Middle English Dictionary Entry
ich pron.
Entry Info
| Forms | ich pron. Also īch, jch, iche, icche, hich, ic, hic, (early) ihc, ichc, ichs, ics, (error) ihic & ī, j, hi, hij, (early) ih, ig, (late) a & (EM & N) ik, ike & (?errors) is, his. |
| Etymology | OE ic; also cp. OI ek. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The nom. sg. pron. used by the speaker to refer to himself: I: (a) as subject of a verb; (b) with noun as appositive; (c) as predicate pronoun.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Ic haue ge-seond æfter þe for mine saule þurfe.
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1137 : I ne can ne i ne mai tellen alle þe wunder ne alle þe pines.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)16/35 : Ic wearð yfele ilet.
- c1200 Wor.Serm.in EGSt.7 (Wor Q.29)22 : Þer fore ich wille heov mid lute vordes iseggen.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.11 : Icc hafe don swa summ þu badd.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)143 : I shall hafenn forr min swinnc God læn.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)221-3 : Neure in helle hi com [vr. ic ne com], ne þer ne come reche, Þach ich elches worldes wele þer me mahte feche, þet his [vrr. ich, ic] wulle seggen on þat wise men us seiden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)872 : Ihc am him þa laðere.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2243-4 : For þe ic [Otho: ich] am swa bliðe swa næs i [Otho: ich] næuer ær.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2964 : Hu leof æm ich [Otho: hich] þe?
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)23/1 : Mine halend Criste..ihc cheas to lauerde ðurh his awene mildce.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Creed (Lamb 487)75 : Ih ileue gode..ich ileue þet god is.
- a1250 Wooing Lord (Tit D.18)283 : A, hwat schal i nu don?
- a1275 Doomsday (Trin-C B.14.39)1,3 : Wenne hi þenche on domes-dai..Hic habbe criste agult.
- a1275 On hire is al (Trin-C B.14.39)22 : Ful sorre y me a-drede.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)868 : Ne singe ih [Jes-O: ich] hom no foliot.
- a1275 Þene latemeste dai (Trin-C B.14.39)64 : Ac ig sal þine gultis abugen ful ille.
- ?c1250 Ar ne kuthe (Gldh)4 : Geltles ihc sholye [read: tholye] muchele schame.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)445 : Hi [vr. Ich] ne sawe it nocht.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)540 : Hich þe wile sigen soþe cweþes.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)670 : Hic ne sige nout biþan.
- a1300 On hire is al (Roy 2.F.8)36 : Þar-vor yg wlle hem flee.
- a1300 Wanne i ðenke ðinges ðre (NC 88)1-2 : Wanne i ðenke ðinges ðre, ne mai hi neure bliðe ben.
- a1300 Wanne mine eyhnen (Trin-C B.1.45)22 : Off al þis world ne gyffe ihic a pese.
- a1300 Worldes blis ne last (Rwl G.18)3-4 : Þe lengur þat hich [vr. ics] hit iknowe, Þe lasse hic [vr. ics] finde pris þer-on.
- ?a1300 Maximian (Dgb 86)38 : Wen iche wondri hone.
- ?a1300 Maximian (Dgb 86)262-3 : Iich may seien alas Þat ich I-boren was.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)149 : Ihc [vr. ichc] am hol & fer.
- c1300 Gabriel fram evene king (Arun 248)15 : Wichewise sold ichs beren child with-huten manne?
- c1300 Gabriel fram evene king (Arun 248)30 : Hur lordes þeumaiden iwis ics am.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)139 : Hire heþene name ne j nouȝt telle.
- c1305 Als i me rod (LinI 135)2-3 : Al for loue icche am so seeke that slepen i ne mai.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)309 : Get ic wene I can a red.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2783 : Hic am god ðe in min geming nam Iacob.
- a1325(?a1300) Interl.CG (Add 23986)45,49 : Me wor leuer to be dedh, Yan led ye lif yat hyc ledh..Nu yu wost quam y mene.
- ?c1335 Whose þenchiþ vp (Hrl 913)p.133 : Ich wene þat euer so wol be.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)19 : Of Freynsch no Latin nil y tel more.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)251/34-5 : Ich habbe hier be-uore y-ssewed, huer þet is spek of þe wyttes of þe zaule.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)101.12 : My daies boweden as shadow, & hij [L ego] d[r]eied as hai.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)257 : I may worche on ȝour word.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)705 : Ich am a mad man.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.3.16 : To þe lynagys of Ruben & gad, yc haue ȝeue þe lond of Galaad.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3277-8 : But if ich haue my wille, For derne loue of thee, lemman, I spille.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3867 : But ik am oold me list not pleye for age.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1975 : A couenand neu ic [Göt: i] hight to þe.
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)22418 : Ik [Vsp: I] understand al in mi þoht.
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)24797 : Þis ilke tim þat ike of sai.
- c1400(?c1308) Davy Dreams (LdMisc 622)2 : To oure lorde Iesu crist in heuene, Ich today shewe myne sweuene.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.228 : Ac I swere now, so the ik [vr. thehi], þat synne wil I lete.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.864 : Knowe ich hire aught?
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)15/17 : Ic is lazed and mekid.
- a1425 LChart.Chr.C (Roy 17.C.17)348 : Be-halde þi moder! hy tak hyre to þe.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)185a/a : Þe sexte is sette a collirie for redenesse of yȝen and teres, & y vse it.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1382 : Dan Benne was chanone of þat abbay..as yche vnderstonde.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)193 : And j sigh also ostelrye ther inne.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)115b/a : Of siche maner of curis y wole rehersen a text of auicenne.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)625 : At þe best, to God a vowe!
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)893 : I wyll not thynke þer-on, to Gode a vowe!
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)2.6 : Bot i am stabild kynge of him on syon his haly hill.
b
- a1300(OE) Deed Crediton (CotR 2.11)115 : Hich egger bischob bebude alle mine afther-comende to cridintones ministre.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.970 : I wolde that day..that I, Aurelius, Hadde went ther neuere I sholde haue come agayn.
- (1398) Doc.in Sur.Soc.45316 : Y, Katerine de Melton de Aston, of the erche-bisshopricke of York, [etc.].
- (1399-1400) Doc.in Sur.Soc.45317 : I, Margaret of Slyngesby..in ȝour holy hondes mak avowe.
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)45 : Y, Edward Cheyne, sqwier..make and ordeyne my testament.
- (1422) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.305 : I, Wylyam Howse, feffe my brothers son, Jafaray, In all þe londes.
- (1423) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)266 : I, Elsabeth, lady of Clynton..ordeigne my testament.
- (1431) EEWills87/20 : I, William Fitz-Harry, [etc.].
- (1438-9) EEWills129/3 : I, Thomas Brook, [etc.].
- (1456) Reg.Chanc.Oxf.in OHS 93361 : This endenture berith witnesse that I, John Swanne..have putte me seruante unto William Osbarne.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.160 : Thei seie alle trewely, And swere, that it am noght I.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1456 : But sires, by youre leue, that am nat I.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1311 : 'It am I, frend,' quod he.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)240 : Sire, it am I.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)186 : 'Hyt am I,' quod this messager.
- c1460 Ipom.(3) (Lngl 257)354/43 : She cried mercy & said, 'It am I.'
- a1475 Gawain & CC (Brog 2.1)309 : The beschope seyd, 'þat was I.'
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)122/207 : Why, who be ich?
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)323/585 : Mary, thou sekys thy god, and that am I.
2.
In pleonastic constructions: (a) after the subject; (b) in exclamations, followed by noun or adjective.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Gal.2.20 : Forsoth I lyue [L Vivo] now, not I [L non ego], but Crist lyueth in me.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.381 : Lo, iche þat was i-cleped [god], now I am skilfulliche i-bounde wiþ boundes of deth.
- c1460 Dub.Abraham (Dub 432)328 : Forsoþe, souereigne, I wot not I.
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.433 : Allas, I woful wrecche!
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1594 : I herteles, I sik, I in destresse!
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)577 : Y wreche, that deth hath mad al naked!
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer ABC (Benson-Robinson)124 : Allas, I caityf, whider may I flee?
3.
In contractions: (a) ichabbe, ichave, I have; icham, I am; icherde, I heard; ichil(le, icholle, ichulle, ichelle, I will; ichim, I him; icholde, jcholde, ichod, I would; ichot, I know; ine, I not; inot, I know not; inul, inele, I will not; (b) ami, am I; cani, can I; haddi, had I; havi, hawi, have I; herdi, heard I; natih, I know not; navi, I have not; nefdich, I had not; nulich, nulli, I will not; theich(e, thech, theik, thike, thrive I, may I thrive; nich (nik), q.v.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)225 : Nafre an helle ine cam.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)40/689 : Al swuch ich chulle [Tit: ichulle] wite treowliche unwemmet.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)484 : Ichulle [vr. ich chulle] fordon þe wisdom of þeos wise worldmen.
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)12/109 : Ichim [Bod: ich him] luuie.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)81/60 : For inot wher hire seche miȝte.
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)114 : Jcholde ich hadde here of mi fulle.
- a1350(1307) Execution Fraser (Hrl 2253)60 : Ichot he biþ forlore.
- a1350(c1307) Death Edw.I (Hrl 2253)32 : To wynne þe croiz þat lowe lys, myself ycholde ȝef þat y myhte.
- a1325 SLeg.Juliana (Corp-C 145)80 : Leuedy..let me go & ichelle þe sone telle.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1053 : Inot hou hii miȝte To be bi hom sulue in an herne.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1334 : Vor ichabbe of him wreche inou wanne he bisecþ min ore.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4009 : Þat icholle [vr. ychylle] þe mi sulf seche out.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4570 : & icholle [vrr. ychelle, ich wole] sulle min dere ynou.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6413 : Inele no þing wiþoute lokinge do.
- a1350 Harrow.H.(Hrl 2253)58 : Adam, þou hauest aboht sore, Inul soffre þat no more.
- a1350 Horn (Hrl 2253)2/3 : A song ychulle ou singe.
- a1350 Horn (Hrl 2253)12/209 : Horn ycham [Cmb: ihc am; Ld: hich am] yhote.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in a (Hrl 2253)1 : Ichot a burde in a bour ase beryl so bryht.
- a1350 Lutel wot hit (Hrl 2253)7 : Icham in grete þohte.
- a1350 Middelerd for mon (Hrl 2253)5 : Icherde a blisse budel vs bad.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7368 : Forþ to wende icham redi.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)623 : Þe deuel of helle ichim [vr. y him] biteche.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)12/132 : Ichil [vrr. J schal, J wyll] þe telle al hou it is.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)19/209 : For now ichaue mi quen y-lore.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)37/428 : Bot þat ichim wald of-sende.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)131.4 : Ȝif ichaue ȝeuen sleping to myn eȝen.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)1.73 : Holi churche Icham [Trin-C: I am].
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.5 : Ichulle [Trin-C: I wile; B: I shal; C: Ich shal] assayen hire my-self.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.221 : And ȝit Ichaue [B: haue I; C: haue ich] I-hated hire al my lyf tyme.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)389 : He dipartede hem..In what maner y chulle ȝow say.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)536 : 'Cudberth of Dereham,' he sayde, 'ychame.'
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)544 : Loke þat þow do as ychaue þe rede.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1223 : And wt as gode wylle y cholde hym seruy.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)4061 : Wherfore, y chod welle, he hath meche myschaunce.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)129 : Ne ami noht crist?
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)8/53 : No lengre nulich [Bod: nule ich] hit heolen þe.
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)18/151 : Nulli þe na mare uuel þen þi seolf waldest.
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)40/337,341 : Ah natih [Bod: nat i] hwet me makede her forte sechen..Hwi nefdich [Bod: nefde ich] iwist hwuch weane me wes toward?
- ?a1300(a1250) Harrow.H.(Dgb 86)27 : Harde gates haui gon, Serewes soffred moni hon.
- a1325(?a1300) Interl.CG (Add 23986)47 : Fayrer ho lond hawy non syen.
- a1325(?a1300) Interl.CG (Add 23986)71 : Cani do non oyir dede.
- a1350 In a fryht (Hrl 2253)10 : Nauy þe none harmes to heþe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.947 : 'Lat be,' quod he, 'it shal nat be, so theech [vrr. theche, þeiche, thyke, thee ich].'
- c1400 Chaucer Astr.(Cmb Dd.3.53)2.1.15 : Than haddy of this conclusioun the ful experience.
- c1400 Chaucer Astr.(Cmb Dd.3.53)2.40.15 : Thus hauy 2 degrees by-twixe my to prikkes.
- a1425 PPl.A(1) (Wales 733B)5.142 : So þike [Trin-C: I swere now, soþly, þat synne shal I lete].
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)14892 : To Rome men ledde þem for to selle, & seint Bede so herdy telle.
- a1450 PPl.B (Bod 814)5.228 : Þeik [vr. theich; Ld: I swere now, so the ik, þat synne wil I lete].