Middle English Dictionary Entry
gāpen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | gāpen v. Also geapen. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI gapa. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To open the mouth wide; of the mouth: be opened wide; ~ on, open the mouth as if to swallow (sb.); (b) to let the mouth hang open involuntarily; of the dead: have the mouth open; of the mouth: hang open; (c) to yawn, gape.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)20/35 : He..sturede toward tis meoke meiden & geapede [Roy: ȝeonede] wið his genow..as þe þe hire walde forswolhe mid alle.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)390 : Ðis fis..ðanne him hungreð he gapeð wide.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)128/2763 : Þe dragoun..cam..Ȝenande & gapande on him so Ase he wolde him swolwe þo.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2372 : Þe werwolf..went hem aȝens, Gapand ful grimli.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)299/53 : Her i seo a dragun stande Grislich on me gapande.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3320 : The Bole of bras..gapeth wyde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2430 : It wer ful harde hym to eskape Þe firy flame, whan þe bolis gape.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.107 : Yit drow I hym out of the jowes of hem that gapeden.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2004 : Whan he gapeth faste, Into the bestes throte he shal hem caste.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)178/15 : Sche cryid & gapyd as sche wolde an etyn hem.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)19/20 : Halde thyn heuede ouer þe sedis þat lyes on þe hote stone and gape als wyde als þu may.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1437 : The dragon..turnyd hym round With gapyng mouthe.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3800 : The best..gaped wyde & swelwed þe kyng.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)180 : The bore..began to romy and rowte, And gapes and gones.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)460/19 : And that lyon gaped wyde and cam uppon Hym rawmpyng to have slayne hym.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)378 : Iche of hem with opyn mouthe gapid before the byshope but..non of hem spake a worde, but as dowmbe men they gaped.
- a1500 Little Child.Bk.(1) (Adv 19.3.1)65 : Whan þou etyst, gape not to wyde.
b
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3924 : Fortune on the galwes made hym gape.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2008 : Yet saugh I ther..The colde deeth with mouth gapyng vpright.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4232 : My felawe mordred is this same nyght, And in this carte heere he lyth gapyng vpright.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)47 : Þei ne byten not, ne þei rennen not, eke þei wil not ete, for her mouthe is somedele gapyng.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2520 : Many Greke lay slayn in his tent Gaping vpward.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2225 : Slayn all the route which pitously ageyn the mone gape.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)25/135 : Þi felaws lien and gapin.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12703 : Gapyng he lay at erþe al streked.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)32a : Sche wyll loke as sche wer wode & gape & pant as for hete.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.OFools (LdMisc 683)43 : A fface vnstable..Gapeth as a rook; abrood goth iowe and mouth, Lyk a iay enfomyned in hys cage.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)3.5.52b : Thei..ley evene up right gapyng with hir throtes, and Sathanas was redy with molten brasse and cast it therin.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)265/226 : So sir, gape agans the son!
c
- a1400 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Paris n.a. lat.699)287 : Gapid [vrr. galpeth, gones; glossing AF (Cmb): baal].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5780 : He..deuoutly gynneth for to gape And noddeth ofte.
- a1450 Lestenit lordynges I you beseke (Sln 2593)p.279 : My baselard haght a syluer schape; Therfore I may bothe gaspe and gape.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)294 : Be not gapynge nor ganynge, ne with þy mouth to powt.
2.
Of a joint, wound, hell, etc.: to open up, be wide open.
Associated quotations
- c1440(?a1400) ?Nassyngton Trin.& U.(Thrn)246 : Than raue thy wondes thurghe fute & hande And ware sene full wyde gapaunde.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)113a : Frame not þi schip ne ioyne not þi tymber to gidre til þou be siker þat þi tymber & þi bord be drye Inow leste þe ioyntes grenne & gape and þe bordes cleue & slende..þe grene tymber makeþ the schip to grenne and to gape.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)90 : Muscules in Shelle..assone as thei bigynneth to gape, take hem from þe fire.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)63/205 : Then shall hell gape and gryn.
3.
To stare open-mouthed, gaze fixedly.
Associated quotations
- c1410 Chaucer CT.Mil.(Hrl 7334)A.3841 : In to þe roof, þey kyken and þey gape.
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Mil.(Lnsd 851)A.3472 : This Nicholas satt ay as still as any stone And euer gaped vp in to þe aire.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1338 : Þei wern so rude to staren and to gase, To gape & to loke, as it wer on a mase.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)120/59 : What it shulde mene þat wate not ȝee, For all þat ȝe can gape and gone.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1211 : Smale harpers..Sate under hem in dyvers sees, And gunne on hem upward to gape.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)156 : Whan y cam to þat court, y gaped aboute.
4.
To shout, talk loudly; jeer, hoot; ~ on, jeer at (sb.).
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)66 : On hire gapede alday..boþe Men and wommen and children..So þat bifore gilbertes house þe Noyse was onder-ȝite.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)10.41 : Þo þat feynen hem folis..Drynken and dryuelen and do men for to gape [vr. Iape].
- a1450 NPass.(Cmb Dd.1.1)640 : Two iewis..be gan to cryen & gapin wide.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.95 : Make therof no laugheng, sporte, ne Iape; ffor ofte tymes it doith rebounde Vppon hym þat list to crie and gape.
5.
To have inordinate desires, be greedy; ~ after, ~ for, ~ upon, desire (sth.) eagerly, long impatiently for (sth.), look for (sb.).
Associated quotations
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)291 : Suffre not þin herte falle fro þe disyre, as ȝif þou were a-bydyng or gapyng aftur sum queynte sturyng.
- a1413 Chaucer TC (Mrg M 817)3.558 : He swor..þat she shold hym not escape Ne lengere don hym after here to gape [vr. cape].
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.2.17 : They..gapyn and desiren yit after mo rychesses.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.3.103 : This nede..is alwey gapynge and gredy.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1408 : Many men knowe I þat gane and gape After som fat & riche benefice.
- c1450 Wimbledon Serm.(Hat 57)14/18 : For ryȝt as a pott haþ a wide mouþ, so couetise gapiþ euermore aftir wordli good.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)170/34 : Marchauntz..gapen aftur erthly profites.
- c1500(a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(Cld A.8)156 : Importune suters wil gape vpon suche reuersiouns and oftentymes asken hem or they befall.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)13.5 : Glottery..ay gapand to take.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)22/24 : Of hym that gapyde al for lucre and covetise..he made a-postel and euangelist.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)116/16 : Whiles he gapiþ after mannes preisynges, he is depryued very vertues.