Middle English Dictionary Entry
habitūde n.
Entry Info
| Forms | habitūde n. Also abitude. |
| Etymology | L habitūdo |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Bodily constitution, proportion, or temperament; (b) ~ of the minde, mental disposition.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.41.4 : Þey deuowrden hem of whome was merueylouse feyrnes & habitude [altered to: proporcyon; L habitudo] of bodyse.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)65/9 : In flux of blood..þe leche muste loke þe disposicioun, þe abitude [L habitudinem], age, vertu, & complexioun of him þat is woundid.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)122a/a : Corrupt humours trespassyng ar signified bi colour & habitude [*Ch.(2): disposicioun; L habitudinem] of þe body.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)34/19 : Þe colour and þe substaunce of þe skynne for to turne to his ovne naturel habitude.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)57/2 : Þat þe pacient be of sanguyne habitude.
- a1500 ?Scrope Ribot First Monks (Lamb 192)61/2 : I suppose swyche an havyng and an habytewd ȝe[t] to haue ben grawnted in a bestly sowle and a mortal body also to hem.
b
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.181 : A goode habitude [L habitudo] of the mynde is signifiede when the membres be welle proporcionate as vn to figure, coloure, qualite, quantite, place, and movenge.
2.
A customary way of thinking or speaking.
Associated quotations
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.78 : Þis dowfe myȝte not be God in his kynde, but bi sum habitude it signefieþ God.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)179/8 : In euery creature..is a power to move oure vndirstondyng forto deme and iuge..him in sum habitude toward sum oþir þing affirmativeli or negatijfli; As in a stoon is a power to move oure resoun to iuge..þat þilk stoon is not a tre.
3.
(a) Math. relation; (b) "manner of being with relation to something else; respect" [OED].
Associated quotations
- a1484 Treat.Quadrant(2) (Trin-C R.14.52)652/893 : Take þan oute the lasse habitude of proporcioun from the more, that is to say, the triple from the quatriple, and ther levith an vnite.
b
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)3.774 (v.1:p.38) : Trowe not such ony habitude be Of relacion bitwix the fadir and the sonne As bitwixe hem in creatures to be founden is wonne, Where in diuision of nature is groundid relacion.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: For the mathematical sense 3.(a), see editor's gloss 'relation (of proportion)'; for the entire abstract sense 3. also cf. OED habitude, n. sense 2 and DMLBS habitudo, sense 3 b.