Middle English Dictionary Entry

greithen v.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms greithen v. Also greithi(e, greȝthen, grait(h, greiden, græith(i)en, græthien, grethen, grethi, grathe, grade, (error) gracche & greien, grai. Forms: sg. 3 greitheth, etc., grithet & graith; pl. greitheth, etc. & greieth, graith; p. greithede, etc., (error) graicede & graiede, greyede, graid, gret, grat & greithe; ppl. i)greithed, egreithed, (error) grauythid, i)grethed, egrethed, greþþed, (error) groded & greiȝed, graied, greid, greit, gret, grade, grat & graith.
Etymology ON; cp. OI greiða, p. greidda, ppl. greiddr, greid, greitt. Also cp. OE gerǣdan. Forms like greieth, grai are back formations from p. & p. ppl.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1a.
(a) To prepare (sth.), arrange, make ready; prepare the way for (sth.); (b) to prepare (food), cook, dress; (c) to complete (preparations); trim (a lamp); skin and cut up (game); wash (a vessel); groom (a horse); write (sth.); taw (pelts); make (a bed); fig. prosper (someone's path); ~ onyen, prepare the way for (sb.).
Show 47 Quotations
1b.
(a) To make preparations, get ready (to do sth., suffer sth.); begin (to flee); refl. prepare oneself, make oneself ready (to do sth.); (b) to array (troops), assemble (an army); (c) to arrange (death, torture, salvation, etc., for sb.).
Show 32 Quotations
2.
(a) To dress (sb., oneself), equip, arm; vest (for a religious ceremony); ~ on, put (harness or trappings) on (a horse), array (oneself) in (one's armor); (b) to ornament (sth.), array.
Show 29 Quotations
3.
(a) To provide (sth.); give (sb. sth.); pay (tribute); fig. give (sb. a greeting); ~ for (til, to), provide for (sb.), provide (sth.) for (sb.); (b) to obtain (sth.), get; procure (sth. for sb.); fig. derive (a name from sth.); refl. get (sth.) for oneself.
Show 13 Quotations
4.
(a) To make (sth.), create, build, construct, set up; ~ grave, dig a grave; (b) to cause or produce (sth.); cause (sth. to be sth.); cause (to bleed); make (sb. a god, a king); destine (sb. never to die); (c) ?to become (red); ~ in sonder, be broken to pieces.
Show 27 Quotations
5.
(a) To go, hasten; (b) refl. to betake oneself (to a place), advance, hasten, go; fig. turn (to idolatry); (c) ~ gang, to make (one's) way, go; ~ the gate, take the road (to a place); refl. ~ gate(s, go away, set off, depart; (d) to place (sth.), put, send; ~ in grave, bury (sb.); ~ to grace, summon (sb.) to heaven; ~ to token, send (sb. sth.) as a token or sign; fig. advance (sb.), avail, help [quot.: Patience].
Show 28 Quotations
6.
To deal with (sb.); esp., to handle (sb.) roughly, treat harshly; ~ with, fight with (sb.).
Show 6 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)107 : Cumet into þe halle; wit bisse it is grad. Þar sule we alle ben so þe boc it auet rad.
    • Note: New spelling
    Note: Editor's note: MS gra'd on eras. w. a alt.fr. e or o by orig. scribe; ?read: graid.
  • a1500 NPass.(Cmb Ff.5.48)200 : In whan alle wreith [Cmb Gg 1.1: = l.204 Iesu wan þe met was greid, He entred].
    • Note: Add: whane the mete was graythede; sic Cmb Gg 1.1 & 5.31
    Note: Note on 204: "Perhaps a corruption of 'alle was greith'."
    Note: greith adj. or greithen v. (=p.ppl.). For possible use there - doesn't seem to be related to any W-word--per REL
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. (Note, for instance, that the ppl. forms egreithed..egrethed are not found in the quots. Also, the (error) grauythid should be followed by an ampersand if the forms following it are not errors.)--per MLL

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