Middle English Dictionary Entry
leiken v.
Entry Info
Forms | leiken v. Also leike, leȝken, laike, laiki, lake, lacke. |
Etymology | ON; cp. OI leika. Also cp. OE lācan. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To engage in a game or contest, sport; also, trifle; play (with sb. or sth.); take pleasure (in sth.); delight (to do sth.); play (a game with sb.); (b) refl. to amuse oneself, enjoy oneself, play; (c) to engage in amorous dalliance, make love, have intercourse; ~ sinful pleie, have sinful intercourse; ~ biside, be unfaithful; refl. have sexual relations (with sb.); (d) to trick (sb.), beguile; ~ with, deceive (sb.), betray.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)12512 : He [the Devil] badd himm [Christ] shæwenn himm Hiss Goddcunndnessess mahhte, Þurrh þatt he shollde læpenn dun Wiþþutenn off þe temmple, Onn idell & wiþþutenn ned & alls he wollde leȝȝkenn.
- ?a1300 Body & S.(4) (Dgb 86)st.8 : Bodi maigt þou nout lepen to leiken [vr. pleyen] ne to rage.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)469 : Godard..tok þe maydnes..Al-so he wolde with hem leyke.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)954 : Þe children..with him leykeden here fille.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1011 : Fel it so, þat yunge men, Wel abouten nine or ten Bigunnen þe[r] for to layke [rime: wayke].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1021 : William wold fonde for to..hete here..to layke here likyng þat time.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24027 : Þai..laiked wit him sitisote.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)prol.172 : Þanne here we [the rats] mowen Where he [the cat] ritt or rest or renneth to playe; And ȝif him list for to laike, þenne loke we mowen.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1178 : Þus laykez þis lorde by lynde-wodez euez.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1554 : Þay laȝed & layked longe; At þe last scho con hym kysse.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1560 : Þe lede with þe ladyez layked alle day.
- a1425 PPl.C (Cmb Ff 5.35)7.45 : Laiking in [Hnt: Was non suche as myself..strengest vp-on stede..louelokest..And lykynge of such a lif þat no lawe preyseþ].
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)840 : Manye renke out of Rome..Was mychel leuer a leche þan layke myd his ton.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5480 : Þai..gert þaim laike with þaim so lange till þaim þe life wantis.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)919 : Þe lambes laikid a-long by þe heigges.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)40/26 : He fand þaim ligand in þe bed, laykand samen.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)274/14 : Will ye se yone olde felow [St. John the Evangelist] how he laykis with yone byrd as it wer a yong barn?
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)115/465 : With this may thou lake, This lytyll spruse cofer.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)121/165 : I shall do a lytyll..and emage euer lake [rime: make, take].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)260/85 : Let now se how we can with hym lake.
- a1500 Off alle wemen (Cmb Ff.5.48)36 : My sonnys handis ar sore bledand: To loke on hym me list not layke.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)31 : Þat..child..layked him long while to lesten þat merþe.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3356 : Of vitailes þai hadden þo plentee & burdes briȝte..To ete & drynke & murie bee & to layky hem wan þay wolde.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)81/13 : In þe se we see many dyuerse kyndez of Fisches, Delphines & porpasez, layke þam.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13498 : Pirrus..Launchet vp to þe laund to laike hym a qwile.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)259 : He that thou leste luffes schall layke [vr. leyke] hym there-with.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)438/25 : He went in-to þe kurk to gyff som bodie it to kepe to he had laykid hym.
c
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)699 : So louely lay þat ladi & ich layking to-gaderes.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1026 : William..wiþ meliors his wille..dede, & layked þere at lyking al þe long daye.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1411 : William went to meliors..& layked him at likyng wiþ þat þat faire burde.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)290/91 : He..made buskyng to leyke on grene.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)872 : I haf a tresor in my telde of tow my fayre deȝter..laykez wyth hem as yow lyst, and letez my gestes one.
- a1425(c1300) NHom.(1) Martin AM (Cmb Gg.5.31)p.71 : Þat synfull play laykyd þai twa.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)3636 : Þare þe erl dwelled al nyght, And laiked him with his lady.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12734 : This Clunestra..For lacke of hir lord laiked besyde.
d
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)48/1202 : A, hou wimmen conne hit make, Whan þai wil ani man lake.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)230/238 : Late noman wete, How þis losell [Judas] laykis with his lorde [Jesus].
2.
To be in a battle or contest; fight (with sb.); engage in (a duel with sb.).
Associated quotations
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)10798 : He rode..a-boute r[a]ykande, With hem of Troye..laykande.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)866 : To layke with þis les[e folke] vs lympis þe worse.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9997 : Þai laiket o þe laund the long day ouer.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)200 : Y am redy..to layke with the a game.
3.
(a) To go quickly; (b) ?to beat, thrash; (c) ?to behave, conduct oneself; (d) ?to speak out.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)148/63 : Leyke we hens as þat lyght us lede.
b
- -?-(?a1500) Hunt.Hare (Adv 19.3.1)141 : Thei leyd at her with mallus strong As fast as thei myght lacke [rime: backe].
c
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7046 : Bright beidis & Brasse broght þai with-all, And voidet all..And euyn laiked as hom list.
d
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9807 : Lakys now, ledys, what you lefe think.