Middle English Dictionary Entry
gai adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | gai adj. Also gaȝe, gei. |
| Etymology | OF, from Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Joyous, merry, gay; light-hearted, carefree; also, wanton, lewd, lascivious.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3339 : This Absolon that ioly was and gay Goth with a sencer on the haliday.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3769 : Som gay gerl..Hath broght yow thus vpon the viritoot.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.508 : But in oure bed he was so fressh and gay..Whan that he wolde han my bele chose.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1727 : Nat for to holde a preest ioly and gay He syngeth nat but o masse in a day.
- a1450 Dux Moraud (BodPoet f.2)184/106 : I am mery to led & gay.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)830 : Þenne seten þay at þe soper..Þe gestes gay and ful glad, of glam debonere.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.922 : A lay Of love..made hire herte fressh and gay.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)83 : Than yonge folk entenden ay Forto ben gay and amorous.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)691 : In herte I wex so wondir gay That I was never erst..So jolyf..Ne merye in herte, as I was thoo.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)36a/b : Laciuus: gay.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)112/1163 : Þanne mayst þou..serdyn gay gerlys.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)265/291 : We schall have game or we goo..Boy, be not agaste if we seme gaye.
- 1532(?a1400) RRose (Thynne)32 : Now this drem wol I ryme aright To make your hertes gaye and lyght.
2.
(a) Shining, glittering, gleaming, bright; of colors: vivid; (b) of things: sumptuous, showy, rich, ornate; magnificent, stately; elegant, fine, beautiful; (c) of persons: dressed up, handsomely or richly attired, decked out in finery; maken ~, to deck (oneself) out richly or showily; gon ~, be well dressed.
Associated quotations
a
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1694 : Oppon þe tour..þar stondeþ a iuwel gay, An egle of gold þat schynaþ briȝt so doþ þe sonne on may.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1444 : Þe aþel auter of brasse watz hade into place, Þe gay coroun of golde gered on lofte.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)7 : Quere-so-euer I jugged gemmez gaye.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.195 : Of peyntyng I haue noon excellence, With sondry hewes noble, fresche and gay.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3340 : Flora with hir hewes gay.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)567 : She hadde [in honde] a gay mirrour.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)472 : Starynge, or schynynge, as gaye thyngys: Rutilans, rutilus, nitidus.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)1028 : Gold, þouh it gay be, hit gaynus ful lite.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3797 : Of gai glitirand gold glesenyd þaire schildis.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)152/26 : The glemynge of ȝon gay sterre.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)12/83 : Light borne:..our Creator, that us hath made gaier then gould.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1936 : No man..schuld now deuise men richlier a-raid..to richesse þat þei hadde; þe grete after here degre in þe gaiest wise & menere men as þei miȝt.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3312 : She hath hym sent a sherte fressh and gay.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3032 : Þanne hast þou armes gode & gaye to helpe þe on þis nede.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Judith 16.11 : Hir gaȝe shon [L Sandalia; WB(2): sandalies; vr. The ournement of hir feet] rauesheden his eȝen.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.111 : Vpon his arm he bar a gay bracer.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.411 : The gaye leuesel atte tauerne is signe of the wyn that is in the celer.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.559 : I made my visitacions..And wered vpon my gaye scarlet gytes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)71b/b : Such a wif..fondiþ..to plese here housbonde..wiþ faire & gay clothinge [L pulcris vestibus].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.169 : Þei sauh fer in þe se A grete busse & gay; fulle hie of saile was he.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)791 : Garytez ful gaye gered bi-twene.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)3185 : Muche bost was þare, Gret pruyde and gay gere.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)20/8 : Gaza þat is a gay cytee & a riche.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)5 : Þei..stryuen..who of hem may bilde gaiest wast housis and costly places.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)184 : Gay: Ornatus.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)366 : Hir gyde was gloryous and gaye, alle of gyrse grene.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)114/1251 : We schul be clad in a gay gowne.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)407 : For hit was, on to beholde, As thogh the erthe envye wolde To be gayer than the heven.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)54/105 : A ryght pore man..of sympyl astat in clothis rent may-be bettyr than rich in garmentys gay.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)1106 : He lefte his countenaunce And takyth hym armes gay!
- a1500 Earth(3) (Tit A.26)19/19 : O..erthe that..trauayles..To..paynt þe erthe with wanton araye..make þou it neuer so queynt or gaye.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.241 : Cleopatra mad here gay [L exornata] and mette wiþ Augustus.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.74 : Hise hors were goode, but he was nat gay; Of fustian he wered a gypoun, Al bismotered with his habergeoun.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.990 : Everyday Of pourpre and bisse he made him gay.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.337 : If we make vs gay With clothyng and with precious array..it is peril of oure chastitee.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.724 : I was wont to be right fressh and gay Of clothyng and of oother good array.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1017 : She wolde suffre hym no thyng for to paye For bord ne clothyng, wente he neuere so gaye.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)71a/b : He..makeþ hym gay and semelich in diuers cloþinge and aray.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1811 : Þat we gon gay in oure gere.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1584 : All þa..God suffers folow vanytese..Þe whilk tyll þe world mase þam gay.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)234 : Women..of whiche some ther weere Fayre of hemself, and some of hem were gay.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)273 : While I was ȝonge..I was..as gaye in my gere als any gome ells.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)615 : Amadase and Edoyne..in golde and in grene were gaye in thaire tyme.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.208 : Of þe gomes so gay þat grace hadde affendid.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)444 : I sawe neuer wommon Haluendelle so gay!
3.
(a) Excellent, noble; beautiful; (b) stout and ~, stately and beautiful; splendid and showily dressed [?with overlap on sense 2.(c)]; great and noble, strong and gallant; (c) pleasant sounding; of songs, words, literary style, a speaker, a writer, etc.: pleasing, skillful, eloquent; also, superficially pleasing, specious.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)816 : Þe gaye gerles were in-to þe gardin come.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1105 : Þemperour..made william here wardeyn..to gye & to gouerne þe gay yong kniȝtes.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1595 : Swiþe sent he sondes to somoun..alle þe grete of grece and oþer gaie pepul.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)74 : Guenore ful gay..Dressed on þe dere des.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1003 : Gawan & þe gay burde, to-geder þay seten.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)19 : Ful grete and gay was þe assemble Of lordes and ladies.
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Origo Mundi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)1964 : Parys yv an stede gay.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7845 : Þen gedrit were þe grete to þe gay kyng.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)168/6 : Þis lorde had also a gay falcon & a swyfte.
b
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)40 : Heo is..graciouse, stout, ant gay, gentil, iolyf so þe iay.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1193 : He priked his stede niȝt & day, as a gentil kniȝt, stout & gay.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)118 : Þer nis non so stif ne stronge, Ne no ladi stout ne gay, Bi-hold what ouer hor hed con honge!
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)71b/a : No man is more wrecche..þan he þat hath an yuel wif crienge, iangelinge..costlew, stoute and gay, enuyous, noyful [L sumptuosam, curiosam, inuidiosam].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.332 : Ȝong Sir Hugh was þare, þe Spensere stoute & gay.
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Origo Mundi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)2685 : Heyl, ov arloth, stout ha gay.
c
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.296 : Hym was leuere haue at his beddes heed Twenty bookes clad in blak or reed..Than robes riche or fithele or gay sautrie.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.276 : In his dites, þat wer so fresche and gay With sugred wordes vnder hony soote, His galle is hidde lowe by the rote.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2703 : I can not paynt nor compasse No gay prosses.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4686 : To take on me it were but hiȝe foly In any wyse to adde more þer-to..Be-cause þat he [Chaucer] in writyng was so gay.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)412 : If he..speke manye gay wordis..in protesting þat he haþ cause forto quyte þe lord bi sum good service and ȝit not dooþ.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)120/13 : Þer was a doctor of Dyvinitie þat was a gay prechur.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)32/46 : In commynycacioun & talkynge þey byn Cicerones, þat is to say as eloquent & as gay yn speche as was þat grete Rethoryan Marcus Tullius Cicero.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)355/17 : Ys ther ony renogat among vs..or any that peruertyth the pepil wyth gay eloquens alon.
- c1500 Lady of pite (Trin-C R.3.19)64 : The Retor Tullius so gay of eloquence.
- 1532(?a1405) Lydg.FCourt.(Thynne)240 : Chaucer is deed, that had suche a name Of fayre makyng..We may assay for to countrefete His gay style, but it wyl not be.
4.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1178) in Pipe R.Soc.2797 : Philippus de Gay.
- (1207) Fine R.King John455 : Willielmus Gay.
- (1243) Close R.Hen.III111 : Elyam Gayprest.
- (1246) Inquis.PM Hen.III in Archaeol.Cant.2296 : Alan le Gey.
- (1255) Hundred R.Tower 125 : Radulf le Gay.
- (1327) Let.Bk.Lond.E (Gldh LetBk E)278 : Walter Gayspore.
- (1339) Cart.St.John in OHS 6865 : Johannes le Gay.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1500 Army.32 Artist.Recipes(Army 32) 211/2 : Forto make grene color. Take þe juce of rewe, and when yt hath juse, put awey þe cler and take þe thyke undyrneth, and grynde hyt with vergedrese, and put a lutyl safron þerto and þer þe shall haue gaye grene.
Note: Additional quote, sense 2.(a).
Note: 'Gaye grene' might possibly be read as 'gaudi grene'. Cf. Editor's gloss: "gaude, gaudegrene, gaye grene n. 'yellow-green color'."