Middle English Dictionary Entry
arē̆st(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | arē̆st(e n. Also arre(e)st. |
| Etymology | OF ar(r)este |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The action of pausing or ceasing, a pause, a halt, a delay; withouten ~, without delay, immediately.
Associated quotations
- c1390 I wolde witen (Vrn)18 : Wyndes Rosscheþ her and henne, In snouȝ and reyn is non arest.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.4336 : Þei mordre & sle with-oute more arest.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4225 : For on..With a quarel..Markede hym..So cruelly, makynge non arest Tyl it was passyd both bak and brest.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)806 : Than cometh a wilde lyonesse Out of the wode, withoute more arest.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1929 : Withoute arest, Whan that a man was brought in his presence, He wolde hym ete.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.1116 : Withoute arest or lenger abidyng..Gayus anon riht..took sodenli his fliht.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)229 : My dethis spere stykkyth in my brest..Cupidis darte on me hath maad arrest.
- a1450 As ofte (Tan 346)44 : And larkes shewen, with-oute more arest, How Phebus riseth erly in the este.
- a1475 Heart & Eye(3) (Lngl 258)174 : He went his wey withouten any arrest.
2.
The act of seizing or capturing; esp., an arrest by officers of the law; maken ~ of (on, upon), to arrest, take into custody; also fig.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4090 : I say a beest..wolde han maad areest Vp on my body, and han had me deed.
- (c1422) Hoccl.JWife (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)131 : They made anoon areest on his body.
- (c1425) *Oath Bk.King's Lynn4a : Ȝe shal..trewe arest maken whanne ȝe ben chargid bi þe meyr, & brynge þe parties bifore þe mayr.
- (c1425) *Oath Bk.King's Lynn4b : Ȝe shal..trewe arestis maken of trespassours..& letters of þe kingis pees, & brynge hem..to þe Gayole of lynne.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)99 : Ȝif ony man yeve buffat or wounde to ony of the subballives of the foresaid toun, or contrarie his arest and letteth hym to doon his offys..be he atteynt by his body and awarded to prisoun.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)14 : A-reste or a-restynge: Arestacio.
- (1444) RParl.5.125b : That he paye..to the Sergeant viii d. for the arreste, and no more.
- (1447-8) Shillingford10 : Then he asked of me..if we wolde absteyne us and forbere of arrestis of alle men of habite.
- (1472) RParl.6.63a : That bi reason of this Act noon of the Kynges Mynystresse be charged, hurt or prejudiced, for eny execucion..arrest or enprisonyng of him bi reason of the seid Enditement.
- (1480-82) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.32150 : Paid for the arrest and plaint of Watkyn carpenter, x d.
3.
(a) The state of being in custody; detention, imprisonment; also, the detention of a ship in port; breken ~, to escape from custody; in, on, under ~, in custody, under arrest; (b) restraint, control; esp., moral restraint; also, a restraining influence.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1310 : For slayn is man, right as another beest, And dwelleth eek in prisoun and areest [vrr. arreest, arrest, areste, arreste, arest].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1804 : Þere he was hent..And merciles put vnder arest, For þei him had suspect..Touching þe mordre of þe same kyng.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2935 : Deth sette on hym arest.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1456 : And with reddour sir Boice es in areste halden.
- (1442) Let.Bekynton in RS 56.2192 : Juon Gore..now is here under arrest for his fals reporte.
- (1447-8) Shillingford78 : A sergeant of the Cite of Excetre arested the saide Hughe, and he brake the arest and wende his way.
- c1450 How mankinde dooþ (Lamb 853)413 : God-is seruauntis in areest haþ þee take.
- (1458-9) Let.Sou.in Sou.RS 22 (Sou SC.2/9/2)16 : They promytted me feithfulli to obbey and abide the seide arrest..And to weye none anker yn no wise.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3361 : I was the first persone þat put hym in a-rest.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1282 : They [bachelors] lyue but as a bryd or as a beest In libertee and vnder noon areest.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)383 : Hym deyneth nat to wreke hym on a flye..In noble corage oughte ben arest, And weyen every thing by equite.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1603 : Som folke as beestes Hire luste ay folwen; in hem non areeste is.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)3746 : He may curse of verray ryght That ever he kam in her forest With-out wisdam or arest.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)67/83 : Wysdom and goodnesse both nedeth in a person the malice in dignite slyly to brydel, and with a good bitte of arest to withdrawe.
4.
(a) Abiding place, residence; (b) a hook or projection on the side of the breastplate on which the butt of the lance rested when ready for a charge; at ~, ready for battle.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)84/31 : Welcome joachym on to myn A-reste.
- a1500 As I went þrow (Adv 19.3.1)46 : A mey hym harburd yn hur hall..& held þat hend yn hur a-rest.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2602 : In goon the speres ful sadly in tharest [vrr. in the arest, in arest, in arrest].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)311 : Voide schall I neuere..Bot ay be redye in araye, and at areste founden.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)548 : Wage many wyghtemen and wache thy marches, That they be redye in araye and at areste foundyn.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)1166 : Thai layden here speres in a-reeste.
- 1532(?a1400) RRose (Thynne)7559 : Thou her watchest at the gate, With speare in thyn arest alway.
5.
bataille of ~, fighting in which there is no direct contact with the enemy.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.48 : Some also dempte most surest To armen hem for bataille of arest.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3403 : But Thelamoun..As he þat had of his deth no drede, Disarmed was for batail of a-reste.