Middle English Dictionary Entry
hẹ̄ring(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | hẹ̄ring(e ger. Also ering, heriinge, herieing, heoring(ue, hiring(e, hieringe, huring(e, ȝering & (early) herunge, herrunge. |
| Etymology | OE gehēring. Some forms show confusion with ME heriing(e . |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The action of hearing; listening; ~ seien (tellen), hearing something said, learning by hearsay; yeven ~ to, to listen to (sb.); messe ~, q.v.
Associated quotations
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)35/17 : We schulen..speoken nu of spellunge & þrefter of herunge [Nero: herrunge].
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)43/19 : Nu we schulen sumhwet speoken of ower herunge [Nero: herrunge], aȝein uuel speche, þe ȝe þer toȝeines tunen ower earen.
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)542 : Neart þov..bote a child, And sone bi-guynnest to make lesinge -- Þat we witen wel bi ovre heoring.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)17.48 : Þe folk þat ich ne knewe nouȝt serued me and bowed to me in heryynge [Dub: heryng] of eren.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Tim.4.4 : Thei schulen turne awey the heeringe fro treuthe, but to fablis thei schulen turne togidere.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.909 : On nyhtes, Whan that me lacketh alle sihtes, And that myn heringe is aweie, Thanne is he redy in the weie.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)269b/b : He [the adder] may nought wel folowe his enemy by sight, but he foleweþ hym more by hierynge and smylle.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)13708 : Þei ȝaf hering to him [Vsp: gaf him list; Göt: gan him list] vchone.
- a1400 Roy.Counsels (Roy 17.B.17)66 : Restreyne þi heryng. Restreyne þi sight.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.304 : Edward vnderstode, þorgh oft heryng say, How þe fals blode compassed tene & tray.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)10.52 : He eggiþ eiȝe siȝt & heryng [vr. eryng] to gode.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)8a/a : Audiencia: hurynge.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.1.20 : I, desiros of herynge [L audiendi auidus], axe gretly to heren tho remedies.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)209/25 : The hereres myghten hauen ouþer solace or desport..in the herynge.
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)79b : In siȝt & heeryng, loth was iust, secounde pistle of petre, secounde cap.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)20/28 : I may neuyr qwyte hym þe goodnesse þat he hath don to me & þe gracyows labowrys þat he hath had a-bowt me in heryng of my confessyon.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3384 : I pray þe full prestly with all my pure hert Þat þou hede me with heryng.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)115/24 : Men witeþ of þe bataile of Troie bi heryng telle.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)67/14 : Þei myte prey and haue parte eke of all dyuyne seruyse, both in seying and in eryng.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.83.56b : Bute now seyest þou þat þou maiȝt nouȝt kepe þe for heringe of vanites.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)8 : A feiþful man miȝt in ȝering mani messis geit on a day þewenti þowzand ȝer of pardoun.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.1109 : Thus loue groweth by hiryng of the eere And encreseth inwardly the more gretter.
- a1500 3 KCol.(1) (Tit A.25)2/30 : Aftir hirynge, sight, and speche of oþere men..somme thynges hire ben writen.
2.
(a) The sense of hearing, capacity for hearing; vertu (might) of ~; ~ acutives, medicines that sharpen the hearing; hol of the ~, the external meatus [cp. ere hol, ere n. (1) 5. (d)]; sineues of ~, the auditory nerves; ivel ~, defective hearing; (b) hearing as one of the five wits; (c) the ear.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)497 : Earen buten herunge [vr. heringe] honden buten felunge, fet buten ȝonge.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)4/7 : [H]ercneð, alle þe earen & herunge habbeð.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)336/442 : His heoringue [Corp-C: his list] and is siȝt him cam a-ȝein.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.12.17 : If al the body be yȝe, where is heringe?
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.37 : Þere gret light com doun from hevene, and..þe doumbe fenge his speche, þe deef his herynge.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)81/1155 : His siht was cler, and his heryng.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)316/330 : He ȝaf me boþe speche and heryng.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.449 : Thou be war of thin heringe, Which to the Herte the tidinge Of many a vanite hath broght.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)24b/b : The vertu of heringe [L Virtus audibibis] haþ effect & doynge in þe lymes of þe Eren.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)25a/b : Somtyme it is I-let by wynde and grete ventosite I-closed in pores of þe senewes of heringe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)223a/a : Ius þerof heliþ & helpiþ þe heerynge þat is yhurt and y-greued by colde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)540 : Þe ouer fir gis man his sight, þat ouer air of hering might.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13107 : Þe def has hering; blind has sight.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)18b : Powne the sede and medill hit wiþ oille and..that helpiþ for evill herynge.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)12a/a : Þe erez bene cartilaginous & amfractuous i. crokyng aboue þe bone petrosum ordeynd for to here; To þe which bi þe tortuous holes of þe forsaid bone comeþ porez or neruez fro þe 5 pair of neruez of þe brayn in which is þe heryng.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)166a/a : Medicynez laxatiuez..and also siȝt illuminatyuez, heryng acutyuez [L acuentes auditum].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)42b/a : More akþes folwen to ham þan in oþere, and moste to ham þat ben in depenesses toward þe hole of þe herynge [L porum auditiuus].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)237 : Herynge wythe eere [Win: Hyryng]: Auditus, audacio [Win: Audicio].
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.33 : Her voicis feire, her herynge pure and light.
- ?c1450 Iff a man (Add 17866)887 : If a man haue eres wyde, Pureter wil þer in waxe thyke, And make þe heryng defe & wyke.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)51/13 : For ewel herynge. Take grene plantys of assche, [etc.].
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)22/33 : It was conuenyent þat..to men schulde be ȝouun heeryng, of which þei myȝten leerne bi techyng of men.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)5302 : Hys heryng Was hym belefft, hool & entere.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.144 : There is..Alle Armonye melodyouse yt pertenes til hering.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)71/5 : Þe ius of bytayne y-mellyd with water I-held in a manys ere comfortyþ þe hyryng.
b
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)12/169 : Meidenhad..halt alse hire limen & hire fif wittes: Sihðe & herunge, [etc.].
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)4/17 : Þeo wið vten beoð þe monnes fif wittes: Sihðe & herunge [Tit: heringe], smechunge & smeallunge, & euch limes felunge.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)29/5 : Þe heorte wardeins beoð þe fif wittes: Sihðe & herunge, Smecchunge & Smeallunge, & euch limes felunge.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.207 : Delices ben after the appetites of the fyue wittes, as sighte, herynge [vr. hereynge], smellynge, sauorynge, and touchynge.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.959 : Thy fyue wittes, that ben sighte, herynge [vrr. hirynge, huryng], smellynge, [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)21a/b : Þe vttir witte conteyneþ þe siȝt, heringe, smellinge, tastinge, & touchinge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)139a/b : Þe witte of siȝt is more sotile þanne þe wit of heringe [L sensus..auditus].
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)8995 : In alle his wittes sere..in syght and hereyng, And in smellyng, tastyng and feleyng.
- 1425(a1400) Spec.Chr.(1) (Lnsd 344)93/3 : To ȝyue hit [the body] owtrageli to synne in syȝte, in heringe, in smellynge, in tastinge, touchinge.
- (c1434) Drury Wks.(CmbAdd 2830)77/45 : Tastyng, smellyng, heryng, seyng, towchyng..On þis maner declarid þe v wittis.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)37 : Euery body..may knowe bodili þingis oþere þan hym silf..by eny of þe v wittis -- as bi siȝt, bi heeryng, bi smellyng, bi tastyng or bi touching.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Say.Nightingale (Trin-C R.3.20)185 : For þoffence of þy wittes fyve, My touche, my taast, myn hering did appalle.
- a1500 Cmb.Precepts (Cmb Hh.3.13)298 : Þe v bodyly wyttys: Syght, Heryng, Tastyng, Smellyng, Handylyng.
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)36 : The secunde is busynes of kepyng of his v wittis outward; that is to say, of tastyng, smellyng, heryng, seeyng, and towchyng.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)43a/b : Þe substaunce of þe verrey ere is grisly..to defende & saue þat noieful þinges falle in to þe hiering [L in auditum].
3.
(a) That which is heard; a saying, speech, words, sound, noise; ivel (ille) ~, harsh or frightening words; biside-hiring, q.v.; (b) report, news.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)7/31 : Ac nu beoþ fordutte þine dreamþurles; Ne ihereþ heo [n]e more none herunge of þe.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)111.6 : Þe ryȝtful..ne shal nouȝt douten of iuel herieing [L ab auditione mala].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.28.9 : Whom shal he teche kunnyng, and whom to vnderstonde shal he make the heryng [WB(2): make to vndurstonde heryng]?
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3770 : So what of hieringe and of sihte, Thei cawhten such a sodein feere, That non of hem belefte there.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)111.6 : Of iuel heringe noght drede sal he.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)123/1 : It puttyt awey alle manere hossynggys of [vr. and] herynggys [vrr. donyng, dinnynge] in mannys heed.
- c1450(c1430) Brut-1430 (Glb E.8:Kingsf.)300 : Oure kynge shewid to the Emperoure the worthi and solempne, glorious, diuine seruisis of holy Chirche, bothe of Religious and othir: whiche sight and herynge plesyd hym moche.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)220/6,7 : Þin erys, þat first spak dyshonest herynges of bacbytyng, flateryng, lesynges, & rybaudrye, afterward stoppyd wyth clennes, þey spekyn heryng of goodnes, of goddys woord, of holy techynges.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)38 : It is a iewell that was fourmed..with oute smytinge of strok and with oute heeringe of makinge noise [F sans noise faire en ouir].
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)105/229 : A mercy god, þis is a mervelyous herynge.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)123.147 (v.2:p.316) : 'Ab audicione mala no timebit in die nouissimo' ..: she shal not byn aferd of eyul heryng in the laste day.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)111.6 : Fra the ill herynge he sall noght drede; That is, he sall here 'cum ȝe blissid'..& fra the ill herynge that ill men sall here..he sall noght drede.
b
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.7.26 : Trublynge togidre shal come vpon trublyng togidre, and herynge vpon herynge [L auditus super auditum].
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)129/3 : Some of his men sayde that the Grecans wolde not abyde to hyr tythynges of the battalle, but fle at the fryste, hyrynge, of hit.
4.
In phrases: (a) in ~, in (someone's) hearing or presence; in ~ of, unto ~ of, in the hearing or presence of (sb.); don out of ~, not listened to, ignored; comen to ~, to come to (someone's) ears, be heard (by sb.); (b) in (to, til) ~, as it affects (someone's) hearing, or understanding; also in (someone's) understanding or opinion; as to ~, according to (someone's) sense of hearing.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.215 : Knyȝtes of Rome seide in his owne herynge [vr. hyryng; Higd.(2): presence]..'Loo, Cesar took worschippe.'
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.21 : Non erchebisshop schulde condempne his suffragan but in sight and hyringe [Higd.(2): audience and siȝhte] of oþere suffragans and bishoppis.
- (1393-4) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.3256 : On to the herynges and opyn knwlech of alle manere folk; -- We, John Ferres, [etc.]..by thys oure wrytinges certefyin trewlych, [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)292b/a : Þe wolf leseþ boldenesse..and fleeþ away if þe noyse of þe stones comeþ to his heeryng.
- (c1404) *Exch.Misc.Deed (PRO) (PRO)26 : Ich ne wot wether þat he moued that matere in myn heryngs other non.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ezek.9.5 : He seide to hem in myn heryng [L audiente me], 'Go ȝe thorouȝ the citee.'
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6073 : But natheles, in oure heryng [F en audiance]..I bidde thee teche hem.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)56.322 : And so long they spoken Of this thing, So that it Cam to hire lordis hering.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7868 : Hit is demyt for dulle, & done out of heryng.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1202/10 : Than sir Launcelot seyde unto quene Gwenyver in hyryng of the kynge and hem all, 'Madame, now I muste departe from you and thys noble felyshyp for ever.'
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1677 : For to list þat, I may it nat sustene, In myn heryng so hateful is þe soun.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4773 : It sal be hydus til mans heryng.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6096 : If I seide of hem ony thing That ought displesith to her heryng.
- a1425 By a forest (Bod 596)70 : Thre weyes ther beth ful hard to knowe..And of þe ferthe, telle he ne can, It is so wondirful in his hering -- The weyes of a ȝong man.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)42.457 : Hem thowghte as to here heryng that they herden A gret Noyse Of spekyng.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)147 : Sorell iuus helt in at þe ere helpiþ hugely þe hering and destroyeþ þe ache of þe ere.
Note: Additional quote(s)
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. evil hearing.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. sinew of hearing.