Middle English Dictionary Entry
hī(e n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | hī(e n.(2) Also hij, hiy, high(e, hiȝ(e, hih(e & hei(e, hegh, heȝe, heiȝ(e. |
| Etymology | From hīen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Haste, hurry; haven ~, to be in a hurry, hasten; with ~, in haste, with alacrity; (b) in (on, an) ~, at once, immediately, quickly, very soon; (c) speed, rapidity; in (an, on, with) ~, swiftly, speedily, fast; (d) ?activity, busyness.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2686-9 : Sannte Marȝe for Wiþþ mikell hih þatt weȝȝe &..uss birrþ aȝȝ wiþþ mikell hih, Wiþþ mikell ȝeorrnfullnesse, Follȝhenn & fillenn all þat gaþ Till ure sawle bote.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)1426 : Him to awreke he haþ gret hy.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)4062 : To socour Gij þai han gret hye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.864 : Thei drawe, so that overronne Thei have, under the cercles hihe, Al Middelerthe in such an hye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.913 : The king ne wolde noght bewreie The conseil for no maner hihe, Bot soffreth til he time sihe.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)4284 : Why haþ þe prest swych hy?
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5279 : Þenne returned Cesar wiþ hye To Romeward after his victorie.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)9532 : I haue grete high; Toward Ynde I most nede.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)1.1 : He hastid him til heuen as he dos that has swa gret hegh [vr. hy] on his way that he settis his egh on noght that he sese til he come thare.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)760-66 : Tristrem, al in heiȝe, Bifor þe king cam he..Þider fare wil y..To fiȝt wiþ morgan in hy.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)786 : He dede him han on heye Þe fairest þat he fand.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)263 : His men axed him on hy Whi þat he was so sori.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4954 : Þow mowe come wyþ þyn host & fiȝte with hem an-hye.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2979 : He cam at his comandement in hye.
- c1390 NHom.Virg.to Devil (Vrn)6 : But he spendet so largely, þat in pouert he fel in hih.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.209 : He..charged hem in hye [vr. hihe] To shapen..remedye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.227 : He made non delaiement Bot goth him home in alle hihe.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Abp.& N.(Phys-E)p.90 : This folc bigan to grat and cry And bad him turn Igain in hey [vr. hiȝe].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2605 : Agar was made wit child in hi [Frf: hye; Göt: hiy].
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)181 : Ercules..lad hur to shipp, and þat on hyȝe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)245 : As al were slypped vpon slepe, so slaked hor lotez in hyȝe.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)2513 : Unto himself he sayd in hy And prayed to God almyghty.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1385 : The whiche frendes ferventliche hym preye To senden after more, and that in hie [rime: jupartie].
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)102/29 : Crucifi Him on þe cros; dispoyle we Him in hye!
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)166 : Now er they herberde in hey & in oste holden.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)453 : The knyghte ansuers in hy [Cmb: an hy], 'He sall þe bargan haby.'
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)436 : That they come to hym on hye [vrr. in hey, an highe].
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.879 : She must be wedded, þis mayde, and þat in hie.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)148/74 : Lete us go fforthe fast on hye.
- c1450(a1400) Chev.Assigne (Clg A.2)326 : Thenne thei styrte vp on hy with staloworth shankes.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)300 : To hur he ranne all in hye.
c
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)6168 : Þe Sarrazins kest a gret cri & fleiȝe oway wiþ gret hy.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)553 : Þe hauberk he to-rente, Fram þe hepe bon an heiȝ, Þat alle þe pece out fleiȝ.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)62/1344 : And ȝhe stert in wel an hiȝe [rime: crie] And sschitte þe dore.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1240 : In-to þe chambre sche sterte anheȝe, rennyng as sche wer wod.
- c1390 11 Pains(3) (Vrn)61 : As ffissches þey were in þat flod þo, Todus, Neddres, Snakes, mony mo, And þe synful soules in hiȝ Eten and gnowen wiþ-outen merci.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16112 : At þir wordes come a man rinnand fast in hij.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1350 : To þe palays he com on hyȝ [LinI: in hy].
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)433 : With my stede he went in hy Þe same way þat he come by.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ecclus.16.7 : Fier schal brenne an hiȝ [L exardebit] in the synagoge of synneris, and yre schal brenne an hiȝ [L exardescet] in a folk vnbileuful.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3591 : To Bialacoil thanne wente in hy Fraunchise.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)877 : He thedyr cam jn ful gret hye as faste as myht gon.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7783 : Ector..Bade hom hast hom in hygh and his horse take.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)335 : To land thei hast in hye.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)11296 : And, when þey had ete and dronke in hye, Harrowde askyd..What hur lordys name ys.
d
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)76/31 : Þer days in vanite þa wast, & þer ȝeris in hy [L festinacione].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2255 : To euene heiȝ comen boþe.
Note: Sense (c) - this is the only ex. with to prep. (Add to b.f. list in phr.)--per MJW.