Middle English Dictionary Entry
jelǒus adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | jelǒus adj. Also jelouse, jelos, jelus, jellous, jā̆lǒus(e, jōlǒuse, jolious(e, joliose, jolice, joiluse & ǧelǒus(e, gelus(e, gelose, geluce, gelious, geolous, chelous & yelouse. |
| Etymology | OF jalos, gelos. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Sexually jealous; as noun: jealous man; ~ of (to, toward); ~ bitwix, jealous of the love between (two people); (b) envious, having ill will; as noun: envious people; (c) distrustful, suspicious; (d) fierce, cruel, spirited.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)48/5,6,7 : Vnderstond ancre hwas spuse þu art & hu he is gelus of alle þine lates..Ich am, he seið..þe geluse godd..Ich am gelus of þe, syon mi leofmon, wið muche gelusie.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1077 : He was so gelus of his wiue Þat he ne miȝte for his liue Iso þat man wiþ hire speke.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3495 : Loke ðat ðu god oðer ne make, Ne oðer ðan me ðat ðu ne take, for ic am god gelus and strong.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.9.1 : Be thou not gelouse to [WB(2): Loue thou not gelousli; L non zeles] the womman of thi bosum.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3224 : Ialous [vr. Ielous] he was and heeld hire narwe in cage.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.534 : Thogh..he ne hiere Ne se ne wite..Bot al honour and wommanhiede, Therof the Jelous takth non hiede.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)148a/b : [The cock] fiȝtiþ for hire..as þough he were Ielous [L zelotipus] &..chaciþ and dryueþ awey..cokkes þat comeþ nyȝe his wifes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5804 : Vlcanus..whylom was in herte so Ialous Toward Venus..Wher-of þer roos a dedly mortal stryfe.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)190 : Gelows, or geluce: Zelotipus.
- a1450 PPl.B (Bod 814)9.166 : Geolous [Ld: In ialousye ioyeles].
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)60/32 : Be-ware the mete þat iolouse [vr. ialouse; DSPhilos.: iellous] women yeue him, or eny othir suspecious persone.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)284/33 : Bycause I love [and] cherysshe my cousyn..he is jolowse betwyxte me and hym.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)119/23 : Þou schalt not loute hem ne worschip hem, for I am þe lord þi god, a strong gelose louer.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.286 : Swich subtil lookyng and dissimulynges For drede of ialous mennes aperceyuynges.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4182 : What schuld I write þe reuel & þe daunces..Þe stole touchis, þe lokis amerous, þe prevy gruchyng of hem þat wer Ielous.
- c1450(c1390) Chaucer Ven.(Benson-Robinson)62 : Now love wel, herte..And let the jelous putte it in assay That, for no peyne, wol I not sey nay.
c
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)42/29 : [An abbess] sal nott be trubellus, nor angri, nor ouirobstinate, nor iolyose nor ouir-suspiciose.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1555 : Tho felle in his hert a gelous suspecioun Of þese too newe chosen.
d
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1329 : Iuno, ialous and eek wood, That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood Of Thebes.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2634 : The ialous strokes on hir helmes byte.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Deut.29.20 : Thanne moost the woodnes of hym shal wax feers, and gelows [vr. gelouste; WB(2): the feruour; L zelus] aȝens that man, and sitten vpon hym alle the cursid thingis that ben wryten in this volym; and he doo awey the name of hym vnder heuene.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)900 : And now, ye wrechede jelos fadres oure..We preyen..That in o grave yfere we moten lye.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5446 : He..bad, 'plukis vp ȝour hertis,' And cherischest his chiftans with chelous wordis.
2.
(a) Fond, amorous, ardent; ~ of (on); (b) solicitous, careful; (c) fervent, inspired.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)276 : De beal femme est homme gelous; M. of fayre w. is gelous.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Wisd.1.10 : The ere of the ielous [WB(2): feruent loue; L zeli] hereth alle thingis.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.349 : Þis Nichol hadde a faire wyf, and was blamed of þe apostles as þey he were ielous [Higd.(2): iolyous; L zelotypus].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)150b/a : Þe male [sparewe] is ielous of his wyf and twiteriþ ofte for here, as Aristotel seiþ.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1123 : Of hys sone he was gelous [F geluz], And ȝaue hym alle hys land & hous, And al hys catel in toune & felde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1794 : Was naman Ielus of his wijf..Was nan fra ded þat moght him couer.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1671 : The amerous lookes By sotyl craft leyd oute lyne and hokes, The Ialous [vr. gelious] folk to traysshen and begyle.
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Mil.(Petw 7)A.3355 : And forþe he goþ, Ielous [vrr. ialous, iolyf] and amerous.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)362/9 : Sho was war of a fressh yong man, & onone sho wex iolious on hym.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)67b : A man Ioyluse [Monson: Iolyce]: philocaptus, zelotopus.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)801 : Yf y the graunt..My loue..Thou woldest be so yelowse And of me so amerowse, That þou woldest not þy narmes take.
b
- a1425(a1400) Titus & V.(Pep 2014)1325 : Velosian was of hyr ielouse, That he hyr had into his house; For þer he hoped to ese hyr best, After trauaylle hyr to rest.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2021 : Hye and noble prince..I, humble seruaunt..Vnto your estate..Of whiche I am full tendir & full ielous, Me recomaunde.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1785 : She is no thyng Ielous of hir name; ffor she is so boolde in hir synne She seith it is but a comen game.
c
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)58/22 : Þe herte es lyfte and raueschede to þe lufe of God with gelouse ȝernynges.
3.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1319) Close R.Edw.II140 : Walter Gelous.
- (1320) Pat.R.Edw.II482 : John Gelous.