Middle English Dictionary Entry
abaien v.
Entry Info
| Forms | abaien v. Also obeien. |
| Etymology | OF abaiier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. baien.
1.
(a) Of hunting dogs: to bay or bark beside a hunted or slain animal; (b) to bark; (c) of a person: to bark (at sb.), speak rudely.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)99 : Euery man haue a smale rodde in his honde to holde þe houndes, þat þei shuld þe better abay..and whan þei han abaied a while, lett þe houndes come to and ete þe flesshe.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)101 : And whan þe houndes ben comyn and abaien þe heede, þe beernours shuld pulle of þe couplys.
b
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)142 : J am lich the hound that lyth on the hep of hey, to which if any sette hand, he abayeth and berketh and cryeth.
c
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3878 : Ʒif he miʒth come on cas Whare hij hym miʒth so hound abaye, Oiþer agilen, oiþer atraye.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)63/32 : He abbayed to fooles and worshipped and pleased wismen.
- a1475 Scrope DSP (Em 31)62/25 : Abayed [Bod: he obeide fooles..& worschupped wise men].