Middle English Dictionary Entry
lē̆nǧe n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | lē̆nǧe n.(1) Also lē̆nge, lengh(e & (early) længe. |
| Etymology | OE lengu, lencge. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Linear extent or distance, length; having the length [quot.: 1453]; in (o, of, on) ~, in length, of length, long; grovelinge on ~, stretched out prostrate; twelve mile on ~, a distance of twelve miles; plough ~, sword ~, q.v.; (b) extent of time, duration; tide ~, length of time; ~ of daies, life, longevity; in ~ of time, in the fullness of time; on ~, at length, for an extended period of time; haven ~, to have (one's) allotted time; drauen on ~, to postpone (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)132.132/1 : Þeos wyrt..hafað smale leaf on fingres lenge.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)22/6 : Ða wæron heo togadere iwæxene & hæfden ane ælne iwæxen on lenge & oðre on græte.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12393 : A man..bedd He suld him mak a treen bedd þat suld o lengh [Trin-C: lengþe] thre eln haf.
- (1419) EEWills36/11 : j pylow of Doun, lengh of a yerd.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1102 : Who þe lenghe of þe lede lelly accountes, Fro þe face to þe fote was fyfe fadom lange.
- c1440 Lyarde (Thrn)2.281 : Elevyne myle on lenghe the parke es mett, And twenty on brede.
- a1450 Ordin.Nuns(2) (Vsp A.25)147/40 : Þan sal þe nun be layd down grofelyng on lenghe befor þe ryght end of þe auter.
- a1450 3 KCol.(1) (Roy 18.A.10)93/14 : And þes bussches be litil hiȝer þan a fathome of lenge.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5086 : Lamprays sloȝis, Þat sex cubettis clere was of clene lenghe.
- (1453) Will York in Sur.Soc.30189 : Item, j litill cofre bounden with yrne, lengh of ij fote.
- ?1457 Hardyng Chron.A (Lnsd 204:Hammond)235/68 : Twelfe myle on lenghe with thaym he rode agayn.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)94/33 : Of þe saule commys anoþer substance, þat ys clepyd þe yle, before þe mesurynge, þat ys vndirstondyd, in lenghe, in brede, in heghnesse, yn depnesse.
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)25 : Pykes on ther shon of a foot in lengh and more.
b
- c1175(OE) Bod.Hom.Dom.Quadr.(Bod 343)42/32 : God ne sæcð na swa swyðe þare tide lenge, ac he þencð hu muchel þeo lufe beo.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)39/33 : Gif..wraððe mid ðe ne wuneð ones daiȝes længe..ðanne hafst ðu charite mid ðe.
- a1300 Eueriche freman (Rwl C.22)4 : Þan it es al ydon that cume to þen ende; na haues naman of þis werld bot gnedeliche his Lenge.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)167 : On lenghe I loked to hyr þere.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)416 : He..Corounde me quene in blysse to brede In lenghe of dayez þat euer schal wage.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3380 : And thus cho lede me abowte the lenghe of an owre.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)99/89 : Other many syns þar er of omission, þat es..to draw on lengh þat es at do sone.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)20.4 : Thou gaf til him lenghe of dayes [L longitudemen dierum] in warld & warld of warld.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)72/37 : In þis tyme, þe day and þe nyght ys of oon lengh.
- a1500 *Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)93/28 : Suche as were vngarnisshid of feith..and had no stronge corage for to endur the lenghe of good abiding.
- a1500 *Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)114/6 : For ther is not so harde nor so violent interdiccion but that, in lenghe of tyme, it shal be brought ageyne to the semblaunce of natur.