Middle English Dictionary Entry
humble adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | humble adj. Also umble, h)umbele, h)umbil, houmble, unble, humbli & homble, hombil & humel, humil(l)e. |
| Etymology | OF h)umble, humle. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of persons: humble; ?also, obedient, loyal; ~ folk, people of low degree; ~ servaunt, ~ lege, etc.; (b) with ~, herte, humbly, respectfully, obediently; with ~ honde, humbly, submissively; (c) of actions, behavior, manner, purpose, voice, etc.: meek, lowly, respectful, reverent; gon an ~ pas, to live abjectly; (d) of animals: docile, submissive; (e) of things: plain, unpretentious, lowly; of literary style: crude.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)218/120 : His grace maked of þo euele manne good man, of þe orgeilus umble, of þe lechur chaste.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.131 : She ful deuout and humble [vr. homble] in hir corage.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.760 : Humble folk ben Cristes freendes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1936 : But we that humble [vrr. vmble, humyle] been, and chaast and poore.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.824 : I neuere heeld me lady ne maistresse, But humble seruant to youre worthynesse.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Jas.4.6 : God aȝeynstondeþ proude men & ȝeueþ grace to humel men [L humilibus].
- (1414) RParl.4.22b : Oure soverain Lord, youre humble and trewe lieges..bysechyn on to youre riȝt riȝtwesnesse, [etc.].
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1487 : I, youre humble [vr. owene] servant and youre knyght.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.128 : Tellyng his tale alwey, this olde greye, Humble [vr. Humbele] in his speche, and in his lokyng eke.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)2 Cor.10.1 : I am hombyl [L humilis] or meke among ȝou.
- (1450) Paston2.120 : Piteuously compleyneth youre humble, trewe, obeisantes Comunes of this youre nobile reaume.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)57/16 : And al in entente and hope to be holde þe more of and for to be preised þe more and þe more vmble [Ayenb.: boȝsam].
- (1471) Paston (Gairdner)5.103 : Your humbylest servaunt, J. of Gelston.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)99 : Youre humbylle legys wylle submythem to doen..alle maner of thynge.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)122/21 : He was of hey nourtoure..Wyse, sotille, humbile.
b
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.397 : They setten hem adoun With humble [vr. meke] herte.
- (c1391) Gower CA Suppl.(Hnt EL 26.A.17)324/3307 : Behold and deme mi querele, With humble herte I thee beseche.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.949 : She with humble [vr. houmble] herte..Cam at his heste.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.526 : He was accorded..With humble herte and hool intencioun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.7099 : Þis ferþe boke..I haue compiled With humble hond.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1499 : With humble, trewe, and pitous herte..mercy I yow preye.
c
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2219 : And doun he kneleth and, with humble [vr. vmble] cheere And herte soor, he seyde as ye schal heere.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2226 : And taak myn humble prayere at thyn herte.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2241 : She in ful humble [vr. vnble] wise..seide hym thise wordes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2183 : This lord goth thanne an humble pas, That whilom proud and noble was.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4036 : Oure liege lord, we thee beseche That thou receive oure humble speche.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.186 : And they with humble entente buxomly Knelynge vpon hir knees ful reuerently.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.1087 : O which a pitous thyng it was to se Hir swownyng, and hir humble voys to heere.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.42 : He felle dovn on his kne And made his preyer in his paynym wyse To the goddes with humble sacrifyse.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)277 : For humble speche wiþ glad contenaunce May a prynce sothly mor avaunce Among his puple.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.124 : She hym thonked with ful humble [vrr. vmble, humbly] chere.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.341 : Yilde thou humble preieres an heygh.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)414 : With hed enclyned and with ful humble cheere, This royal tersel spak.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)149 : Hire bekes gonnen meete, Yeldyng honour and humble obeysaunces To love.
- (1461) Grant Arms in Hrl.Soc.77 (Add 14295)192 : To all gentilmen & women theise present letters hearing or seeing, humble recommendacion by me, Guyan King of Armes.
- (1472) Grant Arms in Antiq.49289 : To alle Nobles and gentilles..William Hawkeslowe..sendeth humble and due Recommendacion.
- (?1473) Stonor1.131 : I recomaund me unto your good fadyrhod in the most umbylle wyse that I kan.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)810 : Ȝelde me nethyr golde nor tresure, but yowur humbyll obeysyance.
- a1500 GLitany (Dc 42)128 : By thi humylle and meke conuersacion that thou hadde in erthe..haue mercy on vs.
d
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.296 : Firste he moste..with thise bolys fiȝt, And hem venquysche..And make hem humble as any oxe in stalle.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3317 : For þo in hem was no rebellioun, But humble and meke & redy at his wille.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)394 : It [the sheep] is the humble best.
e
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3862 : By wisdom, manhede, and by greet labour, From humble [vr. homble] bed to roial magestee, Vp roos he Iulius the conquerour.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Rom.12.16 : Fele ȝe to-gedere in-to þe same þinge, noȝt saferynge hyȝe þinges, but assentynge to humel þinges [L humilibus].
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1355 : O eyen clere, It weren ye that wroughte me swich wo, Ye humble [vr. vmbele] nettes of my lady deere!
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6148 : And certeynly, sikerest hidyng Is undirnethe humblest [F la plus humble] clothing.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7272 : I ne speke in no such wise That men shulde humble abit dispise.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.102 : I see the besi remembryng..Stories of pryncis..Be humble stile set in pleyn langage, -- Nat maad corious be non auauntage Of rethoriques.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)97/13 : Who-so wole lerne þis clergie, hym bihoueþ become meke and vmble as a child.
Note: adj.as noun: Cf. milde for examples, ?per CP