Middle English Dictionary Entry

hēte n.(1)
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Entry Info

Forms hēte n.(1) Also hẹ̄te, hetee, het(te, ȝet, heate, heite & (early) hǣte, (infl.) hæten, hætan. Pl. hētes & hēten.
Etymology OE hǣtu, hǣte.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) Heat; warmth from the sun, a fire, etc.; in chele and in ~, in ~ and in cold, in all circumstances; (b) fig. of emotions, virtue, sin, devotion, etc.: intensity, ardor; (c) excessive heat, uncomfortable warmth; (d) a hot period (of the day, the year), a hot season, hot weather, drought; hunger and ~, famine and drought [but cp. hete n. (2), sense (b)].
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2.
(a) A source of heat, a fire, flame; also fig.; cacchen ~, to catch fire; (b) something hot; a hot place; (c) a warming, a heating.
Show 12 Quotations
3.
Phys. & physiol. (a) One of the four primary qualities; (b) the quality of heat inherent in the physical composition of a substance or organism (as opposed to heat supplied from outside); the heat in an organism necessary for life; (c) kinde (kindeli, natural) ~ = (b); ~ of lif, lifli ~, the heat necessary for life, heat causing life in an organism; helping ~, natural heat assisting the cure of a sickness; ~ of Venus, heat generated by sexual stimulation; accidental (artificial, extrane) ~, heat from external sources; unkinde (straunge, unkindeli) ~, an unhealthy heat in an organism caused by fever, putrefaction, etc.; (d) a degree of heat, a measurable division of temperature; also, a fire or furnace designed to produce a certain temperature.
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4.
(a) High body temperature caused by sickness or fever; cacchen ~, to catch a fever; (b) redness or inflammation of the skin or below the skin; irritation, itch; unkinde ~; (c) hotness of body due to energetic action; also, thirst.
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5.
(a) Strong desire, eagerness, gusto, vehemence, impetuosity; (b) sexual desire, lust; of animals: rut.
Show 14 Quotations
6.
(a) A burst of violent action in a battle, a rush; also, a battle; (b) a burst of energetic action, hurry; (c) anger, sudden wrath. [Senses (a) and (b) are difficult to distinguish from hete n. (2).]
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7.
Misc. senses: (a) of spices; hot in flavor, tangy; (b) translating L aestus: surge, welling up.
Show 2 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.59 : Euery heete and feruence hathe more invndacion in the occean then in the grete see.
    • Note: Supplemental material for 7.(b)

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. heat.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 3.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. kindly heat.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 3.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. natural heat.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 3.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. strange heat.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 3.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. unkind heat.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 3.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. unkindly heat.

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