Middle English Dictionary Entry
hōl(e n.(3)
Entry Info
| Forms | hōl(e n.(3) Also (?error) whele. |
| Etymology | From hōl(e adj.(2). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The entire body or company of persons; ~ of hem, all of them; (b) a thing as a unit, the whole, entirety; a complete or perfect thing; (c) the full amount of property; full measure of love; (d) in (the) ~, altogether; wholly, completely, in total; on ~, ?all of the time, everywhere.
Associated quotations
a
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)90b : Ȝif..a party of his oost haþ þe victorie and a part fleeþ..his [the leader's] studefast and his bolde abidinge may resounably chalange þe victorie of þe hole.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)1317 : Euere louer of louȝ & heiȝ degre Gan Venus pray..That hool of hem þe loue may perseuere Wiþ-oute ende.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)118 : How knowyste prolempcis? A figure by the whych men diuiden a noun that by-tokenyth the hole by the singuler or by the plurell.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.3006 : Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool, That euery part diryueth from his hool.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)208a/b : A tre is y-bounde to þe erþe and haþ no moeuynge of itself, noþer al þe hole nouþer of parties þerof.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)10b/a : Euery parte of hem [compownede membres] kepeþ noght þe resoun of þe hole [*Ch.(1): of alle; L totius].
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)151 : The parti of a thing mai be clepid vnder and bi the name of his hool, as that men seien thei han lyued xl wynteris, meenyng therbi that thei han lyued fourti ȝeeris.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.175 : Of þinges skars and diminute Nature ne took noght hire produccioun, Bot of a hoole, complet and absolute Fro all defaut and diminucioun.
- (?1461) Paston (Gairdner)4.12 : A man may her be the halfe qwat the hole menyth.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)11b/b : These forseid lijk & symple membris, as wel spermatik as not spermatik, in to how euere so litil sensible parties þei ben departid, ech partie of hem ys of liche kynde to his hole & is y-callid þe name of his hole, as euery partie of boon is a boon.
- a1500 Abbrev.Elucid.(Pen 12)34/12 : The providence of God is the whele [?read: whole] of the hie wisedom of the whele [?read: whole] Trinitie by the whiche euery Person beholdith and seithe all thing that byne paste & byn to com presently.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4451 : If..That for the hole I mihte have half, Me thenketh I were a goddeshalf.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)201/9 : Ȝyf þou ȝyue counseyl to takyn..wrongfully oþeres good..& be þi counseyl þat wrong is don in-dede, þou art bounde to restore þe hole.
d
- (1432) Let.Christ Ch.in Camd.n.s.1911 : The somme of all the arrears in hool drawyth..to lxx lb. viij d.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)2029 : The hede [of the club] was of harde stele, Twelue stone weghte Þer was iryn in the wande, Ten stone of the lande, And one was byhynde his hande..Þer was thre and twenty in hale.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)15872 : Bryan folewede him ay on hool.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)202/14 : Þou art bounde to restore þat thefte in þe hole.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)88/14 : To the which payment and couenaunte..Iohn and Robert bounde them-self and euerych of them in the hole.
2.
(a) Health; remedy, cure; (b) happiness, prosperity; luck, fortune; ille (wrother) ~, bad luck; non ~, no luck, unlucky; (c) salvation; (d) savior.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17755 : Lauerd nu þu scalt a-fon of þissen drinchen ane dæle, þat scal beon þin hale [Otho: heal].
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)29/1 : Na þing ne mai ðe ȝelimpen ne to-cumen..ne on hale ne on unhale.
- a1200 PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)202 : Nare noman elles dead ne sic ne unsele, Ac mihte libbe afremo a blisse and an hale.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)4605 : He..þongede..seynt Ede þat he so gode hole hurre y-ȝeue þo hadde.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)9372 : Abide, traitour..Wroþer hole þou Rion seiȝe.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)26/560 : Hit nis non hale To leue stepmoderes tale.
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)35/12 : He..bi tauȝt hir þe kniȝt..To kepe þat leuedi ariȝt Wiþ blisse and wiþ euerliche hale [rime: tale].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)275/563 : Now ylla hale was he borne.
c
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)69/18 : Non godes word upp ne mai springen..ne of his riche ne of his saule hale.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)85/6 : Hit is þin wille ðat ic ðe loc ofrin mote, ðe to wurdscipe and me to hale.
d
- ?c1250 Ar ne kuthe (Gldh)17 : Al-micti, that wel lictli of bale is hale and bote, Heuene king.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4905 : Ful ilhale did yee þat dede.
Note: New comb.: il ~, unfortunately.