Middle English Dictionary Entry
lounes(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | lounes(se n. Also louenes(se. |
| Etymology | From loue adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The fact or condition of not projecting upward or outward very far, lowness; also, a low-lying region; enclininge ~, sloping lowness, downward slope; (b) shortness of stature; lowness of body or part of body; (c) lowness in space; also fig.; (d) deepness, depth; also fig.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)87b/b : Of Tisik þat is confermed, þis beeþ signes & tokenes..lownes of þe roundenes of iȝen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)133b/b : Chaungeynge of eyr comeþ..also of hiȝnesse & lownesse of þe erþe, for in..hillis þe eyr is coolde & in valeyes hoot.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.1.18 : The whiche wandrynge happes, natheles, thilke enclynynge lowenesse of the erthe and the flowinge ordre of the slydinge watir governeth.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)29/6 : In Egipt þere ben ij parties, The heghte [F la haute] þat is toward Ethiope, & the loweness [F la basse] þat is towardes Arabye.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)314 : Lownesse, ny the grownde: Bassitas.
- (1442) RParl.5.44a : Also a grete partie of the Countees to the seid Ryver ajonyng is..surrownded by cause of lowenes and straitenes of the said Brigge.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)291b/a : For by cause of lowenesse of þe forþere partye of þe body, he falleþ soone whanne he renneþ doun hille.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2706 : Þi lawnes & þi litillaike, þou lickyns to my hiȝt.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.291 : Abraham..knewe þat þe temperure þat comeþ of hiȝnesse and lownesse of sterres and planetes comeþ aȝen to temperure at þe fiftiþe ȝere.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)117b/a : For by hiȝnesse ouþer lownesse of þe body of heuene, þe sterris arisiþ & gooþ doun in diuers tymes.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)804 : And þis ilk stegh..To vnderstandyng es not els Bot thurgh heghnes doun to descend And thurgh lawnes vpward to wend.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)112/13 : Whenne þou will wend, ordeyne mountant to þe way or þe Cytee or þe stede whedyr þou etyls; And þe wirkynges þat þou etyls, and ynens þat, þat ys þe moste lawnesse of þe erthe.
d
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)314 : Lownesse, or depnesse: Profunditas.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)5/9 : Þe boket of ȝoure desyre schal bowyn in lownes.
2.
(a) Humility, meekness; also, obedience; (b) kindness, gentleness, graciousness; (c) lowly state or condition; also ill fortune; (d) ?low intellectual state, ?ignorance.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)246/30 : Ac huanne hi byeþ y-cliue op al to þe laste stape, oþerhuil hit behoueþ guo doun be loȝnesse [Vices & V.(2): mekenesse].
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.15 : And hym þat þorouȝ lowenes ouercomeþ pride, oure lorde bihoteþ hym coroune of lijf.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.95 : Þe fende is ouercomen & his temptaciouns þorouȝ lowenesse & þolemodenesse.
- c1350 How GWife(1) (Em 106)170/159 : Haue mesure, lowenes, and forþoutȝ; þat I haue þe tauth.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)30.9 : Þou lokedest to my lowenes [L humilitatem], and þou sauedest my soule.
- 1372 In bedlem is (Adv 18.7.21)18 : He lithtede in þat loueli þing for lounesse of hire lif.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.273 : Schal no more Meede be Mayster vppon eorþe, Bote loue and louhnesse [vrr. louȝnesse, lownesse; B: lowenesse] and leute togedere.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1080 : This blisful regne may men purchace by pouerte espirituel, and the glorie by lowenesse.
- a1400 Heil & holi (Cmb Gg.4.32)68 : He fram heuene to þe grounde Lighte, and in þe lownesse soghte, And þat was in þin herte ifounde.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511:Hearne)p.cxc : To opyn my mouthe I dar ne may Bot if it be a behouely þing..& ȝit with grete lounes of hert.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)10.102 : Þou miȝtest lese þi louȝnesse for a litel pride.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)16.133 : For peers loue þe plouhman, þat enpugnede ones Alle kyne konnynges..Saue loue and leaute and louhnesse [vr. lownesse] of herte.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)145/23 : And þenk, modur, inwardliche on þis lessoun of lownes in his ende.
- c1400 Vertues & (Bod 416)3 : Trowþe & godis lawe is clepud heresie; pouert & lownes is clepud loselrie.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)8500 : Þus salle þai haf þare gret powere And heghnes for þair awen gret lawnes here.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.163 : Þei leeven lowenesse and styen up, and han entent of þe kyng of pryde.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)172/16 : Sche encresyd in sorwe & in contrycyon, in lownes, in mekenes, & in þe holy dreed of owr Lord.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2230 : Hold your seruauntis vnder obeisaunce..them bridlyng with lownesse.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)314 : Lownesse, or mekenesse: Humilitas.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)620 : My frendes me counseyled..Þat I, with lownesse & humylitee, To my curat go scholde.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1207 : Þy heuenelyche spouse..Delytede hym neuer ȝet in suche clethynge, Bot in lowenesse, in mekenesse, & in charite.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)1501 : She the proude kan enclyne To lownesse and humilyte.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)2.514 : A mayde, thorugh hir humylite Of pryde nowe, hathe wone the victory..Thorugh whose lawnesse the high kyng of glorye, [etc.].
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)7992 : Yiff they ygroundyd be On lownesse and humylyte.
- a1475 In place (Hrl 3954)210 : Qwy art þou for my syn spylt, Flour of lowenesse?
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.14.9a : Þer is mani man þat haþ vertue as lownesse, pacience, charite to his euencristen.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)11/36 : Here we bere Drusiane..that seruyd God ever-more in chastite and lownes.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)143 : Þou shalt haue grace..for the gret pite that I have now in þi contricioun and lownesse.
- a1500 Mandev.(3) (Rwl D.99)475 : For as longe as ȝe arn knette togidre with three bandis, that is, loue, lownes, and accorde, ther dar no man stryve ageyns ȝow.
b
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)245 : Her may ȝe See how myche may avaylle The goodlihed and lownesse of a kyng.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)314 : Lownesse, and goodnesse in speche: Affabilitas.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cxlv : Crist sende þe hooly Goost in lownes to teche his puple.
c
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)144/15 : Eadmodnesse is forkeastunge of wurðschipe & luue of lutel hereword & of lahnesse [Nero: louhnesse].
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)9.13 : Haue mercy on me, Lord; se mi lowenes [L humilitatem] of myn enemys.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)69/19 : Þou knowist wel þat whanne he had reisid hymsilf up, as whanne he was turmentid in þe cros, ȝit þe diuyn nature voidide hym not fro þe lownes of ȝoure humanyte.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.81 : This confortide me in my lownesse, for þi word quykenyde me.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)23/26 : Now ere we broghte fra reches in-to pouerte..and now fra heghte, we are plungede into lawnesse.
d
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) Prol.Kings (Corp-O 4)p.5 : I, knowynge my lownes, of that sentence euere more Y shal recorde.