Middle English Dictionary Entry
instructen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | instructen v. Also instruct(e. P. instructe, ppl. instructed & instruct(e. |
| Etymology | From L instructus, ppl. of instruere. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To tell (sb. sth.), inform (sb.); instruct(ed in (of, with), having knowledge of (sth.), informed about; (b) to teach (sb.); ben instruct(ed in (with), be taught (chivalry), receive instruction in (a religion, a faith); (c) instruct(ed in, learned in (a field or subject), versed in, expert in; (d) to give (sb.) orders or instructions; (e) to provide a model for (one's life).
Associated quotations
a
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.13/17 : He, comforttid in the holy gooste and instructe with cunnynge of trweth, seide the worde of God feithfully.
- (1462) Case King Council in Seld.Soc.35115 : Also charged the said Reuerent fader to send hider..a discrete and a sadde personne or personnes fully instruct of his entent in all thinges.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.15 : Men which haue not seen so large volumes of this mater may be instructe [L instruantur] by this compendious labor.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)114/16 : Þou shalt come ayen instructe in þinges present & þat are to come.
- a1525(?1480) Cov.Leet Bk.433 : I, your seid Maire, shuld send to your highnesse..some discrete persone for me sufficiently instructe with that matier to thentent þat your seid highnesse myght vnderstand þe trouth.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)231/44 : Mayster, instruct us in this case, why this man blynd borne was.
b
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)3206 : I aske also Þat þe kyngys sone forsake ydolatrye..And in my beleue be instruct pleynly.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)248 : Manye also of the Iewis..were bifore sufficientli instructid in the feith of oon God.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)79/9 : Whanne man is instructid and leernyd bi feiþ..þanne þilk man chesiþ in his wil forto ocupie him in suche meke werkis.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)5.119 (v.1:p.78) : The appostle instructe hem in the feith and baptised hem.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.237 : This Herode..callede ageyn to him Dosides..sendenge Aristobolus and Alexander..to be instructe [L erudiendos; Trev.: forto lerne] at Rome.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.321 : This Boecius was singuler in his werkes and..erudite or instructe firste at Rome, after at Athenes.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.80 : Kymbalyne so was..Noryshed at Rome, instructe with [Hrl: in] cheualre.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.88 : Somewhat in fayth of Christ he was instruct.
c
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)107 : Thanne comen forth men sumwhat lettrid as in grammer oonli or litle ferther, and not instructid in the kunnyng of moral philsophie.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)25 : Sir Robert Grame..a mane wele ynstructe yn lawe and letture, said thes wordes.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.243 : This Virgille, instructe [L præditus] in naturalle philosophy, vsede muche nigromancy.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.23 : Then he appliede hym to nigromancy, whiche instructe in that arte..made Cadigan..to have..affeccioun to hym.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.81 : This duke instructe nobly in mony artes [L scientia præclarus]..songe in somme monastery of his realme with monkes.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.171 : Then saynt Hilde in all deuinitee Was hole instructe amonge all the clergie.
d
- (1430) Proc.Privy C.4.24 : Yf þei be sufficiently instructe on þe behalf of þe King of Scottes of þoffres þat he wol make..þei be redy to here hem.
- (1436) Proc.Privy C.4.313 : We shal depute and ordeyne certein oure commissairs to be at þe marches..fully instruct and havyng power of us aswel to doo and make to be doo.
- (1444) RParl.5.74a : Hit is promysed that certayn Ambassitours shall come frome the Frenche partie into this Roialme..well instructe and disposed to goode conclusion of pees.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)76/23 : Þere had þei..noble exhortaciones of pes & vnite, of þe rigour eke and þe hardnesse of þe ordir, who it schuld be kept aftir his daies; and þus instruct þei went hom fro him.
- -?-(a1461) Doc.in HMC Rep.3 App.279b : He by the comaundement of the kynge, and by thavice of alle the lordes spirituall and temperall, well instructe..toke upon him with other notable ambassades to goo in to Normandie.
e
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)6.59 (v.1:p.83) : His holy and blissid life instruct with vertue our life, and his peynful deth destroied the periles of our deth.