Middle English Dictionary Entry
lā̆rǧe adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | lā̆rǧe adv. Comp. lā̆rǧer & lā̆rǧiere. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Generously, bountifully; (b) amply, fully; (c) more abundantly.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)10/267 : He þat ȝif so large water Þe fend fram ous te reaue.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2623 : Of good ay þe fyn is wo, Namly of hem þat so pynche & spare..Þe frute of good is to spende large.
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer ABC (Benson-Robinson)174 : Now, ladi ful of merci, I yow preye, Sith he his merci mesured so large, Be ye not skant.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)45/1325 : She wol departe thee large..The hool tresoure of louys gret ricches.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)244/16 : All the senatoures..and of the cunnyngst cardynallis that dwelled in the courte..prayde hym of pece and profird hym full large.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)220/14 : Þe mor þat þay couetyd þe chirches tresowre, þe mor largyr he dalt hyt to hom þat hadyn nede to hyt.
b
- c1475 Lydg.ST (Rwl C.48)3330 : Large [Arun: Ȝif the howsyng may largely suffise To ȝow and ȝoures].
c
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.135 : And kitte hem [vines] streit aftir thi good vyndage; And, grapis fewe yhad, let kitte hem large [L latius; vr. largius].
2.
At length, in great detail.
Associated quotations
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)154 : Of this abhominacioun and trecherous disturblinge of holi chirche, it is seid largiere bifore in the ij article of alle.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.155 : Þe legende sanctorum ȝow lereth more larger þan I ȝow telle!
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)2067 : That to dyscerne I purpose nat to deele So large by my wyll.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)1182 : I dred sore my pen goeth to Large.
3.
To the full extent, measure, amount, or number; completely, fully; it was prime ~, it was fully prime, it was nine o'clock.
Associated quotations
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.360 : They slepen til that it was pryme large.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8812 : Þe tre..wanted large an eln on lenght.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)7332 : Saule..was heyer þen any man large bi a meten span.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6055 : Þei dide make a stede, Large and wyde, of coper & of bras..þat contrived was Þat it myȝt resseive large and wel A þousand knyȝtes.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)601 : Craftyly at Cornett the kynges are aryefede, Fra þe cete of Rome sexti myle large.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1120 : He hilled þe swerde halfe a fote large.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3031 : I ȝife the in Hamptone a hundreth pownde large.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3309 : Ȝit he failede and fell a fyfty fote large.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)76a : Euerich man..þat fiȝteþ afoote..moot haue þre foot large from elbowe to elbowe in lengþe of alle the raunge.
- (1455) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15151 : Item, a lytel chalyce of syluer weyeng 12 unces large.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)194/13 : Lucius dispercled abrode his oste syxty myle large.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)197/8 : The worme..towched the beare on the rydge, that fro the toppe to the tayle was ten foote large.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)788 : Whenne the sarisins weren com hym a-boute, ffyue myle large last þat route.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)3223 : They shuld remeve that place ij myle large.
- a1500 Brut-1419 (Rwl B.173)393/17 : And thus he endured xij yere large.
4.
(a) Widely, far and wide; brode and ~, wide and ~; (b) transversely, across; (c) in breadth or diameter.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)240a/b : Newe vynes may springe ther of to make þe vyneȝerd sprede wyde & large [L dilatare].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1163 : A newe chaunge schal folwen of þis pryme; And þanne his power schal not so large strecche.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)741 : Þou sothely may say þat your sight failed, And þow loket not large, for lust þat þe blyndit.
- c1475 Why Nun (Vsp D.9)3 : They..roden over Inglonde brode and large.
- a1500 *Trev.Higd.(Trin-O 29) : Þere is a water..Vnder a banke, after þe shap of a vanne; þe water stondyth so large & semyth no sprynge.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)300/27 : Þis veine mote be kut large [L large], & not to depe.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)82/2425 : Plesaunt bewte had woundid sore myn hert In tyme a-past so deepe and large trewly That with the strok loue at the wound in stert.
c
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)16/17 : Þare nere es þe fosse of Mynon, all rounde, þe whilk es nere hand a c cubites large [Man.(1): of largeness; F de large].
5.
(a) Without being confined; at liberty, at large; gon ~; (b) losen ~, to come loose.
Associated quotations
a
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.720 : Let hem [geese] not go large. In warme & derke to close hem y the charge.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3362 : I was the first persone þat put hym in a-rest; And, for he wold go large, þow haddist in charge & hest To sese both Shipp & goodis, til I were answerid.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.39.19 : Þat þe coope & þe breest broche strayt miȝt be knytt to gyþers to þe gyrdyll..þe iacynctyne fylete ioynede lest large [L laxa] þei miȝte lousen.
6.
(a) Without prudence, incautiously, boldly; (b) without restraint of language, broadly; intemperately, boastfully.
Associated quotations
a
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1376 : Byggly on a broune stede he profers full large.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2533 : Whedyr prykkes thow, pilouur, þat profers so large?
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)229/12 : Whother pryckyst thou, pylloure, that profers the so large?
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.734 : Who so shal telle a tale after a man, He moot reherce as neigh as euere he kan Euerich a word..Al speke he neuere so rudeliche and large.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7071 : Whan þat a fool in presence of a kyng Is bolde or hardy of presumpcioun..Þat he were tauȝt bettre to gouerne His large tonge..As doth he þis þat spoken haþ so large.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)143 : Sen I corounnde [was]..Was neuer creature to me þat carpede so large.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1784 : Ȝone kynge..karpes full large, Because he killyd þis kene.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)125 : Whan we come in presens of þe qween loke þou talk not so large.