Middle English Dictionary Entry
lūnā̆tik adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | lūnā̆tik adj. Also lunatike, lunatic(k & (errors) linatik, limatik. |
| Etymology | L lūnāticus & OF lunatique. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Suffering from a recurrent frenzy or madness, believed to vary with the phases of the moon; insane; (b) ~ passioun, the mental disease afflicting such a lunatic; (c) varying with the moon, unstable.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)369/99 : He hadde ane douȝter þat was lunatyke..þe deuel..made hire witles euerech monthþe ase hit feol in þe stat of þe mone.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.4.24 : Thei offriden to hym alle men hauynge yuele..and hem that hadden deuelis and lunatijk men [L lunaticos].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)39b/b : Þe brayn..feliþ & foleweþ þe meuynge of þe mone..And þat is I-seye in lunatik [L in lunaticis] & epilentik men, þat bene most I-greued whanne þe mone is newe & also whanne he is olde.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.107 : Ac hem wanteþ here witt, men and women boþe, Þe wiche aren lunatik lollers and leperes a-boute.
- c1400 St.Alex.(3) (LdMisc 622)1112 : Men þat weren in palesye, Lunatik, oiþer in frenesie, Bote hadden þere.
- a1425 Trev.Higd.(Hrl 1900)4.237 : Lunatick [Higd.(2): lunatyke: StJ-C: Herodes..fil into woodnesse, as a man þat was ofte lunaticus, þat is, mad in certayne tymes of þe mone].
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)106/16 : [The diamond] heleth him þat is lunatyk [Man.(2): lunatyc] & hem þat þe fend pursueth.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.117 : Reste hadde he non..Troublid with furye..And eueri moneth onys lunatik.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)230/5 : Take waye-brede and sethe hem as wortis, and [yt] helyt þat syknes [epilepsy] and hym þat ys lunatyk.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)22/1 : Medicyn for to cure þe feuere agu and þe lunatik man and womman.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.107 : It is seyd þat he [the topaz] foloweþ þe course of þe mone, & þerfor he helpeþ aȝens þe passioun of lynatik folke.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)198b/a : Þe rede [stone celidonius] helpeþ aȝeins þe passioun lunatik [L lunaticam passionem] and aȝeins woodnes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)207a/a : [The topaz] folweþ þe cours of þe moone and helpeþ aȝenst þe passioun lunatik..as þe moone is more ful oþe lesse so, his effecte is more oþer lasse.
c
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6177 : Ther [women's] sect ys no thing lunatyke, Nor of kynde they be nat lyke To no monys that be wane.