Middle English Dictionary Entry
lift n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | lift n.(1) Also lifte, luft(e & (early) left(e, leofte & (early sg.dat.) luften. |
| Etymology | OE lyft |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The air, the atmosphere; ~ foules, birds of the air; (b) one of the four elements, air.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)5/7 : Þis ȝescead ys hæfter þam feorwer heorren heofenes and eorðan and þara lyfte and þara dupnesse.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)84/4 : Summe swimmæð on flode; summe fleoð ȝeont þas lyft.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)94/12 : Nis þeo eorðung þe we ut blawæð & in ateoð ure sawle, ac is þeo luft þe alle lichamlice þing on libbæð.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6056 : Ærn maȝȝ fleȝhenn i þe lifft Full heȝhe towarrd heoffne.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)83 : He makede fisses in þe se and fuȝeles in þe lifte [vrr. lufte, lefte].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25585 : Com an wunderlic deor æst in þan leofte [Otho: lufte].
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)95/20 : Hie [the soul] is liht alswo ðe left ðat is icleped spiraculum uite, þat is, ðe blast of liue.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)2245 : He het..bihefden ham..& leauen hare bodies unbiburiet alle, fode to wilde deor & to luftfuheles.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)38/27 : We liuieð bi þe lufte..ant ure weies beoð abufen wið þe windes.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)125/13 : Publius..wes in his bonen, & com þe feond fleonninde bi þe lufte.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)261 : Þe foules bi þe lifte hit gonnen al totere.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)598 : Þe sonne..makez þe wateres breþi up-riȝt..So þat aboue in þe lufte [Corp-C: lift] þilke mist euene geth.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5649 : He hurde angles singe an hey bi þe luft [vr. lyfte; B: lofte].
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3863 : Forþ he renneþ al so swyft As foul þat fleþ on þe lift.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)385 : Þe fend of his bodi fleyȝ to þe lufte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3488 : A vois was herd on hih the lifte.
- c1400 St.Alex.(2) (Trin-O 57)56/371 : In þe luft [vr. lift] hy herde grede.
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn:Horstmann)304 : The fende had flowene by þe lyfte tene day Iourne thedirwarde.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2632 : The galey yede also swyfte As ony foule by the lyfte [vr. lift].
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)78.2 : Thai sett the dyand bodis of thi seruauntes metis till fughlis of the lift [vr. ayre].
b
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)9/38 : Heouene ond eorþe, luft ond engles.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11503 : Manness bodiȝ feȝedd iss Off fowwre kinne shaffte, Off heoffness fir & off þe lifft, Off waterr & off eorþe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)17539 : Off þise fowwre shaffte iss all Þiss middell werelld timmbredd, Off heffness whel & off þe lifft, Off waterr & off erþe.
2.
The sky, firmament; liftes sevene, the seven spheres; under (the) ~, under heaven, on earth; craft (dweomercræft) þe woneth in þe ~, craft (witchcraft) of the sky, astrology; haven bileve to the ~, to trust to weather lore.
Associated quotations
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1110 : Ealle þe niht wæs seo lyft swiðe clene, & þa steorran ofer eall þa heofon swiðe beorhte scinende.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6421 : Teȝȝre Steorne wass hemm þa Full rædiȝ upp o liffte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4130 : Vnder þissen luften leten riht scuften.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10104 : Nes þa na man vnder lufte þe cuðe betere cræftes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15755 : He cuðe of þan crafte þe wuneð i þan lufte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24294 : Muchel heo ferden mid þan crafte to lokien in þan leofte [Otho: lufte], to lokien i þan steorren.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30635 : Peluz hit wuste anan þurh his dweomer-cræften þe wunede in þan lufte.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)22/21 : Þe mone & te steorren..walkeð bi þe lufte.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.26 : At a schift Sal..brin bathe erthe and lift.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)524 : Þe lift [Trin-C: sky] has son and mon wit-in.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12871 : Als he loked vp til heuen, Open he sagh þe liftes [Trin-C: cloudis] seuen.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19841 : Sant petre..loked to þe lift And sagh..A mikel linnen clath..Laten dun.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22676 : All þe stanes þat are made Vnder þe lift [Frf: heiuen] in werld brade..Sal smitt togedir.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)375 : He wroȝt..Þe firmament, þat ys to say, þe lift wit sternes grete and smale.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.351 : Wederwise shipmen and witti clerkes..Han no bilieue to þe lifte ne to þe lore of philosofres.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)211 : I schal telde up my trone in þe tramountayne And by lyke to þat Lorde þat þe lyft made.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)366 : Þe mukel lavande loghe to þe lyfte rered.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1256 : I louue þat ilk lorde þat þe lyfte haldez.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1444 : Now se we þe lyfte clere and faire.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4272 : He..Lokes vpe to þe lyfte.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)674 : Þen con he [Anectanabus] calke & a-conte & kest on his fyngirs, Lokis him vp to þe lifte.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4174 : Þan vmby-clappis þaim a cloude..Þai saȝe na leme of þe lyft ne liȝt of þe son.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)960 : Sonne & mone..And sterres in þe lift schynyng knewen God quen he was born.