Middle English Dictionary Entry
hāven n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | hāven n.(1) Also havene, hævene, hevene, hafen, hafne, hafven, hawen, have, avene, (in place name) -hove. |
| Etymology | OE hæfen port & ON (cp. OI höfn, pl. hafnir). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A harbor, port; a bay, estuary; a dockyard; ?a fortified port, a place where a navy is stationed; nimen (taken) ~, to reach port, enter a harbor; (b) with of- phr. or gen.: the port belonging to a city or town; also, the seaport itself; (c) fig. a refuge, the Virgin Mary; ~ of refut; success, good fortune; god ~; the sovereign good; ~ of hele (helth), ~ of merci (lif, savacioun), the haven of salvation, salvation, eternal life; also, Christ.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1495 : Þer he lai bi hauene [Otho: in auene].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9362 : He ærnde to are hæuene.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21812 : Þa wes Irlondes king icum[en] in to hafene [Otho: haue].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24061 : He biwon..þa hafuenes alle.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30445 : Þa scipen gunnen wende; hauene heo þer nomen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30517 : Biuoren wes æuere Edwine and þa hafne heom forwarnde.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (Hrl 2277:Horst.)117 : A lute hauene he fonde þo; alond hi wende þere.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1948 : At an hauene bi souþe, þis folc alonde com.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)147 : Þai lefted goinfainoun And out of hauen þai rade.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)1190 : Ouer þe se ichil now wende; God to gode hauen me sende!
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)182/35 : Ine þe ende liþ ofte þe accombringe, and nyxt þe hauene spilþ ofte þet ssip.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.163 : Hit may be better corne londe..and more profitable hauenes [Higd.(2): portes].
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.407 : He knew alle the hauenes as they were, Fro Gootland to the cape of Fynystere.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.528/7 : Diuersis nautis pro batillagio harnesii domini apud Whitsand, de naui in le hauen, una cum custuma dicti harnesii.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1038 : This Flete, which an havene soghte, The bryghte fyres sih a ferr.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)166b/b : Shippemen..shulden se þis hille and knowe, þer by þe hiȝenesse þer offe, to what hauene þey shulde drawe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)420 : Hit waltered..Withouten mast..Oþer any sweande sayl to seche after haven.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3430 : And in þe hauene..Þei cast hanker.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)17/14 : At Famagost is on of the princypall hauenes of the see [F portz de meer].
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)963 : Whan that he the haven hadde ytake, He hadde a knyght..To gon with hym, the cuntre for t'espie.
- c1450(?1436) Siege Calais (Rome 1306)141 : They come with grete Navy..The hauen forto haue shent.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)69/25 : Sum bannyd hir; sum wisshed sche had ben in þe hauyn; sum wolde sche had ben in þe se in a bottumles boyt.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)111 : He sent to the qwene..to wete wheythir he myght swrely taken hauen in her lond or noon.
- (1449) RParl.5.150a : Every Custumer, Countroller, Sercheour, and Surveiour which..admitteth any Woll, Wolfell or Tynne to be shipped within any Port, Creke, Havyn, or any other Place..to any other Port or Place than to the saide Staple.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6794 : Wexeþ bolde, & fendeþ ȝow faste! Þer Outlandeys aryues & rydes, Makeþ þer hauenes to kepe þo sydes.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)111b : The prefecte of Mysenaunce was cheef ouerseere of þe navey or þe flete of galeyes þat stood in his hauene.
- a1450 *Mandev.Defect. (Add 37049)6a : He gos..to gene or sum oþir hafen of þos marches.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)292 : The lord Berkle and Herry Pay brent xv of hem in the same Havene.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)15/21 : Þe floodis byn Temse, Seuerne, and Hvmbyr, the whiche wt þer longe havynes ebbynge & flowynge devydyn the III principalle provyncis of þis Ile.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)61b : A havyn: nauale, portus, portulus..sinus, stacio.
- a1500 GRom.(Add 9066)190 : He sawe xxx shippes comyng toward the Castell, and alle thei toke haven ayenst even.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)800/28 : Hic portus, Anglice, a hawyn.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7415 : Þat hauen of Douere he hauede inumen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30957 : Sone þa tidende icumen wes to þære hauene of Totenes.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1801 : To þe hauene of sandwiche þat schip wel euene drouȝ.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2838 : Hii wolleþ tomorwe ariue at te hauene [vrr. haue, hafne] of toteneys.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.412 : Menssangers anon þai sende..To þe hauen of Portesmouthe.
- c1330(?a1300) Rich.(Auch)117/23 : A wel gret cheyn þai had don drawe Ouer þe hauen of acres fers & was y-fastned in to pilers.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)121/2570 : Hii come wiþ outen ensoine To þe hauen of Coloine.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.7557 : And such a wynd fortune hem sente, Til thei the havene of Troie cauhte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1275 : He seileth til that he may winne The havene of Tharse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)177b/a : Corsica..hath þe see cinelium in þe eeste syde, and þe hauen of þe citee of Rome [L portus vrbis rome].
- (a1399) Oath Bk.Colchester6 : A remembraunce of the Custume of Dyverse Chaffarys..usinge by old tyme with owtyn ony mynde at the Burgh and Havene of Colchester.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20038 : Þe hafen of hampton sone he findes.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2552 : My body mote ye se..Ryght in the haven of Athenes fletynge.
- (1432) RParl.4.417a : The Marchauntz and pover Inhabitauntz of the Havene of Lymyngton, lying withyn the Hundredes of New Forest, and of Crischurche; and of the Havene of Neweport, lying withyn the Isle of Wight.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)192 : Corrours..alle his baronage broȝt to Burdewes hauen.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)142 : Thai come to the haven of Rome.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)579/29 : Old shippes were lade with hard ston..to droune hem in þe haven of Caleis.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)166/74 : And att the havon of troye aryves.
c
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)29/292 : Lauerd..lead me þurh þis lease, þis lutle leastinde, lif to þe hauene of heale.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)183/2 : Þeruore hit behoueþ þet he agrayþi his zayl, þet is his onderstondinge, to þe hauene of helþe [Vices & V.(2): hauene of sauacion], þet is to Iesus crist, be þe wynde of stedeuest loue.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)569 : I sayle..as schip boute mast..but heiȝh heuene king to gode hauene me sende oþer laske mi liij daywes.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.75 : O hauene, o refut, o sauacioun Of hem that been in sorwe and in distresse, Now help, for to my work I wol me dresse.
- c1390(1377) Death Edw.III (Vrn)38 : Þouȝ þe see were rouh..Gode hauenes þat Schip wolde gete.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.852 : Now lady bright..Thow hauen of refut, brighte sterre of day, Rewe on my child.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25711 : Quen schippe is broken oght wit sin, It [penance] schal him hauen of merci win.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.10.6 : Her [in the sovereign good] schal ben the reste of your labours; her is the havene stable in pesible quiete.
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer ABC (Benson-Robinson)14 : Almighty and al merciable queene..Thou art..Haven of refut, of quiete, and of reste.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)20 : Be favorable eke, thou Polymya, On Parnaso..And do that I my ship to haven wynne.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)89 : He is to thee taken to lede thee to the hauene of lyf and of saluacioun.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)251/15 : Ȝif that we wole..be delyuered fro the grete depnesse of the see of helle and ascape the perilous water of this world and come to the hauen of heleþe, let vs loke to Marie.
2.
(a) In cpds. & combs.: ~ keper (governour), the ruler of a port; ~ mouth, the entrance to a harbor; ~ side, the shore of a harbor; ~ toun, a seaport; (b) in surnames & place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.214, 220].
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4261 : The wynd..made hem in a citee for to tarie That stood ful myrie vp on an hauen syde.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)9a/a : Baia: an hauene toune.
- (1435) Wars France in RS 22.2582 : The kinge hathe his portis and haven tounes and his lordis on eithere side of the see.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)230 : Havene kepare, or gouernare: Portunus.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)33/26 : Egipt is a strong contre and manye perlious hauenys ben therin, for there lith in eche heuene toun gret ryches [read: roches] in the entre of the hauene.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1789 : At Mansua..A hauyn toun..þe hind lay.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)449/18 : Þai had petie on hur and tuke hur in-to þer ship & hed hur vnto a haven-town.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)579/30 : Þey bulgit hem, some in þe haven-mouthe and some be-sides the haven.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)61b : A havyntowne: laia [Monson: baia].
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)184/30 : The Erle graunted to his kynge henry..al the havyn tounes of laynestre.
b
- (c1135) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)450 : Qwithofhavene.
- (c1140) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)450 : Withofhavene. Witehovedhafne.
- (c1180) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)450 : Withoue.
- (1228) in Ekwall Dict.EPN262 : Kyhaven.
- (1269) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames94 : Phil. atte Havene.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1162 : Willielmus atte Havene.
- (1279) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames138 : Cyprian. de la Newehauene.
- (1307) Plea R.Edw.I in WSAS 7189 : Hugh de Haueneyate.
- (1329) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)450 : Whittofthaven in villa de Kirkeby.
- (1405) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.32 : Fro the Eld hauen of Donewych to the newe hauen at Walberswyk.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)292 : Thei cam into Mylforth Have.