Middle English Dictionary Entry
hēthen adj. & n.
Entry Info
| Forms | hēthen adj. & n. Also ethen, hethe, hethinde, hething, heden, ȝeþun, heithen, heiten, haithen, aithen, aiethen, haithe, hāthen & (error) haizen (?= haiȝen) & (early) hæðen, hæþen, heaðe(n, heaþen, headen. Forms (only when used as noun): sg. gen. hethenes, etenes; pl. ethenis & (early) hæðenen; pl. gen. hethenene & (early) hæðenra. |
| Etymology | OE hǣþen & ON (cp. OI heiðinn). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) As adj.: not Christian or Jewish; pagan, heathen; ~ lei, pagan lands or people, heathendom; ~ lond; (b) ~ man, one who is not a Christian or a Jew; (c) as noun: = ~ man; -- also pl. & coll.; (d) applied to Jews; -- as adj. & n.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.963 : Com se biscop Aðelwold to þære mynstre..ðe hwilon wæs fordon fra heðene folce.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)16/8 : He ðone hæðenæ god..adræfde mid his tokime of his anlicnesse awæȝ.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)18857-8 : Þiss þessterrnesse iss hæþenndom & dwillde inn hæfedd sinness, & hæþenn trowwþe onn hæþenn Godd, & hæþenn lif i þæwess.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14373 : Þat wes swide ladlic þing þat þe cristine king luuede þat haðene [Otho: heaþene] maide.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14895 : He luuede Rouwen of þan hæðenne cunne.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21172 : Lou war her biforen us heðene [Otho: heaþene] hundes, þe sloȝen ure alderen.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)3/13 : Wes Iuliene..Al of heaðene cun icumen & akennet.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)2/12 : Mis-bileuede men, þe heheden & hereden heþene maumez.
- a1275 *St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)14 : Þe moder was an heþene wif þat hire to wyman bere.
- a1325 SLeg.Aug.Cant.(Corp-C 145)4 : Engelond he louede muche..Me tolde him þat þe lond was god, and þat it heþene was.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)25/547 : Me moder..me ȝhe solde in to heþenlonde [a1500 (Chet): paynemus lond].
- c1330 KTars (Auch)35/93 : Sir, þe king of Tars..Heþen hounde he gan þe calle.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.909 : Custaunce..fallen is in hethen hand eft soone.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7498 : All mon we hald of haþen [Göt: heden; Trin-C: heþen] lede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7806 : I come..and fand Saul..Wonded wit þe haizen [?read: haiȝen; Frf: heyþen; Göt: sarazin] her.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.451 : Hethene is to mene after heth and vntiled erthe.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20007 : Sen it was stedde in slik vnreste Þoru þe saxons, aiethen paigiens.
- c1425 Glo.Chron.A (Hrl 201)p.397 : Vor Wyllam..an eþene kyng com to, And smot hym þoru out myd hys lance.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)299 : And yit they were hethene, al the pak, That were so sore adrad of alle shame.
- (c1438) MKempe B (Add 61823)250/20 : I cry þe mercy, Lord, for Iewys, & Sarazinys, & alle hethen pepil.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)975 : Thore was no mane of hethene londe That myghte a dynt stonde of his honde.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1284 : Thise hende..Behelde þe howsynge..of hathen kynges.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.103r : After that Henges was confermed in Kent he sent his brother Horne and his brother Jebusam, preued men of werre of hethenlay, to occupie the North contre of Brutayne.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)2674 : How he myght at the laste..To make the haythyn kyngys to gryse.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)541 : Spedd hym in-to hethyn Spayne spedely.
- (1461) LRed Bk.Bristol2.128 : To bryng in to this Towne of Bristowe people of divers Countrees..which been sold to theyme as hit were hethen people.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)2274 : Roulond mette an hathen hounde, Suche a strok he hym founde, That ded he fyll in that plas.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.963 : He scolde him giuen ealle þa minstre þa hæðene men hæfden ær to-brocon.
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1137 : Ne næure hethen men werse ne diden þan hi diden.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)32/27 : Gif he ðonne ne ȝehyrð ð halȝa laðunge, beo he ðenne ælfremed, swa swa hæðen mon, from ðe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)274 : Herode wass hemm sett Hæþene mann to kinge.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)295 : Þar beð þe haðene men þe waren laȝe-lease.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12666 : Þes haðene mon..is ihaten Melgan.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Creed (Lamb 487)75 : Þos twa þing doð alle heðene men.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)67/3 : Seint Albion..Formest he was heþene man.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1053 : Heþemen schold y so greue..þat þay..schold turne to cristene Lay.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5053 : Þay..prayede god..Schold sauye hem thar for heþemen men.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mal.1.11 : My name is grete in heythen men.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)2526 : Þa hethen men [Vsp: haiþen lede] he mett ay emang.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Jude 47.9 : We beþ noȝt of þe chyldren of Israel, for oure auncetres weren heþen men.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) Prol.Heb.(1) (Roy 1.C.8)p.480 : He writynge to hem that of circumcisioun bileueden, wroot as the apostle of hethene men and not of Jewis.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)24291 : Þe aithen men ale dide to suerde Þat cristenede were, baȝ laud and lerde.
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)125a : Be ȝe wiþouten sclaundre to iewis & to heþene men.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2274 : They hewede doun haythen men.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2295 : Thane harawdez..Hunttes vpe the haythemen that on heghte lygges: The Sowdane of Surry and certayne kynges, Sexty of þe cheefe senatours of Rome.
- a1450 Methodius(2) (Add 37049)103/22 : God has taken vs into þe handes of barbarynes, of hathen men, for we hafe forgytten þe commawndmentes of God.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2560 : A strong batayle þere began Betwene hem and þe heþene [vr. heytyn] men.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)90 : Þe heþun men had sex kyndis of similacris.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)2.8 com. : I sall gif till the genge [L gentes], the whilke ware hathen men.
- a1500 Octav.(1) (Cmb Ff.2.38)1616 : Many heþene men sche slowe.
c
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1128 : He seide þet fulle feoht was sett be-twenen ða Cristene & þa heðene.
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)66/28 : Eall middeneard mid hæðenra þeode geðrynge..swyðe gedrecced & gedrefod wurðeð.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)4/34 : Ðe Haliȝe Gast aþwæchð þone hæðene from alle his synnum on ðam soðan fulluhte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10179 : Alle þa templen þe þa heðene hafden itimbrid.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14647 : Uortiger his fader fulede þan hæðenen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)28294 : Þa heo weoren..an hunddred þusende, heðene [Otho: heaþen] and cristene.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)167 : Cristene..for dred of deað, duden þes deoueles lac as þe heaðene [vr. headene] duden.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)329 : He is godes sune, þe þet Giws demden & heaðene [vr. heaðe] ahongeden?
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)115 : Platon, þe grete philosophe, þat was heþene of ouwer lawe, he seide þat god wolde deie and him-selue to liue aȝen drawe.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8159 : Þe heþene were of hom iwar.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)9918 : vii of þe table rounde..dede wiþ strengþe her swerd baþen In bodi & blod of þe haþen.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)16 : In his time, a king þer was, An heþene þat vncristned was.
- (?c1375-a1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3583 : Ful many an hethen wroghtestow ful wo.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3222 : A stryde voide þer nas þat of þat ilke heþenene route al ful was euery plas.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.18.17 : Ȝif he shal not heere the chirche, be hee to thee as an hethen [L ethnicus] and a puplicane.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.66 : This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also Som tyme with the lord of Palatye Agayn another hethen in Turkye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1659 : And forto slen the hethen alle, I not what good ther mihte falle.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19946 : He ne be-halds queþer it be Iuen or haiþen [Frf: heþin; Göt: sarsin], thral or fre.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)21254 : Þen come þe heiþen [Vsp: heþen lede] wiþ mikil wrange þat cristen men to pine was prest.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)10.350 : An vncristene..may crysten an hethen, And for his lele byleue..Haue þe heritage of heuene.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gal.3.8 : In thee alle the hethene [L gentes] schulen be blessid.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)2930 : He had cast him..ffor to go to þe heþen, þe feith hem to preche.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4163 : The ethenys of Orkkenaye and Irische kynges, Þay gobone of þe gretteste with growndene swerdes.
- a1450(1413) Glade in god call (Dgb 102)123 : Englische men dede maystryȝes make..Cristen and heþen þey mad to quake.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2592 : Þat euery mon myȝt han ben fulle glad in hert, Cryston mon or hethone, or what-euer he were.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)489/35 : For he beryth nat the lyff, crystynde nother hethynde, that canne fynde such anothir knyght.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)95 : Men trystun of help wiþ outun him, and oftun aȝen, as ȝeþun and vnfeiþful don.
d
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)51/12 : Dieuel..beuall þo haðene..al hwat hie hine fordemden to deaðe.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)5508 : Alswa haythen men..Þat never baptem ne right trouthe tuke, Als Iewes and Sarzyns and Paens, Þat wate noght what Criestes law bymens, Sal þan accuse..Þe fals cristen.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)307 : Þey..Holy þe heþen [vr. faitheles] here hewyn to grounde.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)550 : Waspasian in þe vale þe fanward byholdeþ, How þe heþyn her heldiþ to grounde.
2.
(a) In place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.220]; (b) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- (1226) EPNSoc.27 (Der.)33 : Hethineslawe.
- (1242) EPNSoc.13 (War.)305 : Hethin Cumpton.
- (1255) in Kökeritz PNWight32 : Hethenestrete.
- (1279) EPNSoc.6 (Sus.)236 : Etenesburieles, Etheneburyles.
- (1282) EPNSoc.27 (Der.)33 : Le Hethine Lawe.
- (1288) EPNSoc.6 (Sus.)236 : Hethenberieles.
- (1374) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)425 : Hetheneburyelse.
- (1380) in Kökeritz PNWight32 : Le Hethyngstrete.
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 45107 : Be-gynne fortene ȝerde by-nethe the pytte, than fro Collyngburn west, up to Hethenbyryell.
b
- (1317) Pat.R.Edw.II683 : Walter le Hethen.