Middle English Dictionary Entry
lēting(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | lēting(e ger. Also letting(e, lating(e, latting. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The leasing or granting of land by one person to another, the renting out of land or property; also, the loan of money at interest; ?also, the letting of garments for hire; ~ to (into) ferme, ~ out; (b) leaving or relinquishing; ~ of lif, death; (c) causing; ~ eien fallen, ?looking at someone, ?dropping (one's) eyes; ~ of the cuppe gon, passing the cup, drinking; (d) ~ to baile, admitting a prisoner to bail; (e) teres ~, the shedding of tears; (f) ~ (of) blod, bloodletting [see also blod ~ under blod n. 1b. (c)]; (g) ~ muche bi, thinking well of (oneself).
Associated quotations
a
- (1425) Paston (EETS)3.3 (931/6) : Þe seid William Joye .. shal .., of þe dimise and letyng of .. William Paston, ocupie, eryn, telyn, sedyn, sowen, and harwyn in seisonable tyme al þe arable londes of þe seid William Paston.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)279 : The Holi Scripture..licencid preestis..forto haue..housis and pasturis..withoute into ferme to othere men leting.
- (1453) Paston2.292 : On Sent Marckes daye I entred the seid place and lete it to your be hove, and on the day after cam Henry Goneld and seyd my latyng schald not stond, and went and seled the dores.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.97/29 : And þat this lettyng and of perpetuell ferme takyng be sure and stable for Euer, þe parties to this writyng..her seeles haue putte.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.119/1 : Also hit is to be knowe þat by noone oldenysse fro þe mynde of men þy lettyng-owte, as hit is above i-write, hit be i-callid agayne.
- (1467) Acc.St.John Peterb.in Antiq.51466 : Rec. for latyng of the players garmense, iiij s. vj d.
- (1473) Paston (Gairdner)5.197 : Iff thys meane above wretyn off letyng to ferme maye be hadde, it shall..nat nede to felle ner selle moche.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)150/6 : Hit scholde be lawfull to þe fore-sayde Abbesse & Couente or to þere successoures to entre agayne in the sayde tenement..this letyng owte or dimission not-wythstandyng.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)429/9 : The sentence of this charter is that Richard Midnyght graunted and ratified that graunte, letyng, and delyueryng that Robert Palmere made to god & cetera and to the mynchons.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)500/19 : And for þis letyng, graunte, and quyte-clayme the said abbesse and Couent yaf to them ij marke of sterlyngis before-handes.
- (1482) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 53/109)p.140 (153/10) : Y pray you that ye woll do for me in the latyng owte of my mony that ys growyn at thys tym, as ye do wyt yowre owne, sauynd that ye woll keppe vnto the comyng of Robard Eyryk xxx or xl li. ster.
b
- c1400 *PPl.C (Trin-C R.3.14)[18.124] f.48a : Sarisynes may be sauid so ȝif þei so beleue, In þe lettyng [vrr. letyng; lengthynge] of here lif to leue on holy chirche.
c
- a1500 PPl.A(1) (Dub 213)5.185 : Lattyng of þe cupp ga.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.41 : My wittis all Were so ouercom with plesance and delyte, Onely throu latting of myn eyen fall, That sudaynly my hert become hir thrall.
d
- (1444) RParl.5.110a : For Fyn, Fee, suyte of Prison, Maynprise, letyng to Baill.
e
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)81/26 : Swete, for þat is þe manne þat alle þing makeþ swete: trauaile, sorwe, wepynge, teres letynge, schame, martirdom.
f
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)301/26 : Also letynge blood in þe tunge is good for þe squinacie.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)73b/b : Letinge blode off þe veines of þe ffete is good for alle maner sekenes þat declinen to þe heued.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)74b/b : Þis is þe doctrine of auicen of lettinge blode of þe veines of mannes bodie.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)146b/b : The firste is for to conseruen & hele manuelli, as by letyngis of blood and bi cauterizacioun.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)152a/a : Þe maner of latynge blood of þe forseid may be doon in double maner.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)86/14 : In latynge of blood, noght by openynge of veynes, but by scarificacioun of fflesch.
g
- a1425(a1349) Rolle MPass.(2) (Upps C.494)41/28 : Swete lord Ihesu, shilde me fro blyndynge of synne in custome, in longe vnschrifte, in ouerhope, in latynge bi my silf moche.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?1482 Rev.Monk Eynsham2815 : The lyftyngys vppe of the crosse and the lettyngys done ageyne..Y behilde long tyme with grete wonder.
Note: Cf. OED letting, n.2 Compounds b. letting down n.
Note: Glossary: "lettyngys n. pl. ~ done '(actions of) letting (the cross) down'."
Note: New sense, new compound.