Middle English Dictionary Entry
lightning(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | lightning(e ger. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The blaze of fire; a phenomenon of fire; of a star: the lighting of the way for somebody; (b) lightning; also, a flash of lightning, a thunderbolt; thonder ~, lightning; (c) radiance, brilliance; (d) the act of shedding spiritual light on the Church; spiritual illumination or inspiration; (e) the source of spiritual enlightenment, salvation, divine light.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.77.14 : He ladde hem þennes in þe cloude of þe dai, & al nyȝt in þe liȝtnyng of fijr.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)26257 : Whanne jn the eyr þat ȝe there se Flawmes of fyr..Taketh good keepe of that lyhtenyng.
- c1450 Whanne marye was greet (Lamb 853)133 : Bi þe liȝtnynge of a sterre, To ihesu alle þre presentis þei brouȝte.
b
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)491 : Riȝt as ffram þe Est in-to þe west þe liȝtnyng smyt to grounde, As quyklich godes sone shal adoun liȝte in a stounde.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.99 : God..þere vppon made þonderynge and liȝtnynge [L coruscavit].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.174 : The eyr..shal be ful of thonder clappes and lightnynges.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)139b/a : Choruscacion..þat maner of liȝtnynge is Iseye in þe eyre sodeynliche..and vanyschiþ away in þe eyr wiþouten comynge doun to þerþe..The lyghtenynge þat hiȝte ffulmen is vapour I-set on fuyr and is faste and sad and falliþ doun wiþ grete swiftnes..lyȝtnynge þat hatte ffulgur..smytiþ, þurliþ, & brenneþ þingis þat he touchiþ.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)139b/b : Þe þridde maner liȝtnynge þat hatte clarum is of wondir kende.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333b/b : The lightenynge is sonner y-seye þan þe þundre is y-herde.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.197 : Þanne come..One spiritus paraclitus to pieres..In lyknesse of a liȝtnynge [C: lyghtynge].
- a1400 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Pep 2498)p.60 : Liȝtnynges [Hrl 874: Þere ben herd þe þondrynges & voices & liȝttynges & grete stiryng of þe erþe].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2432 : It wer ful harde [to] hym to eskape Þe firy flame, whan þe bolis gape..More for to drede þan liȝtnyng of þe heuene.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.76.19 : Thi liȝtnyngis [WB(1): shynyngus; L coruscationes] schyneden to the world.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.186 : Þe liȝtninge is first in brekinge of cloudis, as if two stoones on a nyȝt weren knockid togider.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)304 : Lyghtnynge: Coruscacio, fulgur, fulmen.
- a1456(a1402) *Trev.Nicod.(Add 16165)102a : His sight was þer as hit wer lightinnyng.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)314 : In the xviii kalend of Julii were the moost horribil thunderes and litynnyngis.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1004/15 : There fylle a tempeste..of thundir and lyghtnynge and rayne.
- a1475 Asneth (Hnt EL 26.A.13)588 : Sche turned and saw like a char with foure hors passyng..The hors assembling to þe flame, of þunder leihtnyng.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)1509 : The other dragon..smote ffire..As it were the lightnyng, Vppon that comly knyght.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Tim.1.10 : God..clepide with his hooli clepyng..vp his purpos and grace..it is opyn bi the liȝtnyng [L illuminationem] of oure sauyour Jhesu Crist.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)186/37 : The body schoon with siche a clerenes þat vnneþe myȝte eny-body beholde it..for grete lyȝtenynge and bryȝtnes.
d
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)71 : Poul kepte as al holi chirche in erthe, in lightninge it with feithful writinge and trewe prechinge and wilful suffringe of deth.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)14 : God, þat tauȝtest þe hertes of þi trewe seruauntis bi liȝtnyng of þe holi goost.
- c1440(a1349) Rolle Desire & D.(Thrn)58/22 : Thre thynges makes delite in Gode heghe..The thirde es kepynge or hegheynge of þe herte in lyghtenynge of þe Haly Gaste.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)372/34 : Þe leste grace..þat hee receyueþ in þe sacremente..hit schalle more clarefye þe soule here-after with his sprituel listenynge þanne any sunne maye liȝten the clene eyre.
e
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)39 : God is my lyghtnynge and myn helthe.
- a1425(c1340) Rolle Psalter (LdMisc 286)26.1 : Lord..is my lightnyng aȝeyns the merknes of ignoraunce and synnes.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.62 : The lord is my liȝtnyng and myn heelþe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38) : And as a þyck leyȝtenyng abowte hur ware.
Note: New spelling
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 ?Scrope Ribot First Monks (Lamb 192)99/22 : A tytle is seyde of 'Titanus', that ys to sey, lythnynge or makynge fayr [L illuminans siue decorans] that thynge of the which the tytle ys made mende of.
Note: New sense: 'the act of illuminating, shedding light'.
Note: Ed.: "'lythnynge' n. illumination."
Note: ?New form.