Middle English Dictionary Entry
hē̆vī n.
Entry Info
| Forms | hē̆vī n. Also hevȝ. |
| Etymology | From adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The quality of weight, that which is heavy, heaviness; (b) physical affliction, illness.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)95/440 : Tuei gegges þe cupe bere, And for heuie wroþ hi were.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)332b/b : Þough boþe light and heuy be y-cleped weighte..ȝit by þe comune spekynge weighte and heuynesse is al one, for þinges þat moueþ dounward beþ y-cleped weighty for here heuynesse.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)380 : Nature..That hot, cold, hevy, lyght, moyst, and dreye Hath knyt by evene noumbres of acord.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)95/18 : Þe thyne tempred togedir with þe thykke, and heuy with light, & hoote with cold.
b
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)260/132 : He stod and bi-heold þis selie man, a Musel as he wende; Sone so ore louerd it wolde, is hevȝ bi-gan a-mende.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Prayer Leonard (LdMisc 683)26 : Blissed Leonard..Sobre & appese suych folk as falle in furie To trist and heuy do mytygacyoun.
Note: New sense