Middle English Dictionary Entry
ascensiǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ascensiǒun n. |
| Etymology | OF, & L ascensiōn-em |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The ascent of Christ to heaven; the Ascension; ~ dai, dai of ~; (b) the feast day [forty days after Easter] commemorating the Ascension; ~ dai, ~ eve(n, the evening or day before this feast day.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)123/245 : Alle þe ioyen..Fram crystes resurreccioun Wat comeþ hys ascensioun.
- c1390(?a1350) Trental St.Greg.(1) (Vrn(1))112 : Þreo Masses of Cristes Natiuite..And þreo of þe Ascenciun.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Deeds 1.1 : In to the daie of his ascencioun.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)64/9 : Fro þat mount steigh oure lord..to heuene vpon Ascencioun day.
- ?c1430(?1382) Wycl.Pet.Parl.(Corp-C 296)509 : Þe reule of Jesus Crist ȝoven to apostlis..aftir Cristis ascencioun.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)354/15 : She was inhabith in Jure..after the assencion of hir sone.
- (1478-80) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.3238 : To an orgon pleyer on the Assension day, iij d.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)152/28 : In his ascencyon he had wyth hym a gret multytude of soules.
- a1500 *Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149:Hulme)267b : Whan oure lorde Ihesu cryst..assendyd to hevene vppon the holy day of asscencyoun.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)6590 : In þat toun Þai bileft til þe assensioun.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)213 : Ine zuyche festes ase at cristesmesse his beringe..Ate assencion, hou ha steaȝ to heuene.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.225 : Þe Tewesday tofore þe Ascencioun his deeþ neighede..In þe Ascencioun day [etc.].
- c1390 In Somer bifore (Vrn)1 : In Somer bi-fore þe Ascenciun..For þe pees fast gon I prai.
- (1425) RParl.4.267a : On whech morewe, ye Wednesday, beyng ye Ascension eve.
- (1426) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)341 : Wreten at Stanwell on Ascension day.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)13792 : Jn Toraysse they scholde ben on ascencioun even.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)57 : Leo þe first regned xuii ȝere. In his tyme were þe rogaciones ordeyned be for þe ascensioun.
2.
(a) A means or way of ascending; (b) ascendancy; (c) spiritual uplift.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 MPPsalter (Dub 69)103.4 : Ascencyon [Add: Þat settest þe cloude þy wendyng up].
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)2032 : To-forn þe entre of þe temple than Were xv grees of marbyl..Be whiche to þe temple was þe ascencyon.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1109 : Ȝif þat we Koude han an eye in oure felicite, Whiche þat is in his ascenceoun.
c
- a1400 MPPsalter (Dub 69)83.6 : Ascension [Add: He ordeined steiȝenge in his hert].
3.
Astron. (a) The rising above the horizon of a part of the zodiac or equinoctial circle; also, the time and place of rising; sign of right ~, one of the signs (Cancer through Sagittarius) which arise at a greater angle to the horizon than the corresponding oblique signs (Capricorn through Gemini) and which are supposed to dominate them in astrology; (b) the increasing elevation of the sun in the heavens between the vernal equinox and the summer solstice.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1450(a1388) *Wallingford Exafrenon (Dgb 67)7a/a : The same nowmbre I seek in þe table of þe Ascensioun of Oxonforde.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4045 : By nature he knew ech ascensioun Of the equinoxial in thilke toun.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.26.3,7 : The spere solide..shewith manyfest the diverse ascenciouns of signes in diverse places, as wel in the right cercle as in the embelif cercle..thilke signe is cleped of right ascensioun with which more part of the cercle equinoxiall and lasse part of the zodiak ascendith.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.26.31 : Astrologiens, by her tables and her instrumentes, knowen verreily the ascensioun of every degree and minute in all the zodiak in the embelif cercle.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.28.2 : Set the heved of the signe which as the list to knowe his ascensioun upon the est orisonte.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.28.34 : These croked signes ben obedient to the signes that ben of right ascensioun. The signes of right ascencioun ben fro the heved of Cancer unto the ende of Sagittarie.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3365 : Þe shene sonne In þe Crabbe had his cours I-ronne To þe hiȝest of his ascencioun.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)55/13 : Whan þe same golden wayne of Titan from þe Ariete is whirlid vp to þe hiȝeste towre of his assencioun into þe celestiall signe of þe Crabbe.
4.
Alch. Vaporization.
Associated quotations
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.778 : Ne eek oure spirites ascencioun, Ne oure matires that lyen al fix adoun, Mowe in oure werkyng no thyng vs availle.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)4/18 : Bi continuelle ascenciouns and discenciouns, þe quinta essencia is departid fro þe..4 elementis.
5.
Mus. Rising in a scale.
Associated quotations
- c1475 Court Sap.(Trin-C R.3.21)2057 : Dame Musica..taught these nootes by hyr monycord..Theyr variaunce and theyr ascensioun, Theyr ordre eke and theyre discensioun.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2652 : Thes infernal ougli smokes blake Transcende the coppe of many gret mounteyn; But ofte sithe bi a ful sodeyn reyn Al such ascenciouns, bi rage of wynd up blowe, With vnwar tourn be reuersed & brouht lowe.
Note: New sense