Middle English Dictionary Entry
kemp(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | kemp(e n.(1) Also cempe, kimpe & (early) kempa, kempen. Pl. kempes, kimpes & kempen, cempen, (early) kempan, (early pl. gen.) kempen(e. |
| Etymology | OE cempa; infl. cempan. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A warrior; ~ ifere [see ifere n. (1), sense (b)]; fig. ~ of helle, a demon; (b) a fighter against evil, a champion of the faith; kempene coroune, crown of warriors, crown of martyrs; (c) a contestant in a tournament; (d) a victor.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3591 : Daviþþ king sloh Goliat, Hæþene follkess kemmpe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)463 : Ich abbe i min castlen seoue þusend kempen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1575 : Corineus..heom to clepede þe unimete kempa.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1674 : Brutun and his kempan [Otho: kempes] heo driuen in to þan castle.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5661 : For nauede Belin nan cnihte, þet he næs þere god kimppe [Otho: kempe].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21718 : Seoððen com Heowel mid his kemppen swiðe wel.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25947 : Næs nan kempen [Otho: kempe] iboren..þat mon ne mæi mid strenðe stupen hine to grunde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26022 : Arður gon steþ vorð stið imoded kempe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30406 : Scænden þa brunies feollen ærm kempes.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)31/309 : As ha þeos bone hefde ibeden com akempe of helle on englene heowe.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3352 : Foure hundred fers men folwed him after of koraious kniȝtes & oþer kud kempes.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4029 : Were he kniȝt oþer clerk, knaue oþer kempe, he wold deliuerli himself do him to þe dethe.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1003 : He has a kyrtill..bordyrde with the berdez of burlyche kyngez, Crispid and kombide, that kempis may knawe Iche kynge by his colour.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1004 : Þer may no man with hym fyghte, Bot he were kempe ryfe.
- a1450 Pride Life (ChrC-Dub)114 : Pes, now, ȝe princes of powere so prowde, Ȝe kinges, ȝe kempes, ȝe kniȝtes i-korne.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)251 : Of kempes and of conquerours..How tha[y] wirchipe and welthe wanne in thaire lyues.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)305/34 : They russhed togydyrs lyke two myghty kempys a longe whyle, and sore they bledde bothe.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)197/1430b : For neuer in þis world weryn Too stronger kympis, as I ween.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)195/229 : I slew of kempes..more then a hundred thousand.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)12531 : Þe deofell wennde aweȝȝ anan Forrshamedd off himm sellfenn, Off þatt he wass all strenncþelæs Onnȝæn þatt newe kemmpe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19902 : Drihhtin wisste whanne..He wollde hiss dere kemmpe [John the Baptist] Hiss mede ȝeldenn hunndreddfald Forr hise gode dedess.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)243 : Gif we ofercumed heom, we scule bien imersed alle gode cempen and imeaded mid heahere mede.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)22/31 : Þu herhedest helle & ouercome ase kempe þe acursede gast.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)42/706 : He wule leote ful wel þe unwiht asaili þe þet tu earni þer-þurh Kempene crune.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)2428 : Al þet meidene mot & tet hird of heouene, cumeð her aȝein þe, mid kempene crune!
- a1250 Wooing Lord (Tit D.18)273 : Þu kene kidde kempe robbedes helle hus.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)100/21 : Þurh þe feht toȝeines ham ha biȝeoteð þe blisfule kempene [Recl.: kempen; L transl. agonizancium] crune.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)121/2 : Sein Beneit, Seint Antonie..wið rihte ofserueden kempene crune.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)45/9 : Alzuo þise hysians and þise kempen [Vices & V.(2): heraudes and champiouns]..þat uor pans..yueþ ham to crefte naȝt oneste.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)47 : A grete iustyng þer was sett; Off all þe kempes þat he mett, Wolde he none forsake.
d
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)38/636 : Þe beste ha asaileð, & wel ha der hopien to beo kempe ouer mon, þe ouercom engel.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)26/17 : Ich am kempe & he is crauant & ouercumen.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1036 : Hwo so mithe putten þore Biforn anoþer an inch or more..He was for a kempe told.
2.
(a) A wrestler, athletic contestant; (b) a man; (c) a giant.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)538/27 : Miles, uel athleta: kempe.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)50/23 : Huanne þe kempe [Vices & V.(2): chaumpioun] heþ his uelaȝe yueld and him halt be þe þrote, wel onneaþe he arist.
b
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1328 : Þe wye þat hym warded..feffyt hym with a per, & forto paren his pere, he praieþ hym ȝerne Of a knyf, & þe kempe kest hym a trenchour.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)1221 : Yit wote I not..How to come to þe court þere þe kempe dwellith.
c
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)202 : A Kempe: vbi a giande.
3.
A stalk bearing a compact seedhead, found in some of the plantains such as ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata and hoary plantain Plantago media.
Associated quotations
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f.20vb : The pety arthemesie is not lyk to þe grete, for it is depe grene, narw leues, ny or a finger lengthe, with leues smale & fewe .. & in middes rise vp many smale kempes with sedes in þe toppes lyk weybrede.
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.35v : 'Pety arthemesye,' 'pety moderwort' .. is noþyng lik þe grete moderwort; it is dep swart grene; leuys smale & narwe .. & in þe mydward rysyn vp many smale kempys as in plantayne.
4.
?As a surname.
Associated quotations
- (c1200) Doc.Ireland in RS 5320 : Alan Kempe.
- (1249) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.723 : John le Kemp.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 2176 : Willielmus Cempe.
- (c1311) Rec.Norwich 1380 : Rog. Kemppe.
- (c1438) MKempe B (Add 61823)243/19 : Sum dissolute personys, supposyng it was Mar. Kempe of Lynne, seydyn þat sche myth esily heryn þes wordys in-to repref.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Sense 3. has long been recognized as a distinctively northern and Scottish word (cp. the OED, English Dialect Dictionary, the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue, and Jamieson, Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language, all s.v. 'kemp.') The connection between this meaning and children's contests that treat such stalks as (helmeted?) 'soldiers' is often noted, as is the existence of similar uses in Scandinavia for cognate words. Daniel, however, represents a uniquely early and non-northern example, and moreover one without evident reference to children's games.