Middle English Dictionary Entry
hēme n.
Entry Info
| Forms | hēme n. Pl. heamen. |
| Etymology | OE -hǣme, as in Stifinge-hǣme (Birch Cart.Sax. 3.392) and other names. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An inhabitant, villager, churl; hine and ~, ~ and hine, household servants and yokels; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.217].
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)12/147 : Þe maked of eordlich mon & wummon heouene engel, of heame [Tit: heane] hine, of fa freont, help of þet te hearmið.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)27/281 : Al mi nestfalde cun þet schulde beo me best freond beoð me meast feondes, & mine in hinen alre meast heamen.
- a1250 HMaid.(Tit D.18)41/699 : Þat paraise selhðe underfo me, all swuch as weren ear ha Gulten, his earste heamen [Bod: hinen].
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1115 : Vor children gromes, heme & hine, Hi þencheþ alle of þire pine.
- a1350 Ne mai no lewed (Hrl 2253)22 : Furst þer sit an old cherl in a blake hure..An heme in an herygoud wiþ honginde sleuen, & mo þen fourti him by-fore my bales to breuen.
- a1450 ?Audelay An a byrchyn bonke (Dc 302)123 : Me þoȝt hit a hede þenke at husbondus to hene, Fore þat was I hatyd with heme and with hyne.
b
- (c1250) EPNSoc.13 (War.)6 : Walehemebroc.
- (a1300) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)126 : Upheme.