Middle English Dictionary Entry
hap n.
Entry Info
| Forms | hap n. Also happe, hape, heppe. Pl. happes, happous. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI happ; also cp. OE gehæp adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A person's lot (good or bad), luck, fortune, fate; -- also pl.; hard happes; (b) a stroke of good or bad luck, an event affecting one's lot or fate; to (with) sori ~, bad luck to him; (c) good luck, prosperity, happiness; -- also pl.; also, a stroke of good luck; (d) a source of happiness; one of the eight beatitudes; (e) favor, graciousness.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3857 : Þer he of-toc Morgan..& sloh he him of þat hæued; his hap [Otho: heppe] wes þa wurse!
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4894 : Brennes wes swiðe hende; his hap wes þe betere!
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)161/927 : Þe penaunt..þouȝt on god..Þat he him send gode hap.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1817 : Better be-houis it to be, or baleful were þi happes.
- c1390 Bi a wey (Vrn)3 : Sore I syked..ffor harde happes þat I haue hent.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.79 : His grase and his good hap greueþ me ful sore.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2249 : The happes be noght alle liche, On is mad povere, an other riche.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)283b/b : The sely hors colt is y-foled in dyuers happe and fortune, ffor..þat hors were somtyme y-halwed in dyuers vse of goddes.
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)480 : Such ȝut was here hap Þat Kaym..wax ner wod.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1937 : I hafe no grace to þi gre bot syche grett wordez; Ȝif I heuen my herte, my hape es no bettyre.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1003 : I wol tarie at þis toun, til I hit taken haue..Ȝif me þe happis tydiþ, Or her be to-hewen, or I hennes passe.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.250 : What helpeþ it to meven or excite, Wiþ propre hond, youre happes [L fatum] besily?
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)6180 : Wher he suld gang or ryde, gud hape was on his hand.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)184/31 : I haue leuere frenschip or lucly hape fayle me than feyth.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)227/21 : There shall never harlot have happe, by the helpe of oure Lord, to kylle a crowned kynge that with creyme is anoynted.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)172/104 : Ryght hard arne myn happys.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)320/458 : Alas, hard hap was on my hede emang all men.
- a1500 Arth.& M.(Dc 236)1219 : Englond schal be brouȝt in moche tene, Strong bataile & happes hard.
- a1500 Off alle wemen (Chet 8009)31 : Alas, full herd me thinkith my happes.
b
- a1350 Bytuene mersh (Hrl 2253)9 : An hendy hap ichabbe yhent.
- a1350 Middelerd for mon (Hrl 2253)44 : Lest he to harmes helde ant happes hente vnholde.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)102 : Hertily for þat hap to-heuene-ward he loked, & þroliche þonked god.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)797 : Þanne asked sche þis of alisaundrine, as þe hap tidde.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.83 : In þat contray þat is acounted þe fairest hap and worschippe þat eny wyf myȝte haue.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.87 : Þey holdeþ pryue good happes and boonchief as wel as of yuel happes and meschief.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)375 : Hap þat we han seiȝen ar þis Doþ us more to drede.
- a1400 Bevis (Eg 2862)117/2455 : Þe lioun..with his teeþ with sory happe..kitte a pece of his lappe.
- ?a1425 Chaucer TC (Hnt HM 114)1.118 : To sory hap [Corp-C: Lat youre fadres treson gon with meschaunce].
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)17.462 : Ȝe scholen heren..What happes & Chaunses befillen hem hard.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4122 : At þe passyng ouyr þe trappe Many on has had full euyl happe.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)442 : Sorye were al the Sarsyns Of þat myschevos happe.
- c1450(?a1402) *?Trev.Reg.Princ.(Dgb 233)5b/a : The ende þat is nouȝt by aleckionn bote by hap.
c
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)53/584 : Þu..ȝeue to ioseph, þet wes þe ȝungeste, hap ipharaones halle.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)184 : Ha..Bisohte him [God] help, & hap & wisdom.
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.21 : Som haveþ happe, and sum hongeþ bi.
- ?a1300 Loue is sofft (Dgb 86)5 : Loue is hap..loue is god hele.
- a1350 Weping haueþ (Hrl 2253)68-9 : In vch an hyrd þyn aþel ys hyht, ant vch an aþel þin hap is on. Hap þat haþel haþ hent wiþ hendelec in halle.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)440 : Þe recuuerere þat me falles, as whan i haue ani hap to here of þat barne.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3928 : Fortune hym sente Swich hap that he escaped thurgh the rayn.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)160/1201 : Þe penaunt..preyede god to senden him hap [Auch: gode hap].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.70 : So that myn happ and al myn hele Me thenkth is ay the leng the ferre.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1727 : Whan a mannes happes failen, Ther is non haste mai availen.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3017 : Ysaac..Þat freli child, þat ful of hap.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)20.383 : Now kynde me auenge, And sende me happe and hele.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1195 : Ay wolde man of happe more hente Þen moȝten by ryȝt vpon hem clyuen.
- a1425 Al es bot (Glb E.9)10 : Al es bot a fantum þat we with dele; Many has hap, and many vnsele.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)80/17 : He..truly is transformyd with heit of happis to-cum [L ardoribus future felicitatis] þat all temptacion he may eschew.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.710 : Hit is bot happe of plaunte a tre to gete.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)10b : Þat astate [knighthood] schulde ouerpasse and excede alle oþere..principalliche in happes of fortune..in plente of good.
- ?a1450 Lanfranc (Add 12056)66/28 : Þenne by hap [Ashm: by grace; L forte] sum grete drope of blod may be congelyde togedre.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)204/35 : Contynuel happes of temperalle gudes [L successus temporalium] be token of dampnacion to come.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1960 : Hir husband on his horse lappe, And hyed to cuthbert for helpe and happe.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)214 : Happe, or good spede: Efortunium.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)245/23 : The folke..can knowe the happe or the vnhappe of here nexte yere.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)223/620 : His lyfe full sone shalbe forlorne If we haue hap hym forto wyn.
d
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)11 : I herde..How Mathew melede þat his Mayster his meyny con teche; Aȝt happes he hem hyȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)29 : These arn þe happes alle aȝt þat vus bihyȝt weren..Dame Pouert, Dame Pitee, Dame Penaunce þe þrydde, Dame Mekenesse, Dame Mercy, & Miry Clannesse.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)24 : Kryst..hevened aȝt happez, and hyȝt hem her medez.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)1039 : Certes she was, that swete wif..Myn hap, myn hele, and al my blesse.
e
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)44.3 : Yhotin es hap [L gratia] in þi lippes twai.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1454 : I have herd hym [Hector]..Speke of Cryseyde swich honour, that he May seyn no bet, swich hap to hym hath she.
2.
(a) An unforeseen occurrence, chance event; also, any event or happening, adventure; hit fel ~, it happened; wither ~, q.v.; (b) bi (of, on, thurgh) ~, by chance, by accident; bi happes, carelessly, without skill; (c) in (on, up, upon) ~, in (upon) happes, perhaps; (d) in (upon) ~, in happes, in case, in the event (that), on the chance (that).
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)18215 : Þe oðer [dragon]..wes his hire-mærke in æuer ælche happe.
- c1330 Le Freine (Auch)89 : Allas..þat þis hap come!
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)203 : Þan fel it hap þat þei founde ful sone a grete bor.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.41 : Cunedagius..slowȝ Morgan..and by cause of þat happe [L eventu] þat contray is ȝit i-cleped Morgans londes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)143a/b : Ȝif sche [the goshawk] failleþ by any happe of þe pray þat sche resiþ to þat day, vnneþe sche comeþ to þe lordes honde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)213b/b : Þe forseide tree growiþ among þe trees of paradys and comeþ out of paradys by som hap or drifte in to þe ryuer of ynde.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)36/6 : Ȝif any happe falliþ wherfore hit nediþ to make eny maner statute.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)8 : Y schal telle ȝow..How Merlyn was geten and bore..And oþre happes many mo.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.1.35-8 : Yif any wyght diffynisse hap in this manere, that is to seyn that hap is a bytydynge ibrought forth by foolissh moevynge and by no knyttynge of causes, I conferme that hap nis ryght naught in no wise.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.29/22 : A Certeyne dropik mane, that bare his surname of the happe [L eventu] of this siknes, myght nat hyde away his ynwarde greyf.
- c1425 How GWife(1) (Hnt HM 128)171/178 : For happe þat may betide Loue þi neybourgh þe beside.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1789 : At Mansua..as hap was, þere þe hind lay.
- c1500 Orfeo (Ashm 61)14 : The Brytans..Off diuerse thingys þei made þer leys..Som of happys þat felle som-whyle.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)126/16 : & so the grete tempeste of that weddyr hape, yn lytel whyle was I-queynt & I-stylled.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)107 : Swiþe hardie is hee happes too fonde.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1829 : Þei þat misseden here mete wold make gret noyse..so þat we miȝt þurȝth hap haue harm in þat wise.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.35.22 : Ȝif by hap [L fortuitu] & wiþoute hate & enemytees eny þyng of þese dooþ.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1727 : Þe se wexe calme..So þat, of hap, among hem euerychon, For al þe tempest, persschid was not on.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)48 : Where al þing is gouerned bi wisdom, þerbi falliþ no þing bi happe or chaunce.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)49b : Loke he fiȝte be craft of kunnynge and noȝt by happes [L casu].
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)906 : It fell on hap þai were sam.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)438 : Ȝif a curat falle a caas þat he be lettid of þis preching bi hap or defaute of kynde..teche he his floc bi hooly lif.
c
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2722 : So brod was þe see þat sayle hem bihoued holliche al a niȝt &, vp happe, wel more.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.20.11 : In hap [WB(1): perauenture; L forsitan] the drede of God is not in this place.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)51.361 : Wilen ȝe..In this vessel forth gone, and vppon hap neuere Comen Ageyn?
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)411 : But þogh I olde & hore be, sone myin..Mi redde, in hap, ȝit the perfet may.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4936 : Þou sall here, apon happis, or þou hethen founde, Þat neuire hathill vndire heuen herd bot þi-selfe.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)3030-1 : Þat was ordaynd of goddis gudnes, On hap for his desert was les, þarfore on hap, god walde Þat lange seknes herbert suld halde.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget (Gar 145)67/28 : How he may amende him, yf he wyll in happes be compuncte and conuerted.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)339 : Whan on bad brynge mortere and ston, wythe watyr, in happe, to hym he went.
d
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)6801 : Ȝelde aȝeyn þat clooþ..In happe he heþ on bat [read: bak] nor bed Cloþ to hule him but þat wed.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.266 : But vpon hap so faynt his corage is Þat if there falle hym othere þan he wolde, It schulde hym causen for to do amys.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)375 : But vp hap þu art a clerke or a religious man endowid wiþ many worldly lordeschipis [etc.].
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget (Gar 145)102/7 : He doth wele..bothe to enmyes and to frendes..to enemyes, for they arne the creatures of God, and in happes they schullen be-come goode.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)160/18 : It is þe more nede forto labore þat þei come from þens oute, in happis þat god wole sette to his honde.
3.
(a) Chance as the controlling force of events; fortune, also person.; ladi of ~, Dame Fortune; (b) fate, destiny; king of ~, God.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)24/21-3 : Þe guodes of hap byeþ heȝnesses, richesses, delices, and prosperites..huanne þe lheuedi of hap heþ hire hueȝel y-went to þe manne and arered..Þere blaweþ alle þe tuelf wyndes of ydele blisse.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.197 : Þe kyng folowede more hap and fortune þan frendschipe [L magis fortunam quam amicitiam].
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2057 : O sodeyn hap! o thow fortune vnstable! Lyk to the scorpion so deceyuable.
- a1400 Cato(3) (Frf 14)242 : Quen þou has of þi þing þorou hap vnliking in chaunce or in cas, be-halde þou on oþer men þat has harder ten for lasse trespas.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.896 : For nought but good it is..The oughte nat to clepe it hap, but grace.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.5.32 : I wolde wondre wel the lasse, yif I trowede that alle thise thinges weren medled by fortunows hap [L fortuitis casibus].
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.1.101 : Hap: hap is an unwar betydinge of causes assembled in thingis that ben doon for som oothir thing.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1773 : Hap helpeth hardy man alday.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.253 : Hap and fortune rewleþ all infeere.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)302 : But hap, & eke ffortune, & al the constellacioune, Was clene hym ageyns.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)511 : Als I talde are þat kynge of hap [other MSS: craft] walde mensket be..baþ of angel and of man.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4346 : Þat hiȝe gode þat all oure happe haues.
- a1500 PParv.(KC 8)120 : Desteyne or happe: Fatum.
4.
A misfortune, mishap; also, an omen; for happes, to guard against mishaps.
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1691 : Hold ȝou ouȝt of heie gates, for happes, i rede.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2211 : Busily him-self wold buske in eche side to help hem fro harm, ȝif any hap bi-tidde.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)48/25 : Ȝif..any of þe bretherhede falle in pouerte..thorw fyr or water..or any other happes..þat he schal haue in þe wyke xiiij d.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)1418 : Ne shal y neuer..Se my fader suche hap betyde.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)737 : What happ, lord, has þu for me [Joseph] layde?
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2178 : Sorow & happous environ me by eche helve, That I note whidir ryde.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)214 : Happe, or bade spede: diffortunium.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)60a : Hape: omen.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)928 : Oger..off hys stede ffelle..Such hap he hath þere ffounde!
5.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1043 : Johanne le Hap.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. hap.