Middle English Dictionary Entry
martirdō̆m n.
Entry Info
| Forms | martirdō̆m n. Also -dam, -dhum, (error) mertydam. |
| Etymology | OE |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Torture and execution as a martyr for the Christian faith, martyrdom; the state of being a martyr; also, an account of the infliction of martyrdom; the palm of ~, palm as a symbol of the glory of martyrdom; (b) execution, violent death; slaughter; don (maken) gret ~ of, to carry out great slaughter of (people), inflict great slaughter on; (c) torture; suffering, anguish.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)116/29 : He sceal..his martyrdom for Cristes lufæ þrowæn on Antecristes daȝum.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19647 : To þolenn marrtirdom forr Crist.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10120 : & talden him tiðende..whulcne martirdom Petrus hauede vnder-fon.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)129/19 : After hire maniȝe þusend, for hire gode forbisne, here clannesse ihelden and manieskennes martirdom ðar fore ðolede.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1410 : Ha heuen up hare honden to heouene &..þurh seli martirdom ferden..icrunet, to Criste.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)48/23 : Ne ne schal nan unwhit wunien in þe wanes þer þi martyrdom is iwriten inne.
- a1275 *St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)20 : Tales ho ani tolde, ful feire ant ful euene, wou ho þoleden martirdom, sein laurence ant seinte steuene.
- c1300 SLeg.11000 Virg.(LdMisc 108)144 : Ore louerd hadde..gret Ioye of þat swete ferrede, Þat swuch martyrdom..a-fenguen with-oute drede.
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)143 : Þat Maide..cristine lawes gan heom lere, And seide þat heore stronge martyrdom þat heo þoleden þere, In stude of cristine-dom scholde beon.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1538 : Lord..Þi deþ was deþ of alle deþes..ffor..hit passede alle Martyrdom.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9744 : Sein tomas..drou him..to is martirdom.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)622 : Þu shalt haue for þi goddede Off martyrdom þe heie mede.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.240 : With the palm of martirdom Ye shullen come vn to his blisful feste.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.274 : The palme of martirdom for to receyue.
- c1400(1389) Wycl.25 Art.(Dc 273)489 : In þis þai distroyen his martirdame.
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)98/158 : Seint Jon..schulde not dye bi Martirdom, Bute wiþ-outen violence In eorþe enden in his presence.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1800 : Of martirdom the ruby bright.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.148 : S. Thomas for holy kirke suffred martirdam.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4377 : For somme of hem..Of martirdom þe blisse of heuene wonne.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3825 : First als of marterdom of martires, Of penance and travail of confessours.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6251 : The eleven thousand maydens deere..resseyved martirdom.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)391/5 : Seynt Petir of Melan, þat virgyn & martir..wiþ scheding of his blood by martirdom, ȝaf liȝt in distriynge of manye heresies.
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1366 : A grete ymage of oure Savyoure with the xij [A]postoles..with sygnes..of here passion and martirdome.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.MRose (Hrl 2255)102 : Ten thousand knyhtes born of hih parage Ther martirdam rad in metre and proose.
- a1450 Of alle þe ioyus (Cmb Dd.11.89)256 : By-thenk, wrecche, al hit was for the! His peynes passede martirdom.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.61.42a : Of þre dedis principal, Doctores of Holi Kirke maken mende of: as of martirdom, prechyng', and maidenhed.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)18834 : For Crystis sake Suffred..Martirdam and passyoun.
- c1475 St.Marg.(3) (Brm)59 : How they suffyryd mertyrdhum [Ashm: merterdome] Both Lawrens and Stevone..And of other seyntes..how thye dede ther mertydam take.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)6.1 : Seuen maners of remyssioun of synn, baptem, almus dede, Martirdome, turnynge of neghbure til god.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)115.7 : Thorgh the vertu of martirdom thou braste the bandis of my synnys.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)152/35 : Seynt John..þouȝ he endide noȝt with marterdom, suffred myche turmentynge.
- a1500 Leg.Cross BC(1) (Wor F.172)221 : This is this the first martir whiche suffred martirdom for the name of Jhesu.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1817 : He wolde..þe cristenmen alle sle..Suþþe god was ibore, þer nas uor cristendom In so lute stounde ido so gret martirdom.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)9723 : The Gregeis wel sore he gan bete; He made of hem gret martirdam..He sclow so many grete of renoun.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)14212 : Off hem made he gret Marterdam; Euery forow Achilles filled With dede bodies the erthe he hilled.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)1163 : What wylt thou do? for martirdom thou most Suffren here.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)3/16 : And thei made gret martirdome of the people.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)163 : He be-gan to do so grete martirdom of peple, and so grete occision.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) Prol.2 Tim.(Dc 369(2))4.464 : Also he wrytith to Tymothe of the exortacioun of martirdom.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1460 : In..strong prisoun This seuen yeer hath seten Palamoun..Who koude ryme in englissh proprely His martirdom, for sothe it am noght I.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24467 : Ha! ha! leuedi, sli martirdom [Göt: martirdome]..Quat langur was it laid.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)87/21 : Þai suffer so mykill payne and martirdom [F martiries] apon þaire bodys for þe lufe of þat ilke mawmet.
- a1450 Castle Love(1) (BodAdd B.107)1644 : Ther may segge þenne no mon But þat vchon shull seyn her martyrdom, And beforyn hym his iuggement sycorly Shall byn iwryten apertely.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)75/17 : We..mowe not holde þe harde..weies of drede and sorwe and martirdom.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)18078 : When þei had dyȝt and to hym done swylk merterdome and mekyll more, he lyft his hede with outyn hone.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)78a : Martyrdome: cruciatus, martirium.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)42/17 : After such martyrdomes..þat he tholled yn hys lyue..the hey martyrdome, that broght hys soule to þe blysse of heuyn.