Middle English Dictionary Entry
lēven n.
Entry Info
| Forms | lēven n. Also levin, leiven. |
| Etymology | ?OE *lēafn; cp. Goth. lauhmuni & -ubni suf. See Pogatscher Anglia B. 13.234-5. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A lightning flash, lightning; levenes fir; ~ light; lord (master) of light and ~, God; (b) a light, beam of light, flash of light; binethen the ~, ?under the sun; (c) a fire, flame.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2690 : Þo..bigan godrich to go Vp-on þe danshe, and faste to slo, And forth rith also leuin fares.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3046 : Ðhunder and hail and leuenes fir Cam wel vnghere.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.522 : Sir Gij drouȝ out þat swerd anon, & alle þe pleynes þer-of it schon As it were liȝt of leuen.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.2267 : The thonder with his fyri levene So cruel was upon the hevene, That every erthli creature Tho thoghte his lif in aventure.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.276 : With wilde thonder dynt and firy leuene Moote thy welked nekke be to broke.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.174 : As leuen þe fire out schete.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5800 : Þe whiche forgiþ on his blak stith Þe gret þonder..And þe levenys, þat whilom be viseble.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)182/14 : Sum-tyme, dowtyr, þu seest how I sende gret leuenys þat brennyn chirchys & howsys.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.1172 : This tour..He made with thondir & with leuene liht Theroff to falle a ful gret partie.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)132 : He was fesed witȝ leuene & þunderblast.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)301 : Levene, or lyghtenynge: Fulgur, coruscacio, fulmen.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3499 : Þou madyst..Ten orderis of aungelys..Lucyfer, lyter þanne þe leuyn, tyl whanne he synnyd.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)57/19 : Wlcanus forgith þe dredefull sownes of þe thondir and causith hertis to agrise with þe fire leuene.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)3666 : Manne þen toke tent þerto and loued þe lord of lyȝt and leuyn.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)255/14 : Þat clerk thouȝte þat he was..in an horryble tempest of thunder and leuen.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)73 : Therfor was he smet with a levene and thundir.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)961 : Þan xall sytt þat hey Iustyse, goddys sone maker of lyte & leuyn.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8049 : A leme brast o þa branches bright þat al his ost moght se þat leuen [Frf: leyuen].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22477 : Þe sterns wit þair leman leuen [Frf: leyuen] Ful saddli fall sal þai dun fra heuen.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)2.609 : The perfite levyn Of hir levyng, Raught vnto hevyn.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)146/3 : Joye to god..And pes to man on erthe grownde, A chylde is born be-nethe þe levyn.
c
- a1325 Stond wel moder (Roy 12.E.1)62 : Blisced be þu, quen of heuene, bring us ut of helle leuene.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5915 : Þe prestis..gan to kyndle þe coles..To offren vp þe bestis..In þe flawme and þe grete levene.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2384 : God gaff hem gret cunnyng..And it remembrid sothli be writyng To lasten ay for water or for leuene.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)14229 : With thys belwes I made a levene, The fflawme touchyde nyh the heuene.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)137/650 : Of godys son of heuyn he spak..All the wod on a leuyn me thoght that he gard Appere.