Middle English Dictionary Entry
grācelēs adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | grācelēs adj. |
| Etymology | From grāce . |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Lacking God's grace, evil, damned; (b) improvident, unwary, unlucky; as noun: unwary person; (c) lacking (a lady's) favor; (d) cruel, merciless; (e) of low repute, worthless, contemptible; (f) ?ungrateful.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400 PPl.C (Cmb Dd 3.13)21.479 : Graselese [Hnt: May no grysliche gost glyde þer hit shadeweþ].
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn:Horstmann)306 : Wyte nane bot thi-selfe if þou gracelese be [Arun: if þi grace be lesse].
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)7065 : Dyscern..Whethyr I owe..Rather hym chesyn wych is mychty..Or hym wych stant in contrarye degre..Graceles, vngloryous.
- a1450(1401) For drede (Dgb 102)93 : In euyl soule no grace is stoken, ffor wikked soule is graceles.
- a1450(1411) Many man (Dgb 102)13 : For graceles and gostly blynde, Þe flesch distroyeþ soules store.
- a1500 Awntyrs Arth.(Dc 324)163 : Now am I a graceles [Thrn: grisely] gost..Withe lucyfer in a lake loȝ am I lighte.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1078 : O gracelees, ful blynd is thy conceit, No thyng artow war of the deceit Which that this fox yshapen hath to thee.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3649 : For to provide þei ben graceles, Ful vnprudent and wilful rekles.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2253 : O woful wrecchis..Vnhappy eke, and graceles also, Infortunat and inly wo-be-go!
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)8/113 : Graceles is my fortune, whiche that ever sheweth it me-wardes by a cloudy disese, al redy to make stormes of tene.
c
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.781 : What! lyveth nat thi lady, bendiste? How wostow so that thow art graceles?
d
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1690 : Horestes -- þat so merciles, Liche a tyraunte þat were graciles, His moder slowe.
e
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2493 : On knyght hath..Brought ȝow all in confusioun, Ful graceles and ful vnhappy to.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)161/13 : Þe peple schal be graceles, vnmyȝty in batayle, & vnstedfast in þe feyth of holy cherch.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)1.25 : Graceles gostis gylours of hem-self..walwed in her willis forweyned in here youthe..And cowde no mysse amende whan mysscheff was vp.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)1965 : Mylys hys brodur þat graceles fole..was woxyn a fowle meselle.
f
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)206 : Graceles:..ingraciosus.