Middle English Dictionary Entry
harping(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | harping(e ger. Also harpingue, harepinge, herping. |
| Etymology | OE hearpung |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Playing on the harp, a performance on the harp; also, the practice of harping, skill with the harp, harp music; (b) ~ gle, harp playing.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22702 : Her wes fiðelinge and song; her wes harpinge imong.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24193 : Þer wes harepinge and song.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)379/80 : At þis bruydale was..stiues and harpingue.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2325 : Þer mouthe men se..Harping and piping, ful god won.
- c1330 Le Freine (Auch)3 : Layes þat ben in harping Ben yfounde of ferli þing.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)25/277 : Alle þe foules..Come..To here his harping a-fine.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.279 : Socrates in his olde age usede harpynge and glee of strenges.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.266 : And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe, Hise eyen twynkled in his heed aright As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)7433 : Baþ wiþ harping and wiþ sange..he serued saule.
- c1400 I herd an harping (BodDon c.13)1 : I herd an harping on a hille, as I lay vndir lynde.
- a1425 NPass.(Cmb Gg.5.31)143/131* : Dauid turnyd in hy..With daunsyng, trumpyng, and harpyng.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.340 : Kyng Amphioun..with his harpyng made folk..tenhabite first cites.
- c1440 Thos.Ercel.(Thrn)315 : Harpynge [vr. herpinge] kepe j none, ffor tonge es chefe of mynstralsye.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)74/9 : They had grete payne to make hym to doo any thyng as towchyng to harpyng, syngyng, or daunsyng.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)14 : Thay wer occupied att the playng of the chesse..yn syngyng and pypyng, yn harpyng, and in other honest solaces.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)496/4 : Of goodly harpyng he beryth the pryse.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)208/26 : Anothyr Spice of vitte is callid Sowne of thynges that bene not quycke, as the Sowne of watyr..thundyr, Harpynge, and othyr Instrumentes.
- a1500(a1450) St.Robt.Knares.(Eg 3143)37 : Of harpyng som has lyst to here, And som of carpyng of tales sere.
- c1500 Orfeo (Ashm 61)5/28 : He..luffyd gle & herpyng.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7251 : He was sle on harpingleu.