Middle English Dictionary Entry
glenten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | glenten v. Also gleint, (error) gleirtand. Forms: p. glent(e, glint, (late) glented; ppl. glent. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. Dan. glente, Norw. dial. glanta & gletta to glide, slip; Swed. dial. glänta to slip, slide, gleam, shine; Norw. dial. gletta to peep, look. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) To move or turn quickly to one side; dodge, flinch; ~ aside, ~ beside; ~ aside on, to fall upon (enemies) from the side; (b) to change one's behavior, deviate; (c) ~ from, to conceal (sth.) from (someone's knowledge).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1400(a1338) *Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)11a/[1522] : Numbert sone his bowe bent, & schette, bot corineus glent [vr. bleynt].
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2292 : Gawayn grayþely hit bydez & glent with no membre, Bot stode stylle as þe ston.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)13162 : On Borel & Cador þat formest went, Þe Romayns a-side on hem glent.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)7081 : She knew his voice, and glent a-side As she from him wold hir hide.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1082 : King Rychard þenne besyde he glent; Vpon þe brest þe lyoun he spurnyd.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)671 : Bot he to gyle þat neuer glente At [?read: and] inoscente is saf.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)241 : Non gete me fro þe heghe gate to glent out of ryȝt.
c
- c1450 Lychefelde Comp.G.(Lamb 853)172 : Þis wickid lijf þat y lyue ynne, Y may it not from þi knowynge gleynt [vr. glent].
1b.
(a) To move quickly, go (from one place to another), fall (to the ground); ~ awei, glide away, vanish; ~ bi, rush past; refl. betake oneself; (b) ~ up, to spring up, arise; (c) ?to bring (sth.) into sight or existence, reveal.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 I warne vche (Vrn)54 : Let gabbynges glyde and gon A-wey wher þei wol glace or glent.
- a1400 Bevis (Eg 2862)95/1910 : Þat to þe ground þe geaunt glent.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.197 : Aunfrey of Turoyn he was þer present, Of Triple erle Bumoun fulle suiþe þider glent.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2780 : Bot Floridas with a swerde, as he by glenttys, All þe flesche of þe flanke he flappes in sondyre.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5337 : Ouf off hys sadyl he hym glente.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)3493 : There cam An hand..Oute of the water..And sythe, as gleme, Awey it glente.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)9107 : From that plas to erth he glent, And thider aȝayn þis day stegh he.
- a1500 Lady Prioress (Hrl 78)p.114 : In at a gape as he glent, By the medylle he was hent.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)164/114 : Alas, where is this Star I-went? our light from vs away is glent.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)178/28 : The Star..hath stirred euer or this, and now there it is glent.
b
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1652 : Much glam & gle glent vp þer-inne.
c
- a1450 Ch.Feasts (Roy 18.A.10)100 : Of Iacob schulde a token be glente, A sterre þat schulde schewe and schyne [cp. Vulg.Num.24.17: orietur stella ex Iacob].
2.
(a) Of a weapon: to strike a glancing blow; of a blow: strike obliquely, glance; (b) refl. to be deflected; (c) to wield (weapons) with glancing blows.
Associated quotations
a
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2998 : Cornyfer is helm was herd, & mad þe strok to glente.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)2820 : He gaff that knyght suche a dynt That thurgh his hede hit glynt.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)1625 : So glynt that swerd that hit withstode.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2421 : With his swerd, where that his stroke glynt, Owt of ther padill full redely they went.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)212/4205 : The poynte on the pawment glente, That the ffyre there after sprente.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)616 : Þe strok a doun him glente anon.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5588 : Þan Char[lis] a strok til hym gan mynte; Ac hym faylede of ys dynte, for þat swerd hym glente By-twene ys scheld & ys for arsoun.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5627 : He..smot to him a strok..With ys swerd..& on þe helm hym gerte. Ac from þe helm þat swerd him glente.
c
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)295 : Glayues gleterand þay glent On gleterand scheldys.
3.
(a) To look askance; look, glance; (b) ~ eie, to direct (one's) glance.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1029 : Ghe glente and ðhoghte, migte it noght ben.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)6184 : Þe frere ȝaf gode tente whyderward hys yȝen glente.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)82 : Þe comlokest to discrye Þer glent with yȝen gray.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)476 : He glent vpon sir Gawen.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1223 : But at the laste, as that hire eye glente Asyde, anon she gan his swerd espie.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)356 : Fyrumbras on him glente ys eyȝe scornfullich & low.
4.
To shine, gleam; flash, glitter; glisten, glint.
Associated quotations
- c1390 In a Pistel (Vrn)28 : Knowe þi lyf..Riht as a glentand [vr. gleirtand!] glem hit geth.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)218 : His glorious glem þat glent so bryȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)70 : Þe lyȝt of hem myȝt no mon leuen, Þe glemande glory þat of hem glent.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1001 : Jasper..glente grene in þe lowest hemme.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1026 : Þe wal of jasper þat glent as glayre.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1106 : Golden gatez..glent as glasse.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)604 : Golde naylez..al glytered & glent as glem of þe sunne.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10971 : The glyssenond glemes þat glenttes on þe sknowe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4817 : Gods glorious gleme glent þam e-maunge.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)361/182 : Oure lord god sent to me an aungyl that glent, and sayde I schulde pass hens.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)6088 : With yer swerdes to geder thei went..The fyre sparkelid and fro the harneys glynt.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)398/299 : Leat and fyre..from the sonne to the firmament Vp and downe shall stryke and glent.
- c1650(a1450) Death & L.(Pcy)384 : When the glory of his godhead glented in thy face.