Middle English Dictionary Entry
lōth adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | lōth adj. Also lothe, lothz, loht, loðt, lot, loeth, loith, lath(e, laith(e, lauþe, leith(e & (early) lod, lad, læð(e, leaþe, leoð & (inflected) laðæ, laðen & (errors) loh, læh. Comp. lōther(e, etc. & (early) lōþre, leoðere; sup. lōthest, etc. & laietheste & (early) lādest, laððest, læðes(t, leadest. |
| Etymology | OE lāð & ON; cp. OI leiðr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Hateful, displeasing, unpleasant; ~ spel, evil tidings; (b) in impers. constructions: hem is ~, hit is hem ~, they do not wish (to do sth., that sth. be done); is me (us) ~, I (we) do not wish; the ~ is, you do not wish; him was ~, ~ him was, he did not wish; ~ was theim, they did not wish; hit were me (hire) ~, I (she) would not wish; ~ us were, we would not wish; etc.; (c) with antithetical lef [cp. lef adj. & adv. 3a. (b)]: lef other (or) ~, ~ or lef (dere), pleasant or not, agreeable or not.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1100 : Eall þet þe Gode wæs lað & rihtfullan mannan..wæs ge wunelic on þisan lande.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)94/26 : Þæt heo lufie God..& þa ðing forlæten þe him laðæ beoð.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)3/37 : Eart þu nu loþ ond unwurþ alle þine freonden.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)293 : Ȝiet ne doð hem naht alse wo in þe loðe bende, Swo þat he witen þat here pine sal nafre habben ende.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)507 : He heom wolde biliggen mid laðen [Otho: loþe] heora feonden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)563 : Antigonus..Iseih his broðer ferden..a wætere & a londe swa heom læðest [Otho: loþest] wes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3082 : Nu þu eært me arle læðes [Otho: loþest].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3462 : Heo was me wel dure, seoððen heo me wes leadest [Otho: loþest].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3999,4000 : Þa deæde heore wæs leouere, þe quike here wes leoðere. Þe quike hire wes..swiþe leoð.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6834 : He iwarð..læh [Otho: loþ] al his folke.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7321 : Þes tidende him wes læð.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20808 : Heo moten liðe..into heor leoden & lað-spæl bringen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21414 : Nu wit scullen þis lond dalen swa þe bið alre laððest.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)28841 : He luuede þane sunne þe lað [Otho: loh] is ure drihtene.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)49 : Loðles is þe man þe ne doð..no þing þat he þurue ben þe loþere..gode.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)14/184 : Þe ontfule deouel bihalt te se hehe istihe towart heouene þurh meiðhades mihte þet him is mihte laðest [Tit: ladest].
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)137/28 : Hardi bileaue makeð stonden upriht, & te unwiht nis nawt laðre [Nero: loðre].
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)153/22 : Him is scheome laðest [Nero: loðest; Cai: ladest].
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1088 : Vor riȝte niþe ich was him loþ.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)114/389 : Þurh lesin[g] mon is loð.
- a1325 Prov.Hend.(Cmb Gg 1.1)st.3 : Lothe childe, behovid lore, And leve childe som del more.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)941 : We abbeþ now iwend wiþ oute reste In þe grete se of occean..Þat oure owe lif ous is loþ.
- a1350 Heȝe louerd (Hrl 2253)41 : Þer ich wes luef, icham ful loht.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)71/2023 : Þe more þyt doþ, þe wors hi beþ, And god al-so þe loþer.
- c1350 How GWife(1) (Em 106)158/9 : Þe pouere men atte gate ne beo þou noþing loþe.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1255 : Þouȝh him loþ þouȝt no lenger to striue, swiþe he ȝald vp his swerd.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4277 : Sche caste hou that sche mihte make These children to here fader lothe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)149b/a : The nyȝt crowe hatte nicticorax..and here crie is loþ & odyous [L odiosus] to oþir briddes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23824 : Lathe es to here þat man es lathe.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)1016 : Ȝebell entyrd, þe thother thoght layth, Bot stude out all inwere.
- ?1403 Form OMatrim.(Harv Widener 1)p.xvi : Here I take ye to my wedded housband, to hald and to haue at bed and at borde, for fayrer for layther, for better for wers.
- c1425 Contempl.DLGod (Mdst Mus.6)12 (E.22) : Ofte we take deynte metis wiþoute blame, and sumtyme loþer metis and comyn .. not wiþoute gilt of consience.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)432 : To losse swylke a lordschipe, me thynke it fulle layth.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2946 : Sawes ben to lordes lothe.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)36/28 : It is nedeful to man to wiþstonde his owne propre wille, siþ it is God so loþ.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)221/39 : Tille vs, sir, his lore is full lothe.
- (c1450) Stonor1.52 : I wyll provyde me for a noder, and that were me loyth.
- ?c1450 Nicod.(1) (Sion Arc.L.40.2/E.25)1208 : He..sal oure byer be ffra þis laythe wonynge.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)408/33 : Yett shall I never yelde me nother sey the lothe worde.
- a1475 A dere god haue (Brog 2.1)8 : That wons was lefe, let neuer be lothe.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)15.6 : Thof thai seme laith and outkastynge til some of the warld, til me thai ere faire and bright.
- c1616(1472) Coucher Bk.Plumptonp.lxxvii : I take the, Jhennett, to my wedded wife..for farer or lather, for better for warse.
b
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)5/11 : Hit is h[am] loþre, þe þu þeron leiȝe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6241 : Hemm iss laþ Full hefiȝliȝ to gilltenn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)17793 : Himm iss laþ þatt mann himm se Inn fule dedess.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)31 : He his uniseli ȝif him is lað to donne þis.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)93 : Sinne hem is loð to leten.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)9/90 : Bi þe ilke godes þet me is lað to gremien.
- ?a1300 Fox & W.(Dgb 86)6 : Him wes loþ men to mete.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)454 : Lothz vs were any-þing to don þi pays for-to a-spille.
- a1350 In a fryht (Hrl 2253)25 : Why ys þe loþ to leuen on my lore?
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)2218-19 : Wel loþ him was his childer to slo, & wele loþer his broþer forgo.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2431 : Loþ hem was þo to lese or leue hem bi-hinde.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.149 : Hem was þe loþere go þens.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.486 : Ful looth were hym to cursen for his tithes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1186 : Me is loth departe away.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1519 : So looth hym was his wyf sholde breke hir trouthe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21358 : Þe Iuus hid it [the cross]..Þat cristen war abute to blind, For lath was þaim þai suld it find.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)1092 : To wite quy was him noȝt laþ.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)194/24 : Þei wiþ here riche apparaile -- and loþ hem were to leue it.
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)328 : Yit thee looth is wt hem to debate.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)146 : To seen þe haue harm, it were me right loþ.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)233 : It were hir loth To weren ofte that ilke cloth.
- a1425 Siege Troy(1) (LinI 150)771 : Leyngore to dwelle heom was loþ.
- a1450(a1387) PPl.A(2) (RwlPoet 137)12.6 : Þe were lef to lerne but loþ for to stodie.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)24/63 : To do is vs full lothe, Þat shuld oure god myspaye.
- c1450 Man a-mong (Lamb 853)59 : Charitee wole no þing be wrooþ..But for to synne al oonli is hir looþ.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1070 : That wedd ys me lothe to forgoo.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)14/161 : To dele my good is me full lothe.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1467 : Þeos Men þat he of londe drof, were heom lef oþur loth.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)340 : So manie times ghe him scroðt, Queðer so him was lef or loðt.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1837 : Oon of yow, al be hym looth or lief, He moot go pipen in an yuy leef.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.999 : Or be him lief or be him loth, In alle haste ayein he goth.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.808 : He which that nothing undertaketh, Nothyng n'acheveth, be hym looth or deere.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)191 : As to me, nys lever noon ne lother.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3566 : They made Syrophanes, weer hym looth or leffe, To take Beryn gage.
2.
(a) Horrible, hideous, gross, foul; (b) ill-favored, unattractive, ugly; (c) evil, malignant, hostile, spiteful; his ~ men, his enemies; (d) angry; lef (glad) or ~, pleased or displeased.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Body & S.(1) (Bod 343)22 : Sone þu bist ladlic and lad to iseonne.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)357 : Seftes sop ure seppande sene is on werlde leiðe & loldike [read: lodlike].
- a1300 Owl & N.(Jes-O 29)115 : Hit wes i don eu a loþe custe.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1914 : On sir Amiloun he cast a siȝt, Hou laiþ he was of chere.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)563 : Ȝyf þou herdyst a fals þyng or layþ [glossed: foule].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28337 : I ha me liked..In vnnait wordes lath and vile.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.244 : Þe pekok..vnlouelich of ledene and laith [vrr. laithe, looþ; loþly] for to here.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)401 : If we leuen þe layk of oure layth synnes..He wyl wende of his wodschip.
- a1425 Templ.Dom.(Add 32578)688 : Agaynes temperance in all thynge Es lauþe dedys agaynes kynde.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)29/536 : Þenk on þe leyþ lazar was borne into Abraamus barme; With ys pouert and his payne he boȝt hym heuen blys.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)84 : Thare come a lowe one the loughe..In the lyknes of Lucyfere, layetheste in helle.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)5/100 : Nowe am I laytheste, allas! þat are was lighte.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1351 : The Troiens..ffleddon..into holte woddes, Þat left were on lyue with mony laithe hurtes.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)87/63 : The feynd..was foule and layth to syght, And thou art angell fayr and bright.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2282 : So hihe he sette himselve above Of stature and of beaute bothe That him thoghte alle wommen lothe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8105 : Bi-halden vs inogh has þou Vr fraward scapp..For lath [Trin-C: loþely] ar we, and als lath Es wicked man saul and bodi bath.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3502 : To þis monstre, so hidous & so loþe, He went a pas.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)77/4 : Þe wymmen er riȝt layth [Man.(1): foule; F laides] and ill araid.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)37.379 : He was the leythest Man that on Creature Myhte loke vppon.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)152 : The thirde was a laythe lede..Croked and courbede.
c
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3906 : Crist..Wass borenn her to manne Alls iff he ȝæn þe laþe gast Wiþþ here wollde fihhtenn.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)287 : Þar is þe loðe sathanas.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17684 : Þus læh þe laðe mon.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)36/622 : In horedom of þen laðe unwiht, þe hellene schucke.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)594 : Hise loðe men sulen to helle faren, hise leue to his riche.
- a1300 Sayings St.Bede (Jes-O 29)166 : Ah he þat beoþ nv leaþe, Remen heo schule and grede Deope in helle grunde.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)76 : I wole þe teche Faire uertuz for to take And foule þewes to forsake..Whiche beþ gode and whiche beþ loþe.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)1092 : Bi his chere he sau him wrath, So loked he euer brime and latth [Trin-C: looþ].
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)389 : They founde satourn in the Scorpioun, Hevychered, malencolik, and loth.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12642 : Thies lyghers vnlell with hor laith speche.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)338/19 : Judas, þat traytour, he was to loth, For gold and sylvyr his Mayster to selle.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)691 : We ar neghtburs, i and he; We were neuer lothe.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)210 : The kyng þo swore an oth Þat he shulde neuere to him be loth.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)14/6 : Macdonenild, a man þat was Macmorogh swith loth [L inimicissimus] and all his men.
d
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)227 : Be þou nouȝth looþ -- Jch am ycome to telle þe sooþ.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3667 : Than may hit happe, wher ȝe be glad or loth.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)120 : What hath thenne Flaundres, be Flemmynges leffe or lothe, But a lytell madere?
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)1063 : This lady..Who that euer be leve or lothe..Ys cause of discomfyture To many oon.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)5507 : Wheder she was lefe or lothe, She cowde not haue it.
- a1500 I have grete marvell (Lin-C 133)11 : Ȝe, gyff sho be neuer so lothe, sho shall [noght] come owte off my thoght.
3.
(a) Unwilling, reluctant; disinclined (to do sth.); lef or ~, willing or not; lef ne ~, willy-nilly; (b) difficult, troublesome; (c) dissatisfied, displeased; ~ of (with), displeased with (sth.), averse to (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)162/26 : Me teleð of þe hali mon þe lei on his deað uuel & wes lað [Cai: loð] to seggen a sunne of his childhad.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1944 : Ȝif a womman haþ a sclaundre..Ech man ȝeo were loþ to wedde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.669 : For nothing that Slowthe voucheth I mai foryete hire, lief ne loth.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3372 : Sche, which was him nothing loth, Welcomede him into that lond.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1313 : My righte lady..Whom I moost drede..And lothest were of al this world displese.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)288a/b : The hert Calf..is a feble beste and loþ to fighte [L imbelle] as damula is.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)2024 : Nakid of þat lim lay he þat man ys lathest for-to se.
- a1400 Þou most fort (Hrl 7322)2 : Þou most fort, wit wele or wo, be þou lef oþer bo [read: be] þou lot.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3440 : Þe coward is wel looþ to deie.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.385 : Lewed men be þe lother god agulten.
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)426 : I kepte nat to be seen inportune; In my pursuyte I am ther to ful looth.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5065 : Wherso be-falle þou be lefe or lothe..it shal noon oþer be.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3710 : He therto froward was and loth.
- a1425 Cursor (Glb E.9)28010 : Ladys þat to lust war lathe.
- a1425 Here begynnes a new (Roy 17.C.17)427 : Envyus es lother any gode to here.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.602 : He that reioishith to scorne folk in veyn, Whan he wer lothest shal scorned been ageyn.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)314 : Lothe, or vnwylly: Involuntarius, inspontaneus.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)2472 : Hyt was a knyght..That was lot hys wyf to greve.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1258 : Nane..was glad þat message to gange, Bot ilke lathire & othire to leue þaire frynde.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.49 : Lothe to bedde and lothe fro bedde me schall knowe þe slow.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7126 : Þe bischop of durham..Thoght lathe to abyde þat pyne.
- (1458-9) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA.83.m.2 : He was þerto right lothe bicause she was in maner an Idiote and had nor knew no worldly reason.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)76/27 : Lothe was Merlion that ony of them bothe sholde be slayne.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)956/30 : She was lothe to displease hym.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)183/853 : He was..loth ony wrong to ben don to.
- c1475 *Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)144/23 : They make so long delay and ben so loth to departe outwarde.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)819 : Lothe he was to fayle.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.26.70a : Sche fond the so dulle and so loth to here hir wordes þat sche had as leef to leve of as to preche ony more.
- c1500 Now fresshe (Trin-C R.3.19)53 : My soule to god standeth in dyspeyre, lothe to offende.
b
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)147/19 : Richeise is lað to laten and swiðe lef to libben.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)184 : Alle þe gomes vndre God..Were neuer so slygh yit forto sle trouthe..Trouthe is so tough and loeth forto teere.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)23594 : Whaðer unkere swa beoð þere wakere, sone he bið þe laðere.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.41 : Sche lyveth, loth of this lyf.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)92/108 : Oure enmy..es aboute to begyle us..Umwhile with uggly ymages for to make us radde and make us lathe with oure state.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)46 : [Þe] lord and þe lady been loeth of his wordes.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.81 : Full loth, hire lyf sche lyueþ in dispaire.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)112/13 : I am lothe..of that gyffte I have gyvyn you.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1607 : Þu seist þat ich am manne wloð [alt. from wrað; Jes-O loþ] An euer euch man is wið me wroð.
Note: New spelling
Note: Better to loth adj. than in wlate adj. See discussions by Stanley and Askins.--per REL.