Middle English Dictionary Entry
ǧibē̆t(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ǧibē̆t(e n. Also gibbet, gibat, gibite & gebet(e, gebat, iebat, iebet, jebet, jebbet & iubet, iubeit, jubet. |
| Etymology | OF gibet |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A gallows for putting to death criminals, and also for exhibiting their bodies after death; ~ hil, a hill with a gallows on it; (b) a pole or a scaffold on which the bodies of dead criminals were exposed; --chiefly Old Testament; (c) a painted representation of a gallows; (d) punishment on the gallows, hanging; (e) fig. punishment, penance; ~ of helle, ~ of penaunce.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)31b : Me were muche deale leouere þet ich isehe ow alle þreo, mine leoue sustren..hongin on a gibet forte wiðbuhe sunne, þen ich sehe an of ow ȝeouen anlepi cos eani mon on eorðe.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10691 : In gibet hii were anhonge as to more vilte.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)128/24 : Þe wrechche ne þengþ..of þe gibet [Vices & V.(2): galewes] þet him abit, ac slepþ and met þet ha geþ to festes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2104 : He was unto the gibet drawe, Where he above alle othre hongeth.
- a1400 Bevis (Eg 2862)49/1034 : Þou shalt fynde who þe shal bete And hong þe on a gebet.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4713 : Her feet men knytten þe horses to And to þe gibet quyk hem tare; Heiȝe hij weren anhonged þare.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)1050 : Þai sold him hang on a gebet.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.12/25 : And that that was emynente, a-boue the water drye, was deputid and ordeyned to the Iubeit or galowys of thevys.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.1473 : Afftir al this, in a carte sette And vengabli lad out off the toun, Be doom Ihanged on an hih gibet; The peeple..Wolde neuer fro the galwes weende Til..bi deth he made an eende.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)22/10 : Þe whilke sall take þe, and hynge þe hye on a gebett as a traytour.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3086 : Þou were betyr an-hangyn on hoke up on a jebet hyll.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)106 : Cresus, that was kyng of Lyde, That high upon a gebet dyde!
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)64/28 : She was atyred with high long pynnes lyke a iebet, and so she was scorned of all the company, and saide she bare a galous on her hede.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)545/33 : Þe hed of Perkyn of Lee was smyt of vnder the Iubet [vr. gibbet] of Chestre.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)130 : I wolle dye for the to morow on the Iubet.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Esth.2.23 : Either of hem is hangid in the iebet [WB(2): in a iebat; L in patibulo].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.10.27 : Iosue smot & slowe hem & hongede opon fyfe stokkys..& whenne þe sonne come doun, he comaundede to felows þat þei doon hem doun fro þe Iebetys [vr. gibetis; WB(2): iebatis].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.439 : Galewes and gibbettes [vr. Galwes and gebetes; L patibula] were i-sette on þe walles.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)312/232 : Þus was Amon aftur mete honged on his owne Gibete.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12218 : Abouen erth he liues to lang, Worthi he war on gebet [Göt: gibet] hang.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.40.22 : And tother he hongide in a gibite [WB(2): gebat].
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Num.25.4 : Tak..alle the prynces of the puple and honge hem aȝens the sunne in iebettis [WB(2): iebatis; L in patibulis].
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.136 : Wham kyng Assuwere anone on gibet maide be suspendid.
c
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)23 : Ther was he fast boundon, and a corone of papir put upon his hed the which was all abowte depaynetid with jubettes and..was writyne with thes wordes, 'traitour, traitour, traitour'.
d
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)125/35 : And alle kyndes of presoynes, of peynes of jayles and of jebbet, þat day we oweþ to relese.
e
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)138/13 : He him demþ ase ane þyef, and he him deþ..to þe gybet [Vices & V.(2): jubet] of penonce.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)171/17 : Me ssel grede to god merci, ase his þyef..þet heþ ofserued þet gibet of helle.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)5 : Þat consciens and discrecion late þe flesh be hongyd on þe iebet of penaunce, Of þe which maner of living þe Apostill spekith þis: 'Suspendium elegit anima mea.' This is to sey: 'my soule hath chosen þe iebet, scil. doyng of penaunce.'
2.
(a) The Cross; ~ of the cros, ~ tre; (b) an instrument of torture; (c) ?a fork-shaped device for punishment used by the Romans.
Associated quotations
a
- c1440 St.Chris.(Thrn)668 : Myn eldirs..sloughe hym [Christ] on a gebete-tre.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)41 : Pylate..iuged the blyssyd Sone of God..to be hangged opon the gebet of þe Crosse as a bryboure.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3617 : Crist..Was..greuously bett, Crowned with thorne, nayled to þe gybett.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)246/450 : Vp on A jebet lete hym hongyn be!
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)132 : Goddis sonne..toke dethe for him on the Iubet off þe crosse.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.152 : In the houre of none, thi luf shewed thow..On the Gibet of the crosse deignyng for me to dye.
b
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)186/54,56 : He let him lede with-oute þe toun and on [Corp-C: in] a gibet him honge..he to þe gibat com; þo þat he an-hengut was, gret Ioye he made and blisse.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)2a/a : Aculeuus: a gibet or a lisarde.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)24b/b : Equleus: a maner of torment, a gybet.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)54b : A Gybett: Aculeus, Eculeus.
- a1500 St.Dor.(2) (Chet 8009)54 : This holy virgyn was hangyd upon a gybet, her feet upward, and her body all to drawe with hokes of Iren, and then she was betyne with roddis and scourgyde with scourges.
c
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)193 : Gybet [Win: Gybbet]: Patibulum, calafurcium.
3.
A well sweep.
Associated quotations
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)105b : The exostre is þe forseide brygge of þe myddel stage of þe tour, þe draght beem made as a gibette þat men drawe water with.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1154/6 : Because of dispyte that knyghtes and ladyes called hym 'the Knyght that rode in the Charyot', lyke as he were juged to the jybett, therefore, in the despite of all them that named hym so, he was caryed in a charyotte a twelve-monethe.
Note: New spelling
Note: Sense 1.(a)