Middle English Dictionary Entry
grẹ̄ting(e ger.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | grẹ̄ting(e ger.(1) Also gretinke, gretunge. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. greten v.(2).
1.
(a) A greeting, salutation, formal expression of good will; (b) ~ word, address of greeting; withouten ~, without formal greeting (implying anger or contempt); yelden ~, to return a greeting; (c) a prayer; esp. the Ave Maria; (d) good will; Godes ~, God's blessing, God's favor.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)20/56 : Ða-þa se ængel hire brohte gretinge fram heofone-rice..heo andswerede mid eadmodnysse.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2198 : Ȝho ne wass næfrær Wiþþ swillc gretinnge frofredd.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)207 : Gretunge, keiser, walde wel bicumen þe for þin hehnesse.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)69a : Pax uobis: þis wes godes gretunge to his deore deciples.
- a1250 Cristes milde moder (Nero A.14)85 : Ich ðe bidde, lefdi, uor þere gretunge þet Gabriel ðe brouhte.
- a1275 Nu þis fules (Trin-C B.14.39)13 : And þare gretinke þat angle hauede ibrout, he gon to bi-þenchen and meinde hire þout.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)205 : To þe he haueþ send one gretynge, god al-myhti þe beo myd.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1222 : To..sire lowis þe kinge, henri king of engelonde sende loue and gretinge.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5400 : & þou, sir Ban..To Leodegan so ȝeue greteing, & sey þe wordes him to.
- a1350 Opon a somer (LdMisc 108)75 : Þe gome I gaf a gretyng.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4883 : A gay greting was þer gret wan þei to-gedir met.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.16.21 : My greetynge [L salutatio] by Poulis hond.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2425 : Whan thou hast taken eny thing Of loves yifte..Or that sche sende the grietinge Hast thou for Pride..Mad thin avant?
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11026 : Formast sant maria spak, And hir greting be-gan to mak.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)17647 : Ioseph sli greting þam gaf, 'Godds peis mot yee all haf.'
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)9 : Whanne Elizabeth herde þe greting of Marie, þe ȝong child made joie in Elizabethis wombe.
- (1425) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.11 : To alle trewe men in god, to wham þese wrytyng schall come, Richard ynge, john Rogger..senduth gretyng in owre lord god.
- (1443) Proc.Privy C.6.28 : To þe Chaunceller..gretyng.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)136/295 : Goddis aungell in his gretyng playne, Saide he shulde comforte al man kynde.
- (1467) LRed Bk.Bristol1.17 : Edward, by the grace of God, Kyng of England..To the Bailliffes..of our Towne of Ludlowe, greting.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)57b : Grettyng wele: salutacio, halsyng.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)150/12 : His fadyr Sende to Arystotle a lettre in this forme, 'Kynge Philippe Sendyth gretynge to arystotle.'
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)47 : The xje day come Merlin to courte..and seyde, 'My lady sente me to yow, and sendeth yow gretinge, and sente yow this letter.'
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2195 : Þær enngell comm wiþþ gretinng word Till hire o Godess hallfe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7324 : A writ he lette makien mid muchere wraððe al wið ute grætinge.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)24/228 : He gret wit þen lauerd..ant ha ȝeldeð him his gretunge [Tit: gretinge].
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3990 : Lucye senatour of rome to arþure þe kinge, Send þat he of serued aþ wiþoute gretinge.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)234 : Þe child..curtesliche him gretes. In hast þemperour hendely his gretyng him ȝeldes.
c
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)5a : Falleð o cneon to ower crucifix wið þeose fif gretunges [a1400 Recl.: gretynges] ine munegunge of godes fif wunden, 'Adoramus te Christe & benedicimus tibi..Salue crux sancta, arbor digna.'
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)9b : Leafdi seinte Marie, for þe ilke muchele blisse þet tu hefdest..efter þe engles gretunge..underfeng mi gretunge [a1400 Recl.: gretynges] wið þe ilke aue.
- ?a1450 Wycl.LFCatech.AM (Lamb 408)11/163 : Men gretyþ comunly oure lady goddys moder, and we suppose þat þis gretyng sauys many a man.
- ?a1450 Wycl.LFCatech.AM (Lamb 408)12/173 : The secunde part of þis gretynge buth..Blyssyd be þou amonge wommen.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)3/21 : An-oþer stake in ȝoure laddere of loue muste be þe gretyng of oure lady, þat is, ȝoure Aue maria. þe vij heyest stakys..must be vij peticyouns in ȝoure Pater noster.
d
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.675 : Alle þa abbotes þa sindon on Engla lande, Godes gretinge & minre bletsunge.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2988 : Iche þe Gornoille seuge leoue dohter dure god scal beon þi meda for þira gretinge [Otho: weldede].
- a1350 A wayle whyt (Hrl 2253)49 : Ich vnne hire wel ant heo me wo..In Godes greting mote heo go, þat wayle whyte.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Primer (StJ-C G.24)3 : Gretynge of oure lady.
- c1450 Sarum Calendar (Dc 275)209 : Gretinge of oure lady.
- c1450 WBible(2) TL (Arun 104)691 : Gretinge of oure lady.
Note: New sense
Note: the feast of the Annunciation, March 25--per MP