Middle English Dictionary Entry
luxurī(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | luxurī(e n. Also luxurẹ̄ & luxūre. |
| Etymology | OF luxure, luxurie. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Sexual lust; the sin of lust; (b) sexual intercourse, sexual gratification; don ~; (c) sensual pleasure.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)16/6 : Þet uerste heaued of þe beste of helle ys prede..þe zixte glotounye, þe zeuende lecherie oþer luxurie.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)157/29 : Þe dyeuel..asayleþ..sanguinien..mid luxurie.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.484 : The holy writ take I to my witnesse That luxurie [vrr. luxury, luxure; lechery] is in wyn and dronkenesse.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4561 : It sit a king wel to be chaste..therfore The Philosophre..conseileth to a king That he the surfet of luxure Schal tempre and reule of such mesure.
- a1450 Who þat liste loke (Stw 951)45/207 : Tarquinius..foul did assay To breke wedloke, be force of his luxure, Chaste Lucresse Collatyns wyf bylay.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)58/17 : Leude touchinge and handelyng..makithe thanne folke fall into orible synne of luxurie [F en pechie et en fol deliz].
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)664 : The gentil Pardoner..made liȝtsom cher, for men shuld nat spy No thing of his turment, ne of his luxury.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.127,128 : Pride, Auarice, and luxure [L luxuria]..With thire thre vices the werlde is filled..Some fflees for to be proude, mekenesse of hert keping, Bot thay synne be luxuree [L luxuriam] or elles mys coveyting.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.897 : O glotonye, luxurie [vrr. luxure; leccherie], and hasardrye!
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.446 : Pride of the table appeereth..eek in to gret preciousnesse of vessel and curiositee of mynstralcye, by whiche a man is stired the moore to delices of luxurie [vrr. luxure; leccherye].
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6296 : In Ethiope is folk of selcouþ kynde..And beeþ comen in luxure [LinI: lechure] As ben bestes in pasture.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.7.12 : Whosoevere wol remembren hym of his luxures [L libidinum], he schal wel undirstonden that the issues of delices ben sorweful and sorye.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.3.135 : If he be ploungid in fowle and unclene luxuris [L libidinibus], he is withholden in the foule delices of the fowle sowe.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.1018 : Lucrece..bi the luxure [vrr. luxurie, luxury] & tresoun odious..of Sextus, proud Tarquin, Oppressid was.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)41.138 : The More part Of this Compenye ȝe knowen ȝowre wyves In luxvrye.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)729 : Jn Manere that thou luxvre hast do..how scholde [j] þanne ony penaunce leyn on the but that j knew the certeynte?
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.4.2 : The proude Nero, with al his wode luxurie [L Luxuriae], kembde hym and apparayled hym with faire purpres of Tyrie.