Middle English Dictionary Entry
fulle n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | fulle n.(1) Also fol(le, volle. |
| Etymology | From adj. ful. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The whole or full amount, the full extent; (b) at (the) fulle, to (unto, in) fulle, of the fulle, in full, fully; wholly, entirely, completely; thoroughly, sufficiently; (c) the ful of daȝes, fullness of days, old age.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)244/144 : Beden is stiwardes meten wel ȝif heo þe folle hadden. Huy..founden al þe fulle and wel more þare-to.
- a1350 Ich herdemen (Hrl 2253)47 : Ȝet ishal be foul cherl, þah he han þe fulle [rime: wolle] þat ich alle ȝer spare.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8423 : Þou se al þe fulle, Wiche socour don we schulle.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)23547 : Vche mon shal haue þe folle Of al þat he aftir wilne wolle.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)484 : Summe, þe fulle of a nowmbyr: Summa.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13855 : When the ffreike had the fulle of xvtene yeres.
- c1500(a1450) ALacrim.(Hrl 2274)274 : I was in exile In egipt the full of seuen yere.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)156 : Þe sergons..byete þane asse riȝt to þe uolle.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)262 : Ne zigge þing to þe uolle [Vices & V.(2): speke vnsuffissauntliche].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.443 : Alisaundre..forȝaf hym þe trespas et þe fulle [vr. atte folle; L plene].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.15 : Nowe foure elnes beeþ inow at þe fulle.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3936 : He was a market betere atte fulle.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4133 : We wol payen trewely atte fulle.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.948 : I ne mai noght to the fulle Atteigne to so hih a lore.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)9a/b : Þe essencia of god may not be knowe..atte fulle [L ad plenum].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)105b/b : For heuen is on, perfite & complete atte fulle.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)343 : Wen hit watz fettled and forged and to þe fulle grayþed.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)57/16 : Syngars..þat..wiþ her swet melodie plesen God at fulle.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.213 : She took hire leve..and they hire reverence Unto the fulle diden.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)121 : The hostys shal answeren to her merchauntes of the fulle.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.6089 : Whan ye wenen sitte hiest atte fulle.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)8/2 : Whiche þei myȝten not at þe fulle comprehende.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)76 : Noon conclusioun..except tho which ben..at fulle pleyn in resoun.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)78 : Ye Flemmyngis..The grete substaunce of youre cloothe at the fulle..ye make hit of oure Englissh wolle.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)191/4 : Þe ius of þis herbe..at þe fulle wole destroye al maner of venyme.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)218/37 : But he at ful consentiþ.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.78rb : Make them, Lord, to blesse the to fulle, and to offre do [read: to] the sacrefyse of praysyng.
- a1500(c1380) Wycl.Papa (Ryl Eng 86)464 : Men shulen loue in staat of blis, for þere shal loue be at þe fulle.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)356 : Alle naciouns afferme vp to the fulle: In al the world ther is no bettir wolle.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Jer.6.11 : A man..with the wif shal be caȝt and the olde with the ful of daȝes.
2.
(a) A sufficient or satisfactory amount; one's fill, enough or too much, repletion; (b) abundance, plenty; to the ~, in plenty, abundantly.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)6/35 : For hearde niþe and ofermete fulle.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)247 : Erþan me drincþ his uolle.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4079 : Til þei be leiser han y-wept her fulle [rime: dulle].
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.178 : Þo creatures þat..selde soupen to þe fulle.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)131 : Eche freke hadde his fulle.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)560 : The yeant had hys fulle of fyght.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)67/7 : Who so ouerpassys yn ful or voyd, yn slepynge or wakynge..he mowe noght eschewe maladyes.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)160 : Hi..wexiþ and bereþ frut to þe uolle [Vices & V.(2): gret plente].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1812 : Hawes..& oþer frut to þe fulle þat in forest growen.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)120 : Þe symplest in þat sale watz served to þe fulle.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)1/12 : Al þe fulle þai resceyued of his grace.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)190/1159a : There was full of manys blode.
3.
(a) the fulle of the mone, full moon; ben at the fulle, be full; also fig.; (b) the fulle of the flod, flood tide; (c) height or climax; (d) med. crisis (of a disease).
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)753 : Þe gywes helde hare ester at þe heye ffolle of þe Mone.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1069 : Thanne shal she [the moon] been euene at the fulle [vr. atte fulle] alway.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)157a/b : When þe mone is fourtene daies olde and atte þe ful.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)157a/b : In þe fulle of þe mone [L plenilunio].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)74b/a : He be war in þe ful of þe mone, for þan is the brayne encrescede.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)573 : Whilom in plente and now al in grevaunce! Allas, my fulle is derkyd in-to wane.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)76/4 : A leche xal take kep of þe mone, wanne he is atte þe full.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2597 : After þe flowe..an ebbe..Þe most drede is ay vppon þe fulle.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3423 : Swyng an ebbe whan the flood is do, Lytil space abidyng at the fulle.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12560 : At the full of the flode.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)133 : Þer is a stape huerinne is þe uolle of perfeccion [Vices & V.(2): þe most parfiȝtnesse] of þise uirtue.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.4422 : Whan his noblesse was hiest at the fulle--I meene the fulle off his felicite--Ther folwed an ebbe off gret aduersite.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)102b/a : On medycyne nediþ..in þe bygynnynge of þe euel & oþir in þe fulle [L statu] & an oþir in passinge þerof.