Middle English Dictionary Entry
māke n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | māke n.(1) Also maike, mā̆k, mac. |
| Etymology | OE; cp. WS gemaca & Nhb. maca; also cp. OI maki. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. imake & macche n.
1.
(a) Either of a married human couple, mate, husband, wife; (b) either of a non-human couple, bird, animal or fish; a mate; (c) either of a betrothed human couple; also, lover, paramour, mistress; (d) fig. a person as bride of Christ; also, Christ as bridegroom; (e) consort; queen.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(OE) Bod.Nativ.Virg.(Bod 343)119/58 : Þa nom he wif him to make.
- c1200 Wor.Serm.in EGSt.7 (Wor Q.29)60 : Heo of þet frut et, and makede þet hire make þer of forto etene.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)125 : He was of michel elde, and his woreldes make was teames atold and unberinde.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1159 : Euer þu bodest sumne qued..Oþer þat wif lost hire make, Oþer bodest cheste an sake.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1150 : But þou hire take Þat y wole yeuen þe to make, I shal hangen þe ful heye.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.388 : Bot ich haue þe to make, Oþer lord nil y non take.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)152/665 : Þys trow mote we nauȝt take For boþe me and mynne make, God hyt for-bede.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2086 : Wolde he be my worldly make & wedde me to wyue, For his loue wold y take cristendom.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1982 : An elf queene wol I loue ywys, For in this world no womman is Worthy to be my make.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4275 : Whan Yno was the kinges make, Sche caste hou that sche mihte make These children to here fader lothe.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)303 : Better it were she were his make, Þan he were deed for hur sake.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4668 : Þe king him [Joseph] did a wijf to tak Hight assener, a doghti mak.
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)22 : God..mad..Adam..Eue he made to his make.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)994 : His make watz myst, þat on þe mount lenged In a stonen statue þat salt savor habbes.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)19.225,226 : A man with-oute a make myghte nat..Multeplie, ne more-ouer with-oute a make louye.
- ?c1430(a1400) Wycl.Wedded Men (Corp-C 296)192 : He getiþ him þank of God, boþe for suffrynge of his make and for þe wille þat he haþ to chastite.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)275 : Euer eiþer party kepe hym trewe to his make.
- a1450(?c1350) Pride Life (ChrC-Dub)47 : [Þa]t ladi is lettrit in lor..And munit hir mac euirmor, As a dar for dred him to ten.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)22/14 : He [God] has made to hym a make, And harde to her I wol me hye.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)574 : Than lendis him vp þe leue kyng his lady to vysite; Quod þe man to his make, 'I am in many thoȝtis.'
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)978 : Truer make þen yee be, in word ne in dede, Had nevir vomman.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)2/34 : Of mannys o ryb..was woman wrougth, mannys make to bene.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)229 : She hym loved..and fayn wolde she haue hym to be her lorde and make a-bove alle.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)11708 : Whan he þat appul hadde take, Þo shamed him he sey his make.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1276 : Forr turrtle..fra þatt hire make iss dæd, Ne kepeþþ ȝho nan oþerr.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)49 : Turtle ne wile habbe no make bute on, and after þat non.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)22/361 : Leasse þen beastes..Moni halt him to a make, ne nule efter þe lure neauer neomen oþer.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)103/9 : Heo is þe liunes make þet ich habbe ispeken of.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)578 : In boke is ðe turtres lif writen..if hire make were ded..non oðer wile ge more.
- a1350 Lenten ys come (Hrl 2253)20 : Miles murgeð huere makes.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)226/3 : Efter þet þe turle heþ ylore hare make, hi ne ssel neuremo habbe uelaȝrede mid oþren.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.186 : The lewedeste wolf that she may fynde..that wol she take In tyme whan hir lust to han a make.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2088 : Every bridd hath chose hire make.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)159b/b : In tyme of generacioun males and females of fysshe swymmen to gedirs as a flocke and swymmen euere flicke and his make [L par cum pari].
- c1400(1399) Þer is a busch (Bagot)p.364 : The swan is ded; his make is woo.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1688 : Of ilkin best þou sal tak tuin Makes wit þe to liue þar in.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.319 : Bryddes and bestes by here make [vrr. mak, makes] þei ȝeden.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)4/93 : Þai [animals] chesun here makus of here houne kynd.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)466 : Every foul cryeth out to ben ago Forth with his make, or with his lady deere.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)165 : Briddes..eche be kynde cheseth his make.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)2386 : To fett hir make sho flowe agayne.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.35 : Freschly in thair birdis kynd arraid Thair fetheris new..And thankit lufe that had thair makis wonne.
- c1500(?c1450) Wedding Gawain (Rwl C.86)310 : Choyse for a make hathe an owlle; Thou getest of me no more.
c
- ?a1300 Sirith (Dgb 86)107 : For no þing ne shuldi take Mon on erþe to ben mi make, Ar his hom-come.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)1409 : Þat niȝt horn gan..forto mete Of Rymenhild, his make.
- a1350 Bytuene mersh (Hrl 2253)33 : Icham for wowyng al forwake..lest eny reue me my make.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1757 : Sche..preide..to þe prince of heuene to loke fro alle langour þo louely makes.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)6496 : Grete sorow Partanope to hym doth take, For he hath for evyr lost his make.
- c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson)154 : God yeve every wyght joy of his make!
- a1500 Vnto you (RwlPoet 36)34 : I wolde hyr no more harme..That hath ij good eyen & I-chese here suche a make, Or onys wold lyft vp here hole for youre sake!
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.79 : Loveris that endit thair lyfis space In lovis service..martris and confessour, Ech in his stage, and his make in his hand.
- c1500 Befor my deth (SeldArch B.24)138 : Vnsekir may sche be that Is ȝoure mak!
d
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)253 : Ich burede þat holie bodi þat was cristus make.
- 1372 Maiden & moder cum (Adv 18.7.21)31 : Mannis soule, þu art my make; Loue me wel, I þe nouth for-sake.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)759 : My makelez Lambe..Me ches to hys make alþaȝ vnmete.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)51/20 : Be sori þat þou hast so ofte wiþ synnes lost Crist, þi make.
e
- a1300 Edi beo þu (Corp-O 59)60 : Herre teȝen he him nolde þene þat maide to beon his make.
2.
(a) A person or thing equal or similar to another; an equal, a peer; a match (for sb. or sth.), one's equal or superior in a fight; (b) a partner, companion; also, in derogatory sense: a fellow; (c) a rival, counterpart.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)206/6 : Ha is giwes make; ha offreð godd þis eisil.
- c1300 SLeg.Theoph.(LdMisc 108)96 : A sunful wreche ich am; alas nas neuere i-seie mi make!
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)1302 : Sek men had her bot þere, Alle for þis holi tre is sake, For hit was with oute make.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)546 : Leorn sum good, whil þou miht; Auenture haþ no make; Mester wol not fayle þi lyf; Hit nul þe neuere forsake.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2612 : Of fowhles..on..hath a face..Lich to a man..And if..he a man finde..He wol him slen..Bot afterward..beside a welle, In which whan he wol drinke take, Of his visage and seth the make That he hath slain, anon he thenketh Of his misdede.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.49 : He wenes his mak mai na man find; He wald be haldin derworthi.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1380 : Cedre..A tre of heght þat has na make.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19734 : Apostel was he siþen..Þat mak [Phys-E: mac] in spelling had he nan.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22561 : Þe aghtand signe it has na mak, Nan forwit o sa mikel wrak.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)321 : Make or metche: Compar.
- 1448 Rich.(Arms 58)138/38 : He smot the lyon to þe hert..Thus the lyon his make mette.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)7803 : Trewly I neuer knew your make..All your wepyng ys for love.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3793 : He hade no make of þo men in meuyng of wordye [read: wordys].
- ?1457 Hardyng Chron.A (Lnsd 204)p.748 : Of gentyll bourdes and knyghtly daliaunce, He hath no make.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)1436c : Ector seeth he is wyth his make mette.
- a1500(a1450) St.Robt.Knares.(Eg 3143)895 : Myracles sway many wythouten maike Our Sauiour schewed has for hys saike.
b
- 1372 Maiden & moder cum (Adv 18.7.21)17 : Alone i am with-oten make; On rode i hange for mannis sake.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1167 : Be Myghell, of syche a makk I hafe myche wondyre..And all sayntez be syche..I sall neuer no seynt bee.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)16.278 : Alle tho gan he..take That Owt of Ierusalem weren his Make Except Only..thre.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)50.64 : A lytel hert..and with him fowre lyowns..whanne the hert þe water say he take, and the lyowns him folwed as hire Make, thanne seide Iosephe, [etc.].
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2694 : For a thousende pounde I nolde But Coveytyse were Mans make, Certys on euery wyse.
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(1) (Sln 1853)p.16 : Falsnesse is the worldys make, And feythfull freendys fewe there be.
c
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2556 : If..the chiefteyn be take On either side, or ellis sleen his make, No lenger shal the turneyinge laste.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.277 : Ech man and a fend ben couplid togider in a liste..whanne þe nyȝt of synne blindiþ men..þanne is tyme to þe fend to fiȝte fastist wiþ his make.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5430 : Þire wormes..turnay togedire, Ilkane mellis with his make & so þare many dies.