Middle English Dictionary Entry
flǒuren v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | flǒuren v.(1) Ppl. floured, ifluret. |
| Etymology | From flǒur (1); OF florir, flurir. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a blossom: to open; of a plant: to bloom, blossom; of a field, etc.: to become full of flowers; (b) of wine: transl. L flavescit, to turn golden.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)95 : Hi deþ al greny and flouri and bere frut.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)136 : Þe smale uleȝe..zekþ þe ueldes yfloured.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)757 : Þat tre so fayre was floured.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Eccl.12.5 : The almaunder shal flouren [L florebit], and the locust shal be mad fat.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4144 : Sche putte..A drie branche..The which anon gan floure.
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2899 : Þe medes floureþ, þe foules syngeþ.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)270 : For þat þou lestez watz bot a rose Þat flowred & fayled as kynde hyt gef.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5665 : Þe spere..gan anon..To florische & floure & buddyn by myracle.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Hab.3.17 : The fige tre schal not floure.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)96 : Tak pee de lyon ii m, ar þat he be floured.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)73 : Ther is þe arke of þe eld testament..þe rodde þat floured & þe uessel of gold with manna.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)5/150 : Þe ded styk do floure fful gay.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.23.31 : Ne beholde thou the win, whan it floureth [L flavescit; WB(2): sparclith].
2.
(a) Of the flesh: to be vigorous; of a year: to bring good fortune, be prosperous; of youth, age, beauty, etc.: to thrive, be flourishing; of wisdom, virtue, vice: to increase, flourish; of reputation: to be distinguished or illustrious; (b) of persons or cities: to be strong or vigorous; be famous; prosper, thrive, flourish, be at the height of fame or excellence; also "in weaker sense, used in past tense of a person or persons to indicate that his life and activity belong to a specified period" [OED; = L floruit] ; (c) of language, a story, a writer's pen: to blossom with rhetorical ornament.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)92a : Refloruit caro mea..þet is, mi flesch is ifluret, bicumen al neowe.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)28 : Þe oþre byeþ ase ine yere þet wel floureþ ine guode and profiteþ.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.51.19 : Wisdam..shal floure as a first rip grape.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.7626 : Avarice..floureth, bot it schal noght greine Unto the fruit of rihtwisnesse.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.120 : Thogh youre grene youthe floure as yit, In crepeth age alwey as stille as stoon.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.529 : Priam for euery maister sent..þat wer excellyng in practik..Or hadde a name flouryng or famus.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2537 : Loue gynneþ in her hertis flour.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)217 : To loue a seisoun, while þat beaute floureþ.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1577 : Thynketh on myn honeste, That floureth yet, how foule I sholde it shende.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.1.30 : Felonye is emperisse, and floureth ful of richesses.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.1373 : The roote off meeknesse flourith up so faire.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)382 : Ful wys she was..Whos beaute flouryd and virginite.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)306 : Your chere floureth, but it wol not sede.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)1 : Saloman in hys paraboles seith þat a glad spirit maket a flowryng age.
- a1456(a1407) Scogan MB (Ashm 59)48 : Þat shal yowe gif a parfyte floured age.
- a1456 Warwick Vir.(Add 16165)21 : Hir flouryng youþe in lustynesse..Causeþe þat she cleped is maystresse.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)21/2 : Hou grete reuerence & obedience under reule floured in hem all.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.71.16 : Thei shul floure fro cite, as the hei of erthe.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.4.1 : I, Nabugodonosor, was quyete in myn hous, and flouringe [L florens] in my paleys.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Ph.(Manly-Rickert)C.44 : She floured in virginitee With alle humilitee and abstinence.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.178 : Þre þousand knyȝtes, ȝong of age, Flourynge in force.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2540 : Whan þat Troye floured in his glorie.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.5.9 : No wis man..to duellen in his cyte and flouren of rychesses.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)2a/b : In þis tyme maister Arnold de noua villa floured in ayther faculte.
- a1456(1429) Lydg.Hen.VI Coron.Ballade (Trin-C R.3.20)2 : Moost noble prynce..Flouring in youþe and vertuous innocence.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)22/197 : Ne duchesse Flouryng in beaute ne yn feirnesse.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)54/434 : Ȝe that be Jentel so fresshe & amerous, Of ȝeres ȝonge flowryng in ȝowre grene age.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.2433 : He [Minos] floured in his worthynesse.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Sudden FPD (Trin-C R.3.20)23 : Þis lusty Duc of Orlyaunce Which floured in Parys of chiuallerie.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)68/2004 : Allas nad she of eche good thing plente, Flowryng in youthe and in hir lustynes?
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)51 : In whech tyme Demostenes and Aristotoles floured in philosophie.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)5965 : Tho townys tweyne, So renomyd & flourynge in glorye.
- c1450 Heyl gloryous virgyne (Clg A.2)16 : Fayrest of fayre, aye flowryng in fayrnesse!
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)19.78 (v.1:p.180) : This man floured the tyme of Constantyne, about the yeris of our Lorde two hundrid and fourty.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.254 : Ȝe may beholde in bokys The story fully rehersed..And freschely floure of colour and of hewe.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.3110 : Thes causes tweyne he pleted in Latyn, With so excellent flouryng fair langage..That he be wisdam kauhte the auauntage.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.4 : His flourit pen so fair he set awerk.
3.
(a) To adorn (something) with flowers; to decorate with the image or picture of a flower; (b) her. to ornament (a coat of arms, or some part of it) with fleurs-de-lis.
Associated quotations
a
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.30 : Alle ye bretheren and systeren..schullen offeren to floured candelys a-forn seynt Willyams toumbe.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)160/29 : Refloruit caro mea..þat is, j schal florie my flesch.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)58/1702 : Wherfore he doth affoyle the trees sere With grene, and hath the soyle yflowrid gay.
b
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.5 (Hrl 2169)187 : Beryth sabyll iij poyntys, flowryd of sylvyr.
- (c1466) Paston (Gairdner)4.249 : Wulstan had issue Wulstan, which bare armes gould, flowret azure..and Robert the younger bare silver, flowret azure.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: AND s.v. banneré 'bedecked, garlanded,' cites ME 'flowrede' as a gloss on same, quoting Owen's edition of Le Traité de Walter de Bibbesworth sur la langue française (1929), 340ra.