Middle English Dictionary Entry
herten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | herten v. Also hert(e, harten, hirten & herti. Forms: sg. 3 herteth & hert; p.ppl. i)herted, ihert. |
| Etymology | OE hirtan & geherten. Form herti may show influence from herti adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To encourage (sb.), console, reassure; strengthen (sb. to do sth.); exhort (sb. that he do sth.); refl. take comfort, be glad; (b) to make (sb.) brave, embolden; inspire courage in (sb. to do sth.); embolden (sb. that he do sth.); (c) to stimulate (sth.); stimulate (an animal to do sth.); (d) to give (sb.) pleasure, delight; (e) ppl. herting, full of courage, stouthearted.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25941 : Beduer heo gon hirten [Otho: answerede] mid hendeliche worden.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1980 : His sunes comen him to sen, And hertedin him if it migte ben.
- c1350 Cum maker (Bod 425)2 : Cvm, maker of gaste þou ert, Þouhtes of þine þou seke and hert.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27296 : He hert [Frf: þou teyche] þe sinful wel wit-all þat he him were ai well fra fall, þat he stedfastly hope..To haue merci.
- (c1422) Hoccl.JWife (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)813 : Ther-with, al was his brothir herted weel, Al how the Emperice had he betrayed..he tolde out.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1181 : Byd hym herte hym wele his enmy es destruede.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.177v : He cleped to him his lordes and knyghtes, thonkyng hem of hure trauaylle and of hure comyng with him, and ganne herty hem and comforte hem ayenst the Englysshmen seggyng vuell of hem in shendship of hem.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)165 : Ech man hath in..charge to loue God..that he mai therbi be hertid and strengthid in wil forto serue God.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8083 : To hold hym in hope & hert hym the bettur.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)206/29 : Herte hym moste to hope by ensample of hym that heenge on the ryght syde of Cryste.
b
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)13/359, 14/363 : Ac he þat ine saule is strang..And hardeliche hert oþre men A-doun þat hi ne falle..So his ihert þorȝ conferming, Þat for deþe nele nauȝt wonde.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3417 : Non miȝt here strok wiþstond..so wel for williams werkes were þei þan herted.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)272a/a : Al þe oost is comforted and herted whan þey seen þe kyng.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.4087 : Duke Nestor..To hert his men..Gan presen in.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.856 : Þe proude Grekis, hertid ben echon Ageyns me.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.224 : Crist..hirtiþ [vr. hertiþ] and confortiþ hise frendis, to be not aferd of þese men.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)238 : Hertyn, or makyn herty: Animo.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)86a : For he þat firste for-sakeþ þe feeld, he..boldiþ & herteþ [1459 (Ld): hartys] his enemyes.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9272 : Slaght of my son..ffor whose dethe..all the derfe grekes Hertyn hom full hogely, my harmes to encres.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2418 : The men of perse were hartid..All be counfort of Generides.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)259b/a : All bestes..beþ comforted and y-herted [L stimulate] to gendre and to gete brood of here owne kynde.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)285 : This one thing schulde stirre and herte thyn entencioun.
d
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1972 : His [Chaucer's] hy vertu astertith Vnslayn fro þe, which ay vs lyfly hertyth With bookes of his ornat endytyng.
e
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)5668 : When þei..had ouer hand of all þer foys, The kyng of Ebrews with hym held of þe most hertyng [vr. harde] þat he has.