Middle English Dictionary Entry
innocent n.
Entry Info
| Forms | innocent n. Also inocent, jnnocent, innos(s)ent, inoscent. Pl. innocentes & innocens, innocentz. |
| Etymology | OF in(n)ocent |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A sinless person, guiltless person; (b) a harmless person, inoffensive person, someone not an enemy; (c) a guileless person, unsuspecting person; a naive, simple, or foolish person; (d) ?an inexperienced person, tyro; (e) a young child; esp. one of the Holy Innocents; (f) coll.: the innocent.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)79/7 : And se ðe ne ȝifð naht his eihte te goule, and se ðe ne nimð none mede of ða innocentes.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.72.13 : With oute cause I iustefiede myn herte and wesh among innocentis myn hondis.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.157 : Who so spareth a þeef, he geveþ cause þat an innocent be slayn.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)33/447 : Nou wol I..Raþur dye an innocent Þen liuen a while and let þe dye, And leose so innocencie.
- c1390 Heil be þow Marie Moodur (Vrn)31 : Heil, Inocent, out of Angernesse, Vr takel, vr tol þat we on trowe.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)284 : Whi spille ȝe Innocens blode?
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.815 : O myghty god..how may it be That thow wolt suffren innocentz to spille, And wikked folk regnen in prosperitee?
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)7.41 : Such as taketh ȝiftes And namelich of innocentz þat none yuel ne kunneth.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)666 : Bot resoun of ryȝt..Sauez euermore þe innossent.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)672 : Bot he to gyle þat neuer glente, At inoscente is saf & ryȝte.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Heb.7.26 : An holy innocent impollute disseuerid fro synners and maad heyȝere þan heuyns.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)64/14 : Alle men han trauayle in þis werke, boþe synners & innocentes þat neuer synnyd greetly.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.247 : Wicked men..When þey disese a symple innocent..vnsely ben þei.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)119 : The grettest harme that comyth of a kynges pouerte is..to putt defaute in some of his subgettes þat bith innocentes.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)201 : Þei beþe innocentes, and I am he that slowhe the man.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)17 : What condempne yee an innocent?..It is I that hath the man slayn.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)73b/a : And he drawiþ his swerd aȝenst malice and puttiþ forþ his schilde of riȝtwisnes to defende Innocentis aȝenst yuel doers.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)177b/b : Þeigh þey ben fers aȝeynes enemyes..þey ben kyndelyche mylde of herte and plesyng to alle Innocentes.
c
- c1230 Ancr.(Corp-C 402)103/21 : Þe ealleofte hwelp is ifed..wið semblanz & wið sines, as beoren on heh þet heaued..speoken as an innocent & wlispin for þen anes.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.22.3 : The felle man seeth euel, and hideth hymself; and the innocent passede and is tormentid with harm.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.465 : And ech of hem his tale affaiteth, Al to deceive an innocent, Which woll noght ben of here assent.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1076 : O sely preest, o sely innocent! With coueitise anon thow shalt be blent.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1983 : Ye lye heere ful of anger and of ire..And chiden heere this sely innocent Youre wyf.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)77/4 : Þe Jnnocent leueþ vche woord and in þat he is a foole, seiþ Salomon.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3478 : Her menyng false & fraudelent Wher-þoruȝ, allas, ful many an Innocent Deseyved is, þat wote not what þei mene.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.16.18 : By swete Woordys and blessynges þey dys-seyuen þe hertys of Innocentys.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1546 : Here was a shrewed lees, To come to hous upon an innocent! For to bedote this queen was here assent.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)511/11 : A iaper þat saw he was bod ane innocent, & he said vnto his felows, 'Doo as I sall tell you, & we sall hafe þis lambe from yone felow.'
d
- a1479 *Vegetius(1) (Lnsd 285)17a : Innocentes [L iuniorum; Dc: þe ferþe part of ȝong Juvente þat most able mowe ben founde].
e
- c1330 Le Freine (Auch)170 : Help þis seli innocent, þat it mot ycristned be.
- 1372 In bedlem is (Adv 18.7.21)55 : Heroudis..Alle Innocens he dede distruyȝe, for cristis ded he hadde suorn.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.29 : Peltyers..be-gunne yis gylde and yis bretherhod of seynt Willyam ye holy Innocent and marter.
- c1390(a1325) Ipotis (Vrn)71 : Þe feorþe heuene is gold iliche..To Innocens þat place is diht.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1825 : Vp on this beere ay lith this innocent.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2971 : Ȝoure leges by þe swerde schal pace Of cruel deth..And Innocentis mercyles schal blede.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)8721 : Þai salle se in heven..Innocentes many ane..And other martyrs and confessours..And many other haly men, Lered and lewed þat lyfed wele here.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)101 : Þre sponefulle of hony, and fyue sponefulle of a knauechildes vryne þat is an jnnocent.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)7/12 : Comounly childyrn of þis age be clepid innocentis for þei lak vse of reson for to discerne vice fro vertu.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)365 : Þe Innocent wappid in clathes..with him he tase.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.49 : This pope did wryte mony omelyes, oon of the innocentes [Trev.: þat is irad a children masse day; L de innocentibus], whiche begynnethe 'Ȝelus quo tendat'.
- c1475 Brm.Abraham (Brm)303 : Thys ȝowng innosent lygth so styll, I may not fyndygth in my hart hym to kyll.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)2.2 : Herode that sloghe the innocenz.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)29/11 : The Innocentes, for þay wern so ȝong, þat þay cowthe not speke, þay schewet hor loue by open sygne.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)177/388 : Alas! my bab, myn Innocent!
f
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)14.6 : He that..ȝaf nouȝt hys tresour to oker and ne tok ȝiftes up innocent.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.14.5 : That his monee ȝaf not to vsure; and ȝiftis vp on the innocent toc not.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)3.241 : He þat ne vseth nauȝte þe lyf of vsurye..And alle þat helpeth þe innocent and halt with þe riȝtful.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)625 : Innoghe of grace hatz innocent, As sone as þay arn borne..In þe water of babtem þay dyssente.
2.
Innocence.
Associated quotations
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2207 : Why sufferist þow þese cursid men to stroy[e] me for nouȝt? And knowest wel myne Innocent, þat I have no gilt.