie of the Romains..neverthelesse, that few company were so welle excersised and lerned in armes.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.120 : He gan breke oute, & his rancour shewe By certeyn signes, þouȝ he spak but fewe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 Aelred Inst.(2) (Bod 423)21/839 : Se hou he stondeth as a meke lombe before the iuge, bowynge down his heed and his eyen, spekynge fewe.
Note: Supplemental material for 3.(b)--per MJW