Middle English Dictionary Entry
kingdọ̄̆m n.
Entry Info
| Forms | kingdọ̄̆m n. Also kinge-, kingis-, kingh-, kingdon, -dam(e, -dan, -ham, kengdam & (error) kugdom. |
| Etymology | OE cyningdōm |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Sovereignty, overlordship, dominion, kingship; ouen ~, to have sovereignty; taken (fongen) ~, succeed to a throne; (b) fig. Satan's kingdom, control over the human race by the Devil.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.141 : And þe ten hornes þat þou seiȝ ben ten kynges þat ne hane nouȝth ȝut resceyued her kyngdomes.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2627 : Ebrouns, þe kud king, þat þat kingdom out of poyle & of cisile..ded was & doluen.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.17.12 : The ten hornes..ben ten kynges, that ȝit han not takun kingdom [L regnum].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.17.18 : The womman whom thou hast seyn is the greet citee that hath kyngdom [L regnum] vpon kinges of erthe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.137 : After þe deth of Darius..his sone, Cirus heeld þe hool kyngdom [L monarchiam] of þe est.
- c1390 In a Pistel (Vrn)76 : And nedes dye, hennes þou mote, Þei þou haue kyngdan and Empyre.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7613 : He dred his kingdon to lese at þai to king suld dauid chese.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)1079 : Þe baronage gaf him reed Þat he shuld wende hoom, And fonge his feire kyngdoom.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.9 : Kynewolf toke þe kyngdom [F la seygnurye rescayt].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3747 : Kyng Pelleus..His heritage first he gan resigne, Septre & crovne & kengdam at þe leste.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1487 : Tideus..To cleymen kyngdom of the citee wente, For his felawe..Of which the brother..Ful wrongfully of Thebes held the strengthe.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.FCLife (Corp-C 296)195 : Also crist wolde not take þe kyngdom whan þe puple wolde haue maad him kyng.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)11b : Þe puple of Rome..han sprad abrood hir empire, þat is to seie, her lordschip of hir kingdom..into þe worldis ende.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)206/1690 : He preyeth þat ye..wedde Dame pollexne..And take þe kyngdom with her.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)29/4 : His eldryn to-fore hym haddyn some tyme the kyngedome of al Irland, and..al the land was subiecte to hym.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.12.26 : And ȝif Sathanas castith out Sathanas, he is departid aȝeins hym self; therfore hou shal his kyngdam stonde?
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18245 : Nu es all vr kingdom for-dune; O man-kind mon we gett ful fune.
2.
(a) A state or community governed by a king; a monarchy [often indistinguishable from 3. (a)]; (b) a state, republic; (c) a family, tribe, community; one of the twelve tribes of Israel; (d) a system of government, one of four prevailing successively in Biblical history.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)19/206 : Ich ordainy min heiȝe steward To wite mi kingdom afterward.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.12.25 : Eche kyngdam departid aȝeins hym self shal be desolat.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4316 : Sardana Pallus, Which hield al hol in his empire The grete kingdom of Assire.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.3087 : Ther may non erthly kyng suffise Of his kyngdom the folk to lede, Bot he the kyng of hevene drede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2127 : Þe thrid part..lies mast vnto þe west..þar-in es rome þe mast cite..And mani riche kingdon.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)7402 : Of þe kingedomys couernyng, he entermet him of na dede.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)3.247 : Syre kyng, by cryst bote clerkus amende, Thi kyngdom þorw here couetyse wol out of kynde wende.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1768 : Trouthe..in soth of kyngdames and of Reawmes Is berer vp and conseruatrice.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)287/243 : His two breþere weore to ȝyng To holde þe kyndom in honde.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)21088 : To paris, arthur comes, Þar to ordaine for his kinghdomes.
- a1450(1400) Eche man be war (Dgb 102)73 : Gif a kyngdom falle a chaunce That al the rewme myght greue Aȝen that make an ordinaunce, To kepe ȝow euere fro suche myscheue.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)402 : Sir Alixander..conquered with conqueste kyngdomes twelue.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)65/29 : Thrugh out my kyngdom Wold I ken..If any Were so Waryd men That wold my fors downe fell.
- a1500 Arth.& M.(Dc 236)288/285 : Þey wolden hym out dryue Of þe kyngdom of Englond.
b
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)10a : Þe myȝt of the kingdom of Rome..stood principallich in þe wise examynynge and chesinge of newe kniȝtes to kniȝthod.
c
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)6883 : Þis moises..was taȝt þe folk to lede..þat delt waren in kingedomes twelue.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.19.6 : And ȝe shulen be to me into a preestis kyngdom [L regnum sacerdotale], and an holi folk.
d
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.31 : Þe firste kyngdom [Higd.(2): gouernayle; L regimen] was vnder oure fore fadres from Adam to Moyses; þe secunde vnder iuges..þe þridde vnder kynges from Saul to Zorobabel; þe fourthe vnder bisshoppis from Zorobabel to Crist.
3.
(a) The territory over which a king's power extends, realm, country; (b) the part of the universe controlled by a god; (c) fig. a place where a particular condition prevails; ~ of windes; also, a set of human activities or attitudes; ~ of coveitise; (d) a man's own mind as governed by reason.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1260 : And of duma, his sexte sune, A kugdom [read: kungdom] dirima ðu mune.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.13.30 : He ȝaf to þe half lynage of Manasse & to his sonys after here kynredys possession of..þe bygunnynge ammyneym & al basan & alle þe kyngdamys of og.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2968 : And thus was he from his kingdom Into the wilde Forest drawe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)192b/b : Traconitida is a Regionn in Iudea..for alle þe kyngedome of Ebrewes was departede a foure, and eueryche of foure was yclepede Ierarchia.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)5567 : Þenne commaundide kyng pharao þat al þat folke wolde for do Ouer al his kyngdome euery where.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)43 : Nothan..Knewe contreys fele, kyngdomes manye.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)231/32,232/1 : What er kyngisdoms? Not els bod grete thyfte; & what er little kyngdoms? Not els bod little thifte.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)198/161 : In to þe northe loke fforth..þer mayst þou se the cete of Jerusalem..Nazareth, naverne, and þe kyngdom of Spayn.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)94/9 : We haue herd sey and i-seen with oure eyȝen in certeyne kyngdomes and countreis to [be] made syche vigiles and Saturdayes syche reuerence and deuocion.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5571 : Satorn..Sawe..Howe a sone schulde of hym discende..Þat schulde hym pleinly from his regne expelle And suffren him no lenger for to duelle In his kyngdam.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5636 : Iubiter..was lord of eyr, of lond, & see, His royal kyngdam deuidyng in-to þre.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)134b/a : Þerfore Eolia hatte contray and kyngdom of wyndes [L regio ventorum], for it is a contrey ful of dennes vndir þe erþe.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)2.62 : Wiþ þe kingdom of coueitise I croune hem togidere.
d
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2112 : Every man..A kingdom hath to justefie, That is to sein his oghne dom; If he misreule that kingdom, He lest himself.
4.
(a) The supreme sovereignty of God or Christ; (b) heaven; ~ of heven (hevenes, blisse); (c) the special rule of Christ over the redeemed elect; also, the state of righteousness or virtue among the elect; ~ of god (heven, hevenes), godes ~; (d) the earthly paradise; ~ of god.
Associated quotations
a
- c1250 Ure fadir þat hart (Cleo B.6)15 : Samin cume þi kingdom.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.15.24 : An ende..he schal bitake the kyngdom [L regnum] to God and to the fadir.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)prol.105 : Þere crist is in kyngdome to close and to shutte And to opne it to hem and heuene blisse shewe.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)21.30 : For the kyngdome is the lordis, and he sall be lord of genge.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)77/6 : Þe guode godes knyȝt þet þane kyngdom of heuene payneþ be strengþe to wynne.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.43 : He onelich was Man wiþoute vche manere of synne & bouȝth vs wiþ his preciouse blood & wan þe kyngdom of his fader, þere we shullen regne wiþ glorie & blis wiþouten any ende.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.21.31 : Puplicanys and hooris shulen go before ȝou in to the kyngdam of God.
- c1400(1389) Wycl.25 Art.(Dc 273)472 : Prelatis..sayne þat no man schal entur into þo kyngdame of heven, but if he forsake all þinges..Here is open lesyng..But not forþi Cristen men seyne boldly þat no man schal entre into þo blis of heven but if he love God.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)20/755 : Þei weore tofore him go To þe kyngdom of blis, Þat euer schal laste wiþouten mis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)14a/a : Þey gadreth þe puple þat is Ichose in to þe verum [read: berne; Tol: cuntre; L horreum] of þe kyngdome of heuen.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)8778 : Þat land es cald soveraynly Þe kyngdom of God alle-myghty.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)9/249 : God wyl..in His kyngdom þe restore Þe lyf þat lastyþ ay.
- ?c1430(c1400) Rule & T.St.Francis(1) (Corp-C 296)42 : Þis is þe heynesse..þat makiþ ȝou..kyngis of þe kyngdom of heuenys.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)368 : Þe gospelle bihotiþ þe kyngdome of heuen.
c
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)126 : Ihesus..to Bethanye out com, And byleuede þer and tauȝte ham of godes kyngdom.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1329 : 'My kyngdom,' quaþ oure lord, 'nys of þis wordle nouȝt.'
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.3.2 : Do ȝe penaunce, for the kyngdom of heuens shal neiȝ.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.4.23 : Jhesus enuyraunyde al Galilee..prechynge the gospel of kyngdam, and helynge al sorow.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.12.28 : Ȝif I in the Spirit of God caste out fendis, therfore the kyngdam of God is cummen in to ȝou or amonge ȝou.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.21.43 : The kyngdam of God shal be taken fro ȝou, and shal be ȝouen to a folk doinge fruytis of it.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 18.17 : Who euere schal not take the kyngdom of God as a child, he schal not entre in to it.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.6.10 : Nethir theuys, nether coueitouse men..schulen weelde the kyngdom of God.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)338/14 : And he techiþ ȝou first þe kyngdom of heuene, þat is, good and holy lyuynge.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)383/186 : Owte! harrowe [what harlot] is hee Þat sais his kyngdome schall be cryed?
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)282/311,313 : My kyngham is not in þis werld I telle þe At o word; yf my kyngham here had be, I xuld not A be delyveryd to þe.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)186b/a : It [the earthly paradise] is þe celer of sensible creature and passeþ witte and vndirstondynge, þe kyngedome of god [L diuina regio].
5.
Astrol. The dominion of a planet, sovereignty, influence; also, the sphere over which a planet's sovereignty extends.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)112b/b : Þe lordschipe of saturnus..is in libra, but in ariete he drawiþ out of his kyngdom.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)113a/a : Vndir Iubiter ben þe signis þat hatte Sagittarius & Piscis, & ben his hous, & regniþ in Cancro, & in Capricornio his kyngdomes passen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)113b/a : Venus..regniþ in piscibus, & in vergine his kyngdome failliþ.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4478 : Þe hous of whom [Mars] is þe Scorpioun, And crowned art in þe Capricorn, But in þe Bole is þi kyngdam lorn.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)730 : Bi Carausyus…This Bassian was slayn tretourly; Sceptre & Crounne this yong prince hath lorn, Carausyus vsurpyng most falsly…On Bassian thus whan he was wrooke, Bi Intrusion the kyngdham vsurpyng To the romayns had his oth Ibrooke, And in Briteyn took on hym to be kyng.
Note: New spelling