Middle English Dictionary Entry
last n.(3)
Entry Info
Forms | last n.(3) Also laste, leaste, lest; pl. lastes & lasten. |
Etymology | LOE læst, from ON; cp. OI löstr, gen. lastar, dat. lesti. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A moral defect, a vice, a sin; beden lastes, ?to tempt (sb.) to sin; (b) the quality of sinfulness, wickedness, guilt; (c) grounds for blame, fault, discredit; ~ finden, to find fault with (sb.); hit is no ~ for, it is no discredit to (sb.); (d) a physical defect; withouten ~, without defect, unblemished.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4522 : Grediȝnesse iss hefiȝ lasst Biforenn Godess eȝhne.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)145 : Summe men luuieð heore sunnen, summe heore kun..summe galiche lectres and luðere lastes.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)55 : Þe fele lehtres and fule lastes wunen þeronne.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)63 : Of flashes lustes and of oðre fule lastes.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)165 : Oregel and wraðe and onde and hatinge and oðer iuele lastes.
- a1250 Wooing Lord (Tit D.18)273 : In al þi lif neauer na leaste nes ifunden.
- a1250 Cristes milde moder (Nero A.14)123 : Mid swuðe luðere lasten, mi soule is þuruh bunden.
- a1350 Heȝe louerd (Hrl 2253)8 : In luthere lastes y am layn.
- a1350 In may hit murgeþ (Hrl 2253)17 : Heo beoþ to rad vpon huere red to loue þer me hem lastes bed.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)635 : And pride, it is so foul a last, Þat out of heuene he was cast.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23308 : Þai gilderd were Wit-in þis lijf wit lastes [Trin-C: synnes] sere.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)19402 : And of þo prestis þere were fele Þat lafte her lastes [Vsp: last; Frf: foly] & lyued lele.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1141 : Þenne efte lastes hit [the soul] likkes.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)198 : What seches þou on see..Wyth þy lastes so luþer to lose vus vchone?
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5068 : Sinness laþe lasst Niss nan off Godess shafftess.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)12378 : Þuss oferrcomm þe laþe gast Adam & Eve baþe Þurrh gluterrnessess laþe lasst.
- a1250 Cristes milde moder (Nero A.14)69 : Moder þu ert & meiden cleane of alle laste.
- a1300 Hit bilimpeð (Corp-O 59)14 : Fader & sune & holi gost, on god in þrimnesse, inne þe nis lac ne lest, auȝ alle holinesse.
- a1350 In a fryht (Hrl 2253)15 : Betere is were þunne boute laste, þen syde robes ant synke into synne.
- c1390 Talking LGod (Vrn)36/7 : Louen wol I þenne þe, swete Ihesu, as þe gentileste leof þat euer was in eorþe, þat neuer was no lac ne last wiþ I-founden.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7266 : For last [Göt: gilt] of his suns tuin..Þair sinn of him-self was boght.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13734 : Bot qua þar es wit-vten last, At hir þe first stan he cast.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22974 : Þeh he weore þe bezste mon þe æuere æt at borde, þe mon þe him weore lað him cuðe last finden.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)459 : Þar-for y am to þe y-sent to spelie þai doȝty men, for þoȝ y ben in batail schent, it ys no lest for hem.
d
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9852 : Sua þat þe man war alsothfast, On al his scap wit-vten last.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22324 : A mikel man, o statur hei, Fair in faciun for to sei..Wit-vten last al his licam.
- a1425 Christ.Belief (LoC 4)3/102 : Wen a modere bers a child luuely and graciouse and in alle his lymes wele perfourenyssed wythouten lak or last, þen comes þhe medewyues befor hire to glade hire.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)137/269 : For last now am I owt shad.
Note: Postdates word
Note: ?sense (c)