Middle English Dictionary Entry
flẹ̄me n.(1) & adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | flẹ̄me n.(1) & adj. Also flæme, fleome, iflem. |
| Etymology | A flēma, WS flīema, flȳma n., & geflēme adj. In the predicate, flẹ̄me may be taken as noun or as adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
An exile, a fugitive, an outlaw; crien (greden) ~, to proclaim (someone) an outlaw, to banish; don (maken) ~, to outlaw or exile (someone); as adj.: exiled, outlawed.
Associated quotations
- 1103-20(OE) Inst.Cnuti in Liebermann Gesetze 1614 : Pastio etiam latronum latitantium in siluis qui spoliant et occidunt alios..quos Angli uocant fleman [vrr. flæman, flemen].
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)540 : Profugus: flemæ.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)61 : Vre louerd..drof him ut of paradis..makede him fleme þere he hadde er louerd iben.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5952 : Alle þe flæmen [Otho: fleomes] þe iflowe buð of Rome..aȝan wulleð cumen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15617 : Ȝif þu hit noht ne ȝemest, þer fore þu bist flæme.
- c1225 SWard (Roy 17.A.27)38/369 : Farlac is fleme.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1816 : Six ȝer and a Monthþe he was fleme.
- c1300 SLeg.Dunstan (LdMisc 108)57 : He let driue him out of Enguelonde, and let crien him [Hrl: him grede] fleme.
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)456 : Þou worst iflem of þis contre.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)73/1271 : Þu makedest me fleme, & þi lond to reme.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6845 : Men þat him adde fleme ydo.
- a1350 Lenten ys come (Hrl 2253)36 : Þis wunne weole y wole forgon, ant wyht in wode be fleme.
- c1400 *Trev.Higd.(Tbr D.7)2.33.81a : Romulus hadde..a gret multytud of fleem men.
- c1400 *Trev.Higd.(Tbr D.7)4.27.156a : After þis Athanasius was fleme as hyt were into al þe world.
- a1450 SLeg.Suppl.Bod.(Bod 779)377/411 : Ȝif þou..as a traytour flee..þinself þou most make of my lond fleme [rime: ȝeme].