Middle English Dictionary Entry
halwe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | halwe n. Also halewe, halow(e, haluwe, halu & halghe, haligh, halogh, halege, halȝe, halȝæ, halȝen, halhe. Pl. halwes, -wis, alwes, halewes, aleves, halowes, halows, halous, hallows, houhles, halowaunce, hollowes, haloes, halus & halghes, halighs, haloghes, halughs, halougthes, halȝes, haliȝes, (?error) haroghes & halwe(n, -win, halewe(n, halow(e(n, haluwen, haluuen, haluen, halown, hallow(en, hallowwy, hawlow, hawen, holowne, helewe, hallo, halu, hallu & haleghen, halgh(e, algh, halawgh, halgen, halgan, halegen, halȝen, halȝan, halȝæn, halȝean, halȝum, halȝhen, halhȝen, halhen, alhen, halechen. |
| Etymology | OE hālga a saint. The form haroghes may be from WS hearg, A herg an idol. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. alhalwe(n.
1.
(a) A saint; a martyr; a prophet; a holy man or woman; (b) pl. god and his halwes, halwes in (of) heven, holi halwes; (c) one of the apostles; (d) any pious Christian; communing (imennesse, onen, samnesse, etc.) of halwes, the Communion of Saints, the fellowship of all Christians; (e) a pagan deity.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)104/18 : Ac we sceolen þeah ælcne Godes halȝe biddæn to fultume.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)108/11 : Þa rædlice ætsceawede him þær Moyses þe halȝæ.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)69/755 : Þer lette sophie..duden hire bodi þrin in a stanene þruh hehliche as hit deh halhe to donne.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)53/227 : Edward..heiȝ halewe in heouene is.
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(LdMisc 108)297 : Ich wene þere nas neuere haluwe seint Nicholases i-per.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)479 : Of þe day ne of þe tyme whanne domesday shal beo Not no man, ne halwe non, ne aungeles also none.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)219/10 : More is worþ an halȝen [Vices & V.(2): an holy man or a womman] and may biddinde þane uele þousond of zeneȝeres uiȝtinde.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)256/23 : Þanne an halȝen zayþ þet 'non ne ssolde by misziggere bote þer by an hyerere.'
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)31.7 : For-þy shal ich an halwe [vr. halow] praie to þe in couenable tyme.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)22592 : Þat es na halu [Trin-C: halwe] vnþer þe heuen.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6087 : Ne na halghe sal for þam pray.
- a1425 Christ.Belief (LoC 4)8/294 : Martyrs and virgines and other houhles moe .. haued þe werld in despite, and ioy and comfort forto suffre bittre pennance.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 13.35 : I schal noghte gife þine halowe forto see corrupcyone.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)9/15 : The body of Seynt Luk the euangelist..was..leyd among othere relykys in the nombre of halwyn.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.81rb : All the peple .. made their prayers vnto our Lord God of heuen .. that he wold .. take hede to the faces of hys halowes [L (Vulg.Judith 6.15): faciem sanctorum] and shewe to them his grace.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)4.4 : Lord selkouthid has his haligh..our lord ihu crist selkouthid has his halogh.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)15.10 : Ne thou sall gif thi haligh to see corupcioun.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.675 : Swa ic for-beode þe..of Criste and of ealle his halgan.
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)27/115-6 : Hwæt oðre halgen wyrceð on Marthen wisen..and hwæt oðre halgen behealdeð and hercnigeð on Marie wisen.
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1137 : Hi sæden openlice ðat Xpist slep & his halechen.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8568 : Þeȝȝ shulenn habbenn eche lif Wiþþ alle Godess hallȝhenn.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11993 : Cleopien to þan halhȝen [Otho: halwes] mid hæhȝere steuene.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19542 : Ich wullen bidden drihten..& alle þaie halȝen [Otho: halwe].
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)5 : Ure louerd wile cume, and alle his halegen mid him.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)32/300 : Godd him seolf ariseð þet alle þe oðre halhen sittende ihereð.
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)68/586 : As hit deh alhen to donne.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)185/8 : Þe hali halhen [Nero: halewen] þe bohten hit se deore.
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)218/146 : Me liest þo luue of gode almichti and of alle his haleghen.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)350 : Loke þis oþur helewe [Corp-C: halwen], ȝwat sunne huy habbez i-do.
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)82 : Heo..alle louerdes halewe beden þat heo heore help were.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1820 : Þer were wiþinne one monþe seuentene þousend & mo Ymartred..Wiþoute grete halwen [vr. halwe; B: halewen, halowen]..As seinte cristene & seinte fei.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)13/6 : Iesu crist..wende in to helle..ine þo half þet were þe halȝen [Vices & V.(2): þe seyntes], naȝt ine þo half þet were þe uorlorene.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)15.2 : Unto halwen [L Sanctis] þat ben in his londe he made wonderful alle my willes in hem.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.111 : On þat hille Syna..þe holy halowes [L sancti] shal be gadered.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.22 : In ye worshepe of ihesu crist..and alle holy halwen [etc.].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.581 : They felen in hir herte ful wikkedly of god and hise halwes.
- (1394) Will York in Sur.Soc.4184 : I commend my saule..to all the halouse in heven.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)144 : Begynne we þan..with fadyr and sone and holy gost..And al þe halewys þat beyn hem by.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)82/2 : Look to goddes holy Halewen.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2122 : Þat I schal swere bi God & alle his gode halȝez.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3823 : Of þe vertu of Crestes passion, And of þe worthines of þe dedys Of his halowes.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4650 : Alle þe halghes and angels in heven.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.4.9 : God has schewyd vs þe laste apostolys lyke vnto þe laste halewys, þat is ennoc and Elye.
- a1425 Christ.Belief (LoC 4)14/549 : In þe prisun of hell þat was called Abraham[s] bosom .. were all þe gode patrarches and prophetes and oither gode halougthes of þe olde laugh.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)16/8 : Þe boke of þe haliȝes sal be red, baþe of þe newe lay & of þalde testament.
- (1432) Will York in Sur.Soc.3020 : And all ye Halowes in heven.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)97/36 : Þe synnes of þe mowthe er thir..sclaunder of Criste, or of any of his halows [vr. halughs].
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)133 : In kindelinge fir ayens god and alle hise halwen, j trowe wel that j shal amende it.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)1.7 : Wicked sall noght rise with halyghs in dome.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)121/3 : Al the holy hollowes of hewyn.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)221/7 : Make youre prayers and deuowtly hereþ the seruyse of God and of his halowen.
c
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)2342 : As þe enleuene disciples a-doun y-sete were Oure lord aperede to ham..Þe toknynge of þat spekynge þe miracles hit were Þat his halwen wyde wrouȝte.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)831 : By God, and by his halwes twelve, Hyt was my swete.
d
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)10/13,16 : Ðe Hælend..bihet his halȝum þæt heo him folȝiæn mosten..his halȝan heonan fareð to him of þisse læne life.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)112/9 : Swa beoð alle his halȝean on wlite & on wuldor ihwærfod on domes dæȝ.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)118/3 : Alle Godes halȝæn beoð þenne to þam ece lif iledde.
- c1225 Nic.Creed (Jun 121)5 : Ic andette þa onan halwen and þa ileaffulle and þa apostolican ilaþunge.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)239 : Nan halege nað his fulle blisse er he underfo a domes deie his licame.
- a1250 HMaid.(Tit D.18)17/258 : To singe þat swote song..þat nane halwes ne mahen, bute meidenes ane, singen in heuene.
- a1250 Creed (Blick 6864)p.138 : Ich geleue on þane halege gast, þat imannesse is of hali chireche, Samnesse of halegen.
- a1250 Creed (Nero A.14)217 : I bileue on ðe holi goste and on holi chirche, imennesse of haluwen, uorȝiuenesse of sunnen.
- ?a1325 Creed (Cai 52/29)282 : Hic hleve in þe Holigost, holie chirche, tieradene of haluuen.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10402 : Þir hundreth scepe..Bitaknes felascip i-wiss Of halus [Göt: saintes] in heuen bliss.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)26562 : In hali kyrk mine hope es mast To felascepe of halus [Frf: halghes] win.
- a1400 Bk.Mother (Eg 826)38 : I byleve in the holy gost, holy chirche general, the comunyng of halewes, the forȝefenesse of synness, the rysyng of flech, and the lyf whit-oute ende.
- a1425 Cursor (Glb E.9)29549 : It takes him fro þe cumpany Of halows vnto his enmy.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 26.10 : Ande I sparde in prisone many halowes.
e
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)18116 : The Gregeis..This brasen hors..drow..ouer leve & falowe, To offer hit to that carful halowe [i.e. Pallas].
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)650 : Wyn to my chamber, þere swiftly to sweire vpon swete haroghes [?read: haloghes].
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8419 : Therto sworne were þai swiftly on hor swete haloes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4915 : Þe silloure full of Seraphens & othire sere halows.
2.
(a) The shrine of a saint; also, the temple of a pagan deity; (b) a holy place, sanctuary; holi of halwes, the innermost chamber of the Hebrew tabernacle and temple, the Holy of Holies; (c) a sacred object; holi of halwes, the most holy things; (d) All Saints' Day, Nov. 1 [cp. halwe-messe].
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)15761 : Crist for ec till Ȝerrsalæm To don uss tunnderrstanndenn þatt uss iss swiþe mikell god To swinnkenn ferr till hallȝhenn.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)3/17 : Ðo menn ðe habbeð gode behaten god te donne, oðer halȝe to sechen, oðer to fasten.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)5/27 : Gif he for his sennes farð ut of lande halȝen te seken.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.490 : Into Grece þan went he, & souȝt halwen of þat cuntre.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.14 : And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, To ferne halwes, kouthe in sondry londes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.657 : Who so that..suffreth his wyf to go seken halwes Is worthy to ben hanged on the galwes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3607 : O many woman haþ kauȝt in a treyne Her goyng oute swiche halwes for to seke.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.32/25 : They..scornyth oure Sabatte dayes and poluteth oure halowys.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1310 : This noble quen Dydo..seketh halwes and doth sacryfise.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10948 : Þai..With Sacrifice solemne soghten þere halowes.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.2455 : Seke halowes barefote and many othir stedis.
- a1450 Gowther (Roy 17.B.43:Utterson)380 : Yet may she sum good halowe seche, Thorow grace of God, to have speche.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.26.34 : In to þe party of þe tabernacle þat is clepid hooly of halows [WB(2): the hooli of hooli thingis; L sancto sanctorum].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.10.18 : Prey for hit in þe siȝt of þe lord, namleche siþþe of þe blood of hit is not brouȝt in wiþynne þe halwis [L intra sancta].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.21.12 : Ne he shal go out fro þe halwis lest þe seyntuarie of þe lord be pollute.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)55/34 : This place the Iewes callen Sancta Sanctorum, þat is to seye, holy of halewes [vr. halows].
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.40.11 : All with þe oyle of anoyntyng þou schalt sacre, þat þei ben holy of halows [L Sancta sanctorum].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.6.17 : For þe part of hit is offred into þe ensense of þe lord, holy of halwis hit shal be.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)2 Par.3.8 : Salomon..maad an hous to the holies of halowes [WB(2): the holi of holi thingis; L sancti sanctorum].
- a1425 Methodius(1) (Hrl 1900)104/7 : Alle þingis schulen be..in þe tribute of hem, & alle ournamntis of riche men schule be of hem, and what þingis were in þe chirchis of halowes, eiþer gold, or siluer, or preciouse stones.
d
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum14 : Y receyved of the stuards of the lighte of senct Christopher and at halowyn of Increse of this yere xj d.
3.
In cpds.: (a) ~ tide, the first week of November, the season of All Saints; (b) ~ feld, a field belonging to a church dedicated to All Saints.
Associated quotations
a
- (1446) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 856 : For ij li. wex at hallowwytyde.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)6926 : Antron..atte halwentyd..his owne sone let dubben a knyht.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)9763 : Abowtes halewen-tyd tho hit was.
- (c1473) Let.Christ Ch.in RS 85.3252 : I hawe send to you syne Halowntyd vj fyne mantles.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)100 : Antor hadde made his eldeste sone knyght at the halowtide be-fore yoole.
b
- (1209) in Gray Eng.Field Syst.471 : Tres dimidias acras in Halwefeld'.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)18/18 : Hlhen þe ȝe luuieð best in heore wurðgunge seggeþ oðer leas oðer ma, as ow bereð on heorte.
Note: New spelling (error, pl.)