Middle English Dictionary Entry
līf-lōd(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | līf-lōd(e n. Also -lad(e, -loþe, -laðe, lifelod(e, -lade, liffelod, livlod(e, livelod(e, -lad(e, -laid(e, -late, lieflode, lēvelode & (errors) lyvebode, lijfelolde, lufflod. |
| Etymology | OE līf-lād |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Food and drink; a ration of food; also, in pl.: crops; fig. food for the soul; winnen ~, to gain a living; swinken ~, toil for a living; (b) the necessities of life; food, clothing, and shelter; (c) med. a diet or regimen.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8331 : Þe sarazins wiþoute wuste so euerich ende Þat no maner liflode ne miȝte to hom wende.
- a1333 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Add 46919)982 : Lyflode [vr. drynke; glossing AF (Cmb) viaire].
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)346 : Homme..Spewith for ouer mykul, Pur viaunde qe a luy desplet, For liuelode that payuth him nout.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2495 : Of noþyng certis doþ þay drede bot of liflode one.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.42.1 : Iacob..heryng þat lyuelodez [WB(2): foodis; L alimenta] wern solde in Egypte.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.47.23 : Takeþ seedez & soweþ feeldez, þat ȝe mou [read: mon] han lyuelodez [WB(2): fruytis; L fruges].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.10.18 : He..loueþ þe pilgrym & ȝeueþ to hym lyflode & cloþynge.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.389 : Þe Scottyshe men..took wiþ hem liflode [Higd.(2): mete; L viatico] for oon woke.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.798 : Him thenkth..that he hath ful sufficance Of liflode and of sustienance.
- c1400(1399) Þer is a busch (Bagot)p.366 : Our lene bestes schul not rouȝt, hur liflode to gete.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5414 : Þe king þam faand al þair liueladd.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19835 : Quils þai dight him his liuelade [Phys-E: liuelate] In orisun he lai and bade.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)1.18 : He hiȝte þe erþe to helpe ȝow ichone Of lynene, of wollene, of liflode at nede, In mesurable maner to make ȝow at ese.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)1.35 : Al is not good to þe gost þat þe gut likiþ, Ne liflode [vr. lif fode] to þe lycam þat lef is to þe soule.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)133 : An oþer noyse ful newe neȝed biliue, Þat þe lude myȝt haf leue lif-lode to cach.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)27 : Þe boor gooþ from þe sowes and goþ to take his couert and to seche her lyvelode allone.
- a1425(c1300) NHom.(1) Alex.(Ashm 42)133 : Brede and watir was his liue-lade [vr. lyflade].
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)28/22 : Sain Benet..stabelis..with mikil doute þe mesur of oþir mens liflade.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)417/186 : Aldare..with his wiff in a smal cotage Ther houshold heeld, whos lyflode [vr. lyfflood] was but bare.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.1497 : To beye nor selle no lyfflode in the toun, Ther was non socour nouther of drynk nor bred.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)1 : Goddis free ȝiftes..to vs ȝouen and doon being necessarie..as ben oure ech daies lijflood, clooþ, hous, money, and suche oþere fleischly and worldli þingis.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)16a : Kniȝtes þilke tyme resceyued non oþer soude for hir trauayle bot lyflode of corn for hem and here hors.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)8/27 : Ther sues a gude exhortacion that spekez of wyth-drawynge of the lyue-lode of the soule.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget (Gar 145)66/27 : Thes vnresenable bestes..ar content wyth simple lyvelod.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)77 : Clerkis propriun to hemsilf temporal þingis..not only to liflod and hyling but to lust and worldly hynes.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)74/12 : In þis [autumn] tyme..þe Ampte getys liflode for wynter.
- a1500 PFulham (Jas 43)174 : As brawne bakyn or powderd beef; Suche lyvelod now ys no man leef.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1492 : Þis selie men..founden heom liflode i-nouȝ.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)261/18 : With spinningue and with seuwingue, hire liflode heo wan.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of god (Hrl 913)74 : In þe vale of Eboir His liuelod he most swink sore.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)974 : Hii..swonke & tylede hor liflode.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)46/212 : Als mony we sla..Als we..falsly defames..Or withdrawes lyuelade fra tham that nede haues.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.151 : Outtake..þe offrynges of trewe men, unneþe hadde he to hym and his cardinals any þing to lyflode [L ad victum].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.331 : Lanfrank..was a monk under abbot Herlewyn and was a man þat kouþe doo no grete werkes to gete his liflode þerwiþ.
- c1390 Form Conf.(1) (Vrn)343 : Whon slest þou eny mon? Whon I smite..or hurte him wherþorw he dye, or wrongfoliche reue him his lyflode or his gode name.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)9.106 : To alle trew tidy men þat trauaille desyren, Owre lorde loueth hem and lent..Grace to go to hem and agon her lyflode.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416:Everett)171/15 : Ȝif..broþer or syster..hauen nede to liflode or sustenaunce, ȝif ȝe..ȝeuen not to hem necessaries þat ben nedful to hem, what profiteþ þat to hem?
- c1400 St.Alex.(2) (Trin-O 57)46/291 : In-to þe toune he moste gon, His lyflode to wynne.
- (1422) EEWills51/3 : I bequeth to two prestes..resonable lyuelode after þe discrecioun of myn executours.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)254/26 : Þei schulen departe þe substaunce of þo temperal goodis..into þre parties, oon for her owne liiflode, anoþir to poore men, and þe þridde for necessarie þingis to holy chirche.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)114/23 : Whare schall we now get any helpe till oure lyfelade?
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)321 : Þe husbond..and his meyne laboren to geete temporal livelode and..þe husbond haþ þis seid getyng of lijfelolde in his charge.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7698 : Þe toune of Jarowe he þaim gaue, With þe purtenaunce..With whilk þair abbay myght be made, And þai als haue þaire lyuelade.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2122 : Ther was nevir voman I-leve..ffor lak of hede of lyvlode, þat lyvid in more distres.
- a1470 Ordin.War Hen.V in RS 55.1 (Lnsd 285)461 : That noman be so hardy to pile ne robbe none other of vitaill ne of none other lyvelode, the which thay have by bying, uppon peyn of deth.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)73b : Lyfflade: victus.
- a1500 *Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)14/13 : And no man dar be so hardy to gette his livelode in them for feere of his life.
c
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)50a/b : Ydropisye..haþ some propre cures: In þe firste, þat þe lyflode be riȝt streyȝt & dryand.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)84a/a : The firste ordeyneth þe lyf, i. liflode, or diete.
2.
(a) The means to procure the necessities of life; property, land, rent, or income; (b) ~ man, a man of property.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)174 : Þis pouere wydewe..haþ yleyd at ene Al hure goed..and hure liflode al clene.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.191 : Somtyme knyȝtes of Rome, after þat þey were sixty ȝere olde..schulde be at home and have a certeyn lyflode.
- (1399) RParl.3.452b : Some men..have taken mych more by extorsion..and by mayntenance of quereles then all the remenaunt of her owne lyvelod amounted to.
- (1418) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.287 : [A reward of 1,000 marks of gold and £ 20 of] sure lyuelod yerly [is offered..for the capture of Sir John].
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.211 : Þis widewe..sente al hir lyveloode and for love putte her in disese.
- (1427) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.71 : The full purpartie..shal falle to thair part..by the dethe of..Thomas and Hugh, of the lifelode of the same Thomas and Hugh.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)303 : Cathedral chirchis..maken hemself..to be eyris perpetual of tiþes and offryngis þat schulden be pore mennus liflode.
- (1433) RParl.4.432b : No yift ne Graunte of lyfelod, Revenue, or good balangyng to youre Hienesse, ne paiements to be made of youre good.
- (1439) EEWills119/6 : I woll that myn executours enmortese vnto the howse of Tewkesbery C mark or xl li. of gode lyvelode, to fynde certayne prestes..sertayne observaunce that I woll haue done for me.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)308 : Lyflode [Win: Lyvelod] or warysone: Donativum.
- (a1443) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xxxi : Such..persones..myght exspend an C li. of enheritaunce be yer of yerly lyflode.
- (a1443) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xxxii : And [the defendants] also hath felde downe all the tymber of the seid lyflode, to the value of an C li. and more..And latith the housyng of the seid lyflode falle doune and go to nought..seid suppliaunt hath no more lyflode to lyve upon.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1333 : For þi lyflode is scars and sclendre, Despende nat to largely.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1799 : I am al destitut Of my lyflode, god be my refut!
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)227/175 : Thou lokist like a lurdayne, His liffelod hadde lost.
- (1450) Paston2.197 : The said..bille may be enseled wyth the seles of such gentlemen that have lyvebode [?read: lyvelode] there.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)46/7 : In þi fals tythyng..Þou louyst noȝt þi curat, for þou appeyrist hys lyiflode.
- (1461) Paston3.250 : The pepill in the northe robbe and styll..and gyffe a way menys goods and lufflods in all the sowthe cwntre.
- (1461) Paston4.11 : I have as moche as I may to gader myn ownne lyfflode.
- (1463-4) Let.Bk.Lond.L (Gldh LetBk L)48 : That..possessours of the Groundes and livelodes a bowte the same Quenehith..do to be clensed the saide hithe of all filth.
- (1465) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1467 : He paid and ouersawe all ye expenses and receyved all ye Lyvelode of ye seide College.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)712/19 : The lordis..departed frome hym unto their owne lyeffloode.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)28/18 : The kynge grawntyd..C shillingis valour in land..Also Theobald, busshop of Cawntyrbury in lifelode, C shillings.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)125 : This charge woll..be..so inestimable grete þat in somme yere a grete lordes lyvelod shalnot suffice to beyre it, though he wolde selle grete parte þerof.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.247 : Somme tyme..lyvelode was ȝiffen to theyme, or somme goodes of thynges commune whereby thei myȝhte lyffe, and then the knyȝhte was callede Emeritus.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.391 : Thou schalle haue the victory..if thou wille ȝiffe the thrydde parte of thy lyvelode [Trev.: heritage; L hæreditatis] to God in to almes and in the worschippe of blessede Andrewe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)74b : Lyvelade: vsufructus, victus.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)803 : Þey exiled þe false qwene And by-rafte her hyr lyfloþe clene.
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)33 : Her is the place Wher thi body lith in, and her is the way that extendith to thi liflod.
- a1500(a1475) Ashby Dicta (Cmb Mm.4.42)374,377 : That king is ful blessed..That can..directe his leuelode profitably..What dishonnour is to hym..That mysguideth his liuelode & lesith, And al his reuenues mysvseth!
- a1500 *Chartier Quad.(2) (Rwl A.338)31/1 : Diuers knyghtes..seeche meanys of couetice how thei may encroche lyvelode and goodis.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.413 : Do warne..all the gentilmen..being of the lyvelode of x li. by yere and aboue, that thei..apper afore vs.
b
- (1450) Complaint in War.AM 4183 : To the grete hurt alswell of the said John Brome, and other enheriters and lyuelode men withynne the same towne, as of other thrifty enhabitantez of the same.
3.
(a) Moral conduct, behavior; (b) a way of life; social or religious status; (c) a lifetime, the span of life; the course of life; also, a life story, saint's legend.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)85 : He mei..spenen..feire forbisne of his aȝene liflade.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)31 : Here liflode ligneð hem seluen.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.Creed (Trin-C B.14.52)17 : Of clene liflade specð ysaias þe prophete.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)178/15 : Ha..gað wið god liflade [Cai: liflaðe; Nero: liflode] toward te riche of heouene.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.52 : Ef we lef Riht liuelad, he mai us ref Meknes..and charite.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28408 : I þat suld be o clene liuelade Has oft bene chapman gain my had.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)1/8 : Now lystenyth us..Gentyllys and ȝemanry of goodly lyff lad þis tyde.
b
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)8/94 : Bute ȝef þu wiðbreide þe þu bredest te þet oðer [hell] as doð þes cwenes..þeos modie leafdis of hare liflade.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)22/343 : Nu þu art iweddet & of se heh se lahe iliht..into flesches fulðe, into beastes liflade, into monnes þeowdom.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)179/16 : Hare liflade is herre, for pilegrim eileð monihwet.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)185/23 : Folc tolaimet & totoren wið strong liflade & wið heard, he cleopeð folc fearlac.
- c1230 Ancr.(Corp-C 402)130/19 : For euch if wiðward oþer in an manere of liflade, as þah ȝe weren an cuuent of lundene.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2009 : Quen noe left þe schipp..A neu liuelade [Trin-C: liflode] cun þai bigin, He self with his suns thrin.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13279 : Wit þair fissing war þai fedd, And pouer liuelade [Frf: liue-laide] þar-wit þai ledd.
- (1431-2) Will York in Sur.Soc.3020 : I wyll yat..my wyfe..have for to fynde hyrre of a gentele woman lyfelade, whyls she lyffes, for hyr and a preste and a servand.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)1171 : Thus shalle ye..sette euery persone accordynge with-owten mys, as aftur þe birthe, livelode, dignite a-fore y taught yow this.
c
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)189 : Milicia est uita hominis super terram; Mannes liflode buuen eorðe is fardung.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)12/160 : Brude ne nimeð gume ne brudgume brude & teacheð her on eorðe in hire liflade þe liflade of heouene.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)p.3 head. : Her Biginneð þe liflade ant te passiun of seinte Iuliene.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)2/2 : Her biginneð þe liflade & te passiun of seinte margarete.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)46/28 : Ich bidde..þet hwa-se-eauer boc writ of mi lif-lade..oðer hwa-se hit eauer redeð..wealdent of heouene, wurðe ham alle sone hare sunnen for-ȝeuene.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)52/29 : Ich..hire lif-lade al lette don o leaue.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1506 : I find na term of his liuelaid [Frf: liuelade; Göt: lijflade].