Middle English Dictionary Entry
mēning(e ger.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | mēning(e ger.(1) Also meaning. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Purpose, intention; wel ~, benevolence; ~ after, desire for (sth.).
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1599 : Thus the wel meninge of love Was ate laste set above, And..The false tunges weren lore, Whiche upon love wolden lie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4837 : Whan Collatin hath herd hire telle The menynge of hire trewe herte, Anon with that to hire he sterte.
- (1397) RParl.3.379b : And as I wyll answere befor Godd, it was my menyng and my wenyng for to have do the best for his persone and for his estate.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.187 : Pelleus..kepte hym cloos..Lyche an addre vnder flouris fayre..Benyngne of speche, of menyng a serpente.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.514 : He nouȝt aduerteth þe menyng fraudelent.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2556 : With feith & herte pleyn..And menynge hool, þat ȝe me assure Þat ȝe her-after schal take me to wyve.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2872 : Hir trewe menyng and hir diligence..Deseyved was by falshed of þis man.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2944 : Þe menyng of þis ilke tweyne Ne was nat on, but wonder fer atwene.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2093 : Vnneþe he myȝt with any word out-breke..Nor openly his inward menyng schewe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4738 : Where ben þin oþes, so double in menynge?
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.148 : Þer may no man his pleyn menyng know.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1147 : By God, I woot hire menyng now, Pandare!..she meneth riden pryvely.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5215 : Trewe of menyng [F loiaus], devoide of slouthe, For witt in nought withoute trouthe.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)464 : It was myn entente To forthere trouthe in love..this was my menynge.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.96 : Reed of Ouide Methamorphoseos, The grete wondres..The moral menyng.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)332 : Menynge, a mannys purpos: Intencio.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)880 : Wheer double menyng hath ony existence, Ther growith ffrawde And Covert fals poysoun.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2315 : He knewe him and his menynge.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)378 : The feiþful menyng & þe Innocence That planted bene, withouten eny slouþe, In ȝour persone..So haue atteyned to oure audience, That þuruȝ oure grace ȝe shul be wel releuyed.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)4200 : Hit was not but a fayned lye, For his meanyng was falsehede.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)5.573 : And þus good feith is rollid up soo doun, And trwe menyng darkyd with a skye That we in Englisshe calle flaterye.
- c1450 PPl.B (RwlPoet 38)15.467 : Riȝt as capones in a court cometh to mennes whistlynge, In menynge after mete folweth men þat whistlen.
2.
(a) Knowledge; understanding; (b) ?presentiment, foreknowledge; (c) opinion; fulfillen ~, to express (one's) opinion.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)563 : Þe saule has..Menyng, and þat of thinges thre: þat is and was and ay sal be.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)2.138 : Ich haue no kynde knowyng..ȝe mote kenne me bettere By wat wey hit wexith and wonder out of my menyng [vr. menynges].
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)924 : In menyng of manerez mere, Þis burne now schal vs bryng.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)146b/a : Dyuynours meneþ þe rauen haþ a maner vertue of menynge and bodynge [L presagii] of dyuynacioun.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)38a/a : And somme membres..stondiþ in here oune vertue, by þe menynge of phisiciens [L secundum opinionem medicorum].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7017 : For to folis longeth kyndely, Withoute a-vis to speke folily, Vndiscretly his menyng to fulfille, Where a wysman schal heryn & be stylle.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)332 : The rehercid firste premisse myȝte not be trewe but if he schulde meene..that Crist..wolde haue ordeyned bi him silf..al that is nedeful to his clergie..But this meenyng is vntrewe.
- a1450(a1396) Hilton CPerf.(Paris angl.41)29 : And so vndir sikirnes of þat meenyng and of þat fals wenyng, þei coueiten ech of hem to handele and fele oþer and kisse oþer.
3.
(a) Meaning, sense, interpretation; prive ~, hidden meaning, mystery; after the ~, according to the literal interpretation; (b) ben to ~, to mean (sth.); that is to ~, which means; that is to say; (c) the expression of a meaning, language, words; (d) the interpretation of a dream; significance of an event or a circumstance; in ~ that, to symbolize that, in token that.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.103 : Þis transmygracioun..durede..by sextene generaciouns; Noþeles Matheu, by cause of som priue menynge [L mysterii], sette fourtene generaciouns.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.542 : The menyng [vr. moeuing] and the sens of this is that the reson of a man ne consente nat to thilke sodeyn ire.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.151 : Ther is no fowel..That she ne shal wel vnderstonde his steuene And knowe his menyng openly and pleyn And answere hym in his langage ageyn.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)14b/b : I schal fonde somdel to declare þe menynge of þis wordes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)155b/b : Ofte gaderynge of water with oute fisshe be yclepid piscina by contrarye menynge, as Isidir seith.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)611 : Vndyrstond þys -- þe menyng ys: Alle yn þe þe wykednes ys.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)4354 : Ȝe mow nat come yn to þe weddyng -- Heuene blys ys þe menyng.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)12/9 : He þat makiþ þe lawe haþ power..to expowne..& telle þe menyng of lawe.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.85 : For, if we taken the gospel aftir the menynge, nether emperour ne kyng may honge ne drawe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1099 : I haue his menyng euerydel From point to point.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7169 : Now have I you declared right The menyng [F sens] of the bark and rynde..But now at erst I wole bigynne To expowne you the pith withynne.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)16709 : Of his meninge y wot þe weye, But his fair speche can y nought seye.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)56/12 : So þe meenyng of þe philesofre is þis: þat to mowe teche is a token wheþir he be 'wise' or no.
- ?c1475 *Trev.Nicod.(Sal 39)144b : Hyt haþ oþer menyngus also, as dyuerse aucterus telluþ.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.69 : Þe firste is Phison, and is to menynge ful wexynge of plente [L qui interpretatur inundatio]..Gangus is to menynge felawschippe..Þe fourþe is Euphrates, þat is to menynge [L quod sonat], fructuous.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.39 : Walsche men beeþ i-woned to seie..'Mon mam Kembry', þat is to menynge in Englische, 'Mon moder of Wales'.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.457 : Þe bisshop preched in Scottische, and þe kyng told forþ an Englissche to þe peple what it was to menynge [L rex ipse interpretaretur Anglice].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)16a/a : Þe setes beþ wiþoute endes, þat is to menynge, withoute begynnynge and ende.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)88b/a : Galien seiþ þat effimera, one daies feuere, haþ þat name Effimera of effimeroun, þat is to menynge, simple [L quod est simplex].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)296b/b : Rynoceroun in grew is to menynge [L interpretatur] an horne in þe nose.
- c1400 *Trev.Higd.(Tbr D.7)224a : Þat ys to menyng, byschops of magnus, treuer, & coloma.
- c1450(?a1402) *?Trev.Reg.Princ.(Dgb 233)5a/a : In olympiadiz, that is to menyng, in þe strong bataill.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)48/36 : That is to menyng that [F c'est a entendre que] ye shulde loue and doute youre husbond.
- a1456(a1402) *Trev.Nicod.(Add 16165)95b : I axed of an hebrewe..what þe children cryed in þe speche of hebrewe, and he tolde me what hit was to meenyng.
c
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)645 : Ȝet wole I make relacyone To þe of confyrmacyone, Þat in lewde mennes menynge Is I-called þe byspynge.
d
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.2.5 : No bot ȝe shuln shewe to me the sweuen, and the coniecturyng or menyng [WB(2): expownyng; L coniecturam] therof, ȝe shuln perishe.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.301 : Ac god sent hem fode bi foules and by no fierse bestes, In menynge [C: In tokenynge] þat meke þinge mylde þinge shulde fede.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.141 : That is þe cause of þis eclipse..In menynge þat man shal fro meorknesse beo drawe The while þis light and þis leom shal Lucifer ableynde.
4.
(a) The act of remembering, remembrance; in ~ of, in memory of; haven in ~, haven ~ of (on), maken ~ o (of), to remember (sb. or sth.); (b) mentioning, mention; maken ~, to talk about (sth.); maken ~ of, make mention of (sb. or sth.), tell about, talk about; haven ~ of, tell of (sth.); (c) the fact or state of being remembered, memory; mi ~, the memory of me; in ~, in memory; also, as a memorial; in ~ of, in commemoration of (sth.), as a reminder of; maken ~, to commemorate one who has died.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5208 : Lorde, haue on me menyng!
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24748 : Quen i ma mening o þat mild..Þat giues me lust of hir to rede.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)25584 : Þou..did vs lere..to haue mening of þi dede.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)27768 : In mening of his mistime, he witis wirde & waris his time.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)4480 : Quen þu es in welth bifor þe king, For goddes loue, of me haue mening.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)8320 : When þou has of þi syns meneyng.
- a1425 NPass.(Cmb Gg.5.31)247/2082 : Lene vs nowe hys payne tholyng Euyr tyll hafe in oure menyng.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)23351 : Haf menyng of your..antecessours, Qwat harmes þai tok of þe emperours.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)27/2 : Anentis suche, as me þinkeþ, God wel doiþ, þat of Goddis ȝifte no menyng kan haue, when he wiþdraweþ fro hem þat he hem lente.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)134.13 : Lord, thi menyng [L memoriale tuum] in generacyon and generacyon..oon generacyon is that we are borne thoro baptym, another when we shal rise; in bothe is the mynde of god, for in this he forgetis not to calle, and in that to corown.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)5169 : Quy make ȝe suche menyng now of Ioseph, my sone, bi-twix ȝou.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)8518 : Childre by wyues had he sere, Of whiche I make no menyng here.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.25 : Noiþer Gildas no Bede..Writes not in þer bokes of no kyng Athelwold..ne Hanelok not of told, Whilk tyme þe were kynges..Þei mak no menyng.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)723 : Al þe werd makes ȝyt menynge How Troye was struyed for þys þynge.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)378/103 : Heris þou noȝt þis vggely noyse?..Þei make menyng of many joies.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1464 : Of gastely gyftes þat god him gaue, Menyng amang þan walde he haue.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)296/97 : Thay make menyng of many Ioyse.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.124 : The boke of sanges makes of marie menyng.
c
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)3196 : Þi dede in mening [Vsp: minnyng] sal last ay.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)5782 : Of him þat es mi name þu call, Mi mening [cp. Ex. 3.15: memoriale] neuer mar sal fall.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)6095 : In menyng [vrr. mynde, mynnyng; cp. Ex. 12.14: in monumentum] sal ȝe hald þis day.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)13183 : But þis dede was sold ful dere; þe menyng lasteþ ȝitt vche ȝere.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)1.99 : In menynge of miracles, muche wex hongeþ þere.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)236 : Hertly one hande, I hete the to halde With a melyone of messes to make thy menynge [vr. mynnyng].
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)16397 : But for to haue menynge of hym..Of coper þey dyde make a knyght.