Middle English Dictionary Entry
anger n.
Entry Info
| Forms | anger n. Also angir, angur, angre, hanger. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI angr; prob. influ. by L angor. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Distress, suffering; anguish, agony; the anguish of love, love-longing; ~ and wo (tene, care); (b) a source of distress, suffering, or discomfort; trouble, hardship; pl. troubles, tribulations, afflictions; ivels (poverte) and ~.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)972 : Ghe held hire hard in ðralles wune, And dede hire sorge and anger mune; ðo fleg agar fro sarray.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3963 : Balames fot is hird, And he wurð ðo for anger wroð.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)427 : Yhe sall haue anger..Als I sall suffyr for yhow.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)586 : For dout of ded he had slyke drede þat angers vnto his hert yhede, And for gret greuance he grett.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.77 : I am with anger so bestad, For al this world mihte I be glad.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.335 : I cacche..an ague in suche an angre and some tyme a feure.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)343 : Thow demez noȝt bot doel-dystresse..Þe oȝte better..loue ay God & wele and wo, For anger gaynez þe not a cresse.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)20.318 : Þauh men maken muche deol in here angre.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2344 : Ȝif I deliuer had bene..I couþe wroþeloker haf waret, to þe haf wroȝt anger.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)44/24 : In þis world riseþ wraþþe wiþ hanger of herte þat doiþ miche tene.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1529 : In nane anger sal ye be, Whils ye it [a ring] have and thinkes on me.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3517 : For na man may to heven ga, Bot-if he thole here anger and wa.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)320 : So depe was hir wo bigonnen, And eek hir hert in angre ronnen.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1852 : I forgat my malady..Of sorwe and angre I was al quyt.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1926 : Bothe gret anoy and eke swetnesse, And joie meynt with bittirnesse..Thus ese and anger togidre were.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3180 : Ne no man [wot]..But if he love, what anger is.
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(1) (Sln 1853)p.13 : My synful body is fals and frele, And dooth my spirite gret angyr and tene.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)12 : Angure or angwys: Angor.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)61/16 : Anoynte hym..if he hafe anger in his lyuer.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)2476 : He walde þaim tell of heuens blisse, And what angyr in þis werlde is.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)8/10 : For pure angre and for grete love of fayr Igrayne the kyng Uther felle seke.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)150 : Thus y am caste in care for love of the, In anger and yn care.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)209/29 : But he turned in-to an horrible lepre and was vncurable, that for grete angre he slowȝe hymself with his swerde.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)444 : Full of sorowe and angre for the disconfiture.
- a1500 I ne haue (RwlPoet 36)4 : What other men thynk Ioy or disportt, To me it nys butt angyr or tene.
b
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)1848 : Lord, gyf me þir angers all. I wroght þe werk..Wharfore we haue þis dole ilk dele.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.11 : Amende þe..with pouerte and with angres; And with þise bitter baleyses god beteth his dere childeren.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)22.291 : Hardy was he euere To suffren al þat god sente, syknesses and angres.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)698 : Many yvels, angers, and mescheefes..Als fevyr, dropsy, and Iaunys.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1269 : And assayles men..with angre and tribulacion, And povert, and persecucion.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)78/8 : Er þe tyme be þat þei haue..getyn help of þeire angre.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)28/31 : Þe Innocentes tholed angers ill And greuance grete ogaynis þaire will.
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)53/18 : Owte ofe worldly noyse and of worldly angyrse and besynes.
- c1440(?a1400) ?Nassyngton Trin.& U.(Thrn)270 : To be pacyente in angers for þi sake, And for the to thole all þat harde es.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)955 : Lord, þou hase asayde vs here With angers a-gayns our desire, Als siluer es asaide with fire.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)111/275 : His pepull saff he sall Of euyllis and angris all.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)3586 : And saued þem from all angers yll.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)4 : But the angleer may haue no colde, ne no disese, ne angur, but he be causer hymselfe.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)12/6 : He wold neuer play at gamme That was hurt or angre to any man.
- a1500(?c1400) EToulouse (Cmb Ff.2.38)920 : The Erle..harde þys telle, What anger the lady befelle.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)299 : Þou hast sufferid moche angre [Add: many aduersitees] for the love of my soone.
- a1500(c1450) Idley Instr.(Arun 20)2.B.2749 : Pouerte and grete angres ffele þei xall haue þat lechery so haunte.
2.
(a) A hostile attitude, ill-will, surliness; (b) resentment, grudging, irritation; (c) anger, rage; wrath; (d) a fit of anger or resentment; ~ of ire.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1216 : Ysmael pleide hard gamen. Sarra was ðor-fore often wroð; Hir was ysmaeles anger loð.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)97/22 : Þe synnes of þe hert er þir: ill thoght, ill delyte..noy to do gude, anger [vr. angre] to serve God.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3745 : On his lippe he gan for anger [vr. angreli] byte.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.583 : Thanne comth of ire attry angre; whan a man is sharply amonested in his shrifte to forleten synne, thanne wole he be angry and answeren hokerly and angrily.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.102 : Ne cowthe I after that be wroth, Bot al myn Anger overgoth.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.379 : Bot for that he with Angre wroghte, Hise Angres angreliche he boghte.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.488 : In his owene grece I made hym frye For angre [vr. angeris] and for verray ialousye.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1981 : Ye lye heere ful of anger and of ire..And chiden heere..Youre wyf.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1553 : Arueragus and Dorigene, his wyf, In souereyn blisse leden forth hir lyf; Neuere eft ne was ther angre hem bitwene.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2036 : Tydeus saugh the feruent Ire Of the kyng with angre set a-fire, Ful of despit and malencolye.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1563 : If so be that pees heere-after take, As alday happeth after anger game [etc.].
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1535 : Cassandre goth, and he with cruel herte Foryat his wo, for angre of hire speche.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)110/27 : Angir is a passioun of þe wil or of þe louȝer sensual appetit, and wraþ is a fre deede chosen freli bi þe wil.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)14921 : Hanger [vr. aunger] fret on hym so sore..Of envye..he hadde so inly gret dysdeyn.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.8.6a : Satan with this other made signe and semblaunt of gret anger and malice.
c
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)545 : For anger his herte gan sswelle, & þouȝte roulonde for to quelle.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2995 : For angre a wax neȝ wod.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2896 : I make no semblant of wrathe ne of angir but for youre grete profit.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)411 : He wex as wroth as þe wynde towarde oure Lorde; So hatz anger on-hit his hert.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)12 : Angur or wrathe: Ira, iracundia.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)53/27 : And froþe at þe mowth for angur.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)87/79 : Tables of ston..when men honoured Mawmentry, he brake them in anger hastelye.
d
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)572 : Ful felly..forferde a kyth ryche In þe anger of his ire þat arȝed mony.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1602 : Þat is he þat ful ofte hatz hevened þy fader Of mony anger ful hote wyth his holy speche.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.563 : With swich thing he [Pandare] myght hym [Troilus] angry maken, And with an angre don his wo to falle.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. anger.