Middle English Dictionary Entry
Grẹ̄k n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Grẹ̄k n. Also grec, greik & greck, grekke & grik, gric, gricke. Dat. pl. (early) gricken. |
| Etymology | OE Grēc, pl. Grēcas. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A Greek, inhabitant of Greece; (b) in New Testament usage: a Greek proselyte; ?also, a Hellenized Jew; a gentile; ~ bileved, feithful ~, a converted gentile; (c) a member of the Greek Orthodox Church; (d) Grekes lond, Greece; Grekes se, the Mediterranean.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)68.6/1 : Ȝenim þisse wyrte wyrtrunan þe grecas malochin agria..nemmeð.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)5/20 : Wid þæt heafod, þe byð toswollen, þæt Grecas ulcerosus hatað, þæt is heafodsar.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)17560 : Forr werelld iss nemmnedd Cossmos Swa summ þe Grickess kiþenn.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)382 : His fader wes a Gric [Otho: Greck] ikoren.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)810 : Iherden hit Troynisce, & tuhten to þon Gricken [Otho: Grickes].
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)799 : Leteþ þe Greckes [Clg: Grickisca] glide to grunde.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2951 : The Grekes with an huge route Thries ryden al the fyr aboute.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1056 : Among the Greks a name he hadde; Thei cleped him the god of wyn.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.7211 : The Grecs of Troiens many slowe.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2544 : The worthy Grek also was there, Achilles.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)198b/a : Þerfor þe grekes ȝaf a name þerto.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)7060 : In his time was troy nomen, And thoru þe grekis ouercomen.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5434 : And þus be-gan þe grete reuerence To Appollo..of so many Greke [rime: eke].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.8131 : The Grekis schot made hem to with-drawe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.80 : And to the Grekes oost ful pryvely He stal anon.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.332 : What eileth the, To ben a Grek, syn thow art born Troian?
- a1425 Methodius(1) (Hrl 1900)109/11 : Þe kyng of Romayns & of Grekis [Methodius(2): Greke] schal styȝe up in Golgatha.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)1b/b : Ipocras..first browȝt vn to liȝt parfite medicene at grekes.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)167 : Mech of oure lernyng cam fro þe grekis, and for þat cause þe grekis held open skole at rome in her langage.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)18 : Ione, of him come the Greces, for here see is ȝet clepid Mare Ionicum.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)57b : Greke..grecus, greculus.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)129/4 : Otheris sayde that the grecanys (or grekis, whych you semyth beste Englyshe) ne shold not be scomfite.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)66/27 : Þe begynynge of Philosophye hadden Indes, Grecys, Percys, and Latyns.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 6.1 : Forsoth in tho dayes..grucchinge of Greekis is maad aȝens Ebrews.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.10.12 : Sothli ther is no distynccioun of Jew and Greek [WB(2): Greke; L Graeci].
- (c1384) WBible(1) Prol.Deeds (Dc 369(2))4.507 : This [Luke]..wrytynge the gospel to Grekis bileuyde [WB(2): feithful Grekis], the incarnacioun of the Lord with trewe tale schewide.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.594 : Ac pharesewes and sarasenes, Scribes & Grekis, Aren folke of on faith, þe fader god þei honouren.
c
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Conf.(Dub 245)332 : Þe þridde maner..þat men seyn þat greks han, is þat þe prest preyeþ þat god assoyle hym.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)455 : For ellis a child or a greke or what offis þat he bare myȝte be persoun heere in englond.
d
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2121 : Al on þis side þe greckes [Frf: grekkis; Göt: grekkisch; Trin-C: grickisshe] see, Was Iaphet giuen his liuere.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2054 : Alle Grekes londe shal vpon the ryse To ben avenged.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)594 : They gadyrede ouere the Grekkes See with greuous wapyns.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)651 : Thus þey vysytyd þe Holy Land..And seþþen homward þey hem dyȝt To Yngelond..Whenne þey hadde passyd þe Grykys se, In Alemayne, þe palmeres þre Letten.
2.
(a) The Greek language; (b) Greece.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2627 : Thei that writen the scripture Of Grek, Arabe, and of Caldee..thei ferst founden out the weie.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5430 : For Delos is in Greke no more to seyne Þan a schewyng or an apparence.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) Pref.Jer.(Corp-O 4)4.65 : Logos in Grece [WB(2): Grew; L Graece] many thingis signifieth.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.12.212 : But ryght as Parmanydes seide in Greec of thilke devyne substaunce - he seide thus.
- a1450 Diseases Women(1) (Dc 37:Singer)37 : I think..to draw oute of latyn in to englysh..the curys..afture þe treatys of diuerse mastrys þat have translatyde hem oute of grek into latyn.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)64/15 : And liche as þe lettirs in greke specified, hit befille.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5009 : Sothly, ser, þe son-tree..Entris in with yndoyes & endis in greke.
- a1500 Travel Instruc.(CotApp 8)279 : Good were to have fro Venyse..sum faire faryng man that cowde good Lumbard, Greke, Sarasyne, and Turkesse.
b
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.12/5 : iii men of greyke, ysprongyne of noble lynage..takyng one them for God the holy laboure of pilgirmage.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)34b/b : Wynes of greke [*Ch.(1): Wyne greke; L vina greca] and pymentis ben gode to hym.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)90b/a : I dede it in þat man of greek [L illo greco] þe whiche þolede a fistle.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)1.21.60 : For 'zodia' in langage of Grek sowneth 'bestes' in Latyn tunge.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)57b : Greke, quedam terra: grecia.
3.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1256) Assize R.Nhb.in Sur.Soc.8896 : Will. Grekke de Adewurth.
- (1267) Pat.R.Hen.III86 : John le Grik.
- (1275) Close R.Edw.I149 : Henry Gricke.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1022 : Milou Gryk.