Middle English Dictionary Entry
louen v.(4)
Entry Info
| Forms | louen v.(4) Also loue, low(e, lu. Forms: p. louwede; ppl. loued, (pl.) louden. |
| Etymology | Shortened form of allouen; also cp. OF löer, louer 'to praise', etc. Often hard to distinguish from lō̆ven v.(2). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To praise (sb. or sth.), commend; to ~, to be praised, praiseworthy; (b) to approve of (sb. or sth.), accept, receive; ?also, save (sb.) [quot.: a1450]; ppl. louden, ?the approved ones, the saved; (c) to esteem (sth.), value; (d) to pay (sb.), remunerate; (e) ~ wille, to give credit for (someone's) good intentions; give credit to (sb.) for (his) intentions.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1399 : Þay laȝed & made hem blyþe Wyth lotez þat were to lowe [rime: mowe, in-nowe].
- c1455 Chaucer CT.Sq.(Hrl 1758)F.676 : Lowe the [Heng: So feelyngly thow spekest, sire, I allowthe].
- a1500(a1400) Cleges (Adv 19.1.11)525 : Thys ys a noble wyȝt..Be Cryst, he ys to lowe [rime: inowe].
b
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)104/167 : Ase he [God] wyþ-stent þe prouden, And myld[en] grace sent To libbe a-mang þe louden, Wenne oþere beþ ischent.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Wisd.3.6 : As gold in furneis he prouede them, and as brent sacrifise of ost he loouwede [vr. alouwid; L accepit] them.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)2846 : Thogh this dede may not be vowed, Yet wold I help [Generides] wer lowed.
c
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)2595 : As lord þai gon hym low [rime: þow, now, trow].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4532 : A foolis word is nought to trowe, Ne worth an appel for to lowe [rime: trowe; F De la value d'une pome].
d
- (1448) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1351 : John Kyng stodyd hit hym self; for his labor we low hym 1 d.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)600 : Sex pons þer-fore to feys he takes..Þer-of at acountes he loued is.
e
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)450 : Þe king answerd with wordes stylle, 'I lowe [vr. alowe] þe, son, þy good wylle.'
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)20034 : Sua kinde ful wel I wate er tu Þat þu mi wille me al wil lu [Vsp: alou], For ofte þu menskis man..For wille allane wiþoutin dede.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1653 : Now wold to God I had wherof or [?read: I] coude make ȝew cher, But yee shall lowe my good will & take such as þere is.