Middle English Dictionary Entry
god-fader n.
Entry Info
| Forms | god-fader n. Also godfar. |
| Etymology | OE god-fæder |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A godfather; (b) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)10/44 : Þine godfæderes [behet]en..Þet þu me scoldest holden..Ond [mid r]ihtere lawe leden me to Criste.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Creed (Lamb 487)73 : Heore godfaderes and heore godmoderes scullen onswerie for hem et þe chirche dure.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.Creed (Trin-C B.14.52)17 : Þat ne mugen þe godfaderes naht don bute hie here bileue cunnen.
- c1250 in MLN 49237 : Godfader and godmoder.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1571 : Feble was þe godfader, after wam þe name was.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4961 : Seint oswald..of þe holi vantston þis grete king nom, & is godfader was in is cristendom.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)67/1893 : Godfader wedded godsones child.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4085 : Alphouns his gode godfaderes dede him þan calle.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.909 : For right so as he that engendreth a child is his flesshly fader, right so is his godfader his fader espirituel.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)9.74 : Godfader and godmoder that sen her godchildren At myseise..Shal haue penaunce.
- ?1403 Yk.BPrayer(1) (Harv Widener 1)66/27 : Ȝe sal pray..for oure god-fader saules.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)16a/b : Compater: a godfadur.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)10/21 : To þis couenant was callud..Oure godfars, oure godmoders, to stond þer vs by.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)116 : Children baptized..ben saued in the feith of her god-fadres.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)201 : Godfadyr: Patrinus [Win: patruus].
- (1444) Will York in Sur.Soc.30113 : My wille is yat this standard..be put into some sure abbay in keping, and ye keye in his moderis warde, that othr in his godfadris Sir William More.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)567 : Alured toke vp þe kyng from þe fonstone And his godefader by-come ryȝt þore.
- (1455) Paston (Gairdner)3.13 : He askid who was godfaders, and the Queen told him.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)66 : He ordeyned that every child both in Baptem and Confirmacion schuld have Godfadir and Godmodyr.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)845/15 : And Trystram and sir Galleron were hys two godfadyrs.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)56a : A Godefadir: compater, paternus.
- c1450(a1400) Chev.Assigne (Clg A.2)267 : The abbot..was his godfader.
b
- (1428) Feudal Aids 168 : Johannes Godfadur.