Middle English Dictionary Entry
līǒunes(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | līǒunes(se n. Also liones(se, lionis, lionasse, lienesse, lienas, leounesse, leones(se, leonis. |
| Etymology | OF lïonesse, lëonesse. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A female lion; (b) in comparisons: despitous as ~, etc.; (c) in proverb; (d) ~ whelp, a lion cub.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)2465 : Stoutliche þe liounesse þan Asailede Beues.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 38.39 : Whether thou shalt take the prei of the leounesse [WB(2): lionesse]?
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1976 : This Chiro..Withinne a large wildernesse, Wher was Leon and Leonesse..Hadde his duellinge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)148a/b : Þe lyonesse haþ hir name of þe lyoun.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)290b/b : The leonesse hatte leena and is a swiþe leccherous beste.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12336 : Þar right be þat water side, Lai a leoness [Frf: liones] þat tide.
- a1400 Bevis (Eg 2862)117/2444,2476 : Þe lionesse seyȝe þat sight..Þe lionesse [Auch: ȝhe lete þat lioun be].
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)12343 : But whenne þe leonesse him sawe, Anoon she dud hir lorde knawe.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)37a/a : Lea vel lena: a lienesse.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)639/5 : Hec liona, Anglice, lyonys.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)805 : Allas! than cometh a wilde lyonesse Out of the wode.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)306 : Lyonesse [Win: Leonesse]: Leonissa.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)83/341 : Ryghte so come rynnande a lyones [vr. lyenas].
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)18.56 : A liown & A lioness to him Comen thore.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5140 : Of lepards & of lionesses þis lady him sendis.
- (1461) RParl.5.475b : The Office of kepyng Lyons, Leonesses, and Leopardes within oure Toure of London.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)74b : A lyonesse: leena.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)20/590 : The lyonesse aftyr began to swymme.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)233 : And at the hale dore ther wase A lyon & a lyonasse.
- a1500(1413) ?Hoccl.Poems PS (Eg 615)p.lviii/211 : There is no lyon ne cruel lyonesse..That..Ne will cessyn of hire felle corage.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)759/5-6 : Hec leena, Hec leonissa: a leonys.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.49.9 : As a lyonesse who schall arere hym?
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.637 : Stibourne I was as is a leonesse, And of my tonge a verray iangleresse.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3902 : Or like, in soth, to a lyounesse Þat day she ferde, ridynge vp & doun Amonge þe Grekis.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)2300 : [Man is..] Boxsom as the turtyl, As lyownesse dispitous.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)35/18 : Meek as a turtille, dispitous as lyonesse.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)117.123 (v.2:p.238) : The modyr of Alex .. as a lyonesse brekyth the net, so rent hyre clothis and discheuele cam rennyng.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)212/2 : For a man is hardy as a lyon..Malicious as a lyonesse.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.26.13 : The slowe seith..'a leounesse [WB(2): liounnesse] is in the gatis.'
d
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)1231 : Ȝit he tauȝt him..To take þe liones [vrr. lyounes, lyonesse] whelp [vr. wheolpes] hur froo.
2.
A fierce or cruel woman.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.30.6 : The charge of the bestes of the south. In the lond of tribulacioun and of anguysh, a leounesse and a leoun, of hem a violent eddere and a kokatrice fleende, berende vp on the shuldris of bestes ther richesses.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)21.21 : Sauf me fra mouth ofe lioun es [vrr. liounesse, lioun esse].
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.19.1 : Whi thi modir, a liounesse, laie amonge lyouns?
- a1500(1413) ?Hoccl.Poems PS (Eg 615)p.lviii/221 : Yit knowe I wel that lyon is he nought, Nor thu no lyonesse may be.