Middle English Dictionary Entry
họ̄ven v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | họ̄ven v.(1) Also hove, hovi, houven, howen & (N) hofe, hufe, hewen. Forms: sg. 3 họ̄veth, etc. & (N) ọ̄fes, hūfes; p. h)ọ̄vede, etc. & (N) hewed; ppl. họ̄ven. |
| Etymology | ?OE *hōfian; ?a new formation in ME based on hōf(on, p. of OE hebban. Rimes indicate occasional shortening of ọ̄. P.ppl. họ̄ven may be hōven, ppl. of hēven v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To remain suspended in the air; of birds: hover; be poised high in the air, soar; of flags: float or flutter in the air; (b) to lie protectingly (over one's young); fig. hover protectively (over sb. or sth.); also, of birds: sit on or brood(eggs or young); (c) to float; also, rise to the surface of a liquid, form a surface layer; of ships: lie at anchor.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)53 : He [the eagle] houeð in ðe sunne.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)33/127 : Þo heo [the star] cam ouer þulke place, heo houede þare ane stounde.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)605 : It [mist]..gaderez þare to one watur-cloude and houeth þare ane stounde.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1574 : We seiȝen..her aboue Ouer ous a sky houe.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)222 : Et luy fole vngle en brandele; And the fol houyth in the totur.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.32.11 : As an Egle forþ clepynge his briddys to fle & opon hem houynge [L super eos volitans], he spradde out his wyngys.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)149b/a : The kyte..is jbore vp aboue þe eire wiþ liȝt feþeres & houeþ þere as it were vnmevable.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)251 : Hovyn yn þe eyre, as byrdys [KC: as bryddys, or skyis, or other lyke]: Supervolo, supervolito.
- c1450(c1353) Winner & W.(Add 31042)143 : A banere of blake..one þe bent houes.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)215 : They [hawks] houen appon heghte as it were heuen angelles.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1490 : He sawe come houande ouer a felle Many a brade Banere.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.216 : Behynde hys bak he seeth þe cloudes houe.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.19 : Þat dowe whiche vp-on cryst dede houe [rime: love, above].
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)802/4 : As sir Bors loke over hys hede he saw a swerde..hovynge over hys hede.
- a1475 Lydg.CB (Lngl 258)224 : She..Glad that she was at large..Saide vnto him howyng [vr. houyng] aboue his hede.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.190 : Euere houed þe egle on hie on þe skyes.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)370 : The puttok come flyeng and houyd ouer the henne and hire briddes.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)302a/a : Sche [the bear]..biclippeþ þe colde whelpes..and conforteþ and liggen howuyng [Tol: lyeþ howuynge] vpon hem as briddes doon.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1427 : O nyght, allas! why nyltow over us hove [rime: Jove].
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)966 : He houed ouer a hyue, þe hony forto kepe Fro dranes.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.146 : Þe hende egle..Hasteth him in heruest to houyn his bryddis.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.50 : Anoþer proud partriche..houeth þe eyren..And with hir corps keuereth hem.
c
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)409 : So droui is te sees grund, ne mai he [the whale] wunen ðer ðat stund, oc stireð up & houeð stille.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)373 : To þis grete fischse..huy come, Þat houede ase it were a lond.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)375 : Louerd crist, þat swch a best scholde houi so stille!
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)17/23 : Þo were þere tueye schippes houende biside on þe water.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5726 : In water it [ebony] houeth eke alofte, And kyndely to þe grounde it goth, To swymme o loft..it is so loth.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)167 : Skomyn' ale, or pottys, or oþer lycoure that hovythe: Despumo, exspumo.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)251 : Hovyn yn watur, or oþer lycoure: Supernato.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)256 : A ereyn dropped oute..The chalis onkewred..waas; In he fell and þere he gan to houe.
- c1450 Wimbledon Serm.(Hat 57)33/10 : As in a tunne of wyn þe dreggys duellyn by neyn, and þe clere wyn houyþ a boþe.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)163/20 : Ye schall angle..yn oþer places wher he [read: ye] may se any fyche howvyng and fede a-bove.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)92/4 : Balynes swerde was put into a marbil stone..and hoved allwayes above the watir.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1240/14 : Faste by the banke hoved a lytyll barge wyth many fayre ladyes in hit.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)123b/a : Streyne it þoruȝ a clooþ..& gadere þe fatte þat houeþ aboue.
2.
(a) To wait in readiness or expectation; lie in wait, lurk; wait around, hang about; ~ to heste, ?await (someone's) command; (b) to remain, stay, linger; reside, ?encamp; of light: remain shining; ?of sound: resound, linger in the air; of buildings: be situated, stand; ~ stille, stay where one is; ~ on, dwell on (sth.) in thought; (c) to stop whatever one is doing; come to a standstill, halt; remain stationary, stand still; ~ stille, ~ stilliche, remain motionless, come to a stop; also, keep silent.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4468 : Moroud..In an valeye houede, þe endinge uor to abyde.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)9187 : Leodegan..Houed vnder þe cites wal.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1201 : Þe steward houed opon a stede Wiþ scheld & spere, bataile to bede.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)400 : Þe king & roulond..founde houinge þer ate Otuel, armed and idiȝt.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)489 : Now þei bouwe touward þe bente þer þis oþere houen.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3006 : This kniht..hoved and abod Embuisshed upon horse bak.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)prol.84 : Þere houide [vr. houedyn] an hundrit in houuis of silk.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.80 : Bifor pilat & other peple in þe place he [Longeus] houed.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)9/83 : viij and xl galays..With grete noumber of smale botes; All þai houed on þe flode To stele sir Edward mens gode.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.33 : With certeyn folk he hoved hire t'abide.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)1093 : Þey hoved under a linde, To se þe cours of þe hinde, Libeaus and his fere.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)52 : The Meire..Made hem hove in rengis tweyne.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1260 : He..Hufes thare with hale strenghe of haythen kyngez.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1688 : Ȝif þow hufe all þe daye, þou bees noghte delyuerede.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2010 : Oure..kynge appon the bente howes With his bataile on brede and baners displayede.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)49/2 : Alexander..houed in þe myddes waye bi-twene þe twa ostes.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)294/73 : Haste you in hye; þei houe at youre ȝates.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)770 : A Mile with-owtten Attale there houede foure kynges fre With speris in thaire hande.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2530 : Ȝoure princes a-sembles..þe men of Itaile..And ma þat houes [Dub: hewen] to ȝour hest a hundreth & fifti.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)288 : Kay held him full stille And in þe holte houes.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)32 : When he cam in þe hoost, he houed and taried til þe kyng had slept his slepe.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)489/12 : Þere they abode and hoved on horsbak vnto the Quenes comyng.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)164/9 : On that other syde saw sir Gawayne ten knyghtes that hoved and made hem redy with hir sheldis.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)485/10,11 : He mette with two knyghtes hovyng undir the woodshaw. 'Fayre kyghtes! [read: knyghtes],' seyde sir Lamerok, 'what do ye, hovynge here and wacchynge?'
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1428 : He..rode forthe there..And houedd on hys stede.
b
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)395 : Oðre fisses..cumen & houen in his [the whale's] muð.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)269/298 : Euere houede þis clere lijȝt ouer hire faire and heiȝe.
- c1300 SLeg.Virg.to Devil (Hrl 2277)54 : Þis kniȝt houede al [Corp-C: as] witles; he nuste hou he sede.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1299 : Þer Merlin houed & louȝ stille & seiȝe hou men loued schon to selle.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7146 : Wawain..dede þe best wiþ hem houe [rime: coue]..& al þe oþer toforn hem go To Camalot.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3269 : In þe nyþemest stage þanne schup he him selue to hove [rime: above].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.123 : He..was i-dryve so þat he come bytwene Aquilia and Venyse, and þere he hovede and bleynt hider and þider.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)270a/a : Houynge [L residens] in þe myddel of þe webbe, he [the spider] feeleþ sodeynliche a flye þat is in þe furþest partye þerof.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)927 : Þe[r] is a cite herbisyde þat Segor hit hatte, Here utter on a rounde hil hit hovez hit one.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20316 : Þai tok it þan for þar castelle, Þe night þaron to hofe and duelle.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20520 : Alle þe clergie and religions In halikirk þar ofes and wones.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)7665 : He drow his sword and hoved stille And fauȝt with Ector al his fille.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)86/23 : Qwhen..all waueryngis of mynde gos in-to stabylnes & now nowþer it wauyrs ne houys [L non fluctuat aut hesitat].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)377 : I sall..Stryke hym styfflye fro his stede..For all þa steryn in stour þat in his stale houys.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)312 : With Kyng Arthoure duelle wee, Þat houyn es on hyll.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)2825 : Thorow the toun as he rode, A whyle he hovede and abode Ryght a lytyl fram the toure Thare was the lady of honour.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)385 : Þis while houede the Sarazene still And called to þe kynge.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2890 : Nay, houe [Dub: hofe] þou here..vn-to my hame-come.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3260 : On þis maner made he man..ne ferme ne stable, Bot houande here a hand-qwile.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4902 : Þis hame at houes on þis hill..hat þe hous of the son.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.915 : Fy on tho hertis þat euere on suche þingis houe [rime: aboue, loue]!
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1328 : The toon rode hym vntill; The tother houedd on an hylle A lytull there besyde.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)37/461 : Now long shall thou hufe, lay in thy lyne there.
c
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)266/191 : Þare heo houede stilleliche as þei heo were with-oute breþe.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3582 : Þo he com to somersete & þe saxons ysey, He houede & spac wiþ is men þes wordes.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1273 : Þat kniȝt gan houe [vr. stode] stille so ston & herd þo wordes euerichon.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)466 : Roulond was hende..& houede oppon his stede stille; To smiten made he semblant non, Er otuwel was risen & gon.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)484 : He smot to roulond wiþ good wille, Þat ouede oppon his stede stille.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)274/22 : His knaue was weory..and bad his Mayster houe stille.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2168 : Þenne he houed & wyth-hylde his hors at þat tyde.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1447 : Sir Wawayne..houyde styll and habade, His concell to ta.
- c1440-a1500 Eglam.(Schleich)1202 : Sir, why hovys þou sa stille Amange thir knyghtis kene?
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)53.216 : Whanne he was Comen to that plas, there hovede he, and Abod A ful gret spas.
- a1450 Rich.(Cai 175/96:Weber)3927 : Kyng Richard hovyd and beheeld And devysyd hys hoost in the feeld.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2847 : Þai..halit into hauyn & houyt full stille.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3531 : Ye hastely shall here, and ye houe stille.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)825 : In þat place whare þai hewed, A meruaile hider to is proued.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)4028 : Vppon the way we hovyd and a-boode.
- ?a1500(a1475) Wright's CW (Lamb 306)624 : For to here the fowlys syng, They hovyd stylle and bode.
3.
To move onward, proceed, go; ride.
Associated quotations
- a1350 Middelerd for mon (Hrl 2253)20 : Þat liueþ on likyng out of lay, his hap he deþ ful harde on hete aȝenz he howeþ henne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1307 : Thanne hove out of mi Sonne, And let it schyne into mi Tonne.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4525 : Þo shene out of shippe shake into botes, Houit to þe bonke.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)172 : Þe Kinge..To make his howundus hardi, Houut on a stede.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)411 : Þis þat houes by my side, In wedde i wold hur lay.
- (1467-8) Statutes Ireland 3448 : Les ditz Robert Seint laurence..& aultres..one lour bateux come pirates assauterount & firent fuer lez ditz Brittons ouerauntes, videlicet hovyng iesqes al Ile de lambay oue la dit Nief.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)481/31 : A stronge myghty horse stood passyng nyghe hym..and a man hovyng and rydynge by hym, ledynge an horse lode with spearys.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)2557 : Wyth you wold I fare..ne this maydon were That houythe by my syde!
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475(a1400) Amadace (Tay 9)p.45 : Ther he wanne fulle mecul honoure, Fild and frithe, toune and towre, Castelle and riche cite; Aure that gud he houet fulle ryȝte.
Note: New spelling
Note: for 1.(b)--per SMK