Middle English Dictionary Entry
lōth n.
Entry Info
| Forms | lōth n. Also lōthe, lāth(e, laith(e & (early) lothz, lōðen, leað. |
| Etymology | OE lāþ n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Something hateful, injury, harm, misfortune; don ~, to fight; also, do harm (to sb.); don to ~, do evil; mi lif is me to ~, my life is a burden to me; (b) discomfort, soreness, pain; (c) a fault.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)61 : Þo þe mest doð nu to gode & þe lest to laðe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1084 : Heo wolden heora lauerd from loðen [Otho: deaþe] alesen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)16073 : Þu hauest heom muchel uuel idon, and nu þu most þat lað on-fon.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)37 : Sume men..ne doð ne ne queðeð none manne loð ac luuigeð god.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1146 : Mid riȝte, men boþ wiþ þe wroþe, For þu singist euer of hore loþe.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)328 : He lat he ne wile us ðon non loð, & bringeð us in a sinne.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)603 : Eyther for-ȝaf oþer his loþ.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3510 : He myȝt..a-scape..þat þe Sarsyns ne dud him loþ.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)6778 : Why was God moste wyþ hym wroth? For he dyd þe pore man loth.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)960 : Lauerd, þat euer i mad þe wrath, For-þi mi lijf es me to lath [Göt: ful lath].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2061 : Now it sal al for-giuen be Laith [Frf: lathe] and wrath for ani plight.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)3810 : If god..bringe me aȝeyn wiþouten looþ In to my kiþþe..he shal be my god.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2507 : Þis is þe laþe & þe losse þat I laȝt haue Of couardise & couetyse þat I haf caȝt þare.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)6437 : No schaltow haue oþir laþe Bote mete and drynke late and raþe.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1935 : He come neuer vndir clothe To do þat lady no lothe Þat pendid to velany.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3276 : At Durre-hurst þey fouȝtone bothe y-fere, & hurre twey hostes stoden stille & duden no loth.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)872 : We schul..litel harme wirche, & ay þe loþe of þe layk liȝt on vs-selue.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)895 : Þen þe King asshed, 'Art þou wroth?' 'Nay, sir,' he sayd, 'withouten othe, Ne wille þe lady no lothe.'
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)166/9 : Take tenderly intent..Els harmes shall ye hent, And lothes you to lap.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)77.20/10 : Þanne byð þas innoþas sar sentende & liðiȝende, þat sona nan lað ne byð.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)106.77/2 : Ealla þa þing þe on mannes lichame to laðe acenned byð, heo þur hæleð.
c
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)223 : Iewes..Beoten a lomb wiþ-outen loþe.
2.
(a) Hostility, malice, hate; waiten ~, to show hatred to (sb.); (b) disinclination, distaste, unwillingness; haven ~, to be unwilling (to do sth.); haven ~ winninges, have no aversion to gain; (c) sorrow, displeasure.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11887 : Forrþi birrþ þe wæpnedd beon..To shildenn þe wiþþ all hiss laþ Þurrh soþfasst hope & trowwþe.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.Pentec.(Lamb 487)95 : Þet fuȝel-cun [the dove] is swiðe bilehwit and wit-utan laðe and isibsum.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)18/165 : Ich mei..warnin ow of his lað [Tit: leað] & for his wrenches.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)2328 : Þat þar loþ were bi-twixte Corineus and Locrine.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2976 : Neuere yete wordes ne grewe Bitwene hem, hwar-of ne lathe Mithe rise ne no wrathe.
- a1325 SLeg.Bridget(2) (Corp-C 145)216 : Þis maide he ȝaf a god swerd hure fader forto take, To bynime his wraþþe & is loþ acord forto make.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)352 : Ac ferst þai sworen him an oþ, Þai schuld him neuer waite loþ.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)56/1572 : Þer mot atter spousyng Be ryȝt a-sent of boþe..Yn loue and nauȝt y loþe.
- c1390 NHom.Magd.(Vrn(1))54 : And forȝaf hem heore dette boþe wiþ oute stresse, wiþ oute loþe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14131 : Lazarus..Ne soght he neuer man wit lath [Trin-C: loþe].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.69 : Þe duke wrote to þe kyng, in luf withouten loth, Bisout him..þat he wild hold his oth.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)127 : Iche lede, as he loued hym-selue, Þer laght with-outen loþe.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3273 : Euer bytwyne hem was hate & loth.
b
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)157 : Halie Men schedden hate teres for laþe of þe worlde.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)470 : Ich hadde lothz..don holi churche wovȝ [Corp-C: loþ].
- a1325 SLeg.Bridget(2) (Corp-C 145)13 : Þe hosebonde nolde it grante noȝt, for he hadde loþ it do.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)27789 : Wanhope..þat wrecched man dos tine mercy..vn-ro of hert sum-time to lere, & laþe [Glb: heuy in hert] sarmoun for to here.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)107/27 : Reymond, as man that had no loth wynnynges [L nec lucri..contemptor]..Spake herof to his fellowis.
c
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)377 : I wyste neuer quere my perle watz gon; Now I hit se, now leþez my loþe.
3.
(a) Someone disliked; an enemy; lef and ~, lef ne (no) ~, the ~ ne the lef, for lef ne ~, for lef nor for ~, for lef or (for) ~; fro lef to ~ [see lef n. (2) 1. (c)]; (b) a hideous creature.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)34/570 : Ah feareð al oðer weis of poure ba & riche, of laðe ba & leoue.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)944 : Sel[d]e endeð wel þe loþe, An selde plaideð wel þe wroþe.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)1998 : I am sworen..To say the sothe for leeff or lothe.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)3102 : He prayed hem for leue or for lothe That thei scholde come with-outen dwellyng.
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)p.125 : Euer þe loþe schall haue þe land.
b
- a1450 ?Audelay An a byrchyn bonke (Dc 302)118 : Then speke layþe vpo last with lyndys ful lene.