Middle English Dictionary Entry
irken v.
Entry Info
| Forms | irken v. P.ppl. irked, etc. & orkid. |
| Etymology | Cp. irk(e adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To be weary: to be physically exhausted; to be bored; ~ of (with), be tired (of sth.); be tired (of doing sth.); (b) impers. hit sholde ~ us, it would weary us (to do sth.), we should be weary of (doing sth.); him irkede, it wearied him (to live); irkede me with, I grew weary of (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42) : Mad orkyd & wery [Add 27329, fol. 195vb: Cokkes þat arn croked of elde .. & namely þe rede cok þat hatz be good figthere .. it must be .. mad wery in figthyng.]
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)8918 : Alle manere of melody, Of musyk, and of mynstralsy..War continuely þare-in sownand..Swa þat na man moght irk with-alle.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11122 : So manye þer were in chaumbre & halle, Men schuld yrke to telle þem alle.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)378/21 : He began to wax slaw, & yrked with þe strate[nes] of his religion.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)2656 : Think on þat tyme so myrk, When..his saule sall yrke.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7520 : All þe seruands of þe kirke, Of þair lyues he made þaim yrke.
b
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)2 Cor.1.8 : It schulde yrken [L tederet] vs to lyfe.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)277 : Irkede me with this, and ese was me leuere.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)197/4 : He was so wayke & so feble þat hym yrkid to liff.
2.
(a) To be lax (in some activity); be slow (to do sth.); be unwilling or reluctant (to do sth.); (b) to be displeased or discontented; loathe (sth.), dislike, be disgusted (with sth.); also, impers. hire irkede, she was disgusted (with sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.72 : For blode þat þer was gette, to praie þei suld not irke.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1573 : Þen irked Alle þe burnez..To nye hym [the boar] on-ferum.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)5/23 : Þei ȝelde to godis seruys..honestly þame-self behaueynge, þat to god longs, awdyr to spek or do or þink, þai irk [L torpent] noȝt.
- c1440(?c1350) Mirror St.Edm.(4) (Thrn)25/7 : Slouthe..makes man to yrke in prayere or halynes.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3400 : To kepe þi [God's] commandementis, he [man] schuld not irke.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)526 : To preche also þow myȝt not yrke Þe vij sacramentes of holy chyrche.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)395/14 : Þe peple yrkid for to luke on hur.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)168/194 : In goddys servyse I xal nevyr irke.
b
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)78 : Sides þai made blo & wan, Þat er wer white so feþer on swan; Swiche gamen man auȝt irke.
- a1400 Alle-mighty god in trinitie (Roy 17.B.17)43/574 : Þus shal synne do, but þou god drede & forsake synne & with hit irke.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)154/6 : Þei þat se me irkyn and rewyn, not knowyng me drunkyn wyth þi lofe.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)181/10 : Many tymys sche xuld an yrkyd hir labowr.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)60/12 : Alexander & his men wex wery, & irkede riȝte sare.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)178/27 : Hur irkid so with hur syn at sho hangid hur selfe.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.22.15a : Hit schal..make þe for to irkyn alle vanitees.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)2.11 : Ioy, that we yrk noght in godis ȝoke.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)90/161 : I irke full sore with my lyfe.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)234/210 : All is out of har, and that shall he yrk.
3.
To trouble (sb.), disturb, injure; ~ of, disturb or hinder (sb.) in (his work).
Associated quotations
- c1450(?c1425) St.Kath.Sienna (Dc 114)185/14 : In þe..werre..many grete citesyns oþere-while hadde ben occupyed & irked; þei myghte haue no-weyes hope of any good wille of pees of þoos aduersarijs.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)525 : To yrke hym [man] of hys labur, I xall make a frame.