Middle English Dictionary Entry
joiful adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | joiful adj. Also -fulle, -fol(e, -fille, joieful, yoiful. |
| Etymology | From joi(e . |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Glad, pleasant, happy; (b) expressing pleasure or happiness; merry, gay, festive, jovial; of speech: cheerful, pleasant, gracious; (c) ~ of, glad of (sth.), happy about; glad to see (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1275 *St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)178 : Bliþe was ir herte; ioiful was ir mod.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(Hrl 2277)455 : Þo hi ihurde þis word, ioyful [Ld: Ioyfole] ynou hi were.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)50/112 : Ake ȝeot was heore heorte glad and Ioyful þo huy him founde.
- a1325 SLeg.Bridget(2) (Corp-C 145)116 : And he was ioiuol inou þat [ney] hure miȝte be[o].
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2261 : Glade were þo þis brutons & ioyuol & proute.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2970 : Thanne was Prudence right glad and ioyeful [vr. ioyful].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.273 : I am riht joifull in my thoght.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)20604 : Ful ioyeful modir maistou bene.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)288 : Were I at yow byȝonde þise wawez, I were a ioyful jueler.
- (1418) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)75/21 : Euer we shulle be the joyfuller in this lyfe whan we remembre vs on so noble a grace.
- (1421) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)83/2 : Ye wol be Joyfull to here good tidinges of oure estat.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)366 : And when I saw þat semely syght, It made me bath joyful and lyght.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1902 : Myn herte joyfull was and light.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2589 : It makith me full of joyfull thought.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)20/270 : As I haue louyd ȝow, Þen ioyful schal ȝe be.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)80 : Þanne þou art infinite ricche, infynyte joieful and blisful.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12099 : Hys folk was ioiful and gl[a]dly let, For þeire pathe fare to Bareflet.
- (1454) Proc.Privy C.6.196 : We be..right joyfull that we fynde you soo feithfull subgittes.
- c1455 Chaucer CT.NP.(HatDon 1)B.4264 : Ioifull [Heng: Iolif and glad they wenten vn-to reste].
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)72/30 : I am joyful thedyrward as I may be.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)133 : Hys kynne was wondur yoyfull þan That he waxe so feyre a man.
b
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)284/225 : Huy nadden bote a luyte bred..And alle huy maden heom also Ioifole ase huy weren at one feste.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1308 : Herodes was ffor þe ffeste þo at Ierusalem..ioyffol ynow he was.
- c1390 Off a trewe loue (Vrn)91 : Þe Ioyful song in vche a strete.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.390 : This markys..to his paleys..With ioyful peple that hir ladde and mette, Conveyed hire.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)14a/a : Þey buþ..I-bore vp, I-socied & I-couplid togidres in þe ioyful compenye of god.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)126a/a : In springinge of þe day þe briddis ben ioyful [L gaudent] and singiþ.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10566 : Þai grett þam-self wit gastli game..O þai war glad and ioiful þan.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19359 : Þai went forth ioifuller [Trin-C: ioyefullere] þan are.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)20516 : He..saide til ham, wiþ ioiful [Trin-C: mylde] steyuen, 'comis wiþ me.'
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2291 : And be as joyfull as thou can.
- a1425 Nicod.(1) (Add 32578)1002 : To aramathy þai come anon, Ioyful [vr. Ioyfulle] ynogh for Ioseph sake.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.318 : Ofte tyme..apperiden aungels to men, but not in sich a multitude, ne in siche a joieful speche.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)659 : Þe jaudewin Jubiter joiful ȝe holde.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)42/1226 : Caste now aside thi fulle greef and turment, And bere the ioyfulle.
- c1460 Ipom.(3) (Lngl 257)334/26 : When he had herd that, he was the ioyefullest man that might be & told Tholomew that he wald ordayn him for that tournement.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)719/32 : And whan they in the castell wyste how sir Palomydes had sped, there was a joyfull mayne.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)146/7 : Therfore I synge A joyful stevene.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)2262 : To their Innes they bee goon, Full gladde and ioyefull euerychoon.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)67b : Joyfull [Monson: Ioyfylle], vbi mery.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)427 : I shuld take the mete from the handes of my Childryn and, Ioyfull, presente it to my makere.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)2848 : When þe emperowre hys hedde had, He was bothe yoyfull and gladde.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.934 : And of a Sone bore full, Wherof that sche was joiefull, Sche was delivered sauf and sone.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3384 : Whan Silvestre hath herd the king, He was riht joiful of this thing.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)122b/b : Whanne Troye was destroyed, þe Grees were ioyful þerof.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)264b/a : Þe lomb..is glad & ioyful of company of folk..and sory..whanne he is allone.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1144 : Joyeful is she of his come.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.4401 : At whos commyng þe Grekis outerly So Ioyful ben of her good spede.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3454 : Thanne wente I forth..Unto my freend and tolde hym all, Which was right joyful of my tall.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)937 : Jason of his iorney was ioyfull ynoghe, Gryppet a grym toole, gyrd of his hede.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)974 : Medea the mayden..Was Joyfull of Jason.
2.
Of a person, time, place, thing, situation, an action, etc.: causing gladness or happiness, accompanied by joy; pleasurable; of a commandment:?worthy of being praised in song, ?capable of being sung; ~ for to sen, pleasing to look upon; ~ til, pleasing to (sb.).
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (Hrl 2277:Wright)p.7 : To a stede ȝe schulle hunne wende..that is Foweles Parays, a wel joyful [Corp-C: ioyuol] place.
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(LdMisc 108)296 : Þis prisones..þonkeden him, ase heo auȝten wel, of þis Ioyfule cas.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)17/19 : God it is & ioyuol, breþeren to wonie yuere.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)786 : Nere neuere king ne quene glad wanne hii him seie, Ac to þe Ioiuol day hopede wanne he ssolde deie.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)36b/b : Also it comeþ of Inania madnes..whanne suche haþ likinge & lauȝeþ of sorewful þinges & makeþ sorowe & dool for Ioyeful þingis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)128b/b : Ester day is tyme of gladnesse and of ioye, tyme of honeste and renewinge, Time of clennes and of purenes and of ioyful [L iocunde] refeccioun.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23379 : Þe saul..Sal haf wisdom and frenscip..Sekernes and ioiful [Trin-C: ioyeful] ro.
- (?c1400) Caistre Hymn (Ashm 751)238 : Jhesu joyful [vrr. ioieful, yoyful] for to se..Coumford yaime.
- (1421) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)85/6 : Thankyng with al our hool myght and konnyng your soueraign excellence and noble grace of þe right confortable and Joyfull lettres, which ye liked late to sende vs.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)7834 : Þare es peysebelle ioy..And ioyfulle selynes ay lykand.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.135 : The swetnesse of mannes welefulnesse is spraynd with many bitternesses..although it seme swete and joieful [L iucunda] to hym that useth it.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.9.81 : This thyng..that is noble and honourable, nys nat that a myry thyng and a joyful [L lætissimum]?
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.7.8 : Al fortune, whethir so it be joyeful fortune or aspre fortune.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)34/25 : He was putt oute of þat ioyfull place.
- ?a1425 Whi is þis world (Trin-C B.15.39)37 : It were ful ioiful & swete lordschip to haue.
- a1450(c1395) WBible(2) Pref.Jer.(NC 66)p.64 : Thi iustifyngis weren ioyful [WB(1): chauntable; L Cantabiles] to me in the place of my pilgrymage.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)40/30 : Þe soule is sustened in þe ioyeful lijf, Ihesu Crist.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2147 : Þat he shulnot haue come to þat ioyfulle place, Þere-as is euer day & neuer nyȝt.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)131 : This Jason for his gentris was ioyfull till all.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)94/17 : Þou hase ordand for vs in þi hard harte a ioyfull habitacle & a merie.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)247/17 : Of thyngis that makyth the body..wel dysposyd..aboue al thynge, reste of body, gladnys of herte, yoyful fellochippe or company.
- a1500 Welcome be ȝe (Cmb Ff.1.6)2 : Welcome be ye, my souereine, The cause of my Ioyfull peine! For the while ye were away, Myn hert seyd noght but walaway.