Middle English Dictionary Entry
impressen v.
Entry Info
Forms | impressen v. Also empressen, enprecen, jmpresse. P.ppl. impressed, etc. & (errors) impresh, impreffyt. |
Etymology | OF empresser & L impress-, p. stem of imprimere. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To indent (sth.); imprint (the shape of sth. in an object); stamp (sth. with an imprint, a seal), make the impression of (a seal); (b) of medicines or cauteries: to corrode the flesh; (c) to paint or depict (sth. on cloth); make a permanent image in (a mirror); (d) to write (sth.); write the name of (sb. in a list); inscribe (the name or symbol of Jesus on one's forehead).
Associated quotations
a
- (1437-8) Will York in Sur.Soc.3063 : Cum uno anulo auri impresh cum una corona.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)64 : Tho our lord took þe kerchy and impressid þerin þe liknesse of his face.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)163 : And þere was a ston sumtyme in þat cherch, kept undyr þe auter, wher þe steppes of our lordis bare feet are impressid.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)343/16 : This yifte of hym I-made stedfastly he had and, with his seale impressed, confermed.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)212/9 : They schulden fynde, fro the este after the enterynge in, stappes of men impressed in the stones.
- a1500(1445) ?Lydg.Marg.Entry (Hrl 3869)44 : Foure patentes..Sealles impressed for memorialle, To these Sustres foure thus be directe.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)162b/b : And som [medicines] impresseþ [L imprimunt] strongly & makeþ escare, as is calx viue wiþ softe sope.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)113b/b : Aftir a corrosiue þer foloweþ ane enpostume & enfecteþ þe place; but þe fire, be cause of his simpelnesse, he inpresseþ no more but certein mesure.
c
- (1447) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 11118 : Fanon of grene & blew impreffyt [read: impressyt] wt litel Rede Roses.
- ?a1450(?c1370) ?Chaucer W.Unc.(Robinson)8 : Right as a mirour nothing may enpresse But, lightly as it cometh, so mot it pace, So fareth your love.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)112/30 : The curteynes a-boute þis bed, in whech be impressed þe fair figures of seyntes, are þe commemoraciones of holy seyntis used in þe cherch.
d
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)4.398 : And wikkyd sprytes..besy been to wayte vs day and nyght; Lat thy name dryve hem oute of sight; And in our forhede when we Ihesus enpresse, Make vs of grace her malice to opresse.
- a1500 O cryste Ihu (Cmb Ff.1.6)13 : And in my fored when I 'Ihu' empresse, Make me of grace theyre malyce to oppresse.
- a1500 Retinue Edw.III Calais (Lamb 306)84 : Theys bene the names of diverse lordes withholden in the kynges retenewe that ben straungers and not empressed in the nombur afforseyd.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.21 : And so the kynge of Spayne hath aye adressed His royall style, in wrytyng well impressed, Kyng of Castill and also of Lyon.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.44 : Walter of Oxforde hath confessed Foure and twenty yere, as he hath inpressed.
2.
(a) To press (sth.) down, press down upon (a cautery); crush (grapes) in a wine press; (b) to throng about (sb.), crowd (sb.); (c) to fix (one's eye on sth.); (d) to oppress (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3691 : For no man..Ne may nat..of the reysyns have the wyn, Tyl grapes be rype and wel afyn Be sore empressid.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)164b/b : And be þai impressed [*Ch.(2): be þai thriste; L imprimantur] and holden with a reuolucioun, i. turnyng about, þat þai cleue nouȝt to þe flesh.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1534 : A garlond off gold vpon hys hed in sygne off vyctory Thei empressyd.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1332 : And of desyre þe peple nolde cesse Abouten hem to gadren and empresse, And to enquere what þei myȝt be.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)115 : Thei maken me..go bifore as duchesse, be with folk envirowned a ferre with oute beeinge empressed [F empressee]; For anoon j shulde breste if j were any thing empressed.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3378 : Sche gan hir yhe impresse Upon his face and his stature, And thoghte hou nevere creature Was so wel farende as was he.
d
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)43 : & þere as Pouert enpresses, þaȝ mon pyne þynk, Much, maugre his mun, he mot nede suffer.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)528 : When pouerte me enprecez & paynez in-noȝe.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.88 : The lordes gentiles, yemen, and commontee, He cherished well and in no wise oppressed..And at his death, with sickenesse impressed, He buried was at Norwhiche then full clere.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.222 : He had slain kyng Edmond Ironeside, His owne leege lorde with cruell death impressed.
3.
To produce (a form), cause (sth.) to assume (a shape or condition).
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)44b/a : It impressed [L Impressit] forsoþ sich a fourme in þe aier & in oþer elementez þat, as þe adamas moueþ yren, Also it moued humourez grosse, aduste, & venenous.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)4 : Therfor, in conclusion, every man in hym silf let the passions of dolours be turned and empressid into vyfnes of here spiritis.
4.
(a) To put (womanliness in sb.), put (virtue in sb., in one's heart); (b) to fix (an image, idea, or emotion in the mind or heart); (c) of an image or idea: to become fixed (in the heart or soul).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.542 : Foryetelnesse..noght mai in his herte impresse Of vertu which reson hath sett.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)502 : Of womanhed ryght plentevous largesse, Nature in her fully did empresse Whan she her wroght.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.141 : Wheþer dignitees to þilke þat hem wynne May make þeym fully worschipful to be, Oþer enpresse [L inserant] vertu þeym wiþ-ynne.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2900 : Diverse fantasies Upon his grete holinesse Withinne his herte he gan impresse.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.50 : Thus am I with miself oppressed Of thoght, the which I have impressed, That al wakende I dreme and meete.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1972 : And euery þing sche inly gan enpresse; What þat sche sawe, bothe in mynde & þouȝt, Sche al enprente[t]h and for-gat riȝt nouȝt.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1371 : For in good herte it mot som routhe impresse, To here and see the giltlees in distresse.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1543 : Troilus..in his thought gan up and down to wynde Hire wordes alle, and every countenaunce, And fermely impressen in his mynde The leeste point that to him was plesaunce.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.4.49 : This strengthe is..mochel more myghty..than thilke cause that suffrith and resceyveth the notes and the figures empressid in manere of matere.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)197/2 : Wherfore þou scholdest thenke & jmpresse it in thi mynde þat no þing is jnmortall but only god þat made all þing.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2525 : And these exaumples lat hem eek inpresse Amyd ther herte.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)644 : I hurtlees was ay, þurgh impressyd drede.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.311 : Þe formes and ymages Of bodily substaunce, as þey gessid, So were in-to a mannes mynde enpressid.
- c1450 Dice(1) (Frf 16)3 : First myn vnkynnynge and my rudenesse..in your hertys impresse.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.26.70a : But sothely the ymages þat first be impressed be most like to a byde and hardest to avoyde.
- a1500 12 PTrib.(2) (Rwl C.894)403 : The ix profet of tribulacion is þat it putteth þe vnto the mynde of god, & þe more þe tribulacion be, þe more he impressith þe in his mynde.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1578 : Heigh fantasie and curious busynesse Fro day to day gan in the soule impresse [vr. enpresse] Of Ianuarie aboute his mariage.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1071 : This chanoun..euere moore delit hath and gladnesse -- Swiche feendly thoghtes in his herte impresse [vrr. inpresse, empresse] -- How Cristes peple he may to meschief brynge.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.Ad Patrem (Hnt HM 744)130 : Beholde his toren membres, fadir free, And lat our substance in thyn herte impresse.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Petw 7)F.1385 : She..Chese þe raþere to die þan to assent To bene enpressed of her maidenhede.
Note: Mod. gloss 2.(d): ~ of, forcibly deprive (sb.) of (sth.).