Middle English Dictionary Entry
lō̆senǧer n.
Entry Info
| Forms | lō̆senǧer n. Also -our, -or, -eour, losenjour, lozengeour, lozenjour, losonger, losanjour, losinger, losinjour, lousenger, lesinger. |
| Etymology | OF losengëor, losengëour, losengier, lousengëour. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One who curries favor; a flatterer; (b) a liar, backbiter, calumniator; (c) a deceiver of women; also, a hypocrite; (d) an evil counselor, a traitorous counselor; (e) a rascal, coward, idler.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Arun 220)p.153 : Eschuvet flatour [glossed:] losenjour.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)22/12 : He [this sin] him dobleþ ine ham þat þe yelpere and þe lozeniour zecheþ and redeþ..uor ham to praysi.
- c1390 Þe wyse mon in (Vrn)34 : Bettre is chidyng of a soþ seyere Þen deceyuyng of a losyngere.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4516 : Many a fals flatour Is in youre court and many a losengeour That plesen yow wel moore..Than he that soothfastnesse vn to yow seith.
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)220 : Many a seruant vn to his lord seith Þt al the world spekith of him honour Whan the contrarie of þt is sooth in feith; And lightly leeued is this losengeour.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3027 : Our lord god..Swich rewarde shape vnto his losengeour..The first he was þat entryd in þat peyne.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)75b : A losynger: Assentator.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)129/18 : On Such maner thay losyngid the kynge of Wayneglory..that this losyngeris makyd hym ouersette the wysse consaille of Damazate.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)187/34 : The losengeoure shal Sayne to the, 'god thankid, thou doste welle, and thou arte ful of vertues and of witte..In al this land nys none thy Pere.'
b
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3295 : Now he me wil sle wiþ schenschipe For þe speche of a losanger & of a feloun pautener.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)5261 : Þou lexst..vile losaniour.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3501,3505 : What sey men of þese loseniours Þat have here wurdys feyre as flours?..Þe losenioure spekþ now þy pay, And behynde þy bak hyr ys away.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.288 : A spie did Sir Jon leue þat Frankis oste non was..in þat pas..Sir Jon..trost þat losengere.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1050 : Hir court hath many a losenger And many a traytour envyous.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1056 : These losengeris hem preyse and smylen..And aftirward they prikke..Bihynde her bak whan they ben goon, And foule abate the folkis prys.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)352 : For in youre court ys many a losengeour, And many a queynte totelere accusour.
c
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.171 : Hise prophetes ben coueitous men of holy chirche, proude Men, leccherouse Men, loseniours; Ac þe loseniours [vrr. losengours, losengers, losengeris, losengoris] ben werst of alle þat maken hem holy & for drede oiþer for loue oiþer for ler, Þat þai hopen þai ne shullen noþing haue of hem ȝif þai seiden þe soþe.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)435 : 'Care þou nouȝth,' quoþ þis losongere, 'Jch am Amonns messagere.'
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1602 : Sir Ywayne..es ateyned for trayture, A fals and lither losenjoure; He has bytrayed my lady, Bot sho es war with his gilry.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2693 : Who loveth trewe hath no fatnesse..men that shape hem..her ladyes for to bitray, It is no wonder though they be fatt; With false othes her loves they gatt. For oft I see suche losengours Fatter than abbatis or priours.
d
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4196 : Þan waxe sory þe gode barouns þat þay scholde don op hure pauillons By þe conseil of losengers.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2825 : Abouten Brenne were lozengeours, Bakbiteres & werreours..To whette Brenne to reyse contak, Þus he spak al wiþ tresoun.
- c1475 Lydg.OFools (Hrl 2251)p.171 : I be shrewe al suche counsaillours Can kisse withe Judas and kut a mans purs, Further a netle and cast out rose floures..Suche false erwygges, suche covert losengeours..shul never the.
e
- a1350 Of Rybaudȝ (Hrl 2253)24 : He louseth a losynger & shoyeþ a shrewe.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)25/541 : Þou sschalt ben anhonged, þou loseniour [vrr. losyniour, loosenyour; 7 S(2) vr. losenioure].
- c1390 RSicily (Vrn)78 : What dost þou nouþe her, Þou false þef, þou losenger? Þou art her wiþ ffelenye, Holy churche to robbye!
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)108 : Meynteneþ ȝour honour, Or elles men of Troye..Wyll holde vs losyngers [vrr. losengeris, lesyngeris].
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)170 : I leue here be sum losynger, sum lawles wrech, Þat hatz greued his god.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)6451 : Hit was saide To Candidus by alosenger [Ld: stodmere]..Þat Alisaunder sat at his bord.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2312 : His herte frowardli gan faile I nat lik a knyht, but lik a losengour.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)3716 : Fy vpon ȝow losyngeres [vr. lousengerse]..Þe deuyl hange ȝow be a corde!
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3543 : Þou litill thefe, þou losangere, þou lurkare in cites.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)75b : A losynger..Muricidus.
- c1500(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Trin-C R.3.19)120 : Losengowres, þat fele hem strong ynough, Whyche haue sauour in slouþe & slogardy, Haue leuer to beg þen go at þe plough.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)194/254 : But yett, yett my witt is in a were, Whether you shall fynd that solingere.
Note: New spelling (error)