Middle English Dictionary Entry
innocent adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | innocent adj. Also innosent, ennosent. |
| Etymology | OF in(n)ocent |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Free from sin or guilt, not guilty; (b) intending no harm, harmless; (c) ignorant, unaware, unsuspecting, naive, simple; (d) of a child: young, unsophisticated.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)150/20 : Þe yefþe of pite him makeþ innocent, zuo þet he nele gyly nenne.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.27.24 : I am innocent, or giltlesse, fro the blood of this iust man.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.7.26 : Forsoth it bycaam that such a man were bischop to vs, hooly, innosent..departid fro synful men.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)186b/a : Paradys..was moost conuenyent place to þe Innocent man.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)8.50 : He þat..spekiþ for þe pore Þat is Innocent & nedy. Shal no deuil..derie hym a myte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6603 : For þei wer of malys Innocent, Þe Grekis han..Graunted to hem..for to han her lyf.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)55/7 : As a lomb and ennosent To be lad to sacrefyce.
- (c1437) *Anc.Pet.(PRO)185.9240 : The appellant at whos sute thei were conuict hath gret repentance on here innocent conuiccioun.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)69/23 : Thei seyn also Crist..is an holy prophete..rightwis and innocent of alle maner of fallyng in synne.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)154/27 : Þe emperour desyrid..at þis erle mot be knowen..be beryng of a hate yrn, at luke wheþer he war innocent or noght.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)389 : Herode schuld have broke his oþe, and asavyd innocent blode.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)80/248 : Innocent be Influens of Jesses kende.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)17.28 : With haly thou sall be haly; and with man innocent, innocent thou sall be.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)176/34 : They sawe þe man þat was innocent in þe case haue a-bowte his necke a skrippe and a staf in his hande.
- a1500 Dayly in Englond (BodPoet e.1)p.273 : Mayny women be ryght dylygent..of cryme or favt thei be innocent.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)142b/a : And [the eagle] is enemye to Innocent briddes and foules and pursewiþ hem wiþ hire clawis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)264a/b : Among alle the bestes of þe erþe þe lomb is þe most Innocent softe and mylde, for he no þyng grieueþ nouþer hurteþ wiþ teeþ nouþer wiþ horn noþer with clawes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.970 : Iason..Þat novther thouȝt harme nor vylonye, But Innocent..Disported hym endelong þe stronde.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.2497 : The kinde flatour can noght love Bot forto bringe himself above..and thus fulofte Deceived ben..The kinges that ben innocent.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.274 : Grisilde of this..ful innocent That for hire shapen was al this array, To fecchen water at a welle is went.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6307 : Þei, allas..a-bedde laie slepynge Ful innocent, and þouȝt nouȝt but good.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1723 : Al innocent of Pandarus entente, Quod tho Criseyde, 'Go we, uncle deere.'
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)957 : Off his tresone the quene knowe wele also..Of all this werk the kyng was innocent, And of ther falsed no thing perseyuyd.
d
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.30 : Also a knaue chyld, innocent, beren a candel yat day..tokenynge of ye gloryous marter.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)932 : Whan he is innocent..betur likede him a bal þan a borou riche..Whan he is eldure..Þanne wol he proven him proud.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1500 15c.Serm.Cycle (Glo 22)176/161 : But þer be many peynted wallys in þe worlde þat be feyre witheowte and false withein: witheowte as golde and withein as copyr; witheowte apparent and withein innocent, schewing owtewarde þe face of a lombe and beyng inwarde as a crewell wolffe.
Note: Editor's note: "innocent: the context evidently requires this term to convey a pejorative meaning, one unrecorded in either MED or OED. Both note that an 'innocent' person may be one who is ignorant of something, but this quality is invariably presented in a good light. It may be inferred from the context that innocent denotes some quality contrary to that which is apparent. If the latter term may be construed as meaning 'visible, perceptible' (in the sense of having nothing to hide), innocent may, through an extended meaning of 'ignorant', convey the notion of that which is (intentionally) hidden." Glossary: "innocent adj. '?hidden, obscured'."
Note: ?New sense.