infinit and infinite - Middle English Compendium

1.

(a) Of God, His attributes, heaven: without bound, limitless, infinite; (b) of eternity, time, peace: endless; (c) at ~, supremely, infinitely.

a

(1424) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)87/17 : Þe gode hele..of your persone, whyche crist of his soueraign mercy and pite infenite euer preserue.
(c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)45 : Oure seid natural eende and sovereyn good is anentis a þing infynyte and vnmesurable in beyng, in worþines, and in goodnes.
?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)357/69 : O hye wysdam..youre infynyth lovnesse mad oure saluacyon.
c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)85/5 : God is..oon substaunce infinite, þat is to seie, vnmesurable greet in goostly greetnes.
c1480(1462) Let.Edw.IV to James III (Add 48031)144 : It pleased our blessid Creature to call us to thexercise of the roiall power and dominacion of oure reaulme of England, and tavoide and remeve of his infynight might and grace the usurpacion that unrightfully hathe longe tyme reigned by his sufferaunce upon the said reaulme.
a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)3.11.55b : He to whom this trespace is don is infinite in all maner wise.
a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)5.2.89a : Largenesse therof may not be comprehended be thought of man is witte, for it is infinite.

b

?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.7.128 : Eternyte, that is unstaunchable and infynyt.
?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.39 : For although that it comprehende and embrase the space of lif infinit, yit algatis ne enbraseth it nat the space of the lif altogidre.
?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.119 : The science of hym..embraceth and considereth alle the infynit spaces of tymes preteritz and futures.
a1450 Methodius(2) (Add 37049)112/10 : Our Lord..þe whilk lyfes & reynes with fader & son & holy goste, God by infynyte warldes of warld.
a1500(1445) ?Lydg.Marg.Entry (Hrl 3869)40 : Prenostike of pees ferme and infenite.
a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)455/55 : The holy gost also we magnifie..Now and euer by tymes infinite.

c

c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.187 : 'What ȝif þou knewe..This good? What woldest þou þen set þerby?' 'I wolde it prayse at infynyt,' quod I.

2.

(a) Extremely great in number, very many; (b) of quantity and quality: very large, very great, enormous; (c) perpetual.

a

(c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1259 : Infinite harmes been in this matere.
(c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2827 : Infinite been the sorwes and the teeres Of olde folk.
c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4869 : To remembre þe infinit outtrages..Þat þei han wrouȝt here.
?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.76 : Purveaunce enbraceth alle thinges to-hepe..although thei ben infinit.
?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)45a/a : For in þe first [pestilence] passed away moo comon peple. In þe 2a. forsoþ mo riche men & noble & infinite [*Ch.(2): endeles many; L infiniti] children & fewe wymmen.
(1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)3/24 : Þis boke I offyr..noȝt..to grete devyens lappyd in questions infenyte [L infinitis questionibus], bot vnto boystus & vntaght.
c1450 Idley Instr.(Dgb 181)1.780 : Infynite [Cmb: in sondre examples men may fynde].
(a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1081 : And for an infinit rebellioun, Twey dukys and tweyn oostys went adoun.
c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.71vb : I thy seruaunt [viz., Solomon] am sette in the myddle of the peple that thou hast chosen, whiche ben infynyte [L (Vulg.1 Kings 3.8): populi infiniti] and may not be nombred for multytude.

b

(c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.976 : His sleightes and his infinite falsnesse, Ther koude no man writen as I gesse.
c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.875 : Enformyng hym of a grete tresour Of gold & good and infinit richesse.
c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1675 : Why lykede me thy youthe and thy fayrnesse, And of thy tonge the infynyt graciousnesse?
c1450 Siege Thebes (Rwl D.82)271 : The yonge lordes..seiden playnely that hit were a grete cowardise and shame infinite.
(a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)8.94 (v.1:p.89) : Aftir seven yeris of grete plentee, in which he gadrid infinite stoore of whete, there felle a grete..famyne.
(a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)73.307 (v.2:p.54) : Infinite nombre of myraclis also he wrought aftir his deth.
a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)133/6 : The kynge profrid to Seynt George an infinite summe of money.
a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)122 : Who so euer wolde rin with his dowter, and com to the marke afore hir, he shulde wed hir with goodis infinite.
a1500(?a1450) St.Dor.(1) (Hrl 5272)66 : He promysed..to geve hire tresoure infenyte.

c

?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.76 : For this ilke infinit moevyng of temporel thinges folweth this presentarie estat of the lif unmoevable.

3.

As adv.: infinitely, ad infinitum.

c1400 *Chaucer Astr.(Brussels 4869)1.8.77b : These degrees of signes ben euerich of hem considered of 60 Minutes & euery Minute of 60 secundes & so forth in to smale fraccions infinite, as seith alkabucius.
(c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)45 : What euer þing be þouȝt..to passe and to be aboue alle creaturis..muste nedis be infynit worþi and infynit good.
c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)85/6,7,8 : God is oon being..infinite good..infinite myȝti..infinite trew.
a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)3.11.55b : He..is..infynyte good, infinite wys..infinite perdurable.

Forms	infī̆nī̆t(e adj. Also infinith, infenite, infinight.
Etymology	OF infinit & L infīnītus.

Middle English Dictionary Entry