Middle English Dictionary Entry
mā̆dnes(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | mā̆dnes(se n. Also maddenesse. |
| Etymology | From mā̆d adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Insanity, dementia; (b) excessive passion, rash or irrational conduct; wickedness; (c) foolishness.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)81a/b : Amencia, madnes..madnes is infeccioun of þe myddel celle of þe heed wiþ priuacioun of resoun..þese passiouns beþ diuers, madnes þat hatte mania & madnes þat hatte malencolia..of malencoly metes..of stronge wyn..of passiouns of þe soule as..grete þouȝtes of sorwe..of..studie & of drede..of þe bitinge of a wode hound, [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)256b/a : If wyn is ofte y-take..it quenchiþ þe sight of resoun & comforteþ bestial madnesse.
- c1400 Wycl.CGosp.John (Yk-M 14.D.2:Hudson)77/131 : What is more lijk to madnesse þan to seke reste in temperal þingis þat ben moued contynueli?
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)92b : Þese wordis weren sen bifore hem as madnesse, luc. foure & twentiþe cap.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)206/5,13 : Of rauynge..alle þoo trespaces þat ben of þe vertu regityf ben cleped alienaciouns, i. rauynge or madnesses..maddenesses [L desipientie] comen rediloker to sinowy membres.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)319 : Maddenesse: Amencia, demencia.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)27/27 : Athamas ful of righte greete madnes..strangeled her childer tweyne.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)175 : Such madnes or oþer lijk perpetual lette into discrecioun and vse of folowing fre wil is, as it were, a deeþ.
- c1450 Metham Physiog.(Gar 141)129/2 : Yff sqwyche colourys appere in the eye, the qwyche in the beholdyng ys drye, thei sygnyffye madnes.
- a1500 St.Jerome (Lamb 432)357/23 : Than the abesse, wenyng that she had said this of madnesse, bad the keper of the gate dryve her out.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Hos.9.7 : Yrael, wite thou thee a fool, a wood prophete..for the multitude of thi wickidnesse, and multitude of madnesse [WB(2): woodnesse; L amentiæ].
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.959 : We faille of that which that we wolden haue, And in oure madnesse euere moore we raue.
- (c1395) WBible(2) Prol.Is.(Roy 1.C.8)226 : Men ben clepid culueris sum time for madnesse, and sum tyme for innocence, symplenesse, and charite.
- c1425(?a1400) Arthur (Lngl 55)206 : We wondereþ of þi wodeness And also of þy Madnesse! How darst þow..Aȝenst the Emperour þus aryse?
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)75/3 : To strive ayens pees, it is woodnes; to strive ayens his souereyne, it is madnes.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)4856 : Fabrycius..was nere out hys mynde, And in hys madnesse he a newe torment dede feyne.
- a1500 Idley Instr.(Dub 160)2.A.1059 : Madnes [Cmb: Hir mynde is on maydenes and yet seme hoolye.
c
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)335 : Thou hast of madnesse forgeten al thre Notable wisdamys which I tauht the.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. madness.