Middle English Dictionary Entry
idiō̆t(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | idiō̆t(e n. Also idiotte, idiothe, ideote. |
| Etymology | L idiōta & OF idïote. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A simple man, an uneducated person; a layman; (b) a mentally deficient person; one who lacks sound judgment, a fool; (c) a lay physician; ?also, a quack.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 4.13 : Forsoth thei, seynge the stedfastnesse of Petre and John, founden that thei weren men with oute lettris and idiotis [WB(2): men vnlettrid and lewid men; L homines..sine litteris et idiotæ], wondriden.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.14.16 : If thou schalt blesse in spirit, who fulfillith the place of an ydiote, or vnlerid man how schal he seie Amen vpon thi blessing?
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.170 : I..ȝede forth as an ydiote in contre to aspye After Pieres þe plowman.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.12/15 : Aforne them that ther was presente and behelde them as symple ydiottys, they begane wondirfull thingis to seye.
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)75a : If ideotis eiþer men out of þe feiþ entren, firste pistle to cor. fourtenþe cap.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)5 : Ȝif þei ordeynen ydiotis to ben lymytours..and holde goode men and kunnyng in holy writt fro prechynge..þanne be þei fals ypocritis.
- ?c1430(c1400) Rule & T.St.Francis(1) (Corp-C 296)46 : And we dwelten to-gidre in chirchis, & weren idiotis & vnderloute to ale men, & I traueiled wiþ myn hondis & wile traueile.
- a1450(c1405) Purvey Determ.(Trin-C B.14.50)172/66 : Þe Apostilis, þat ben clepid ydiotes be scripture, allegeden here & in many oþer placis þe profecies.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.288 : Ryght as be twelue ydiotes, sent Austyn seyth -- he meneth the apostellis, for thei not lerned were -- Thurgh-ovte þe world was sowen ovr feyth.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)1/4 : Wise men clepid he men gretly lerned, and onwise, simple ydiotis, to whom longith þe blisse of heuene.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)85/16 : Þese seculer maydenes..wer inexpert, not vsed in swech and simpil and lewed as touching lettirure, for swech ydiotes al day be-hest mor þing þan þei may fulfill.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)160/11 : Þeras þay before were but veray ydeotes and lewde men and ryȝt noȝt couþe of clerge, sodenly þay wern þe best clerkes yn all þe world.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.311 : What, wenestow make an ydiot [vrr. ydiote, Ideot] of oure dame?
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10456 : Þou sais to me als til a sott; Haldes þou me for ani idiot [Göt: fole]?
- c1400(?c1384) Wycl.50 HFriars (Bod 647)369 : Hit semes an open doynge of Anticrist to suffer not prestis to frely do þis offis of Crist, bot nede hom..to be reulid in þis after þo wille of a symple ydiot and, in caas, a dampned devel of helle.
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)353 : And ȝif þei seien þat þis sacrament is Goddis bodi as it is in hevene, þes freris speken as idiotis.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.910 : For thow were wont to chace At Love in scorn, and for despit him calle Seynt Idyot [vr. ideot], lord of thise foles alle.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)2b/b : Þe 5a. secte is of wymmen & of many Idiotez [*Ch.(2): ydeotis or foles; L idiotarum], which remitteþ sike men of al sikenes to seyntes.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.13/3 : He made and feyned hym-self vnwyse..and owtward pretendid the cheyr of an ydiotte.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)80 : Men skorned hym and helde hym as an ydiote and an ydel man and a fole.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)3 : Þei myȝten lyue..bi þese nouelries maad of ydiotis & synful wrecchis of lucifers pride.
- ?c1430(c1400) Rule & T.St.Francis(1) (Corp-C 296)48 : Þei forsaken obedience of god and obeschen to a synful ydiot biddynge þe contrarie of goddis wille, þe whiche synful ydiot is in cas a dampnyd deuyl.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)78 : Whanne presthold stondeþ in peny clerkis & stewardis..& ydiotis & symonyentis & proude wrecchis ful of all manere synne, it is nede to haue newe lawes.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1899 : But a-mongis all þese, þe deceyuable spiritz Took grete heed þat ydiotes summe were.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)258 : Idyote [Win: Idyothe], nether fowle ne ryghte wyce: Idiota.
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)23 : Thaugh many grete clerkes assayed hir wyth sotilte of questions and obiections, ȝet þey proued hem self bot foles and ydiotes.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)468/18 : A scoler of Paryssh..had a dull witt and a forgettyll mynde..And evurilk man skornyd hym & callid hym idiott.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)508/7 : Saynt Thomas..suspend hym as ane ydiott & a man þat cuthe no gude.
- (1458-9) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA 83.m.2 : She was in manere an Idiote and had nor knew no worldly reason.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)439 : Many prelatis coueyten to be riche and auaunsen men of þer kyn, al ȝif þey ben idiotis.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)1963 : Ellys fro hym [death] flee As long as he may -- who dothe otherwyse As an ydiote.
c
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)69/21 : But þe modir of þat child sente for a lewde leche [L layco]..Þanne a fisician..blamede þe modir & hir freendis þat þei hadden left counseil for þilke idiotis biheeste.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)116/11 : Þei ben depriued of her heelþe, in so myche þat oon colule may not be lost & a man be saued, as manye idiotis supposen contrarie.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)60b/b : It is made terme of finding of heling & demyng, which is knowen to alle ydiotez [*Ch.(2): ydeotes i. vnwyse men; L ideotis]; þat forsoþ þo be founden which shal replete it is of a crafty man [L artificis].
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)91a/b : Þat childis modir sente for an vnkunnynge leche..But a fisician..blamede þe modir for sche hadde refusid þe counseil of launkfrancus for þe biheeste of þat ydiot.