Middle English Dictionary Entry
mēgre adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | mēgre adj. Also meger(e. |
| Etymology | OF megre, var. of maigre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a person, a body: thin or enfeebled by hunger, wasted away, emaciated; for ~, by famine; (b) thin, slender; (c) of a plant: withered; (d) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)92b/a : By a feuere oþir by flux of þe wombe oþir by bledinge & by oþir tokenes þat makeþ þe body megre & lene [L quae extenuant corpus].
- a1400 Preste ne monke (Cleo B.2)21 : Meteles, so megre are þai made, & penaunce so puttes ham doun, Þat ichone is an hors-lade.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.128 : I am sori..I am but selde other, And þat maketh me þus megre for I ne may me venge.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1198 : Fro þat mete watz myst, megre þay wexen.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4827 : He was shake with a feuere..Þat causid him..to wexe boþe megre and lene.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)218 : She was lyk thyng for hungre deed..And therto she was lene and megre.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)133/19 : Whan the flesch is tendre & megre, þanne seyn here frendes þat þei don gret synne to leten hem haue so long langure.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.BC (Trin-C R.3.20)78 : Chychevache, þis is my name, Hungry, megre, sklendre and lene.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)6660 : Thries in the woke he doth eate..Brede made of berley..Whan that yere was come to ende, He was..megere and..vn-thende.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1085 : Þe lyoun was hungry and megre [vr. megyre].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1164 : Slik mischife..emang his men fallis For megire [vr. meger] & for meteles.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)782/8 : I am megir, and have bene longe syke for the love of La Beall Isode.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)14775 : She [Envy] glood vp-on the grene..Megre and lene off chere and look.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)82/3 : Some þing strynghys and fattys þe body; some makys it megre and feble.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)153b/b : Þay þat haue strong vertuez, grete veynez, & brode habitude, not mych macillent, i. lene or megre.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)6887 : Many a knyght bothe fat & megre.
- a1450(a1449) Lydg.WTongue (Hnt EL 26.A.13)46 : Ȝif thow be fatte owther corpolent, Than wille folke seyn thow art a grete glotoun..Ȝif thow be lene or megre of fassioun, Calle the a negard.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)173a/b : Fenigrec..be it infused bi 9 daiez in white wyne vnto it wex megre [Ch.(2): til it bygynne to widdre; L marcescat].
d
- (1179) in Pipe R.Soc.2851 : Gaufridus le Megre.
- (1199) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.1016 : Radulfus Megremeins.
- (1221) Justice in Eyre R.in Seld.Soc.531069 : Robert le Megre.
- (1251) Select Pleas Forest in Seld.Soc.13101 : Galfridus Megr'.
- (1303) Plea R.Edw.I in WSAS 7109 : Robert le Megere.
- (1310) Feet Fines Kent in Archaeol.Cant.11339 : Agnes la Megre.
- (1333) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 10102 : Ricardus le Meeger.
- (1346) Feudal Aids 567 : Ricardus le Megre.