Middle English Dictionary Entry
fortọ̄̆ adv. & particle (with infinitive)
Entry Info
| Forms | fortọ̄̆ adv. & particle (with infinitive) Also forte, fort, vort(e. |
| Etymology | Comb. of adv. for & inf. particle tọ̄̆. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Used purposively: in order to, so as to.
Associated quotations
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1127 : Se kyng hit dide for to hauene sibbe of se earl of Angeow.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1857 : Brutus hine lette witen..for to [Otho: fort] leten fondien of his main stronge.
- a1200 PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)53 : Se þe her doð ani god for to [vrr. to, for] haben godes ore.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)30a : He walde meast i þet wit þolien al forte [Nero: vorte] frourin us.
- a1250 Creed (Blick 6864)p.138 : Þanen he is to cumen for to demen þa quike & þa deade.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)182 : Þider comen manie..For to gladen Iacob.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)72 : To þe dore he orn swyþe, þe dune forto iseo.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)26319 : Many þousendes þreste vt of teldes for to [Clg: al to] bi-holde þis þreo cnihtes.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)360 : Corineus..wende alond..Vor to porchassi hom mete.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)10 : Þet me ne lede nenne in wytnesse uor to ampayri his guode los.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)788 : William went til þis gardin his wo fort slake.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 7.25 : But what wente ȝe out for to se?
- c1390 Treat.Mass (Vrn)116 : Baldely maiȝt þou swete and swynke ffor to wynne þe Mete and drinke.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.804 : The noble wommen..a pelrinage Gon, forto preie thilke ymage.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.30 : Þei..led hir vnto France, spoused forto be.
- (1411) RParl.3.650b : I..dyd assemble thise persones..nought for to doo harme ne offence to yowe.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)9/26 : He raysed a gret Oste..for to feghte wit hym.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)383 : Þe man so offring..myȝte seie, fort excuse him to his fadir or modir [etc.].
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2637 : In Coueytyse I wyl me hyle, for to gete sum sustynaunce.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)15/32 : Many moo grete lordes came thyder for to have wonne the swerde.
- (a1475) Recipe Painting(2) in Archaeol.J.1 (Sln 73)155 : For to make fyn azure..Take and grynde salarmonyak [etc.].
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)971 : For to by vs, he sched hys bloode.
2.
Used concessively: although, even if.
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1703 : Sche wold deliuerly do þerto hire miȝt, Forto saue hem fro sorwe, hirself forto deye.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1133 : Ysworn ful depe..That neuere, for to dyen in the peyne,..Neither of vs in loue to hyndre oother.
- c1390 Mirror St.Edm.(3) (Vrn)241 : Ȝif hit beo nouȝt [his wille], do hit not, ffor to suffre deþ.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1327 : Ne shal I neuere, for to gon to helle, Biwreye a word..that ye me telle.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.364 : I nyl yow disobeye, For to be deed, thogh me were looth to deye.
3.
(a) Used simply as inf. particle: to; (b) shortli ~ seien (tellen), to speak briefly, in short; soth ~ tellen, to tell the truth; as ~ speken of, to speak of, speaking of; as ~ feinen, as for feigning; etc.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)34/347 : Hit is speatewile forte þenche þron; & forte [Tit: for to] speoken þrof, ȝet speatewilre.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)96 : Ȝif eni mon bit fort [Corp-C: to] iseon ou.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)28 : Betere is for to here þis tale þen to drinke win.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)90 : Gilbert him biþouȝte..To þe bischop forto gon.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)62 : Þat folc hi gunne quelle & churchen for to felle.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2069 : Ðre daies ben get for to cumen.
- a1350 Wiþ longyng (Hrl 2253)6 : Selden y am sad þat semly forte se.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)142 : Þat noman be so wood, For to don hym oþer þan good.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)220 : Huo may ham wyþnyme uorte bi ymarissed.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1169 : Þan preiede he to þe prince of heuene forto giif him grace.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2146 : Byfore þe Amyral þanne he goþ & bygan him fort affrayne.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.4.20 : The kyng sawȝ the waker and hooly for to cum doun fro heuen.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.784 : Oure conseil was nat longe for to seche.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.233 : He þat hopeþ forte [vr. to] haue, hit him beo bireuet.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)160/5 : The lawe of god chargyth the forto do to thy neghbore lyke as thow woldyst he sholde do to the.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)3.52 : I wolde nouȝt spare For to be ȝowre frende.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1277 : There as he was in peril for to sterve.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)6/20 : He asayd a-gayn for to rede it.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.271 : The stonys on thy lond is forto drede.
- (1456) Reg.Chanc.Oxf.in OHS 93361 : The seide William Osbarne forto enfoorme the seide John' Swann in the kunnyng of writyng.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)274/26 : I have nothyng done but that me ought for to do.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)2 : Þe knyȝt sawe him begynne forto drawe his bowe.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1160 : But schortly for to telle [etc.].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1487 : Þe soþe forto telle.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1759 : Soþli forto say, asunder þann þei went.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.73 : But for to tellen yow of his array, Hise hors were goode but he was nat gay.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.31 : As forto speke of tyme ago.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.713 : As forto feigne such sieknesse, It nedeth noght.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1217 : The chambre dore, shortly for to seyn, They opened.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)10 : Furthermore forto speke of the prophitable mater of this book.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)9/5 : So, forto passe ouer the matier, the kyng reignyd xv yer.
- c1475 St.Anne(2) (Trin-C R.3.21)326 : Fortosey, bareyn they were both truly.