Middle English Dictionary Entry
lẹ̄d(e n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | lẹ̄d(e n.(2) Also leide, leod(e, lud(e, lued, leude, luþe, lide & (early) ledin, leoden, leoda, leodæ & (in place name only) la(d-. Pl. lẹ̄des, etc., (error) leethes & leode & (early) lẹ̄den, leoden, leodon & (early gen.) lūdene, leodene, leodena. |
| Etymology | OE lēod & lēode & lēoda. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A person, a man; (b) in pl.: subjects, followers, retainers; an army; sg. servant; as form of address to an inferior: 'My man'; (c) a prince, lord; God; as form of address: sir; (d) ?a lady; (e) the human race, mankind; also, one of the human race, a human being; ~ werk, human operation.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3237 : Forrþi þatt swillke leode Aȝȝ follȝhenn soþ meocnessess sloþ.
- a1250(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(*Glb A.19-Spelman)74/40 : I mune yu..arme & edi lede [vrr. ledin, leode] luuiende, that ye all drede yure drihten crist.
- a1350 Lord þat lenest (Hrl 2253)1 : Lord þat lenest vs lyf ant lokest vch-an lede.
- a1350 Ne mai no lewed (Hrl 2253)1 : Ne mai no lewed lued libben in londe.
- a1350 Opon a somer (LdMisc 108)124 : Long, luþe, litel, lo! last. Last litel lordene lif.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)525 : Þe soueraynest burne þat leuis in ani lond, of alle ludes preised.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1690 : Þer is no liuand lud i-liue ȝou knowe schold.
- c1390 I warne vche (Vrn)1 : I Warne vche leod þat liueþ in londe.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)3.32 : Shal no lewdnesse lette þe leode þat I louye That he ne worth first auanced.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.181 : Þre leodes in o lith, non lenger þan other, Of one mochel & myȝte..Þat one doth alle doth.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.354 : I, in lyknesse of a leode, þat lorde am of heuene, Graciousliche þi gyle haue quytte.
- a1425 Templ.Dom.(Add 32578)657 : What lyfand lede Þat will gods temple make and lyght With his on hand.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)195 : All ledes myghte lyke þat lukyde þem apone.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)499/69 : Ilke a leede þat euere hadde liffe, Bese none for-getyn, grete ne small.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)106 : Whan everi lud liche wel lyvede upon erþe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2241 : Þan lokis þe lord to þe lede [Dub: led], said..'Quare-to feynys þou þis fare?'
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.255 : Ich leode lokide what longid to his age.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)24/49 : Euery liffyng leyde Most party day and nyght syn in word and dede.
- a1500 Alas howe schale (Pen 26B)15 : Ther ys no lyde þat euer was borne May saue my lyfe but sche alon.
- a1500 Ihesu mercy mercy (Chet 6690)110 : Þou schalt me deme..Whan vp schal ryse euereylke a leede.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)911 : To turn euery leuande lede & make hem leue on fendys fere.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1116 : Ðis land & þas leodon wurdon eac þyses geares oftrædlice sare geswencte.
- c1225 Sanctus beda (Wor F.174)3 : [S]anctus beda..wisliche [writen] awende þat þeo englise leoden þurh weren ilerde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)151 : Heo wes leodena quene.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)752 : He wes his leodene swike.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1118 : Leode nere þar nane, ne wapmen ne wifmen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2184 : Locrin & Camber & al heora leoden [Otho: folke].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7159 : Þ' leodes hine luueden for his laȝen weoren gode.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)72/27 : Þus quad alfred..'wolde þe [read: ȝe] nu, leden [vr. leode], lustin ȝure louird.'
- a1350 Of a mon (Hrl 2253)44 : Ȝef y may betere beode to mi latere leode, to leue nam y nout lees.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1439 : Leue lord & ludes, lesten to mi sawes!
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)4.147 : It is wel hard..alle my lige ledis [vrr. leodes, lordes, londis] to lede hem þus euene.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)1.139 : Þow doted daffe..To litel latyn þow lernedest, lede, in þi ȝouthe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)614 : Hende Lorde..Lenge a lyttel with þy lede, I loȝly biseche.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)990 : Þe ledez of þat lyttel toun wern lopen out for drede.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)542 : Þe lorde..Called to þe reue, 'Lede, pay þe meyny.'
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)849 : Wel hym semed..To lede a lortschyp in lee of leudez ful gode.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)519 : Þe ledes [vr. meyne] louten hym alle & a-loude sayde: 'To day, þat fleþe any fote, þe fende haue his soule!'
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)142 : Men callede hit Gena As was þe langage of þe lond wiþ ludus of Inde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9056 : Myche..myschefe hade fallyn, And of his ledis ben lost mony lell hundrith.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)308 : Sur Degrevaunt Leys þe lordes on þe laund..And lames þe ledes [Thrn: knyghttis].
c
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)281 : Þer he lenged..& to þe Lede called, 'Now, Prynce, of þy prophete pite þou haue!'
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1093 : Ȝet comen lodly to þat Lede, as lazares monye, Summe lepre, summe lome.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)133 : An oþer noyse ful newe neȝed biliue, Þat þe lude myȝt haf leue lif-lode to cach.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)449 : Layte al lelly til þou me, lude, fynde.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2499 : Þe nirt in þe nek he..schewed Þat he laȝt..at þe leudes hondes.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)138 : Thow arte þe lordlyeste lede þat euer I one lukyde.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)18 : Wan þe..king..Hurde tiþinge..Þat Alixandre..atlede þidire..Þanne weies of worschipe..Wiþ his lettres he let to þe lud sende.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)106 : And ȝe will, ledys, me listen ane hande-while, I schall reken thaire araye redely for-sothe.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.11 : Ther is noȝte lede [Thrn: lorde] on leue in that lond leuet.
d
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)461 : How þat ȝe ga sa..grete gud dame?..Now hafe I, lede, all to lange lengid fra hame.
e
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5490 : Half sex scor yeir ioseph þat dai Was quen he went al lediss wai.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23040 : At þis dome..Sal al lede in four be delt.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)773 : Ȝoure gostliche godos þat gon to do wreche Aftur ludene lif for hure luþur werkus.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4833 : Sire Alexander..trowid it was wroȝt of na lede werkis.
2.
(a) A people, nation; in lede(s, among the people, in the land; londe and ~, land and people; (b) a race, kind, group; mannes ~, the humanrace; (c) ~ alder (thein), leader, nobleman; ~ bishop [OE lēod-bisceop], a diocesan bishop; ~ bishopriche, a bishopric; ~ ferde, an army; ~ folk, an army; also, people of a country; ~ kempe (knight), a warrior; ~ king [OE lēod-cyning], king of a nation; ~ quide (spel), a national language; ~ roune, advice, counsel; also, a magical incantation; ~ scop, a minstrel; ~ shame, national disgrace; ~ swike, a traitor to his country, a traitor; ~ theu (wise) [OE lēod-þēaw], a custom of a country.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1100 : He æfre þas leode mid here & mid ungylde tyrwigende wæs.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)14/24 : Heo þa hæðene leodæ to his ileafæn beȝdon.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7054 : All swa summ Judewisshe led & Kalldewisshe comenn Till Effrata.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7166 : Ȝiff þe riche mann iss braþ..Hiss lede þatt iss unnderr himm Himm dredeþþ þess te mare.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)359 : He heom wolde leaden out of þane leoden [Otho: londe].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3268 : Leir..liðde to Scottenæ leoda [Otho: kinge].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6863 : A ȝer he hulde þas leoden [Otho: kinelond].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9482 : Þes ilke kinedom nulle me noht icnawen na þissere leodes folke for lauerd me halden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24642 : Wes þisses londes folk leodene hendest itald.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25519 : He Moddrede bitahte lond and his leoden.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)38/666 : Me schulen cleopien..eadi alle leoden.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)48/31 : Leaf þet leode se lah, & tu schalt wealde wið me al þet ich i wald ah.
- c1275 Hwan þu sixst on leode (Clg A.9)1 : Hwan þu sixst on leode King þat is wilful..Wo þere þeode.
- a1300 Þar þe child is (Dgb 53)15 : Þar þe child is kinge..wa þene lede.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2341 : Of þe geauntes hand Tristrem smot þat day In lede.
- c1390 Hose wolde him (Vrn)12 : Treuþe..schulde be loued in vch a leode.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)6.38 : Þer nis no laborer in þis leod [vrr. lordsshipe, lond] þat he loueþ more.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.95 : In that cyte That bedleem was cald in lede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8225 : All naciun and lede Aght vr lauerd for to drede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19930 : Vr lagh for-bedes Meng us wit ani oþer ledes.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)691 : The grete soun of Sodamas synkkez in myn erez..I schal lyȝt into þat led and loke myselven.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1124 : Þe olde lorde of þat leude Cowþe wel halde layk a-lofte.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)1926 : Iosep..Toke leve at all þat lede.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)10 : Þat men may vnderstand, both lered and lawed in ledes.
- c1440(?a1400) St.John (Thrn)211 : All þe lande and þat lede..With his lawes..warre þay ledd by.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)376/70 : Þis light þou hast purueyed To folkes þat liffis in leede.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)240 : Þat semely qwene Ai of Egipt erd enquirid if he were, Þoȝt him like of þat lede be langage.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)702 : He þowȝth..That she was non erdyly wyght, He sawe neuur non such yn leede.
- a1500(?c1400) EToulouse (Cmb Ff.2.38)9 : Of a tale, some tyme befelle Farre yn vnkowthe lede.
- c1500 Castle Love(3) (Ashm 61)394 : Þei haue non oþer nede Bot pes to kepe in euery lede.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)12 : Now shall I carp of a king..Þat had londes and leethes [altered to: leedes] and lordshipes feole.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7446 : All þatt unnfæle læredd led Þatt dide menn to trowwenn Þatt nass nohht rihht..toffrenn..Till Sune..Acc till þe Faderr ane.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18067 : He..Es god..In manhed mighti to ful-fill, And es sauuer o mans lede [Trin-C: sede].
c
- a1126 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1125 : He heold his concilie..on September mid ærce biscopes & mid leod biscopes & abbotes.
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1129 : Þis be bæd se ærcebiscop Willelm of Cantwarabyrig & ealle þa leod biscopes ða wa [read: þa] wæron on Englalande.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1365 : Atenor heom ledde, þe wes leode ælder.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2048 : He lette heo lude clepian ȝond his leod folke [Otho: his folke].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2059 : Sedðen comen þa Frensca þa mid fehte heo bi-wonnen mid heora leodðeawe, & Lundres heo hehten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2914 : Kaer Leir hehte þe burh..þa we an ure leod-quide Leirchestre clepiað.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4634 : Þa cnihtes heom lædden to heore leodkinge [Otho: hire kinge].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5685 : Þa burh heo bi-leien mid heore leod-ferden [Otho: stronge ferde].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6025 : Werren on alche legiun þus feole leod-kempen [Otho: fale kempes].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6627 : He fræinede þis leod-folc [Otho: þat folk] æfter heore kineleouerde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6674 : Þe king..lette laðien him to al his leod-þeines [Otho: his cnihtes].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6839 : Þæ somnede al þis leod-folc [Otho: þeos cnihtes] in to Lundene ferden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7110 : Her com vncud folc..& nemneden þa burh Lundin & [read: an] heore leode-wisen [Otho: leod-wise].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7459 : Þene king lærde al þas leod-cnihtes þat he his freo-scipe mid fehte biwunne.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9121 : Her beoð to þisse londe icumen seolcuðe leod-ronen [Otho: tocke].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12942 : He..feol an his cneowen, & þus leh þa leod-swike biuoren his lauerd.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14553 : Lust us nu, lauerd king, of ure leod-runen [Otho: deorne rouning].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15212 : Hængest, þe leod-swike [Otho: wickede], þus he his gon learen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15499,15511 : Þe king..bad heom leoten weorpen & fondien leod-runen, fondien þat soðe mid heore siȝe-craften..heo gunnen loten weorpen mid heore leod-runen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15757 : He cuðe tellen of ælche leod-spelle [Otho: leod-spelles].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)16540-1 : Aldolf hine ladde to his leod-kinge & grætte þene leod-king mid leofliche worden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20722 : He hine bilai mid his leod-ferde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22168 : We þe sculleð..hælden þe for lauer an ælche leod wisen [Otho: euereche wise].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22976 : Ne al soh ne al les þat leod-scopes [Otho: many men] singeð.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25452 : Ten þusend..of his leod-folke.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26297 : Nu is hit muchel leod-scome [Otho: same] ȝif hit scal þus a-ligge, bute þer sum sake beo.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26384 : He is ure lauerd; we beoð his leod-kempen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29346 : Þa folc..cleopeden heo Sparewenchestre in heore leod-spellen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30609 : Scipen gunnen liðen, leod-scopes sungen.
- a1300 Hundreds Engl.(Jes-O 29)9 : On is þe erchebiscophryche of Kanterbury. Oþe þe leod biscopryche on Rouecestre.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)752 : Alle hii weren lesinge, for he was leod-swike [Clg: leodene swike].
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)2035 : Seoþþen þe leodfolk..Trineavant hine hehte.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)322 : Eleutheries..Made..twenty sevyn..Leod bischopes therto.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)64/18 : Laurenz, Erchebysshoppe of dyuelyn, Cathel erchebysshoppe of Connaght; wyth leed bysshoppes [Rwl: othyr Byschopis], Abbotes, priours.
3.
Land, landed property, landholdings; londe(s and lede(s, landed property.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25083 : Mine ælderen..ahten alle þa leoden [Otho: þe londes] þa into Rome leien.
- a1275 Þene latemeste dai (Trin-C B.14.39)6 : Nabbe no mon so mukil, al hit wol a-gon, Is lont & is lude.
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)119 : Bote þou worche wysloker, þou losest lond & lede, þe coroune wel þe felle.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)328 : He fareth..as thouh he hadde silver ore; Theih bien londes and ledes, ne may hem non astonde.
- ?c1350 Why werre (Peterh 104)p.29 : Thei byggeth wit the kyngs selver Bothe londes and ledes.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)77 : Þai seide þe child schuld weld..Londes & ludes as eyer.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9214 : Þat same hoppyng þat þey fyrst ȝede, Þat daunce ȝede þey þurgh land and lede.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)12.69 : Þe more he hath..And lordeþ in leedes [B: londes], the lasse good he deleþ.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)16.306 : Many man hath hus ioye here..an lordes and ladyes ben callid for leodes þat þay haue.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)18.221 : Whenne constantyn..holychurche dowede Whith londes and leedes, lordshepes and rentes.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)173/123 : Ȝe xul haue stedys..londys and ledys, ffryth and ffe.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2659 : A xii monthe trewse he wolde take To lyue vppon hys owne lede.
- c1500 Cleges (Ashm 61)418 : Y wyll þe grante..That þin hert stondes to, Wheþer it be lond our lede, Or oþer gode.
4.
In place name [see Smith PNElem. 2.23].
Associated quotations
- (1155) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)78 : Ledrede.
- (1158) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)78 : Lareda.
- (1210-12) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)78 : Ladrede.
- (1241) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)78 : Lederede.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13292 : Siþen he com in til a bi Amor[n]ing fand he dan leui, O puplicane lede was he, And als a man o gret pouste.
Note: Supplemental material puplicane lede not covered
Note: See publican in OD
Note: ?leader of the publicans, ?of the publican group.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28123 : I wald oft songyng for my lede, An lay on oþer men my wyte.
Note: If soigning ger. is correct, then lede in Larson 28123 = 'behavior' and is thus the earliest occurrence of sense 2.(a)--per REL