Middle English Dictionary Entry
fọ̄n num.
Entry Info
| Forms | fọ̄n num. Also fone, foyn(e, fune, fewne, foun(e. Comp. foner. |
| Etymology | N blend of whọ̄n (from OE hwōn a small quantity or number, little, few) & ME feue few. So Ekwall in Philologica: Malone Anniv. Studies 150. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Not many, few; also a fon(e; --(a) as noun; (b) as attrib. adj.; also with sg. of coll.; (c) in the pred.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)15822 : Wit him war leift ful fon [Göt, Frf: fone].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18246 : O mankind mon we gett ful fune [Göt: fone; Trin-C: smal].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19782 : He badd þa men be all vte-don, þat in þat hus left bot a fon [Frf: fone; Göt: quone; Trin-C: fewe].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27221 : For mani es wers þan es fon.
- c1400 SLeg.Geo.(2) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)35 : A day as þai kavell caste, ffor þer was lefte bot foyne, Apon þe kyngs doghter yt fell, & he hade bot his one.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3732 : And þe foner þat þider commes for syn, þe les payn þai have þat duelles þar-in.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6424 : Many men here spekes of helle, Bot of þe paynes þar fune can telle.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)19902 : Fone aschapede and tok þe flight.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)23150 : Harde þai faght alle bot a fone, þat fledde out with fulgret fors.
- c1440(?c1350) Mirror St.Edm.(4) (Thrn)31/17 : Þase are þe gud men of þe world..Bot fone are of þase.
- c1440(?a1400) St.John (Thrn)86 : Þat frely transfegurede his face To a fone of his folke.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)195 : Thou hase lefte hym full fune [Cmb: whone].
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)219/11 : And þer agayne fynde I but fone.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3180 : Now flees þar fra þe fell kynge a fone [Dub: a some] of his kniȝtes.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)26/99 : Of those that well has wroght Fynd I bot a fone.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)125/281 : And I shall say thertyll of good wordys a foyne.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27864 : For þar es sinnes foun [Frf: lite], iwise, Wers for to mend riueli þan þis.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)22740 : Þat come was dern and hidde And bot to fone men was kidde.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)127/291 : Þare it dwelled bot ȝeres fone.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)26200 : Saint oswalde comes, qwen þis was done, And with him he hafes folk bot fone.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)27189 : Of britons an fone poueraile, Þat ouer lifede als þar rascaile.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)174/72 : With wordes fewne.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1078,1082,1084 : To say our wil in wordes foune..His wark with fone wordes wil he spede..to vse fune wordes alway.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)52b : Fwne [Monson: Fune]: paucus, rarus, vbi fewe [Monson: fuwe].
c
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)108.7 : Fone be þe daies ofe him.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20536 : Bot fone wer þaie.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)2192 : Lyȝt he þem lent a bowt mydnyȝt with owtyn moyne..and fode, yf þat þei wer fele or fone.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)5459 : And his folke ware bot fone with swylke a strengh forto stryfe.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4943 : Þof þi knyghts be fone, Þou sall goddis helpe and myne haue.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2378 : Feyre wordys were there fone.