Middle English Dictionary Entry
abak adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | abak adv. Also obak. |
| Etymology | OE on bæc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of motion: to the rear, backward, back; away; gon bak, stirten ~, throuen ~, fallen ~; drauen ~, withdraw; (b) of direction: back; loken ~; speken ~, reply; (c) of position: holden ~, keep away, detain.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11389 : Ga, wiþerr gast, o bacch fra me.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)51 : Crabbe..swimmeð abac.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6493 : Þe deor feol abac.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20385 : He droh hine abac.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)454/185 : Heore hors weren of him a-dradde..And ornen a-bach.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.135 : Þe kyng forsoþe, lepynge abak, seide [etc.].
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3040 : With strengþe þay reculede þat host a-bak.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3736 : Abak he sterte and thoghte it was amys.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1143 : He abreyde abak, Of hiȝ disdeyn euen þus he spak.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3983 : Þan went þe lady fer obak..or þat sho spak.
- ?c1430 Wycl.PSacr.(Corp-C 296)220 : Þe sonne sente abac or turnede aȝen.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3225 : Þai turnyt to the troiens..frusshit hom abake.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)451/10 : Bellyaunce withdrew hym abacke and sette hym downe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)561/23 : He returned abacke unto sir Palomydes.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)2.6.33a : For hire fiers condicion of suche prowde auaunty thei be cast a bakke in to endeles myschieff.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)4419 : A bak she drew and was full ill apayde.
b
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)71/23 : Se ðe..loceð abach.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)49 : The fox first abakk spak with the plowghman and saide [etc.].
c
- c1440 Treat.Prayer (Thrn)299 : Prayere..haldes hyme [þe fende] obake.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)75 : He held þe peple abak by two kalfis þat þei worschipid not God.
2.
Fig. gon abak, recede, abandon; putten ~, set aside, neglect; set back, hinder, impede; turnen ~, turn away, desert; werpen ~, cast away, renounce.
Associated quotations
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)239 : Mid halie meiden, mid al þan þe þer midenarde for his lufe werpeð abec.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)877 : Ȝif riȝt goþ forþ & abak wrong, Betere is mi wop þane þi song.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4363 : To mochel ese..set every vice forth And every vertu put abak.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)22/23 : Hiȝe bischopis..are founden to be apostataas, or haue gon abak from þe bileue.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.162 : The trewe knowyng schulde haue gon to wrak, And from science oure wittes put a-bak.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.1997 : So put a-bak was her aduertence For lak of resoun and of hiȝe prudence.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.976 : Ful fer abak wit was sette be-hynde.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Num.11.20 : Ȝe han putte abak [WB(2): put awei] the Lord.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.18 : And putten abak þe profit of þe peplis soule.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)152/30 : Many of hem þat pretendyd hir frenschep turnyd a-bakke for a lytyl veyn drede.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)1252 : And falshode euer is drive & put a-bak, Where trouþe is rotid.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)331/41 : Alle oþere pitte a-bakke, I ȝaf entente onelye to þe.
- c1475(?a1449) ?Lydg.7 Counsels (Trin-C R.3.21)26 : Be trew in rekenyng, set no som abak.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1425 PPl.A(1) (UC 45)6.67 : Þan schalt þou see blenche abak, 'bere-no-fals-witnes'.
Note: New collocation
Note: Vrn: Þenne schaltou Blenchen at a brok ber-no-fals-witnesse.