Middle English Dictionary Entry
lōve n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | lōve n.(2) Also (early & N) lave, (early) lafe, loave, law(a, (early pl.dat.) lafon & (early) leve, læve, leave, leove, leaowe. |
| Etymology | OE lāf & phr. tō lāfe, tō lǣfe. Also cp. lēven v.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. relicte n. and lefte n.
1.
(a) Remainder, rest; to ~ ben (worthen), ben to ~, to be left, remain; yede to ~, went as a remainder, was left, survived; (b) a legacy; (c) a widow, (someone's) relict; (d) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.12].
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)2/17 : Þa nigon werod þe þær to lafe wæron bugon to heora Scyppinde.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)128/4 : Na lifiende mon ne þurhwuneð on þisse weorlde, ne nan eft to lafe ne wurð.
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)221 : Þe nigon werod..þe þer to lafon were bugon to hare scyppende.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)23233 : Lutel þer eode to læue of þan leod-folke.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)28583 : Þa nas þer na mare i þan fehte to laue [Otho: ileued]..buten Arður þe king.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29239 : What wult þu ȝiuen me ȝif ich þe burh ȝiuen þe..þat noht no bið to leue.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)31477 : Nes þer nan to laue of þan þe him weoren laðe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)770 : Þis tre suld him seluen haue, And we all othere þen þat laue [Göt: and all oþer til vs be laue].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7116 : His wijf, fader, and moder he gaue O þis hony at ete þe laue.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21453 : His eien first put vte i sal..Tung and nese, and siþen þe laue.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1306 : Half his brede his horse he gaue And kepid to him self þe laue.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)87/1,6 : Nis þis large relef? nis þis muche laue [Nero: loaue; Cai: leaowe]?..þu leafdest to oþre men alle richesces & makedest of al relef & lauese [Nero: loaue so; Tit: leaue se; Cai: leoue se] large.
c
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10846 : Sir simond de mounfort..Elianore, þe kinges soster, willames loue þe marschal, Contesse of penbroc, spousede.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.75 : Henry..ȝaf hym to wyf Constauns, contas of Bretayne, þe loove [L relictam] of his sone Gaufred.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.173 : Constans, Geffray his love..bytook þe warde of her sone Arthur..to þe king of Fraunce.
- (1472-74) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31530 : Resceyued for the said hous..of the leue called the late wyf of Gerard Morcys, for the termes of midsomer & Mighelmesse..nil, for hit was geven & perdoned hir for the Costs the said Gerard did in the said hows.
d
- (c1110) EPNSoc.2 (Bck.)186 : Merlaue.
- (1189) EPNSoc.2 (Bck.)186 : Merlaw(a.
- (c1190) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)146 : La Papelafe.
- (c1210) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)146 : La Papelaue.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: "The late wife of Gerard" (sense (c), quot. from Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard) must in context mean 'the wife of the late Gerard,' whose rent for the period of her widowhood is forgiven her until her remarriage the same year to "the newe husbond of the same late wyf of Gerard, called Chestre Herold." 'Leue' here clearly means 'widow,' despite the assertion in OED (s.v. lave n.1, sense 2.) that this meaning is restricted to the spelling with -o-.