Middle English Dictionary Entry
anī-thing phr. & n.
Entry Info
| Forms | anī-thing phr. & n. Also eni-, ony-. |
| Etymology | From phrase. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Anything; anything else; anything at all; also, anybody [c1300 SLeg.Patr.]; most of ~, more than anything else; (b) for ~, at all events, despite everything.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.675 : Ic amansumie ealle þa þær aniþing of breke, & ic bletsie ealle þa þe hit healden.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)13/27 : Ȝif ani þing innan þa eaȝen byfulþ.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)78/26 : Gif æni þing wære wuniende ær þene God [etc.].
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)720 : Þider fundeþ eurich man Þat eniþing [Jes-O: eny þing] of gode can.
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)424 : Onneþe ani-þing miȝte Þare-oppe sette ani fot, þat he ne fulle a-doun.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)386/314 : Heo wilnede more þanne ani-þing to speke with him a þrowe.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.13.8 : To no man owe ye ony thing.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2419 : Whan thou hast taken eny thing Of loves yifte..Wherof thin herte was the bettre [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)289a/a : As he knoweþ and feleþ þat eny þing comeþ after him.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)506 : No lewede man..wolde do Gamelyn enyþing but good.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)19/24 : When ye wyl aske any thing at a ryche man.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.1.11,12 : But I axe yif that thou wenest that hap be anything in any weys; and yif thou wenest that hap be anything, what is it?
- (c1430) Let.Christ Ch.in Camd.n.s.197 : If ther be eny thyng that y may do to your plesaunce.
- (1432) Paston2.38 : If thei..have be enformed of eny thing.
- a1500(c1370) Chaucer Comp.L.(Benson-Robinson)122 : Wel lever is me liken yow and deye, Than for to anythyng or thynke or seye That yow myghte offende in any tyme.
- a1500 Orfeo (Hrl 3810)33 : Orpheo most of ony þing Louede þe gle of harpyng.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)85/20 : Your neightboures wyves covettes noughte..nor any thinge that is his.
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.276 : [The merchant] wolde the see were kept for any thyng Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1640 : Men seyen that at the laste, For any thyng, men shal the soothe se.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)226 : Þou schalt here abyde Ffor ony þyng þat may betyde.
2.
As adv.: (a) in any way or respect, somehow, at all; (b) at any time; any time at all.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Gif hwa þis to brekeþ æniþing, Sancte Petre..him adylige.
- (1155) Chart.Hen.II in Hall EME (Hrl Charter 3.B.49)12 : Ic nelle þat eni man enig þing þer on theo..ne frencisce ne englisce.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(LdMisc 108)179 : Ȝwan he stoupede ani-þing, is flechs was so for-gnawe Þat [etc.].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2057 : If that it touche hire eny thing.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.386 : Be it any þinge abouȝte þe boldenesse of her synnes.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)119/10 : When any tythings er herd in þe cuntree, and namely þat er noyouse or any thing agaynes þe emperour.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2266 : Or the batell was eny thing begonne.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)638 : What is the damesell; Know ye hir eny thinge?
b
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)897 : Had he abiden any þing [LinI: ony þyng].
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.848 : For if hire whiel stynte any thyng to torne, Than cessed she Fortune anon to be.