Middle English Dictionary Entry
harpen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | harpen v. Also harpien, harpi, harp(e, herpe. |
| Etymology | OE hearpian & OF harper, from Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To play a harp; (b) to play (notes, a tune, song, etc.) on a harp; of a harp: to play (sth.); (c) to play the harp for (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20311 : He cuðen harpien [Otho: harpi] wel.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)231 : Tak nu..Mi fundlyng..& tech him to harpe Wiþ his nayles scharpe.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5511 : Mid is harpe he wende & so wel wiþoute harpede þat me after him sende.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1828 : Harpi hou þou can.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)25/271 : He toke his harp..& harped at his owhen wille.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.14.2 : The voys..as of harpers harpinge in her harpis.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.922 : Ther was with him no vertu elles..Bot only that he couthe harpe.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)881 : As harporez harpen in her harpe, Þat nwe songe þay songen ful cler.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.452 : Aungelis harpeden þo and songen.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2322 : Also to you it longith ay To harpe and gitterne, daunce and play.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)19927 : With harp in hand welfast he harpes.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)228 : Harpyn: Cithariso.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1169 : Harp he couthe & syng welle þerto.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)5959 : He con hym mell of mynstralcy ay more and more Tyll he cowd herpe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)496/11 : Than wolde he harpe and play thereuppon.
- a1475 Gawain & CC (Brog 2.1)436 : Furst sche harpyd and sethe songe Of love and of Artorrus armus amonge.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)136 : He sawe a pore man..harpynge.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Dunstan (Hrl 2277)179 : Al bi him silue he [the harp] gan to harpe, a murie steuene iwis Þat ne singeþ ȝut in holi churche.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)572 : His chaumber he liþ inne And harpeþ notes swete.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)45/527 : Þe blissefulest notes he harped þere Þat euer ani man y-herd.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.14.7 : But thei schulen ȝyue distinccioun of sownyngis, how schal it be kowd that is songun ether that that is harpid [L citharizatur]?
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1670 : Sche harpeth many a lay And lich an Angel sang withal.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1033 : Touche ay o streng or ay o werbul harpe, Were his nayles poynted nevere so sharpe.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1434 : Mildor sett And harped notys full suete.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)74/10,21 : He harped a newe lay that was mervellous..ther kyng commaunded hym to harpe itt be-for hym.
- a1500 Herkyn to my tale (Adv 19.3.1)81 : Tho sow sate on hye benke, and harpyd Robyn-Howde.
c
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)7665 : Dauid harpid him wid his harpe.
2.
(a) To pluck; ~ upon, pluck on (a taut thread) as though it were a harp string; (b) to sing; (c) ~ on, to harp on (sth.), repeat (sth.) constantly.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)118/11,12 : If þou makist þe sike man to holde betwene his teeþ a þred twyned & I-wexid, & þanne bigynne to harpe wiþ þi nailis vpon þe þred..& so harpe wiþ þi naylis vpon þe þred alwey streyned & makynge soun.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)126b/b : Make þe sike man holde bitwene his teeþ a þred twyned & wexid; þanne bigynne to harpe on þe þred wiþ þi nailis.
b
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)178/39 : Atte morne oure tymbrere bygan to harpe hyer and clerer..for oure lordes aungel þat nyghte didde awey alle hosenesse fro hir þrote.
c
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)53/16 : He cuthe lern hym no thyng bod þies ij wordys, Ave Maria, And þat he was evur harpand on, to so mekill þat whider as euer he went..he was evur sayand Ave Maria.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1476) Paston (EETS)1.497 : I wysshed to hym þat he and I hadde been at Norwyche; whervppon he harped all þat nyght.
Note: ?sense