Middle English Dictionary Entry
indifferent adj.
Entry Info
Forms | indifferent adj. Also indiferent, indef(f)erent, endifferent, (pl.) endifferentes. |
Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of persons, judgments, etc.: impartial, fair, just; (b) of things, purposes, etc.: alike, equal; equally receptive (to heat or cold, various impressions, etc.); of words: equally applicable; of an authority: not favoring either side of an argument; (c) no more inclined to one thing than to another, unconcerned, uninterested; (d) of a wound: in a remediable neutral condition; (e) ?as adv.: with equal probability; (f) ? = different.
Associated quotations
a
- (1386) RParl.FM (C&D)36/99 : The whiche comune wronge uses..mowe be shewed & wel knowen bi an indifferent Juge and Mair of owre Citee.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2807 : Þou shuldest ay, for any favour, write þe trouþe pleinly & ben indifferent.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.82 : Ȝe list to bene indifferent Of resoun only..Atwen vs two egally to deme.
- (1423) RParl.4.257b : To ordeine that the Kynges Assaiour, whiche is ane indeferent persone betwyxe the Maister of the Mynte and the Marchant..may sette justly the value therof..in cas of variaunce betwix the Maister and the Merchaunt.
- (1424-25) Doc.Lynn in Nrf.Archaeol.6222 : Ȝe shal..wiþouten affeccioun or favour, fraude or male engyne, ffoure persones of þe indifferentest & not suspect persoones chesen.
- (1425) RParl.4.277a : And puttyng of my Ladies persone of Gloucester out of the handes of ye said Duc of Burgoigne, into indifferent handes.
- (1426) Proc.Privy C.3.219 : It semeth expedient þat suche were maad shirriefs as were of name and fame true and indifferent betwene þe King and þe poeple and alle parties.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)458 : O cruel dethe that sparest noon astate, To olde and ȝonge thow arte indefferente.
- (1431) Indent.Furness in Chet.n.s.78 (PRO DL 25/399)789 : It sall be refourmede be the avise of Hugh Salkelde and John of Wrswyke, as men indiferent chosen be the saide partyes.
- (1433) RParl.4.476a : The seid xxv persons, to procede to eleccion of ii Baillifs..of the most truest, endifferentes, and sufficientes Burgeys..which best can woll rule and governe the seid Town duly and truly aftir the lawe.
- (1439) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.514 : His reward..may be put in discrecion and iugement of iiij or ij indeferent and discreet persones.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)261 : Indyfferent, neyther fulle of þe to partye, neþer of tothere [vr. neþer of þe to party, ne of þe toþer]: Indifferens.
- (1440) Visit.Alnwick186 : We charge yow, prioresse..that in your correccions ye be sad, sowbre, and indifferent, not cruelle to some and to some fauoryng agayn your rule.
- (1448) Shillingford43 : Ever thankyng hym of all his ryght grete, gode, gracyous, and endyfferent lordship at alle tymes to us redy shewed.
- (1449) Rec.Norwich 2279 : The wardeynes..shall name with oute fraude, collusion, or male ingyne iiij sufficient, discrete, and indiferent persones in the same crafte.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)370 : If þai [priests] wer indifferent..þai schulden deme it fulle dampnable a prest to ocupie þe temporal swerde.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)95/7 : Vpon þis come certeyn bullis fro Rome þat þis mater be indifferent persones schuld haue his examinacion.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)112 : That tho clerkis ben over favorable in mater longing to her favour and worschip, and ben not iugis indifferent and stonding for the parti which hath the treuthe, whiche ever thilk party be.
- (1462) Paston (Gairdner)4.25 : Men fere sore here of a comone rysyng but if..ther be sent swyche downe to tak a rewyll..that wole be indeferent.
- (1469) Paston (Gairdner)5.36 : My Lord myght be entreted to suffre endifferent men to kepe the place, and take the profites for bothe parties till the right be determyned be the lawe.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.8b : Like a Cristen Prynce, shewyng his indifferent disposition..by wyse provision caused riottes..utterly to be lefte.
- c1475-a1600(a1473) Fortescue Declaration (Clermont)532 : The Jugges in maters of gret diffyculte..beth..indifferent..for such disputacion ys to thayme beste meane to find the right in euery doubtous case.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.3.4b : Thu assignest a iuge that is nought indifferent but frend to youre part.
- a1500(a1471) Ashby APP (Cmb Mm.4.42)656 : Not to be to hasty in mandement, But medle th[e]rwith youre benignite, Being to high and lowe, Indifferent. For youre Lawe is to bothe equiuolent.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)130a/b : Þis myȝt [in the uncorruptible mater] is indifferent [L comiter se habet] to hete & to coolde.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)286 : The worse plite..is such that thilk proces is indifferent to bothe sidis, that is to seie, to the iije. principal gouernaunce and to his contrarie.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.220 : Than euery man..boþe good and ille, This is þaire purpos all indifferent [L indiscreta intentione], This good to wynne.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)21b/b : The brayn..Whiȝt it is, for it schulde be þe more able & indifferent to euery þing þat it schulde resseyue or vndirfongen.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)43/33 : Þese names 'fleischlihode' and 'worldlihode' ben general and indifferent as wel to vertues as to vicis.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)106/15 : Slouþe is no moral vice or synne, but it is natural and indifferent to moral vertu and moral vice.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.3.4a : For wisdam is take therfore an abilite of kunnyng, wich abilite is indifferent to good and to euell, and thu appliest thin abilite to the werse part.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4989 : On swiche folke, platly, is no trist..Þat fire & water holden in her fist, Beinge with boþe y-liche indifferent, Now hoot, now colde -- liche as þere entent Of newe changeþ.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.969 : Toward God thei ha lost shame & dreed, Touchynng his guerdouns outher of ioie or peyne, Indifferent atween trouthe or falsheed.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)1295 : Moderat ffoode yevith to man his helthe..Wherfore this dyete, O Alisaundre kyng! To alle indifferent is Rychest thyng.
d
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)52b/a : Wondez helable as oft tymez beþ þo þat wiþ a difference ar said mortale as oft tymez, And indifferent [L indifferentia] & mene & after þe 3a. signifying nouþer [L neutra], beþ woundez in þe endez of musclez & of þe brayne panne & of þe brest & of þe wombe.
e
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.296 : If he knoweþ þinges for to ben So þat þey may betid in-different, As be or noght be, þan can I not seen But þis is an vncerteyn iugement.
f
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)15a/b : Also þe commoditees of þe fleisch ben indefferent [sic], ffor summe beþ comyn to euery kynde of fleisch & summe beþ approprid to oon maner of fleisch aloone.