Middle English Dictionary Entry
martir n.
Entry Info
| Forms | martir n. Also marter, mertir, merter, (error) martys. |
| Etymology | OE (from L) & OF. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Eccl. (a) One who suffers torture and execution for the Christian faith, a martyr; -- also used of Abel as a type of Christ; bok of martires, a martyrology; (b) a Christian witness; (c) in title.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1137 : For ne uuæren næure nan martyrs swa pined also hi wæron.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)76/10 : Þa haliȝe martyræs swa mycel forsæȝen þis andwearde lif, þet heom leofere wæs to swæltanne for þæs Hælendes namen.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)239 : Mid his apostlen, mid þa hagefaderen, and þo haliȝe witien, mid martiren.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24283 : Þat oþer of þan martir seint Juliæn.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)185 : On þe heuenliche wunienge..Elch patriarche and prophete, and apostles and martirs and confessors and uirgines.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)3/11 : Þeos meiden & teos martyr þet ich of munne wes Iuliene inempnet.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)2/5 : Efter ure lauerdes..deað..weren monie martyrs..to deaðes misliche idon.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)30/282 : Ich beheolt te Martyrs..þe þoleden her pinen & deað for ure lauerd.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)30/4 : Þe reade limpeð to þeo þe beoð for godes luue wið hare blod schedunge irudet & ireadet as þe martirs weren.
- a1275 *St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)67 : For þi loue here, martir wolli bee.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)420/71 : Þat weren Martys, þat for god and holie churche al-so Ȝeuen heore lif..and to deþe weren ido.
- c1300 SLeg.Jas.(LdMisc 108)339 : Ȝif þou woldest beon a martyr and þi-seolf martri for mi loue.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)517 : Metodius, ali martyr, Adde in his herte sighe sir.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)310 : Aposteles hit were and Martyrs.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1826 : Seint albon..Þat was þe verste martir þat to engelond com.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.46 : By þis rede hors ben bitokned þise tyrauntz þat shadden þe blood of þe martirs.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)267/18 : Ich y-zeȝ..þe innumerable uelaȝrede of þe holy martires mid blisse and worþssipe y-corouned.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.28 : Thee mene I mayde and martir, Seinte Cecilie.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.17 : To Caunterbury they wende The holy blisful martir for to seke, That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.
- c1400(1389) Wycl.25 Art.(Dc 273)489 : Seint Steven..is a gloriouse martire.
- c1390(a1325) Ipotis (Vrn)525 : On a friday Caym slouh Abelle, Þe furste martir..Þat euer dyede for Jhesus.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)10.132 : For of heore kuynde þei come þat confessours beþ nempned, Boþe Maydens and Martires [vrr. marters, martres], Monkes and Ancres.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.949 : The thridde manere of chastitee is virginitee..and she is the lyf of aungels..she is as thise martirs in egalitee.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)188/4 : Summe schadden her blood for declaracioun of þe truþe, as martirs.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)25/15 : To come to hym by þese weyes þat sumtyme his hooly halewes diden..wiþ hard fleisch pynyngis & deeþ suffride at þe eende, as martires diden.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)34/11 : It ne is no day in þe ȝeer þat fyue þousande martris [ne] haue for Goddis loue here blood schedde but þe first day of Janyuer aloon.
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)603 : A reches of marterys.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)230 : The Sowdon commanded hem..That thai shulde al be slayn; Martires thai were euerychon.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)18248 : And holy chyrch hath þem cananyst als marters euer more forto be meyn.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)102 : Þe grete book of martires whech is cleped passionarium.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1166/27 : I woll take my dethe as mekely as ever ded marter take hys dethe for Jesu Crystes sake.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)96/3 : Abel, innocent in figure of Crist, was the first marter.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)189/19 : The blessid lady..is..worschipid aboue patriarches, prophetis, apostles, martires, confessours, virgines, and alle other blissid sowles.
b
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Hat 113)22 : Cyðere: martir.
c
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)122 : In Ynglond regned this tyme Ethelthredus, the brothir of Edward martir.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.109 : After that Pamphilius Martir [Trev.: Pamphilius þe martir], whom Eusebius writethe to haue hade xxxti ml. volumes in his bibelle.
2.
(a) A devout adherent of evil or sin, one willing to suffer for evil principles; develes ~; (b) a martyr for love, one who suffers anguish or death for love; (c) a victim of violent death, one slain without guilt or offense.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)53/19 : Þo þet libbeþ be ypocrisye, þet byeþ, þe dyeules martires.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)115/23 : Now þou knowist how þei þat maken hem wilfully þe deuelis martirs disceyuen hemsilf, and wiþ what peynes þei descenden and goon doun to helle.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)210/13 : These ben þe deuelis martirs, of þe whiche I toolde [þe] tofore.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Satan & C.(Corp-C 296)211 : For to gete worldly muk..& carien it home to..anticristis couent & sathanas children & marteris of glotonye.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)50/17 : Þilke þat beþ in ypocrisie ben þe deueles martires.
- a1500(?1382) Wycl.Wks.Mercy (NC 95)171 : What mede were it to feden and norischen þus Anticrist martres!
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.623 : Lat nat this wrecched wo thyn herte gnawe..And if thow deye a martyr, go to hevene!
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1875 : I roughte of deth ne of lyf, Wheder that Love wolde me dryf. Yf me a martir wolde he make, I myght his power nought forsake.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)4/87 : If y euyr..Yow do offence, the seluen houre martere Mot y bicome, y myghti god requere.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)51/1483 : But then ageyne, as caytif and martere I must endure so moche woo and distres Thorugh sawt of fortune.
- c1450 Lover's Mass (Frf 16)p.213 : And rad also ful often in my contemplatyff medytacons The holy legende of Martyrs of Cupydo.
c
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1066 : Because that þow killide has þise cresmede childyre, Thow has marters made and broghte oute of lyfe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3488 : Dyssmembrit as marters & murtheret to dethe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)202/20 : Thou haste made many martyrs by mourtheryng of this londis.