Middle English Dictionary Entry
lēnen v.(1)
Entry Info
Forms | lēnen v.(1) Also len(e & (SW & WM) leonen, leonie & (SW & S) leni(e, line(n. Forms: sg. 3 lēneth, lēnes, leoneth & (early) leones, hloneð; p. lēned(e, lēnet, lēnd(e, leined, lained, leoned(e, līned(e; ppl. lēned. |
Etymology | OE; cp. Merc. hleonian, WS hlinian, Nhb. hli(o)nian. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To lean, support oneself; steady oneself while standing or walking; lean (on an ax, a spade, staff, one's elbow, etc.); -- also refl.; ~ on knes, kneel; -- often with bi, in, into, on, to, up, or upon; (b) ~ to (til, upon), to depend or rely on (sb. or sth.); ~ or bouen, pay deference to (sb.); (c) to lean forward; lean (over or out of sth.); ~ with hed, nod assent or approval; ~ with nekke, stick out one's neck; (d) ~ on, to advance, press forward; ~ upon, harry (sth.), oppress.
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 Ancr.(Tit D.18)86/3 : Þer monie Gan to Gedere & euch haldes oðres hond..ȝif þat ani weries, euch an leones him to oðer.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)510 : A tre he [the elephant] sekeð..& leneð him trostl[i]ke ðer bi.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)523 : Ðis elp..leneð him up on his side, slepeð bi ðe tre in ðe sadue.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(Hrl 2277)282 : A napped he was sore; He lynede adoun vpon his boc þo he nemiȝte studie nomore.
- c1300 SLeg.John (LdMisc 108)24 : Seint Iohan was best with him..Þat was i-sene þo he leonede [Corp-C: lenede] and slep opon is breoste-bon.
- c1300 SLeg.Geo.(1) (LdMisc 108)68 : Seint George..in þe wallinde led..gan wade. Þare-Inne he..leonede to þe brerde stille ase þei he a-slepe were.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1610 : He..sag..A leddre stonden..And ðe louerd ðor uppe a-buuen Lened ðor-on.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6299 : King edmond..him wiþdrou & lenede [B: lende; C: lynede hym] vp is sseld.
- a1350 Mon in þe mone (Hrl 2253)19 : He leneþ on is forke ase a grey frere.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.309 : Dyogenes..hadde..a staf for to lyne [vrr. leny, lenye] too.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.385 : He seygh an owle sitte uppon þe tree þat Agrippa lenede too.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.461 : Where evere he sete, he wolde strecche his hondes and holde hem to gidres and lene on his knees [L supinas super genua manus habere solitus erat].
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)82,85 : His hed nou leoneþ on [vr. holdeþ] þornes tynde..Godes hed haþ reste non, But leoneþ [vr. leneþ] on his scholder bon.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1241 : He lened him þan [Frf: lened him doun] a-pon his hak.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7805 : 'I come rinand..and fand Saul him lenand [Trin-C: Saul lenyng] on his sper.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)161/15 : Þese vij boonys [of the thorax] ben ioyned togidere in þis maner, þat euery leeneþ vpon oþir.
- c1400(?c1280) SLeg.OTHist.(LdMisc 622)244 : Seuen hungri lyouns..whan þat he was sett adoun, þai leneden in-to his barme.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2332 : The haþel..on his ax rested, Sette þe schaft vpon schore & to þe scharp lened.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)295 : Leynyn [KC: lenyn or restyn]: Podio, appodio.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)10410 : She..for febylnesse In hyr maydyns lappe lenyd softly.
- a1450 3 KCol.(1) (Roy 18.A.10)129/13 : And in þis Chapel is a piler þat þe aungel lenyd to.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)179 : Adoun ful softely I gan to synke, And lenynge on myn elbowe and my syde, The longe day I shoop me for t'abide.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)83/30 : As he lenyed opon þe tabels, was sodanlie strekyn with a wown..& swelte.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)323/29 : As he lenyd on þe altar..he fell on slepe.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)57 : Burdoun is not to smite with..but with oute more to lene ther to.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)130/30 : In his prayer as he lened up-on a ston þat lay ouyr þe graue, he fel on slepe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1075/26 : The ermyte behylde hym as he sate leenynge uppon hys sadyll-bowe.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10901 : Thow shalt ley thy staff a-doun; Thow hast lenyd ther-on to longe.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10909 : They lynede [vr. lenede]..longe vp-on that staff..callyd 'obstynacye'.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)14493 : Thys staff..callyd ys 'Obstynacye', On wyche..Lenede whilom kyng Saul.
- c1475 A philosophre (Hrl 372)p.29 : Ful ofte a wife is a broken poste, And he that lenethe may lihtly cache a fal.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)633 : The gyant lenyd to a tre.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)53/37 : God leynyd hym to a stegh And spake to me.
- a1500 *Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)103/12 : He lenyth to a staff of wekyrs.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)47/31 : Truste not ner leene not upon a windy rede.
- a1500 Leg.Cross BC(1) (Wor F.172)213 : Adam..bowyng dounward, weery forsoth with labour of brekyng of thornes, lened on his elbow.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)74/29 : Al hali chirche, þet is, cristene folc, leonie & wreoðie up on ham.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2638 : Ye shul nat assaye fortune..ne ye shul nat lene [vrr. lerne, leve; biende] or bowe vn to hire.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)304 : Another manere peple..ben heretikes..presumptuously lenynge vppon hir owne bodily wittes and kyndely resoun.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.62 : Whan ȝe list to lene to ȝoure owen lymes..þey had no myghte to amende ȝoure greues Ne to bere byrthen ȝoure banere to helpe.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)146/10 : Þere is no meene which schulde sunner make a man falle from sufficient leernyng..þan is forto leene to a meene as for a sufficient schewer of the same þingis, which meene not so sufficientli schewiþ.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)175/14 : Þe cause whi men leenen so moche to þe foorme of moyses tablis is for þat þe wordis and pointis þerynne writen ben goddis owne wordis.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)22.5 : Thi stafe..is thi stalworth help that i len me till.
- a1500 Orch.Syon (Mrg M 162)311/15 : I kepe hem in þe hope of my mercy, þat in þe ende of deþe þei mowe haue sumwhat for to lene to.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10776 : Þa leonede he ouer wal & lude gon cleopien.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24716 : Alle þa lafdies leoneden ȝeond [Otho: leonede ouer] walles to bihalden..þat folc plæie.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1759 : A Sarasyn saw he ful of pride, ouer þe brigge þat lyned oute.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3357 : At a wyndowe..Ro[land] lay lynynge & lokede out, Þan Ameral..he of-say.
- c1390 In a Chirche (Vrn)18 : In selk þat comeli clerk was clad, And ouer a lettorne leoned he.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2255 : He lened with þe nek & lutte & schewed þat schyre al bare.
- a1425 Siege Troy(1) (LinI 150)1497 : He leonede [vr. stouped doun] ouer his stedis mane, Þeo riche helm vp to tane.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)111/699 : The geaunte..lenede hym [vr. leynyd] ouer þe towne walle, And..spake..Wordis kene.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)902 : Scho myght speke no worde, Bot lay and lened hir ouir þe borde, And made synys wyth hir hande.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)579 : Oute of the bed gan she lene, New tithinges of him to freyn.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)262 : He in his sege lened, In stody still as a stane, & starid in hire face.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1708 : As he lenes [vr. lenytt] & lokis on his fourme..his licknes he laythly dispiced.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)390/8 : Þe holie man Boniface stude vppon a grece lenand our.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)32/2 : His moder and he stood lenyng out at a wyndown and lokyng in a gardeyn.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3456 : And euery man til othir lenyd with his hede, And seyd, 'he reportid the tale riȝt formally.'
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)133 : These [spectators] were lenynge oute at wyndowes and..be-helden the turnement.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)168 : He..yede towarde the loges where as the thre kynges were lenynge [F estoient apoie] and hadde well seen the shotte of the karll.
d
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)551 : But and the foo lene on forwith to fight, The hors men alle, and half the folk ofoote Embataile hem.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2688 : If..oon or tweyne of these [winds] vp blowe, Tethis, of hir nater that is tranquylle, Thei lene vppon, oppresse, ouerthrowe.
2.
(a) To bend, slant, or turn (in a certain direction, to a certain side); ~ open, hang open; lening (wrong, oblique; (b) to have a tendency, incline; of law: be partial, show bias; ~ to, have a tendency toward (sth.), listen to (sth.), pay attention to; ~ toward, incline to (blackness); (c) ~ to, ?to adjoin (sth.), ?be very near to (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)55a/a : For þe herte of a man leneþ [L declinat] toward þe lift side, and þe scharp ende of þe herte leneþ inward to þe brest in alle beestes.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)117a/b : Þe neþer chafte sum tyme is dislocate, where fore þe mouþe leneþ open..þes ben þe tokens þat it is dislocate inwarde, þe mouþe leneþ open.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)125b/b : Ȝif it [shoulder] be dislocate forþewarde, þe arme leneþ behinde & þe pacient maie not bowe his arme forþewarde.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.264 : In the harde [stem of a vine] if that thow make a wounde, Adownward sumdel lenyng [L obliquae] most it rounde.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.312 : To sette is best a bough..in the delf so lenyng wronge [L obliquus].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5069 : Qua list þis lymit ouir-lende, lene to þe left hand, For þe rake on þe riȝt hand, þat may na man passe.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)10/22 : This flode..is wone to chaunge his dammys euery monethe, and to whethur side eyþur of Inglond or of Walis þat hit more lene to, þe dwellers takyne hit for a pronosticacioun.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)36a/b : And so phisiciens clepiþ it Colera nigra, blake Colera, for þe colour þerof leneþ [L declinat] toward blaknes.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416:Everett)191/10 : Þis is þe strenger part of þe twolue doseperes, and alle þat oþer part wol lene þudurward as þis part leneþ.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)54/18 : Who-so is chosen þerto of God, lat his listely lene þerto.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)502 : Preier is not worþ but if he include and conteyne preising, or at þe leeste lene to preising.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)992 : Lordys, ladys, & lederounnys, to my lore leene.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)1625 : But þat oure lawe leneth þere a lite, as me þenketh.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)72b : To lene:..declinare.
c
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)2895 : The knyght..wolde a toure rere, Lenand to the mykyl toure.
3.
To recline, lie down, sit; crouch, lie in hiding; ~ a)doun, adoun ~; ~ to, lie down on (one's bed); also, lie down until (Lent); ~ upon, lie on (sth.), lie down on; leninge on long, lying at length, lying stretched out; -- also refl.
Associated quotations
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)39 : Ðe unwreste herde..hloneð and slepeð..oðer lið on liþere wille.
- c1300 SLeg.Oxf.Scholar (Hrl 2277)45 : Þis tuey clerkes..adoun hi lynede [Corp-C: lenede] stille So þat hi werþe a slepe.
- a1350 Opon a somer (LdMisc 108)9 : In launde vnder lynde me leste to lende, And Lenede.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2991 : Þe quen..lenede þer þe long day to lok out at þe windowe.
- a1400 Mirror (Hrl 5085)743 : And whan he had long lived, he lened him to his bedde and wende forto dien.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)prol.9 : I lay & lenide [vrr. lenedde, lened, leonede, leoned, laynyd, lened me; C: lenede ich; vr. i lenede a-doun] & lokide on þe watris.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)9.56 : Vndir a lynde vpon a launde lenide [vrr. lened, leonede, ylened, lend] I me a stounde.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.5 : I..lened me to a lenten, and longe tyme I slepte.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)784 : Loot in a loge-dor lened hym alone, In a porche of þat place.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)234 : I, lenynge faste by under a bente, Abod to knowe what this peple mente, As stille as any ston.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1045 : He lay lenand on lange, lugande vnfaire.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)234 : Þe Kynge..lenyt him doune bi a tree.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)394/11 : He was werie forgone & lenyd hym down & fell on slepe.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)513/23 : He lenyd hym down and swelte.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)92/21 : And then he led hym into the chaumbre, and lenyd bothe vpon a beddes syde.
- a1475 in Hodgkin Proper Terms55 : A har is formyd schulderyng or leneyng.
- a1475 Terms Assoc.(1) (Brog 2.1)60 : A har in her forme scholderynge or leynnyng, A connye syttynge.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)72b : To lene: Accumbere.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)186/22 : Marie arose vp fro the pawment and lenyde hyre vpon here bedde and thonkyd God and ȝelde vp the spirit.