Middle English Dictionary Entry
haut adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | haut adj. Also aut, hault, halt, alt & (in place names) hau. |
| Etymology | OF haut, halt. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Proud, haughty; (b) noble, excellent; (c) of words, speech: loud; (d) high-pitched [see g(e-sol-re-ut]; (e) ~ chere, great hospitality; ~ nor bas, high nor low; ~ tresoun, high treason; of ~ grese, well-fattened.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450 Chaucer CT.Pars.(Tex 143)I.614 : Hawte [Elsm: Detraccioun maketh an hauteyn man be the moore humble].
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)231/18 : For I was so haute in my herte I helde no man my pere.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)385/560 : Thay were sturdy and hawte; great boste haue thai blawne.
- c1500 Chaucer PF (Trin-C R.3.19)262 : In A preuy corner..ffond I Venus and her porter Rychesse, That was full nobull and hawte of her part.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)213 : Fawkoneres hyenn To lache oute thaire lessches..And than the hawteste in haste hyghes to the towre.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)92/8 : That same day Galahad, the Haute Prynce, com with kynge Arthure.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)981/21 : Yondir ys the good knyght sir Galahad, the Haute Prynce.
c
- c1460 Chaucer CT.Pard.(Bodmer cod.48)C.330 : Haut [Heng: I peyne me to han an hauteyn speche].
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)207/6 : So they rode worthyly into the Emperoures tente and spoke bothe at onys with hawte wordys.
d
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1837 : The hoost made an hidouse cry, in gesolreut þe haut.
e
- [ c1300 SLeg.Theoph.(LdMisc 108)80 : Wel muche is power was..Men wondreden..and seiden, 'it nis in þis world bote si haut e si bas.' ]
- (1464) RParl.5.549a : Robert de Veer..of hault Treason was attaynted.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)14898 : I loue no thyng (thys the cas) Hih nor lowe, hault nor baas, In hevene, erthe, nor in the se.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)409 : Capon & hen of hawt grees, þus wold þey be dight.
- (1475) Paston (Gairdner)5.219 : And [I] made Sir J. Parr goode cheer as I cowde ffor yowr sake; and he tolde me that ye made hym haulte cheer, &c., at Norwyche.
- a1525(?1457) Cov.Leet Bk.300 : The Meyre and his brethern send..ccc paynemaynes, a pipe of Rede wyne, a dosyn Capons of haut grece.
2.
(a) In cpds.: ~ pas, a room or structure on or next to the roof of a building, a gazebo; haunk-clere, hauchler [?errors for haute-cler], the name of Oliver's sword; (b) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.236].
Associated quotations
a
- [ (1381) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.453 : [We have granted..leave to make a] hautpas [of the height of 14 feet, extending from the house of the said Messire Robert and Custance, his wife, on the West side thereof, to another house to them belonging, on the East side thereof]. ]
- (1431) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)194/2 : In owr Tyme was mad þe Halle Rooffe..Also more þe hawtpas with alle þe spyerys and alle benchys.
- (1440) in Salzman Building in Engl.191 : Pergettynge et purlymeynge cujusdam hautepace de novo fact' in gardino.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)914 : Þe gentill Erle sir Olyuere hewes one with haunkclere [F Halteclere]; Mighte none his dynttis with-stande.
- (1452) Acc.St.Margaret Southwark in BMag.32490 : Peid for ij postes vnder the hawte pace, ij s.
- (1460) *Will Burgate (Somerset Ho.) [OD col.] : The hautepase that y made for the maidens & women seruents to pray for my soule.
- a1500(?c1400) Song Roland (Lnsd 388)795 : Sir olyuer..tok An hauchler and hewid fast.
b
- (1208) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)276 : Halteclo.
- (1236) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)276 : Alteclo.
- (1236) Close R.Hen.III231 : Robertus le Haut.
- (1240) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.99 : Hautwisel.
- (1252) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)276 : Hauteclo.
- (1257) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)276 : Autoclou.
- (1278) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.100 : Hawtetwysill.
- (1279) Assize R.Nhb.in Sur.Soc.88399 : Will. Hawtewysill.
- (1287) Rec.Norwich 23 : Willelmus de Crystemesse et Iuetta de Hauboys, uxor eius.
- (1340) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)208 : Hawtemprise.
- (1340) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)276 : Haltclogh.
- (1343) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)276 : Hautteclo.
- (1367) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)277 : Haltclobrigge.
- (1410) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)208 : Hautenpris.
- (1479) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.100 : Haltewesyll.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)564 : Ther shall noon a-bide..but lambuges..and Galiers the lorde of the haut moor.