Middle English Dictionary Entry
hidǒus adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | hidǒus adj. Also hidus, -os, -owes(se, -ois, -es, -ewes, -eous, -ious, -ws, -wes, -wisse, idous, hiddous, -owus & hedous, -us, -oes, -ewes, -eowes, -eous, -ious & hudous, hudyȝs, hodous; comp. hidouser, hidousher. |
| Etymology | OF hisdos, hisdus, hidous, hideus, hudus. ME senses 2 & 3 are often hard to distinguish from 1. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Terrifying, horrible, dreadful; (b) hideous to see or hear; frightening, horrible, repulsive; ~ til heringe, ~ til (bi) sight, ~ to biholden (sen, heren), ~ to loken (sen) on; (c) detestable, ?cursed [cp. Mat. 21.19; Mk.11.13-4, 20-1]; (d) morally loathsome, odious.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)32/883 : Draȝ into mende þet hydous siȝt Of deade men a bere.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)161/9 : Me yziȝþ þe greate tormens hidouse an eurelestinde of helle.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)p.186 : He fonde hym in londe forsaken, in hidous stede [L in loco horroris].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1744 : Icham a-grise..to se so hidous a siȝt of ȝoure semli face.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4435 : Þe Sarsyn was an hudous man, By-twyne ys to browen was a span largeliche of brede..Nas neuer ȝut so lodly man.
- c1390 Maidstone PPs.(Vrn)88 : Þou make hit sene..þat hidous [vr. hidowes] hewe.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1419 : But yn þe watyr, þat was hydus [F huduse], Stynkyng, blak, & merueylus, y say moche folk falle þerynne.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.326 : Þe kyng did mak right ȝare an hidous [F orrible] engyn.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3502 : To þis monstre, so hidous & so loþe, He went a pas.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1978 : And þare he herd a hydose cry.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Heb.10.31 : It is hidous [L horrendum est] to falle sodeynly in to þe handys of god lyuande.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2911 : Þe devels er swa foul and ydous.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)39/6 : Sche herd so hedows a melodye þat sche mygth not ber it.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)23/5 : Ther fley out the graue as it wer the hed of a forschapyn beste, foul and hodous [?read: hedous].
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)71/21 : Þere þou schalt see..foule stormes & tempestes, routynge ydouse deueles.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)220 : Þe fynde..hedoes was of hiere.
- 1451-1500 Tundale (Wagner)473 : Tundale..had herde þat hedewes crye.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)800/28 : Sir Bors was ware where cam in an hedyous lyon.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)64a : Hydws [Monson: Hidus]: horridus, horificus, tremolus, etc.; vbi vgsom.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)1213 : The passage that men passyn hys hedyous and oryble.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)7/29 : Þen anon com a hydewes þondyr þat made all hom aferde.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)224/15 : That they mowe..be relesid of here bondes of synnes and be delyuered fro that hydous fyre.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1978 : First on the wal was peynted a forest..With knotty knarry bareyne trees olde Of stubbes sharpe and hidouse [vr. petous] to biholde.
- a1400 Thrugh grace (Hrl 1022)41 : Helle is hedus on to se.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4773 : It sal be hydus til mans heryng.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)158 : Ful hidous was she for to sene.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)15/32 : Þou se me hidouse & horrible to loken onne [Mandev.(2): so vggly ne so hidous til his sight; F hideux a voiere].
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)17/6 : Þere fleygh out an Eddere right hidous to see.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3773 : An hydous best was hit by sight.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1250/8 : He landed with seven kyngis, and the numbir was hedeous to beholde.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2043 : So mykelle folke to hym gon fare, Hydous it was hys oste to see.
- a1500(?c1400) EToulouse (Cmb Ff.2.38)90 : Full hedeous hyt was to here.
c
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1353 : Of fruyt hadde euery tree his charge, But it were any hidous tree [F arbres hideus], Of which ther were two or three.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Pseudo-F.(Dub 245)307 : Þise ben heruest trees wiþoute fruyt, twyes deed, & þe rootis ben drawen up; & þus þei ben hydous trees.
d
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.25.13 : He..haþ purged þe ydous synne [vr. hidows synne; L scelus] of þe sonys of Irael.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.10.9 : Than the auerous man no thing is more ful of hydous gilte [L scelestius].
- a1400 Wycl.MPl. (Add 24202)54 : This pleyinge of myraclis now on dayes is werre witnesse of hideous ceveytise, that is maumetrie.
- a1425(a1400) Ihesu þat hast (Wht)31 : For schame of ther hydouse [vr. hiddous] crye Þat walden of þe haue no mercy.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)450 : Now is þe kyng ful of mercy Brouȝt at abay with hides cry.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)309/71 : Youre aunsweres is hedouse and hatefull to here.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)46/4 : Þe last [form of lechery] is so foule and so hidous þat [it] scholde not be nempned.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)163/111 : To slo hym were pyte, And a full hedus syn.
2.
(a) Great, extreme, intense, severe; (b) violent, fierce; (c) loud, noisy.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.27.33 : Ysaac wex adred in a hydouse [WB(2): greet] stonying.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)45/10 : So schuld we do..make hidous & wonderful sorow for oure synnes.
- (1432) RParl.4.417b : To grete losse and disavaille yerly of right grete notable soumes to oure Liege Lorde, grete and hidous losse, abatyng and hyndryng of the saide Havenes, and grete discomfort of the saide Marchauntz.
- (1433) ?Phillip Serm.GF (BodLTh d.1)253 : Þis was a hudyȝs hurtyng.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10014 : Troiell..With mony hidious hurt harmyt hom mekill.
- c1450 *Bonav.Medit.(4) (MSU 1)69 : Schee behelde dwlfully þe woundes of hys handis, þe hedus wounde of hys syde.
- 1451-1500 Tundale (Wagner)43 : Hys sowle was in a dredefull way, Ther as hit sawe mony a hydwysse payne.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)17 : All the wemen..rane away for the hidos fere of tho boistous and merciles men of armes.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)385 : 'Sawe thou,' she saide, 'what payne they had?' He saide, 'Yee, an hideouse payne.'
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)118/58 : Thyse weders ar spytus..the frostys so hydus thay water myn eeyne.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.14.21 : Þe lord toke it away, blowyng a hydouse [L vehementi] wynde.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 38.25 : Who ȝaf to the most hidous weder cours, and weie of the sounende thunder?
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3520 : This world..Shal al be dreynt so hidous is the shour.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.606 : Þat hidous tempest make hem nat to sterue.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)83/3 : In somer be all þo contrees fallen many tempestes & many hidouse [Mandev.(2): grete] thondres & leytes.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)112/22 : Sodeynly þare come a thonnere & a leuennynge & ane erthedoun riȝte a hedous.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)1487 : Hyt ys blowe..Wyth hydowesse wynde and tempaste grette.
- a1500 Listenythe nowe & (Dgb 88)76 : That yere shall be harde wynter & stronge, And many hedous wyndes Emonge.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)144/18 : The good knyghtes..held ham al stylle for to awayty al soft what endynge such hyddous [Rwl: grete] stormes wold ham.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.50.10 : Holdyng þe offycez for the deede with grete weylyng & hydous [WB(2): strong].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4583 : So hydous was the noyse..Iakke Straw and his meynee Ne made neuere shoutes half so shrille.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6366 : Make an hydous schout.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4314 : The noyse, hydousher [vrr. hydowser, more hidous] than thonder, Of gonneshot..So loude out-ronge.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)13.610 : It semed..Al A forest hadde borsten..So hidous was the Noise & so ful of wonder.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)4175 : An hedeowes noyce he made; Hit was non þat slept so faste That they ne wakyd at the laste.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)3/1,11 : Þe cloppys of þe see schull..make roryng noyse so hyddous, þat no man can tell hit but God hymselfe..all stons and rockes schull vche all tobeton oþer wyth a hydwes noyse.
- c1500 King & H.(Ashm 61:Hazlitt)519 : With syȝeng and sorowyng sore, They cryȝed and blew with hydoys bere.
3.
(a) Great in size, huge, enormous; (b) mighty, glorious.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.526 : Þe whiche fest..I-halwed was þe space..With many flawme and many hydous liȝt, þat brent enviroun in þe seintuarye.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.2584 : Thei passe mounteyns & many hidous roche.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)239 : Hydows [vr. hiddowus, or gret]: Immanis, immensus.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)13.646 : A gret Ax took he..Riht A merveillous tool & an hidous.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4862 : Þare was so hedous & so hoge hillis þam beforn.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5236 : Þan caires he furthe..vp at a cliffe wyndis, A hidous hill & a hiȝe.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.33.26 : Þour þe hydous doynge [WB(2): glorie; L magnificentia] of hym, to & fro rennyn þe cloudys.
4.
As adv.: frightfully, ?copiously; ~ chered, repulsive in appearance.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1423 : Þe rede blood raylyng al aboute Vp-on þe pleyn, so hydous þei blede.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)859 : Hydous-chered and vggely forto see.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Removed repeated line ("a1400 Medit.Pass.(2) 450: Now is þe kyng ful of mercy Brouȝt"), third quot. under sense 1.(d), artifact of print MED, and replaced it with correct stencil and quot.--JL