Middle English Dictionary Entry

in prep.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms in prep. Also ine, hin, jn, (error) im & ī̆, hi & en, ene & ē̆ & (error) vn.
Etymology OE in & L in & ON (cp. OI ī) & OF en. ME in often follows its object.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) Inside (a solid object); immersed, or partly immersed, in (a fluid substance); enclosed in (fire, the air, etc.); (b) into (a solid, liquid, etc.); (c) in or into the surface of (sth.), pierced or cut in.
Show 49 Quotations
2.
(a) Within (an enclosed, or partly enclosed, space); in (a building, ship, bed, bag, box, dish, hole, whale's mouth, etc.); (b) into (a building, ship, etc.).
Show 60 Quotations
3.
(a) Enveloped in (clothing or armor); wearing (a cap, stole, helmet, etc.); of birds: in (feathers); (b) into (clothing, armor, etc.); also fig.; armen ~, clothen ~, winden ~, wrappen ~, etc.; clad ~, clothed in; of books: bound in.
Show 44 Quotations
4.
(a) In (a book or part of a book), in (any written text); also, in (a spoken discourse, narrative, etc.); (b) into (a book, document, written word).
Show 32 Quotations
5.
Of an action or abstraction, idea, emotion, a virtue, vice, disease, pain, thoughts of a place or person, a devil, etc.: (a) in (sb.); also, into (sb.); inyongen (thudden) ~; (b) in (one's body, part of the body, the heart); haven ~ mouth, to talk about (sb.); also, into (the heart); gaderen (putten, werpen) ~; (c) in (the mind, memory, thoughts, will, etc.); also, into (the mind); wenden ~; (d) in (sth. inanimate).
Show 74 Quotations
6.
In (chains, fetters, ropes, etc.), bound in, tied with; also, into (fetters); fasten (bringen) ~.
Show 15 Quotations
7.
(a) In (the hand or hands, arm or arms, the beak), held in, clasped in; hitched to (a wagon or plow); leden ~ honde, to lead (sb.) by the hand; arm ~ arm, honde ~ honde; (b) into (the hand, mouth, arms, etc.); putten ~ plough, to hitch (sb.) to (someone's) plow; (c) fig. ~ honde(s, in or into (someone's) possession, under (someone's) control, in (a surgeon's) care; haven ~ honde; (d) fig. haven ~ honde, to be busy with (sth.), be concerned or troubled about (sth.).
Show 67 Quotations
8a.
On or onto the surface of (sth.) and surrounded by its parts: (a) in (a city, town, wood, forest); (b) into (a town, forest, etc.).
Show 39 Quotations
8b.
On the surface of (sth. which extends either in two directions or in all directions): (a) in or on (a line, a surface, the forehead, etc.); of a jewel, a bone: set in (sth.); (b) into or upon (the forehead, a floor, slate, wall, etc.); (c) in (the sea, an island, a field, country, path, street, etc.); ~ and of, in and belonging to; (d) into (a country, meadow, street, etc.); (e) in (heaven, hell, earth, world); (f) into (heaven, etc.).
Show 94 Quotations
9.
(a) At (a place or position), in or from (a direction); at, beside, or against (sth.); (b) ~ brede, across, crosswise; ~ endelong, lengthwise; ~ face (visage), in (one's) face, before the face (of sb.), in front (of sb.); ~ lengthe and brede, lengthwise and crosswise; ~ loue, at a low point; ~ non ende, from no direction, by no means; ~ stede, in (someone's) place; ~ the stede (place) of, instead of [see ~ stede]; meten ~ face, to meet (sb.) face to face; (c) to (a person, place, position), against (sth.); into (the eye, ear, nose); to or against (the eye, face); in his stede, into his place; despisen ~ face, to show contempt for (sb.) to his face; speken (crien) ~ hed, speak (cry out) in (someone's) presence or to (someone's) face; spitten ~ visage, spit in (someone's) face.
Show 73 Quotations
10.
In the direction of (sb. or sth.), toward; ben ~, of eyes: to be directed toward (sth.); biholden ~, look into (a room); callen ~, call upon (someone's name); crien ~, cry out to (sb.); loken ~, look at or upon (sb. or sth.), look into (a mirror), look to (every side); sen ~ face, look into (someone's) face; speken ~, speak to (sb.).
Show 15 Quotations
11.
(a) On (sth.), upon; covering (the feet); fixed upon the upper end of (sth.); (b) onto (sth.), upon, down upon.
Show 48 Quotations
12.
In the midst of (persons or things), among: (a) with coll. object; (b) with pl. object; fallen ~, to fall into the midst of (things), meet with.
Show 36 Quotations
13.
In the number of, among: (a) with coll. object; (b) with pl. object.
Show 26 Quotations
14.
(a) In (a state or condition); (b) in (a form, shape, or manner); (c) in (the presence, sight, or hearing of sb.); (d) in (a language); (e) with a noun implying a state or condition; ~ ale, tipsy from ale; ~ calf, carrying a calf, with calf; ~ god (hole) minde, of sound mind; ~ sesoun, to be angled for, in season; ~ wages, working for wages; (f) ~ custume to, in the habit of (doing sth.); ~ hope forto, in the hope of (getting sth.); ~ point to, about to (do sth., undergo sth.); ~ purpos to (forto), intending to (do sth.); ~ wille to, wishing to (do sth., undergo sth.); (g) haven (holden) ~, to regard (sb. or sth.) with (certain emotions or a certain attitude); (h) in adv. phrases: ~ certain, certainly; ~ fei(th, ~ soth, ~ treuth, truly; ~ fere, together; ~ general, of a general nature, in general, generally, collectively; ~ hap, perhaps; ~ haste (hie), hastily; ~ idel, idly, in vain; ~ laue, legally; ~ open, openly; ~ principal, principally; ~ right, rightfully; ~ short and plein, shortly and plainly; ~ special, especially, individually; ~ vein, in vain, vainly, uselessly; ~ waste, wastefully, for nothing, in vain; etc.; (i) into (a state or condition); into (one language from another); ~ his minde, to his right mind, to sanity; don ~ first, to postpone (sth.); putten ~ delaie, put (sb.) off.
Show 179 Quotations
15.
(a) In (two parts); (b) into (parts, divisions, pieces); departen ~ two, etc.; [see also ~ sonder].
Show 32 Quotations
16.
(a) In (an action, a course of action), engaged in (sth.), during (an action or process); (b) with gerund: in or while (doing sth.), in the course of (an action); ~ betinge doun, being beaten down; ~ makinge, being made, a-making; ~ talkinge, a-talking, talking; (c) into (an action); (d) with a noun implying action; ~ armes, in deeds of arms, in war or combat; ~ the gospel, in the preaching of the Gospel; entren ~ scriptures, to enter into the Scriptures, begin reading or studying the Scriptures.
Show 52 Quotations
17.
(a) Subject to (sth.), under (a law, vow, etc.); ~ condicioun that, on condition that; don (putten) ~, to make (sb. or sth.) subject to (sth.); yeven ~ grace, throw (oneself) on (someone's) mercy; (b) subject to (sb.); ~ god, under God, etc.; putten ~, to deliver (sth.) into the hands of (Mars); (c) liable to (punishment, a fine, etc.); ~ peine of, or become liable to lose (one's life); binden ~, condempnen ~, to make (sb.) liable for (a payment); (d) in accordance with (sth.).
Show 39 Quotations
18.
(a) During (a period of time); (b) for all of (a period of time), for the space of (seven days); ~ eche, ~ al daies, ~ alre world world, ~ world of worldes, forever; (c) within (a period or limit of time); (d) ~ space (whil), at the end of a short period of time, after a little while; ~ a breid, after a moment; (e) at (a point in time), upon (a time, day, etc.); (f) ~ ende, at the end (of sth.); at the end, at last; ~ the first, at the beginning, in the first place; ~ that, at that moment; fer ~ lente, far into Lent.
Show 105 Quotations
19a.
(a) With respect to (sth.), in regard to; ~ sight, to the sight, to look upon; (b) with regard to (knowledge, a branch of learning, an occupation); enfourmen ~, to instruct (sb.) in (sth.); i)lered ~, learned in (sth.); etc.; (c) with regard to (dimensions, quantity, number, etc.); ~ brede, in width; ~ quantite of, in the amount of; etc.; (d) ~ al, altogether; in every way; wholly; ~ al thing(es, in all respects, in every way; ~ hol, altogether; ~ nothing, in no respect; ~ part(ie, ~ parcel, in part, partly; (e) about (sb. or sth.), of, concerning; thinken ~, to think about (sb. or sth.); demen ~, judge or suppose concerning (sb.).
Show 82 Quotations
19b.
In selected phrases: (a) bileven ~, i)leven ~, trouen ~, to believe in (sb. or sth.), have faith in, accept as true or genuine; affien (hopen, tristen) ~, trust in (sb. or sth.); deliten (fainen, gladen, joien) ~, take pleasure in (sb. or sth.); rejoice in; priden ~, take pride in (sth.); sweren ~, swear by (sth.); apaied ~, content with (sth.); plesed ~, pleased with (sb.); delite ~, pleasure in (sth.); hope ~, confidence in (sth.); etc.; (b) lord ~, ruler over (subjects); haven pouer (might, stede, anithing) ~, to have power over (sb.); (c) claim (right, titel) ~, a rightful claim on (sth.); en)feffen ~, seisen ~, to give (sb.) legal possession of (sth.); ben seised ~, be given or have possession of (sth.); haven estat ~, have a legal right to (sth.); succeden ~, succeed to (an inheritance); taken seisin ~, take possession of (sth.).
Show 44 Quotations
20.
(a) Against (sb., a nation), in opposition to, to the detriment of; sinnen ~, werren ~, etc.; (b) against (a commandment, a pathological condition), to the detriment of (the soul).
Show 17 Quotations
21.
(a) For the benefit of (sb.), on behalf of, to, for, upon; douen ~, to bestow (sth.) on (sb.); maken everlastinge ~, give (sth.) to (sb.) in perpetual possession; (b) for the sake of (sth.), for; in exchange or recompense for (sth.); for the services of (a physician, etc.); to obtain or bring about (sth.); resulting in (sth.); ~ the pris of, for the price of; spenden ~, to spend (sth.) on or for (sth.); (c) ~ half (bihalve), ~ honour (worshipe) of, ~ name (of [see bihalve, half, honour, name, worshipe].
Show 34 Quotations
22.
On account of (sth.), because of, for.
Show 11 Quotations
23.
By means of (sth.), with, through; nimen fore-bisne ~, to take example from (sth.).
Show 35 Quotations
24.
(a) Accompanied by (sb. or sth.), with; (b) allien ~, to join with (sth.), unite with; (c) biyeten ~, to beget (a child) on (a woman).
Show 6 Quotations
25.
(a) As (sth.), for, to be; in the shape of (sth.); ~ conclusioun, by way of conclusion; ~ ensaumple, as an example; ben ~ cause, to be the cause; (b) ~ signe, as a sign or token; ~ signifiinge, ~ token, ~ tokeninge, ~ witnesse; (c) into (sth. else); chaungen ~, casten (leien, maken, turnen) ~, etc., to change, make, turn, etc. (sth.) into (sth., a different form).
Show 54 Quotations
26.
(a) Embodied in or pertaining to (sb. or sth.), belonging to; ~ it (him) self, in or of itself; ~ hem self, of their own; stonden ~, to consist in or of; (b) in the person of (sb.); ~ him (hire) self, in his (her) own person; ~ thi self, in your own person, for yourself; ~ us self, ourselves; ~ persoune, in the person (of sb.), in (God's) person, etc.; ~ propre persoune.
Show 31 Quotations
27.
In conjunctive phrases: ~ as fer as, to the extent that; ~ as though, as though; ~ that, in that, because, seeing that, inasmuch as; ~ that that, because; ~ as muche, ~ so muche, q.v.
Show 8 Quotations
28.
In surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.152, 279, 281].
Show 16 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • ?a1350 Recipe Painting(1) in Clarke Lymmyng (Hrl 2253) 229/18 : Tac a ston of chalk and mak an hole i þe chalk.
    • Note: Need date, sense 1.(c).
  • ?a1350 Recipe Painting(1) in Clarke Lymmyng (Hrl 2253) 230/19 : I þe selue maner mac þe sise to goldfoyl, saue tac a lutel radel ant grynt to þin asise.
    • Note: Additional quot.
  • c1475 Yale-BA.Artist.Recipes (Yale-BA R486.M43 1450) 102/8 : To gyld in iron or stele, fyele thy metall..and touche þeron with water of boras, and ley on thy golde.
  • a1500 Dc.45 Artist.Recipes (Dc 45) 150/19 : To make a syse to lay gold. Tak chalk and grynde hyt yn a stoon, [etc.].
    • Note: Additional quots., prob. sense 8b.(a). Need dates.
  • a1400 Roy.17.A.3 Artist.Recipes (Roy 17.A.3) 235/9 : ℞ oold vreyne and seþe it wel and scuome it wel, and þat þat leueþ after þe seþing, þe .ij. parties put to þe lie þat is maad of wood aischen and liym, and seþe it al in fere.
    • Note: Additional quot., sense 14.(h). ?Perh. modify sense to include al ~ fere alongside ~ fere

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