Middle English Dictionary Entry
i n.
Entry Info
| Forms | i n. Also j, y. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The ninth letter in the alphabet; the symbol used to indicate the high-front vowel sound; the sound of the vowel 'i'; (b) the ninth in a series; (c) iota, a very small quantity; (d) abbreviation for L id est; (e) in poetic refrains.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.35v : Modirwort: Lewed folk þat in manye wordes conne no ryȝt sownyng, but ofte shortyn wordes & changyn lettrys & silablys, þey coruptyn þe 'o' into 'u' & 'd' into 'g' & syncopyn, i. smytyn awey 'i' & 'r' & seyn 'mugwort.'
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)2.3.217 (f.32va; p.97) : Somtyme þise synow endeþ in þe myddes of þe tunge, & þan he mai noght wel bring forth þis letter, 'I' -- and þan is eyþer of þo synowes called 'stancus,' þe stanccy, or elles þe stamerer.
- a1425 *Tit.Alphabet (Tit D.18)9a : Alphabetum Anglicum: h, uhe; i; k, ca.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)178a/a : Medicinez biginnyng by J.J.J..jsopus [*Ch.(2): ysope]..jpericon [*Ch.(2): ypericon].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)79 : Quere plura vocabula similem sonum istis habencia in S litera, ubi I vel Y sequitur hanc literam S immediate.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)84b : Thy scheltrun is so y-schote to-gidre in lengþe like to þe long lettrure of þe a. b. c. þe whiche is clepe I.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)175/1 : She cleped a clerke & tolde hym þe lettirs, þat were a, i, o, l and asked what þey betokenyd; þan hee..answeryd þat þey signifyed aiol.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)107 : Whenne ther is a propre name endyng in jus, the vocatyf schall' ende in j..The genityf singuler endyth in is, the datyf in j.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)111 : How knowyste the fourthe coniugacion? That at hath an j longe by for the re or ri in the infinityf mode, as audire uel audiri.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)115 : Whenne I haue thys lettre j comyng to fore a participle, thenne I schall' haue a participle of the tyme that is a go endyng in tus or sus.
b
- (1421) in Hist.Essays Tait211 : Inventarium librorum..I..[Summa dictaminis of Thomas of Capua].
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.5.18 : Til heuen and erthe passe, oon i [L jota], that is leste lettre, or titil, shal nat passe fro the lawe.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Mat.5.18 : To þat heuene & erþe passe, an i ne a tytyl schal not passe fro þe lawe.
d
- c1175 Stw.57 Gloss.(Stw 57)411 : Qu, i. uace.
- a1300 Hrl.978 Vocab.(Hrl 978)554/3 : Artimesie, i. mugwrt, i. materherbarum.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)107a/b : Attentuate, i. made þynne.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)155b/b : Inanycioun, i. dwynynge, and replecioun, i. fulnesse.
e
- a1400 Of thes frer mynours (Cleo B.2)5,11,23 : With an O & an I, þai praysen not seynt poule..With an O & an I, Men wenen þat þai wede..With an O & an I, why shuld þai not be shent?
- c1400 I herd an harping (BodDon c.13)5,11,29 : With an o & an I his carpynge is ful hende..with an o & an I, þis is of lettres foure..with an o and an I, X of life is leche.
- ?a1425 Luke in his lesson leres to (RwlPoet 175)p.285 : Wiþ ane O & ane I, sothly þou sall Consayue a child.
- ?a1425 Luke in his lesson leres to (RwlPoet 175)p.286 : Wiþ ane O & ane I, to neuen es þare noght Vnmyghtfull to god þat þis world wroght.
- a1450 Erliche in þe morwenyng (Cai 175/96)p.312 : Wiþ an O and an I, Jesus my lemman, Woo forbled is þy body.
- a1450 Godys sone þat (Dc 126)49 : Wiþ an O and an I, Ich am on of þo þat þy sone bouȝte dere.
- a1450 When adam delf (Cmb Dd.5.64)11,23 : With E & I, I rede for-þi þou thynk apon þies thre..With I & E, syker þow be þat þi secutowrs Of þe ne wil rek.
- a1475 How GWife Pilgr.(Brog 2.1)5 : Witt an O and an Y, seyd hit ys full ȝore, That lothe chylde lore behowytt.
- a1500 Salamon sat (Cmb Gg.1.32)28 : With an O & an J, he is haldyn wyce.
- a1500 Thynke man qware off (Cmb Gg.1.32)9 : With an O & and I [vr. an O and an J], thynk on hym, I rede.
2.
(a) The Roman numeral for one; -- used alone and to form other numerals; (b) the number ten (Greek iota).
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Seox hundred wintra & iii & hund seofenti wintra.
- (1222) Domesday Bk.St.Paul in Camd.6972 : ij gallinas..j fotaver.
- (1341-2) Sacrist R.Ely 2117 : In viij fathopes, viij d.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5223/16 : Pro ij barellis et j hoogeshed.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)184/16 : Seþe alle þes in iij li. of watir til it come to j li.
- (c1422) Invent.Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.12204 : j par belwys, j ferforke, j fersouyl.
- (1438) Will York in Sur.Soc.4595 : De j pari galowes de ferro, xij d.
- (1447) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.14 : Itm., for j byll of scharge..iiij d..Itm., for ij lode tymbyr.
- (1450) Paston2.146 : The Duke of Suffolk come unto the costes of Kent full nere Dower with his ij shepes..And soo he, with ij or iij of his men, wente forth.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)159/4,7,10 : Þer be vj maner of anglyng..The iiijth..with a lyne of j or ij herys batyd with a flye.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15161 : Item, of Nycholas Browne j spon weighing iij quarters of an vnce.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.37b : xiiii persones..brake uppe his dores.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)113a/b : Waische þe wounde wel ech day ij wiþ þe iuys of ribwort.
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)p.125 : Iij heddelyse men playd at ball; I heddelyse man seruit them all.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4312 : Þe firrste staff iss nemmnedd I & tacneþþ tale off tene.