Middle English Dictionary Entry
antē̆me n.
Entry Info
| Forms | antē̆me n. Also antefne, antefen, (gen. pl.) antifena & antempne, antim(p)ne, (common after 1400) antim(e, (1440) antem, (c1400) antheme, (c1400) antephne. |
| Etymology | OE antef(e)n (through L from Gr.). In ME, forms with stress on the first syllable and on the second syllable seem to occur side by side, since Mannyng Chron. rimes the word with quẹ̄me (OE ē). The type of antim(e, mostly nEM, has initial stress. ML antiphona contributes spellings with ph. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A musical composition based upon a scriptural text, sung in the Church Offices before each psalm and often repeated after the psalm, or after each verse of the psalm [see Karl Young, The Drama of the Medieval Church 1.48ff.]; also, a sacred composition sung or recited separately.
Associated quotations
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)95/11 : Gyf hwyl[c] swustre..misfehð on bodunȝe sealme, odðe repsa [L responsorium], odðe antifena, [etc.].
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)9a : Aris þenne & bigin þe antefne 'Salua nos, christe'..& segge stondinde þe salm 'Jubilate' wið 'gloria'..& þenne þe antefne.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)10b : Efter hire fif heste, blisses eorneð bi fiue tele i þe antefnes [Cleo: antempnes].
- ?a1300 Psalt.Virg.(Dgb 86)112 : Fifti [aves] sege bi-fore, Tene euere bi score, And on anteme þerto In tokning of þe blisse [of Mary].
- c1390 SLeg.Dunstan (Vrn)135 : [The harp] gon harpen a Murie Antempne.
- c1390 Vrn.Mir.Virg.(Vrn)141/21 : He song þat Antimne eueri-wher, I-Called Alma Redemptoris Mater.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1850 : Cristes moder swete..bad me for to synge This anteme [vrr. anthephene, antheme, antime, antym] verraily in my deiynge.
- a1400 Matin Our Lady in MLN 30 (Ashm 1288)231 : Antym of oure lady: Salue regina mater.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)16/2 : Þe nihend ferþe salme, wid þe antefen ouþir wid-vten.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)17/16 : And te uerset, and te antefen of þe gospel, & te letanie.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)378/76 : To alle men..Which to seynt Edmund..Seyn this Antephne and this Orisoun, Two hundred daies ys grantid off pardoun.
- c1440(?a1396) ?Hilton Angels' Song (Thrn)19/32 : In spalmes and ympnes and antymms [Cmb: antympnes] of Haly Kyrke, þat þe hert synges þam swetely, deuotly, and frely.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)15091 : Þe Letanie þei songe Alle wyþ o voys..þer-wyþ þey seide a fair anteme, Ihesu Crist al for to queme.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)186/27 : He began to syng þis antem 'O! pastor eterne.'
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)13 : Antym or antem: Antiphona.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)4a : An Antyme: Antiphona.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)104/21 : That antym þat is songen at Benedictus, and the same psalmes eke, after doyng out of candeles, with..a ferddeful sowne betokeneþ the dynne of þe companye þat Judas brouȝt aȝenst Crist.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)201/36 : And as he was in sayinge this antyme 'Quam pulcra es'..þe blessid lady sodeynly aperyd vn-to hym.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)104/26,39 : Whan ii psalmis or iiii been seyde vpon one antime, þe quere schal stande vp while þe antym ys bigonne..For to ȝeue þe antemes & for to tune þe psalmis, þer schul be ii chaunteressis.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)106/35 : Þe benisoun after complin schal be seyde bifore þe anteme, & after þe anteme þey schul sey 'Fidelium'.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)115/22,23 : At þe first euynsonge of þe vtas þey schal sey at Magnificat þe anteme vppon Magnificat, in þe vigil of þe feste..The psalmis feriallis wiþ here antemes [etc.]..& at matyns in versicle & anteme & orisoun.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)116/36 : In þe quater temps of þe aduent, whar þey singiþ þe grete antymes, & þat is to vnderstonde 'O sapiencia'.
2.
A secular song of praise or gladness.
Associated quotations
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Vit.(1) (Vit A.16)274 : They redde exoracions ouer him, and many long antemes song with note.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)155 : Ther song shalbe suche among other antemes: 'I blissed be oure lord God, for that he hath sent kyng Edward the iiij to reigne vpon vs'.