Middle English Dictionary Entry
liver(e n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | liver(e n.(2) Also livier, lifer, lever(e. |
| Etymology | From liven v.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A living creature, a living person; bok of liveres, the roll of those chosen to live; lenger ~, one who outlives another, the survivor; light (lond) of liveres, the light (land) of the living, life; liveres toforen, those who lived before (us); erthe of liveres, the land of the living, life; also, heaven; (b) one who lives (in a certain way); god (heigh, holi, passinge, vertuous) ~, one who lives righteously; ivel (cursed, wikked) ~, one who lives wickedly; commune ~, ordinary person, common laborer.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.3.1 : Þe eddre was feller þan eny lyuers [vr. ony lifers; WB(2): alle lyuynge beestis] of þe erþ.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.55.13 : Thou hast deliuered my soule fro deth..that I plese befor God in the liȝt of liueres [L in lumine viventium].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.68.29 : Be thei do awei fro the boc of lyueres [L de Libro viventium]..with riȝtwis men be thei not write.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.38.11 : I shal not see the Lord God in the lond of lyueres..Kut of is, as of a weuere, my lif.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.132 : Lyueres [vr. Lyuyers] toforn vs vseden to marke Þe selkouthes þat þei seighen, her sones for to teche.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)115/6 : Þat is a grace þat bedeweþ þe herte..and fastneþ his rotes in þe erþe of lyueres [Ayenb.: of libbende], þat is, of hem þat bereþ lif.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)148/2,4 : First, of þe erþe of lyuers [F la terre des vivanz], þat is, God hymself, þat is habitacle a-wonynge place of lyuers, þat is, of halewen & of goode men.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)508/31 : To the said William and Isabelle..to all the lyf of the lenger liver of þem.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)8 : And vpon ilk side, a liuar in þis world is falsly iapid.
- c1475 *Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)24/25 : That land and seignieurie whiche from your birthe to youre last day, as of itself, is open to your sustinaunce, feeding, and norisshing amonge the livers, and amonge the deede receyueth you in sepulture.
- c1475 *Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)98/12 : I call all the lyuers [*CQ(2): all lyvyng men] to wytnesse that thou hast passed thy degree in thyn araiement miche more than we.
- (1476) Paston (Gairdner)5.261 : Ye sholde have that maner in joynture with yowr wyffe, to the lenger lyver off yow bothe.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.1024 : So vertuous a lyuere [vr. leuere] in my lyf Ne saw I neuere.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)13a/a : Celebs: an holi liuere.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)90/8 : Þei þat scholden ben conuerted to crist..schull þus appelen vs & holden vs for wykkede lyueres & cursede.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)179/32 : I graunte it hem, & as wel to hem as to riȝtwise lyuers.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)194/16 : Al sich vnordynat louers and wickide lyuers, þouȝ þei wepe, her teeris ben teeris of deeth.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)113/65 : Bynd..cursid leuers with here cumpers And cast ham in þe fuyre without end.
- (1431) EEWills88/7 : And y will ther synge v yere for me..a trewe prest..y will haue the best lyver that may be y-geten.
- (1433) RParl.4.447a : Please hit to the Wysdome and high discretion of the worshipfull Communes in this present Parliament assemblid, to consider a grete myschief in late dayes begonne amonge untrewe lyvers..duellyng in a suspect and wycked place called the Stewys.
- (1436) RParl.4.511a : Ther be comyng other strange persones, and have set up Stywehouses, and houses of Brodell and unclene lyvers withyn the hye stretes.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)41/4 : Sche schuld go to a Whyte Frer..whech hyte Wyllyam Sowthfeld, a good man and an holy leuar.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)42/27 : Chast leuars be clepyd þe temple of þe Holy Gost.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)189 : We mowe not bie wiþ price..oure seid taking into þe freendschip of eny holy liver.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)445 : Þou lord god..leedist certeyn persoones into ful singuler weies of conuersacioun myche dyuerse from þe woned good weies of oþere vertuose lyuers.
- a1450(a1396) Hilton CPerf.(Paris angl.41)17 : A man þat was holde an hiȝ lyuer ofte was axid for to speke of goostli loue.
- a1450(?1400) In blossemed buske (Dgb 102)73 : In wikked lyuer, no good counsayle.
- a1450(c1400-25) Legat Serm.PD (Wor F.10)15/186 : Þer-for be þou nothing aferid, ha þou be neuer so wikkid a man, neuer so cursyd a leuer..to aske hym forȝiuenes.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)26.52 : To An hygh good levere, sche drowh here vnto.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)48.5 : A good Man, & An holy lyvere, algates with Iosephes wente þere.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2679 : Euer after, forsothe, a parfyt leuer was he.
- a1450 St.Etheldr.(Fst B.3)265 : A vertwys leuer he was euer byfore þat tyme.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)374/22 : Summe ben alle-vndisposed, as þoo þat ben combred with deedly synne; summe ben welle disposed, as þey þat ben passynge lyvers.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)70/10 : Nouther a-voutres, ne softe delytable lyuers [L molles], ne sodomytes, oppressers and defoulers of menchyldre, schal possesse the kyngdome of god.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)293 : This holi lyver after his deeth is acceptid into salvacioun.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)140 : The premynent is first thalmyghti Lord, Emanuel, that euery lord is vndir And good lyver.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)132/16 : No knyght founde no suche tokyns but he were a good lyver and a man of prouesse.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)106/272 : All þe gode levers and trew That Are here.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)1/6 : Þe book..is made to renne vpon vij maters moost necessary to eche cristen lyuer to be knowun.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)91/23-4 : On was a good lyuer, and þat oþer a curset lyuer.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)132/20 : Þylke þat ben fayre and rody ben good comyn lyuers þat lyuen truly by hor mayn swynke.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)139/23 : For company mayntenyth anent ham that lytill byth of value, as folis and dyshonest lyueris, makyth the honnoure of lordshupp rebutte in dyspite.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)206/25 : Soner Is graciously hardyn oone Prayere of the obedient, than ten thowsante of oon rebelloure othyr an evill lyuere.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)57/9 : Þat þe way of wrong be put away fro rightwyse lyuyeres.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)1/22 : We worschepen martires with the same worschipynge of religion and felawehede as are other holy men and holy lyuers worschipped with.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)176/6 : And so sche was made a blessid lyver and fayre endyd.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)189/15 : It is noȝt to be hyde fro hem that are true lyuers.
- a1500 Wast bryngyth (Cmb Ff.2.38)p.178 : In werke þey weren neuer so nyce Ne of moo good liueres [vr. gude leuers] gesone.