Middle English Dictionary Entry
lissen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | lissen v. Also lis(se, lissi & lesse; p.ppl. i)lissed. |
| Etymology | From lis(se n. & OE lissan to subdue. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To relieve or assuage (physical or mental suffering); ease or lighten (pain or distress); moderate or abate (one's sorrow); (b) to relieve pain; provide solace or comfort; ppl. lissing(e, pain-relieving, soothing, sedative.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)328/200 : Þis guode wyf bi-gan to weope sore, ake nathles for blisse Of hire sone..I-founde, hire seoruwe heo gan to lisse.
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)185 : Huy ne founden..no freond þat wolde..ȝyuen heom mete ne drinke..ne lissen heore soruwe.
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)245 : Bote ȝif þou oþur þi louerd lissi heore kare..sorewe eou schal beon ful ȝare.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)631 : Alisaundrine..hire bi-þouȝt what were hire kuddest comfort, hire care to lisse.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)848 : Sum hard hacche has he had & hider com to pleiȝe Forto lissen his languor.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1361 : Thei mihten winne a speche, Here wofull peine forto lisse.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.5401 : For thin ese..Thi love throghes forto lisse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)65b/b : It passiþ to þe vtmost partie..& lissiþ sore of synewes & ioyntis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)314b/a : Also þinges lisseþ and eseþ sores..and naissheþ hardnes.
- a1400(?a1325) Bonav.Medit.(1) (Hrl 1701)702 : Se..what angwys..yn hym ys; Y prey þe sumdele hys peyne þou lys.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.702 : Lat be thy wepyng and thi drerynesse, And lat us lissen wo with oother speche.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)25b/a : To hele and to lisse [*Ch.(1): to cure & mitigate] þe akynge.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)28a/b : Take henbane and do hardily, ffor þe herbe þerof..lisseth þe akþe.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)99a/b : Lay þere about medecynes þat lissen þe brennyng [*Ch.(1): amytigatyue of akyng & brynnyng].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)180a/a : Many other fourmes þere ben liȝtenynge and lissing [*Ch.(1): softenyng & cesyng] þe akþe of þe schuldres.
- c1430 Allas for thought (Cmb Gg.4.27)401 : The daysye..may a-alone to myn langour Don remedye..And lyssyn al myn langvissynge.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)50.452 : My peynes han ȝe gretly lissid this day.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)210 : Farewel, swete..I praye God youre sorwe lysse; To lytel while oure blysse lasteth!
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)86b/a : An expert medicyne..he is a greet abatere and vnbyndiþ and lissiþ þe sorowe & þe akynge and drawiþ out þe venym.
b
- a1375 Al oþer loue (Eton 36)7 : No loue þer nis þat oure halle [read: ovre alle] lysse.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)34a/b : When þu wilt lisse or swage [*Ch.(1): mitigate], þow schalt medle more of þese.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)75a/a : Medecynes of woundes of þe heed..schulde be mytigatyues, i. mekynge, abatyng, lissing, or swagyng.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)88b/b : When þe festre..is cauterized..helpe it with a medecyne mytigatyf, i. lissynge.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)187b/b : Lyne sede temperatly is hote & drye; it matureth and lisseþ..Licium is a Juse of an herbe..wiþ moystenesse in þe secounde degree, and þerfore it is lissynge [*Ch.(1): mitigatyue].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)189a/a : Tormentille is a rote hote & drie and it is..lissynge [*Ch.(1): sedatif].
2.
(a) To comfort (sb.); bring relief or comfort to (sb. or sth.); refl. comfort oneself; (b) ~ of, to relieve (sb.) of (pain or distress); ~ to, relieve (sb.); (c) ~ the time, ?to make the time pass pleasantly.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.2419 : If I herde of thinges strange..for a time it scholde change Mi peine and lisse me somdiel.
- a1500(c1370) Chaucer Comp.L.(Benson-Robinson)6 : Sauf the deeth, ther may nothyng me lisse.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)948 : Agea..fil in..sekenes, And sent aftir [hir] husbond, with wordis hir to lis.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)31 : Þerfore Son, open thyn hert, for peraventure y cowd the lis.
- a1500 As I walkyd vppon (Cmb Ff.1.6)11 : Swete Ihesu..lys me now in my longoure, And gyf me lysens to lyve in ease.
- a1500 As I walkyd vppon (Hnt HM 183)67 : I askyd a leche how I myght me lys; He toke me charitas.
- a1500 Thys mayden (Ashm 189)7 : She rullyde hym, she dressyde hym, she lyssyd hym..She sange 'dere sone, lullay'.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)128/13 : This setling is the esier to springe, and the more lighter thy soule in grace to be lissed.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.168 : In water he was cast, his fleshe to keele and lisse [Hrl: slake and lesse].
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.311 : As for the time yit it lisseth To him which other joie misseth.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1170 : On his wey..is he fare In hope for to been lissed [vrr. ylissed; lessed, lessend, lassed, blissed, relesid] of his care.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.1089 : Troilus..fareth lik a man that hurt is soore, And is somdeel of akyngge of his wownde Ylissed wel, but heeled no deel moore.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)442 : Thus is the syke of his langour lissyd.
- c1450(c1400) ?Clanvowe Cuckoo & N.(Frf 16)245 : This medecyne..shal ful gretly the lyssen of thy pyne.
- c1450 Myn owne dere ladi (Cai 383/603)p.300 : Were we to togadere beyne, Thou myst me lysse of my peyne.
- a1500 As I walkyd vppon (Hnt HM 183)33 : Thatt lech þat lyssyd lazer and moo David and daniel off ther disese, Amend þes wondis.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.13 : For it is glad..To hiere of suche thinges..Wherof thou myht the time lisse.
3.
(a) Of suffering: to grow less, diminish, subside; (b) ~ of, to recover from (pain), experience relief of (suffering).
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4128 : But Love consente..That onys I touche may and kisse, I trowe my peyne shall never lisse.
b
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3758 : He bad..Graunte to me the Rose kisse; Thanne of my peyne I gan to lysse.