Middle English Dictionary Entry
intelliǧence n.
Entry Info
| Forms | intelliǧence n. Also intelligens. |
| Etymology | OF intelligence & L intelligentia. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The highest faculty of the mind, the capacity for comprehending general truths; (b) intelligence in general, the ability to understand, comprehension; also, knowledge in general, learning; (c) a creature endowed with understanding or intelligence.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2974 : He which withinne daies sevene This large world forth with the hevene..Hath mad, and thilke intelligence In mannys soule resonable Hath schape to be perdurable.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.57 : Whan that men looken it in thilke pure clennesse of the devyne intelligence, it is ycleped purveaunce.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.4.174,183 : And the man hymself, ootherweys wit byholdeth hym, and ootherweys ymaginacioun, and otherweyes resoun, and ootherweies intelligence..the eighe of the intelligence is heyere for it surmountith the envyrounynge of the universite.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.4.198 : For wit [L sensus] ne mai no thing comprehende out of matere, ne the ymaginacioun [L imaginatio] loketh nat the universels speces, ne resoun [L ratio] ne taketh nat the symple forme so as intelligence takith it; but intelligence [L intellegentia], that lookith al aboven, whanne it hath comprehended the forme, it knoweth and demyth alle the thinges that ben undir that foorme.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.5.86 : The resoun of mankynde ne weneth nat that the devyne intelligence byholdeth or knoweth thingis to comen.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)181 : God the ffulfille with intelligence And with a spyryt of goostly sapience.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.309 : Intelligence comprehendeth clene, And as it were beholdeþ fro an hye, Thise formes he conceyueþ plenerlye.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)463/5 : vj virgynes..gaf hym..the giftes of the Holy Gost, a spirite of intelligence, a spirite of sapience, and a spirite of strenght and of connyng.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1732 : God almyȝti..Hath sette a lawe..Amonge planetis..Thoruȝ þe fynger of his sapience, Alwey to meve in her intelligence Lyche as þei ben to his lordschip bovnde.
- (1421) Hoccl.Hen.V Vict.(Hnt HM 744)27 : Ignorance is vn-to vs swich a fo, If we dilate sholde..Your prys and thank, we kowden nat do so..And syn þat ther-to oure intelligence Souffysith nat, we keepe moot silence.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.415 : And to do plesaunce to our lord Iesu, He studieth euere to haue intelligence; Reedyng off bookis bryngith in vertu..Makith a prynce..To knowe hymsilff..Wher he trespasith his errour to chastise.
- a1450 Who þat liste loke (Stw 951)41/38 : The soule þat maketh prouidence May nat of goddes rewarde fayle..For in it is mych more intelligence And more vnderstondyng of felyng myght Then in þe body.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.1566 : We haue in this mater ful mysty intelligens, Whiche may noȝt be comon to euery man.
- a1456(a1407) Scogan MB (Ashm 59)52 : Feyþe is ded with-owten werkis; So is estate with-oute intelligence Of vertue; þer-fore with diligence Shapeþe of vertue so to plante þe roote Þat yee þere-of haue ful exparience.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)626 : To rede a thinge withoute intelligence, As seith Cato the Wise, is negligence.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2575 : Yee mut declare yeur maters to myne intelligence, That I may the bet perseyve al inconvenience.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)5262 : But the fyffthe wyt off heryng -- Wych mor clerly in sentence Haueth full intelligence -- He techyth the wyttys euerychon Evydently what they shal don.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)6414 : And thanne thyn Intelligence, Also ffer as he doth se, He Gyveth hys doom in that degre.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)257/763 : Lord, ffor to receyve þis gostly sustenawns In dewe forme, it excedyth myn intellygens.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.121 : Crist gaf..Grace of the haly gast and eke of tonges intelligence.
c
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Invoc.Anne (Add 16165)4 : Þou first moeuer..Having þe lordship of eche Intelligence, Destille adoune þy gracious Influence.
- c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson)166 : The firste tyme, alas, that I was wroght, And for certeyn effectes hider broght Be him that lordeth ech intelligence, I yaf my trewe servise..To her that is of so gret excellence.
2.
(a) A branch of learning or knowledge; (b) knowledge of a fact, news of an event; bi al ~, by all reports; (c) meaning, subject matter.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.28 : I thenke ferst to the reherce The nature of Philosophie, Which Aristotle of his clergie, Wys and expert in the sciences, Declareth thilke intelligences, As of thre pointz in principal.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.176 : Mathematique of his science Hath yit the thridde intelligence..And cleped is Geometrie.
b
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)116/33 : The Aungel Gabryel Apperyd hym to; þat hese wyff xulde conseyve, he ȝaff hym intelligence.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)234/109 : My lord, and it plese ȝou to haue intellygens, Ser Cayphas comyth to ȝou in hast.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)240/270 : We have intellygens þat oure lord is ny come to þis cete.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.290 : His brother..None yssue male had then that menne of herd, But female by all intelligence.
c
- a1475(1430) Lydg.St.Marg.(Dur-U Cosin V.2.14)7 : Vnder writyng rude of apparence, Mater is hid of grete intellygence.