Middle English Dictionary Entry
hurt n.
Entry Info
| Forms | hurt n. Also ihurt. |
| Etymology | Cp. hurten v. Also cp. OF (14th-century) hurt, from Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A wound, an injury; also, disease, malady; also, the loss of a member, maiming [last quot.]; (b) sorrow, vexation; lovesickness; (c) spiritual injury, injury to the soul.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1837 : Heo leopen to Brutus folke, þer heo hurtes duden [Otho: harmes hi wroþte].
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)53/570 : As þah ha nefde nohwer hurtes ifelet.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)61/15 : For eauer se flesch is cwickre, se þe reopunge þrof & te hurt is sarre; Alutel hurt [Nero: ihurt] i þe ehe derueð mare þen deð a muchel i þe hele.
- a1250 Lofsong Lefdi (Nero A.14)207 : Ich bide þe and biseche þe..bi þe herde hurtes and þe unwurðe wowes ðet he for us sunfule willeliche þolede.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4618 : And so forth with hise hurtes grene..He rod.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.471 : And herbes shal I right ynowe fynde To heele with youre hurtes [vrr. hurt, hirtes] hastily.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.8601 : Many ryuer..Ran her and þer of her hortis sore.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3525 : He smet hym þoruȝ þe side, Þat of þat hurte..He felte wel þat he muste deye.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)253 : Hurte, or hurtynge: Lesio, lesura.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12401 : He ne lefte for swerd ne oþer hirt þat he vntil Arthur stirt.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3535 : To wyrche vp herre werk he ȝaff hem space; & hadden herre hele, to make þat shrene wt-ouȝt mayme or herte.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)199 : Worþy, wemlese God..Sende me hele of my hurt [vr. desese].
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)30/5 : Gryfflet..bade hym mownte uppon that horse and revenge his hurtis.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)125a/a : If þer be oonly hurt of skyn wiþouten lost of substaunce ouþir hurt of þe scolle, þanne þou schalt cure it þus.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)66a : A hurte [Monson: an Hurte]:..lesio, lesura, lesurus [Monson: lesiuus], liuor.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)829 : Hys hurtus has hym so y-deryd He has byn gretely afferyd.
- a1500 Play Sacr.(Dub 652)562 : Syr, þe hurt of yowr hand ys knowen full ryfe.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8178 : Euielin wes swiðe sari..þa wes his hurte æðe.
- c1450(c1393) Chaucer Scog.(Benson-Robinson)28 : Cupide..wol nat with his arwes been ywroken On the, ne me, ne noon of oure figure; We shul of him have neyther hurt ne cure.
c
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)146/19 : Þu..wundest te wið salue; þi salue hit is ȝef þu hit luuest aȝein sawle hurtes.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6521 : But as gret hurt, it may so be, Hath a soule in right gret poverte As soule in gret richesse.
2.
(a) Financial loss; (b) a wrong; (c) law a violation of honor, an impairment of authority; violation of a privilege or a privileged place.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1450) in Scrope Castle Combe [OD col.]258 : Hit is a yerly hurte unto my seid lorde of iiijor marks.
- (1452) Lin.DDoc.62/13 : I wol..that the said summes be payed by myn Executours with owte any Interupcion and hurt of the said persones.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.162/11 : Owr ffrendes comyng Bitwene, couetyng to avoyde þe hurtes of stryves..haue iacordid In-to this maner.
- (1467) LRed Bk.Bristol1.18 : We..understande that hit schold be unto the seid Burgeises of Ludlowe grete hurte and grevaunce.
- (1474) Paston (Gairdner)5.211 : Myn oncle thowte that shold be by weye of chevyshanse and to myn horte.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)45/16 : That they satisfye & make good to hym thorow whose londys they make her cundyt for the harmys..for his hurt in the defaute of reparacion of the same.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)121 : He [the king] may not put ffrom hym possescions necessaries for his owne sustenance, than yff he myght put ham ffrom hym, and aliene the same to his owne hurte and harme.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27736 : A wreth þare rises..Hurtes grett and sclander and tene.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)11/6 : Itt is grete hyrt to all Cristendome of the dethe of the kyng.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)326/10 : She resseyved hym uppon suffyciaunte surete so that all her hertys were well restored of all that she coude complayne.
- a1500 In the lende (BodHrn 42)19 : Than by stryff & gret dyvysyon Þat Englysshe peple schall falle Inne, To endeless hurte & fowle confusyon, Þen dolefulle dedys schall be-gynne.
c
- a1475 Legal Gloss.Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)21 : Mundebryche: that is to sey on frensshe blesmure de honneire, on Englyshe, hurte of worschepe; Borughebriche is..In englische hurt of Court or of cloos.
- ?a1475 Legal Gloss.Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)95 : Mony wordes..nede an exposicion, as Mundebriche, hurte of maieste [L læsio majestatis], in Frenche, Blesmur de honour; Burbriche, a hurte of liberte [L læsio libertatis], in Frenche, Blesmur de court, ou de clos.
3.
(a) Stumbling; bumping, collision; (b) a cause of stumbling or error.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12967 : For written it es, 'he sal þe send Angels for to þe defend, To ber þe tuix þair handes sua Wit-vten hurt o fote or ta, Noþer to spurn on tre ne stan.'
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)66a : A hurte: Collisio.
b
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)70b : Hirte. Be ȝe wiþoute hirtynge to iewis & to heþene.
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)74b : Hurte, loke in hirte.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. hurt.