Middle English Dictionary Entry
heu n.
Entry Info
| Forms | heu n. Also heue, hew(e, ewe, whew & hu(e, hwe, huȝe, huwe, (error) huee & (chiefly S, SM, or early) hiu, hiw(e, hiew(e, hiev, hie, (error) hif & (chiefly W, SW, or early) heou, heow(e, heouwe, heuwe, hou, howe, heau, heuȝ, heuh. Pl. hewes, etc. & heow & heo(u)wen. |
| Etymology | OE; cp. Merc. hēow, hīow, hīo; WS, Nhb. hīw. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Color; also, brightness or freshness of color; of on ~, in solid color(s; clothen in ~, to take (a lady's) colors, become her servant; (b) paint, dye, pigment; fig. a rhetorical color; (c) fig. clarity of reputation, brightness of fame.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1104 : On þam Tiwæs dæge þær æfter, ætywdan feower circulas to þam mid dæge onbutan þære sunnan hwites hiwes.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)121.104/1 : Þanne is oþer þisse ylcan wlitan wyrt, sweart on hiwe.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)39/1 : Þat he uthræcþ byþ swyþe þicce and hæfet hwyt hyw [L colore].
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)83 : Þe sunne scineþ þurh þe glesne ehþurl..and ho nimeð al swuch hou alse ho þer on uint; ȝif þet gles is red, ho schineð red.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24649 : Heo wolden of ane heowen [Otho: hewe] heore claðes habben..and alches cunnes fah clað heom wes wunder ane lað.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1658 : Constu bulden a burh..istenet euch strete mid deorewurðe stanes of misliche heowes.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)164/26 : Ȝef milc schet, þe heow [Recl.: hew] leaueð.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)152 : Whi nel tu flon in to þe bare & sewi þare unker bo Of briȝter howe [Jes-O: hewe], of uairur blo?
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)619 : Iui grene..eure stont iliche iblowe And his hou [Jes-O: heou] neuer ne uorlost.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)368/69 : In a ȝwijȝt Golioun he geth..Alle þis sixe-and-twenti ȝer..ne hit ne apeirez nouȝt of hewe [Corp-C: hiwe].
- ?c1335 Þe grace of ihu (Hrl 913)43 : As fair and briȝte as þou seest ham [the stars], Hi worþ becom as blak as cole And be of hiwe durke and wan.
- a1350 Bytuene mersh (Hrl 2253)13 : On heu hir her is fayr ynoh.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)817 : Faire floures þei founde of fele maner hewes.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3572 : Þat kud kniȝt..bereth in his blasoun of a brit hewe a wel huge werwolf, wonderli depeinted.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)705,710,711 : Þis Castel is..al depeynted wiþ-outen Wiþ þreo heowes [vr. colours] þat wel beþ sene; So is þe foundement al grene..ffor þe greneschipe lasteþ euere And his heuh ne leoseþ neuere..þat oþer heuȝ [vr. hue] So is Inde and eke Bleu.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.137 : Clothes of gold and satyns riche of hewe [vr. hue].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2699 : Lich unto the Camelion, Which upon every sondri hewe That he beholt he moste newe His colour.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1016 : The brighte sonne loste his hewe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22640 : In hu [Göt: heu] o gall it sal be kend.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)90 : Fowlez þer flowen in fryth in fere Of flaumbande hwez.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)842 : Thys Jerusalem Lombe hade neuer pechche Of oþer huee bot quyt jolyf.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)14.177 : Out of greot and of gras grewe so meny huwes.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3841 : His Skyn..lich a panter conuersant in ynde, with al maner hwys [vr. hues] and colours.
- (c1422) Hoccl.Dial.(Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)270 : A flour, To whom nature yeuen hath beautee Of fressh heewe and of ful plesant colour.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.21 : A blynd man kan nat juggen wel in hewis.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1577 : Thanne taketh the cristall stoon, ywis, Agayn the sonne an hundrid hewis, Blew, yelow, and red, that fresh and newe is.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)768 : Hym dremyd of a dragon, dredfull to beholde..Hys wombe and hys wenges of wondyrfull hewes.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.111 : The lond is good, the colour nought, perchaunce; Therfore in hew [L gloss.: colore] be no greet diligence, ffor God by His plesaunce al wol dispense.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)145 : This fals Arcite..saw another lady, proud and newe, And ryght anon he cladde him in her hewe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)605 : Ȝit ware þai set vn-samen of serelypy hewys.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)31 : The floures of mony dyuers hywe Vpon her stalkes gunne for to sprede.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)196/16 : A dredfull dragon..his shuldrys shone as the golde, and his wombe was lyke mayles of a merveylous hew.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)662 : Þo ouer seluage he schalle replye, As towelle hit were fayrest in hye.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)150 : In þat tyme was the maner so, Whan yonge knightis shuld sheldis show, Tille þe friste yere were agoo, To bere Armys of one hewe, Rede or white, yelew or bloo.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)306 : All is nat gold that shewith goldissh hewe.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2088 : Wel koude he peynte lyfly that it wroghte; With many a floryn he the hewes [vr. coloures] boghte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.195 : I ne can þe way goon To swe þe floures of his [Guido's] eloquence; Nor of peyntyng I haue noon excellence With sondry hewes noble, fresche, and gay; So riche colours biggen I ne may.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2498 : His [Mercury's] pipes..Betokeneþ eke, with many lusty hewe, Þe sugred dites, by gret excellence, Of rethorik and of eloquence.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)110/61 : And þe woll swa substancialy takes þe hewe, þat it es lik it.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.165 : Ne hadde oure elderis cerched out..The sothefast pyth..Of thinges passed, for-dirked of her hewe, But thoruȝ writyng þei be refresched newe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.254 : Ȝe may beholde in bokys The story fully rehersed new and newe, And freschely floure, of colour and of hewe, From day to day quyk & no thyng feynt.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1773 : We praie..þat ȝe wolde..stonde knyȝtly in þis werre..þat ȝour renoun to þe worldis ende Reported be..by freshness of hewe Day by day to encrese newe.
2.
(a) Color of the face, complexion; also, the face, features; color of the body; -- also pl.; ikindelich ~, natural or healthy color; (b) hide and ~, skin and complexion, skin and face; also, entirely, in every way; bi ~ ne bi hide, not at all; ~ and hide, ~ hide and her, etc.; (c) chaungen ~, to change color because of emotion or pain; blush, blanch, etc.; change (one's) color; fig. of soil: become bloodstained; ~ chaungen, of one's color: change; also fig.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)84.28/2 : He aȝifð þat ȝecundelice hif.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)18/23 : Þa wurdon þa tweȝe cnihtæs [two Ethiopian boys] al swa fæȝeres hiwæs swa heoræ fæderæs wæron.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15741 : Þe nunne beh hire hæfde adun & hire huȝe dihte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19889 : Arður sæt ful stille; ænne stunde he wes blac and on heuwe swiðe wak; ane while he wes reod and reousede on heorte.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)169/11-12 : Þe cwike rude of þe neb deð to understonden þet te sawle, þe wes bla & nefde bute dead heow, haueð icaht cwic heow [Nero: heou].
- a1275 Stod ho (Tan 169*)22 : Þi wep ne wemmede noht þin heau.
- a1300 Edi beo þu (Corp-O 59)13 : Nis non maide of þine heowe swo fair, so sschene, so rudi, swo bricht.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2918 : She is fayr so flour on tre; Þe heu is swilk in hire ler So [is] þe rose in roser.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4051 : Ðe ginge wimmen of ðin lond..brigte on hewe, on speche glad.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)4203 : In time of winter alange it is..Maidens leseþ here hewe.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)891 : Þi faire hewe is al fade for þi moche sore.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.394 : The hoote somer had maad his hewe [vrr. hiew, visage] al broun.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3255 : Ful brighter was the shynyng of hir hewe [vr. face] Than in the tour the noble yforged newe.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2738 : And with that word his hewe fadeth..And he lay ded as eny ston.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)34b/a : Blood..schediþ him in þe ouer partie of þe body & makeþ it of good colour & hiewe.
- a1400 Whanne þe ffet (Hrl 7322)5 : Þe hew ffalewetz And þe Eyȝen dasewetz.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1761 : He seȝ hir so glorious & gayly atyred, So fautles of hir fetures & of so fyne hewes.
- c1400 St.Alex.(2) (Trin-O 57)117 : He by-held þat may..Of briȝte hywe [rime: nywe].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4561 : Tantalus Of sangwyn hewe, havyng moche of red.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4946 : Pollydamas Was..Wonder strong and pale also of hewe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1154 : And thus she lith with hewes pale and grene, That whilom fressh and fairest was to sene.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)855 : Bothe were they faire and bright of hewe.
- a1425 *Trev.Barth.(Mrg M 875)114a/a : Virgo..makeþ a fayre persone, fayre yȝen, fayre face, and semely hye [read: hwe].
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1159 : That sely Dido hath now swich desyr With Eneas, hire newe gest, to dele, That she hath lost hire hewe, and ek hire hele.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)454 : Þis goodli, faire, fressh of hwe, Humble and benygne.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)284 : Elde vndire-ȝode me..And alle disfegurede my face and fadide my hewe [Add 33994: hue].
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)684 : Alle pale was hur hewe.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)1677 : His thought was all on Clarionas..how good, fayre of hewe, and womanly she was.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3071 : Swlch hit a blac cloð weoren iwærð his hude & his heowe.
- a1275 Body & S.(3) (Trin-C B.14.39)20 : Neir þu never so prud of hude & of hewe.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4665 : A lodluker damme þan sche was on, of hide & hywe, of fleche & bon, neuere no man ne y-say.
- c1390 KTars (Vrn)736 : Hit hedde boþe lymes and face..Huyde and heuh [Auch: flesche], bon and fel, And eueri lyme.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)886 : Þan bigan hir noyes al new; For sorow failed hir hide and hew.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)45/3 : Scho was ful faire of hide and hew.
- a1425 Shrewsbury Frag.(Shrw 6)7/72 : We saw him holl, hide & hewe.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)1070 : A ful gret rowthe it is of the..that so fair a body as thou art on, of hyde, of hewe, of flesch & bon, that thou schalt..ben browht so sone to a fowl endyng.
- a1450 ?Audelay An a byrchyn bonke (Dc 302)222/135 : Holde þai neuer þe pres be hew ne be hyde.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)339 : The bestes in ther kyndes knew Vnto what party thei suld repayre To hold them hole of hyd and hew.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)108 : Alle bare was the body..Nauthyr of hyde, nyf of heue [Dc: huwe], no hillyng hit had.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7360 : Þe tothir stode on his ryght syde, Rudy bathe of hewe and hyde.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.1102 : I waxe pale and wanne, bothe hide and hue [rime: eschew].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)346/221 : Man has both flesh and bone, hu, hyde, and hore thertill; sich thyng has goost none.
c
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)97/510 : Eiþer oþer sone ikneu; Boþe nuþe chaungeþ heu.
- c1300 SLeg.John (LdMisc 108)56 : Seint Iohan þare-inne sat..he ne chaungede neuer ene his hiev [Corp-C: hiu].
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)1202 : Þe tre..On woche..þat appil grewe, þat doth vs alle to chaunge hewe.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2184 : Wan Flo[rippe] y-saw þe dore vn-do, al chaungede hure hew & mod.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1647 : So ferden they in chaungyng of hir hewe [vr. hwe].
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)4210 : Whenne his fader þe kirtel knew, Soone bigon he chaunge hew.
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)582 : Ȝoure moder [Eve] so temptide he To taken an appel of þe tre..And whanne y hadde eten þerof also Sone changede oure hew.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1951 : Al sodeinly hir fresche rosen hewe Ful ofte tyme gan chaunge and renewe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.4100 : Þe grene soile chaunged hath his hewe, For it was died playnly in-to red.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3923 : Now pale and grene sche wexeþ of hir cher..Allas! chaunged is hir rosen hewe!
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3071 : Whan this lady Inly vertuous, The conpleynt herde..Of verrey pyte chaungeth cher [vr. hide] and hewe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.303 : Ne chaungeth naught for fere so youre hewe.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1865 : Thanne I anoon gan chaungen hewe For grevaunce of my wounde newe.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)1608 : The Troyens then sclow the Grues, That thei for wo chaunged thaire hewes; Thei were wounded and sore ybete, For thei were so ouersete.
- c1450(c1390) Chaucer Ven.(Benson-Robinson)30 : Now certis, Love, hit is right covenable That men ful dere abye thy nobil thing..Often to chaunge hewe and contenaunce.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3296 : What lyffe is þis, lady, to lede on þis wise?..thy hew chaunges.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)95 : Sche made hem sone chongen hewe Thorgh here wykkednesse.
3.
(a) Form, shape, physical appearance, outward appearance; (b) facial expression, demeanor; (c) guise; (d) a phantom, apparition.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)6/23 : Ðu isihst hine biduppen on ðam watere & æft up ateon mid þam ylcæ heowe þe he hæfde ærror ær þan ðe he dufe.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)82/30 : Nu beoð þa ȝesceaftæ þe þe an Scyppend iscop mislice heowes & monifealdes cyndes.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)94/19 : Alle lichamlice heow heo mæȝ on hire sylfæn hiwæn.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)104/1 : Hwilon he [the devil] sceawæð hine seluen on engles hywe & bið þeahweðere awariȝed gast swa swa he ær wæs.
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)542/42 : Forma: heow.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3337 : An enngell comm..In aness weress hewe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)12605 : Godess Gast Inn aness cullfress heowe Off heoffne cumeþþ.
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)219 : Hi alle wurðon awende of þan feȝre hiwe þe hi anȝescapen were to loðlice deoflen.
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)223 : He [the Devil] com þa anedren hiwe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19705 : Her ute sitteð six men iliche on heouwen [Otho: iliche of ewe].
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)117 : Ðo openede þe holi gost him seluen to isende bi þan þe hem þuhte shapen alse tunge fele twiselende and on fires hewe.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)310 : As ha þeos bone hefde ibeden com a kempe of helle on englene heowe.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)343 : He wið þet ilke feng to hwenden heowes ant warð swuch as he wes, vnhwiht of helle.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)16/15 : Send me þi sonde i culurene heowe [Roy: i culures iliche].
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)83/5 : Þe hali gast i culure heow [Nero: heouwe].
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)117/23 : He..scheaweð him to ou flesliche & licamliche iðe messe, biwrien þauh in oðres like under breades heouwe [Corp-C: furme].
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)150 : And þo heo hadden longe i-barnd and dede weren atþe laste..al-hole heo leien þere, Ȝwittore and wel fairore [of] heuȝ [Corp-C: heu] þane heo euere er were.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)261 : Þat on beres in his hond a cros of queynte hewe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1707 : Þenne sone watz he [Nebuchadnezzar] sende agayn..Haȝerly in his aune hwe his heved watz covered.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)896 : To þe gentyl Lombe hit arn anioynt, As lyk to hymself of lote and hwe.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)69 : First I shal teche hym for to take hym by writt al þe names of þe houndes and of þe hewis [F lisses] of þe houndes, in to þe tyme þat þe childe knowith hem both by hewe [F poil] and bi name.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6269 : If ther be wolves of sich hewe Amonges these apostlis newe.
- a1425 Heyl my lord (Hrf-C O.4.14)p.137 : Eyl! My Lord in wom Ich leue; Sothfastliche God and man, þau art vnder bredis ewe.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3528 : Men koude not perseyue by hir [Medea's] hewe Hir secre menyng.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.25 : Ȝit som while, most varriant of hewe, Sche [Fortune] vn-to somme pretendeth to be trewe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.791 : He cast fully to do some obseruaunces To myȝty Mars, sterne & ferse of hewe.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.421 : Thus spitte I out my venym vnder hewe Of holynesse.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2063 : O monstre that so subtilly kanst peynte Thy yiftes vnder hewe of stedefastnesse.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.508 : It was so wrapped..vnder hewe [vrr. hiewe, hwe, color] of trouthe.
- a1450(?1404) As þe see (Dgb 102)12 : In heuene he nys not worþi mede, Þat cloþes trouþe in falsed hewe.
d
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)1316 : I see ye do but iape; After a worthy whew hawe ye made me gape.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)2049 : But when I sy hit, hit was but a whew, A dreme, a fantasy, & a thyng of nought.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.85ra (2.14) : Vnderstond þat os Gilbert seiþ, 'vnctuositas sanguinis, splendor sanguinis, color sanguinis,' and 'flos sanguinis' (anglice: vnctuosite of þe blode, bryghtnes of þe blode, colour of þe blod, and flour or elles hewh of þe blode) ar al on.
Note: New spelling: hewh.