Middle English Dictionary Entry
grẹ̄dī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | grẹ̄dī adj. Also grēdī, grẹ̄dẹ̄, gredie, grediȝ, grædie, gradi, credi. Comp. grẹ̄dīer, -iure, -ire, -ure. |
| Etymology | A grēdig, WS grǣdig. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Greedy, gluttonous, overeager to eat; (b) hungry, unsatisfied; also fig.; (c) of animals: ravening, ravenous, voracious; also fig.; ~ on, hungry for (prey).
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)6/33 : Þu were gredi ond mid gromen þe onfulled..For þin wombe was þin god.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)139/15 : Sobrietas..makeð þanne maðfull ðe was to grady.
- c1390 Body & S.(5) (Vrn)p.68 : Þou were gredi for to frete, To don þi foule flesch to swelle.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27905 : And it es funden bodili Foure-kin maner of glotory..For to yern als many mese, Or for to gredi be at dese.
- c1400 PPl.C (Cmb Dd 3.13)16.86 : Gredy [Hnt: Ac this doctor and diuinour..And also a gnedy gloton..Hath no pite on vs poure].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)209 : Gredy of mete [vr. in mete]: Avidus.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)57b : Gredy: Auidus, Edax, Edaculus, gulosus.
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1494 : 'Broðer iacob,' quat esau, 'Of ðis warme nete ðu gif me nu'..Iacob wurð war he was gredi.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4726 : It is sike hele and hool seknesse..And hunger full of habundaunce, And a gredy suffisaunce.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)396 : Thi gredi thruste so sore the dothe constreyne.
c
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)127 : Þe deofel þe geð abutan alswa þe gredie [L rugiens] leo sechinde hwen he maȝe fordon.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)88b : Hwen gredi [Nero: gredie] hundes stondeð biuore þe bord, nis hit neod ȝerde?
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)947 : And of ðo doles kep he nam, Gredi foueles fellen ðor-on.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11811 : [Herod] þat gredi gerard als a gripe.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.347 : His guttes gunne to [gothely] as two gredy sowes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.991 : Liche a tigre gredy on his pray, Troylus bar hym al þe longe day.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6260 : Whoso took a wethers skyn, And wrapped a gredy wolf theryn.
2.
Avaricious, covetous; as noun: greedy person, miser [see also aughte ~].
Associated quotations
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)134/8 : Auaricia is ȝytsunȝe; sume men hit hatæð grædiȝness þissere worlde, þet is þet ðe mon beo grediȝ goldes & seolures.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)2/13 : Heo [we]ren grædie to gripen þine æihte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10217 : Forr whase itt iss þatt grediȝ iss To winnenn erþlic ahhte..Aȝȝ lisste himm offterr mare.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)105 : God nele þet we beon gredie ȝitseras.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)264 : Þo þe..weren to gredi [vr. gradi] of solure and of golde.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)195 : Þe man..fulsteð him to ðe deuel þe is gredi uppen woreld richeise.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)189/33 : Ne beo non þe grediure [Tit: gredire; Cleo: gredure] uorto habben more.
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.26 : He þat haueþ..goed inou, Wot he nout þi serewe. Gredi [vr. Credi] is þe goedles.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)631 : Coueyte not to muche good..Þe ouerdon gredi mon Beggeþ ofte his bred.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2006 : Bot evere he [Covoitise] somwhat overhippeth, That he ne mai noght al fulfille The lustes of his gredi wille.
- ?c1400 Wycl.CGosp.Mark (Add 41175:Hudson)55/185 : Prelatis..bi grediere coueitise axen richessis of wynnyngis wiþout noumbre.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5871 : Þer is no degre Gredier, nor more ravynous Of worldly good..þan prestis ben.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5791 : Speke of hem that in her toures Hepe up hir gold..For if thise gredy, the sothe to seyn, Loveden..Such wikkidnesse ne shulde fall.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.5.194 : Every wikkid schrewe..is the more gredy aftir othir folkes rychesses.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1370 : The Grekes were full gredy..ffongit þere florence and oþer fyn gold.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)149/95 : Þe gredy devyl xal grone grysly as a gryse, whan þou wynnyst þis worlde..and puttyst man to paradys.
3.
Importunate, impetuous, hasty, forward; overeager (for fame, slaughter, etc.); overanxious (to do sth.).
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.28.50 : Þe lord shal brynge..most gredy [L procacissimam] folk, þat shal not spare to þe olde ne haue mercy of þe lytul child.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27597 : O pride becums als wainglory, Þat es to be o roos gredi [vr. redi].
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)98/4 : Som crien & whinen in þeire þrote, so ben þei gredy [vr. grede] & hasty to sey þat þei þink.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.236 : The kyng, gredy of comune slaughtre, caste hym to transporten upon..the senat the gilt of his real majeste.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.8.10 : That the see, gredy [L auidum] to flowen, constreyneth with a certein eende his floodes.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.2.10 : Lecherye tormenteth hem on that o side with gredy venymes.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)138 : He is so hungery and gredy after worschippes that he may not be filled.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)209 : Gredy in askynge: Procax, importunus. Gredy or hasty: Impetuosus, festinus.
- a1450(?1404) As þe see (Dgb 102)169 : A glosere is gredy ay to Craue, Ȝeue hym no thyng, þouȝ he bede.
- c1450 In a valey (Lamb 853)67 : If sche be richilees y wole be gredi, And if sche be daungerus, y wole hir praie.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1225 Wor.Gloss.(Corp-C 178)436/375 : Unmæðfulle: grædi.
Note: New spelling