Middle English Dictionary Entry
jū̆partī(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | jū̆partī(e n. Also juperti(e, jupardi(e, juperdi(e, jubardi(e, juberdie, jubordie, joupardie & jū̆partẹ̄, juperte, juparde, juberte, jouparte, jouperte, juoperte & jeupartī(e, jeupardie, jeopardi(e, jopardi(e, joperdi, joberti, jepardie, jeperdi & jeupartẹ̄, joparde, joporte, joberde, jeparte, jeberde, giperde & (errors) impartie, jeobadier, jeopardiet. |
| Etymology | OF jeu parti, ju-, geu-, giu-. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Risk, hazard, danger, jeopardy; a hazardous enterprise, dangerous situation; ben in ~ to, to be in danger of (dying); (b) putten in ~, to risk danger, take a chance, venture; imperil (sb. or sth.), endanger; jeopardize (oneself, one's life or body); put (a cause or quarrel) to the test of combat; bisetten (leien) in ~, risk (one's life); setten in ~, risk (everything); (c) leven in ~, to let (a country) be in peril; putten in ~ of deth, put (sb., oneself) in danger of death, risk (someone's, one's own) life; putten in ~ of lif, put (sb.) in danger of losing (his) life; putten ~ upon (to), shift a risk onto (sb. else); stonden in ~, be in danger; stonden (ben) in ~ of lif, be in danger of losing (one's) life.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.743 : And whan he thurgh his madnesse and folye Hath lost his owene good thurgh iupartye [vrr. iubordie, Iopardy, Iepardye], Thanne he exciteth oother folk ther to To lese hir good as he hym self hath do.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1856 : Hit were a juel for þe joparde þat hym iugged were.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3137 : And þer-vppon wolde a blame sette, Of royal power þat I nat ne lette Þi manly ȝouthe from swiche iupartie.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1731 : Eskapid safe from euery Iupartye, Boþe Anthenor and al his companye.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.465 : Myn estat lith now in jupartie, And ek myn emes lif is in balaunce.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.916 : Troie is brought in swich a jupartie, That it to save is now no remedie.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1530 : Hire housbonde was in jupertye To dye hymself.
- (1434) Proc.Privy C.4.225 : I coude aswel..playnly for myn acquitaile & discharge of my blame or defaulte, declared þe notoire jupardie of lost of youre seid cuntre.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)85 : He..sturith my seyde lorde off Bedford to hye his komyng into Englond, in eschewyng off Jeperdy off the lande and off a ffelde.
- (a1443) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xlii : She has been gretely vexed & trowbelid & putte in grete loss & iuberdie, booth of her person, her londe, & her good.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1008 : This iuberte haue I abydyn for my lady souereyn.
- (1450) Wars France in RS 22.2595 : Emond, duc of Somerset..was yn grete jubardye of his person.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)10/280 : Or he may passe the gate of Iupardy.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)101/3011 : For smalle it is that yet y sett hir by, Which stond at large without iewparty.
- (1451) Paston2.242 : Iff it were for the lyvelod, men wold take hem the nerer for to abyde a joporte; but be hese feyth, as he swore, if the Kyng wryte ayan to hym he wol no lenger abyde the joporte of the Kyngges wrytyng.
- (1464) Let.Ormond in Fortescue Works24 : And elles my lord of Kendale canne fynde the meanes howe ye mowe passe soche parties of Gyane, Langdok, and other, whereas most juperte is, as ye shulle be in no perille.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)127/19 : Yette woll I nat wyghte my lady to be in no joupardye.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1087/19 : Sir Bors tolde the quene what jouperte sir Launcelot was in.
- (1471) Let.Fauconberge in Archaeol.Cant.11 (Gldh Jrnl 8)363 : Ye soo doyng shall cause the Kyng rather to be yor good, and thereby ye shall eschew gret jeobadiers, parells, and inconvenientees.
- (1472) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8525 : The Lord sall reperell be Passe day, in payn of the jeberde yat may fall thar off.
- c1500(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Trin-C R.3.19)791 : Thow were in my daunger..Thy lyffe in iubardy.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.3237 : That he, which was so wys a knyht, His lif upon so yong a wyht Besette wolde in jeupartie..manye it hielden for folie.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1495 : Parauenture an heep of yow, ywis, Wol holden hym a lewed man in this, That he wol putte his wyf in iupartie.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)97 : Sum segg hym bi-soȝt of sum siker knyȝt To joyne wyth hym in iustyng, in joparde to lay, Lede, lif for lyf.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.359 : For whiche þei put hem siluen in Iupartye, Without reskuse likly for to dye.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1625 : Þi lif is putte in iupartie.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4404 : Of hym silfe who haþ good fantasie To sette vpon and putte in Iupartie..Þei feile selde of þe palme of glorie.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4046 : Þei wolden assenten finally To putte þe quarel ful in iuparty, Of ouþer part, atwene þese knyȝtes tweyne.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3976 : Tydeus..Ne wold as tho put in Iupartie Nowther hymsilf nor non of his ferys.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1512 : It were a gret folie To putte that sikernesse in jupertie.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2666 : Go, putte thisilf in jupartie, To aske grace.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)2/16 : Þe common pople..wald putte þaire bodys and þaire catell in iupardy for to conquere oure heritage.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)8499 : Thei nold not so put her quarele In a-venture ne In Iopardie.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.2491 : For loue off Mynos..Made hir herte presumen and be bold, First hirsilff to putte in iupartie.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.716 : With Ieroboam he caste hym for to meete, And al attonys sette in iupartie.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.286 : I dar weel putte in iupartie With the to plete and holde chaumpartie.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)1081 : And elles I woll my lyffe put in jeparte.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)212/6331 : If ther be ought þat y may do, Spare not to put my lijf in Iuparty.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)743/24 : Ye put youreselff in grete juparde.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1086/29 : Whan sir Launcelot myght speke, he asked why he put his lyff so in jouperte.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)6843 : Ther ys nat on That wyl hym putte in Iupartye Crystys feyth to magnefye.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)126 : Wherfore he most than do the expences with money owt off his cofers, or put all is lande in jopardie.
- a1500(1426) Lydg.Hen.VI TP (Hrl 7333)27 : Lyf and goodis..He sparith not to put in iuperdye.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)69 : So wolde they do to put alle ther lyves and godes in Iepardye.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)230/18 : I am the good sheapheard, that putteth his lyfe in Ioperdy to save his flocke.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1477 : He schal..Stonde of his lif in jeupartie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.5274 : Thus stant every mannes lif In jeupartie for his wif Or for his dowhter, if thei be Passende an other of beaute.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2539 : It is not a lite To saue ȝour life, þat stant in iupartye.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3062 : Preying ȝow..to se how of Grece all þe Chyualrye Of her lyues stont in Iupartie.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1386 : This town stant thus in jupartie.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)137/27 : If þai wald putte þaim in iuperdy of deed for his sake..þai schuld com into his Paradys.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2390 : Twies the world destroied sholde be, With water onys stonde in iupartie.
- (1439) Proc.Privy C.5.359 : Al Cristene feith and beleve the whiche..standith at this day in grete giperde and perille.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3283 : Your lif stood þere in iupartie.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.148 : So stant alwey a kyng in ieuparte.
- (?1456) Paston (Gairdner)3.113 : Thei wuld put alle juparte up on me to myn utter ondoyng, and yit to do my trewe part in execucion of ther entent, for ye knowell my master hath put the juparte and the losse, if any growe, to me on his part.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)107/15 : And so they were assayled on the one syde and on the othir, that sir Gawayne and Gaherys were in jouparte of their lyves.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1239/32 : But now go agayn lyghtly, for thy longe taryynge puttith me in grete jouperte of my lyff.
- (1474) Let.Christ Ch.in RS 85.3279 : It is thought to the Kyngs Highnesse most expedient, that rathe than he shuld abide the defence of the werre atte home, and leve his lande in the jeopardie that Rome stode in by the comyng of Hanyball out of Cartage, he shuld manly prevent his adversaries.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)12/11 : Thenne stood the reame in grete jeopardy long whyle, for every lord that was myghty of men maade hym stronge, and many wende to have ben kyng.
2.
(a) Harm, misfortune, trouble; (b) commotion, disturbance, turmoil; (c) ?inconvenience, discomfort.
Associated quotations
a
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.4798 : But poetis that write tragedies, Ther compleynyng is al off hih estatis, Rehersyng euer ther pitous iuparties.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1470 : Qwerfore cursyd be that iche a day That this infortune or iuberte schul euer falle.
- c1475 A philosophre (Hrl 372)p.40 : Ful on-wise is she That cannot counsel in suche juparte.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.59 : The porest of his maye so encrease By iniury and force of menne preserued, Till he his kyng so with strength haue ouerthrowed, And sette hymself in royall maieste, As tratour Cade made suche an iuoperte.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1173 : Of hope also thei tellen this, That overal, wher that he is, He set the herte in jeupartie With wihssinge and with fantasie.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.407 : So þat ne had the grace of God byn and your sadde polit[i]que guydyng and diligence for the souner appeasyng therof, right grete inconveniente & ieopardiet had ben like to haue ensewed þeruppon.
c
- (1470) Stonor1.110 : I beseke yow to aschusyt and to contend your litylle abyddynge at home, and allso þe joberde of yowr chelder and of all your howys at your hasty goyng in to Devenscheyr.
3.
(a) Uncertainty, doubt, suspense; (b) stonden in ~, to be uncertain; of life and death: hang in the balance; stonden in ~ of, vacillate between (two states or emotions).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3217 : I rede hou whilom that Pompeie, To whom that Rome moste obeie, A werre hadde in jeupartie Ayein the king of Ermenie, Which of long time him hadde grieved.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)602 : 'Of more & lasse in Godez ryche,' Þat gentyl sayde, 'lys no joparde, For þer is vch mon payed inlyche, Wheþer lyttel oþer much be hys rewarde.'
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)216/6439 : Now wolde y say þou [Fortune] haddist þee wel borne..Which do revolue at eve or morne The dowbille turnys of thi iuparty.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2240 : Þus sche stood in a Iupardye Of Loue and Schame.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.188 : Ful oft a-day I stonde in iuparte, Of pensifhed and inward besy drede.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)305 : A twix two [I] stood in Iupartye, To what party my penne I shulde applye.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)1113 : Lyff and deth stonde in Jupartye.
4.
(a) A problem in chess; also, a trick or stratagem in chess; (b) a trick; don ~, to carry out a cunning plan.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.812 : He schal ay fynde dyvers fantasyes Of wardys makyng, & newe imparties [read: iuparties].
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)666 : But God wolde I had oones or twyes Ykoud and knowe the jeupardyes [vrr. Ieupardyes, Iepardyes] That kowde the Grek Pithagores; I shulde have pleyd the bet at ches.
- a1475 Chess(1) (Porter)601 : The most craft of pleying of Jupertis is for to bring yn odde drauȝtis wt þi kyng.
- c1475 Chess(2) (Ashm 344)606 : A Jupertye to do a man mate the.
- c1475 Chess(2) (Ashm 344)607 : But this is a Jupertie that may neuer be mated out of thi medyll of the table yf it be well defended of connyng plaier.
b
- ?a1300 Sirith (Dgb 86)276 : For I shal don a iuperti And a ferli maistri, Þat þou shalt ful wel sen.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1475 GLeg.Suppl.Barbara (Lamb 72)414/1150 : If it falle to my lotte for to dye for hys love, ȝit schalle I putte my body in ieberdye and stayne it with the rede bloode of martirdome.
Note: Editor's note: "ieberdye: dangerous situation. MED jupartie n. does not record this spelling."
Note: Addtional quot., sense 1.(a).
Note: New form.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Sense 5. "?as surname--prob. AF" has been deleted, since the only evidence 'is undoubtedly a patronymic, the Latin genitive of the OF personal name Jobert, from .. Germanic Gautbert": P. McClure, "Middle English Occupational Bynames as Lexical Evidence: a Study of Names in the Nottingham Borough Court Rolls 1313-1455," Transactions of the Philological Society 108 (2010), p. 166 n.2. Said evidence consisted of a single quot., (1230) Close R.Hen.III 428: 'Ernaldi Joberti.'