Middle English Dictionary Entry
merī̆diā̆n n.
Entry Info
| Forms | merī̆diā̆n n. Also meridien, meredien, meridene. |
| Etymology | OF meridiiene, meridiane & L merīdiānum. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Midday, noon; (b) the position of the sun at noon; (c) the south; as adv.: in the south.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)90/1673 : Vppon a day aftur þe meridien, Austin apeered to him þen.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2277 : On a day, after meridien, Whan Appollo with his bemys schene From þe southe plage gan to wester faste, [etc.].
- a1500(?1397) ?Chaucer Astr.Suppl.(Dgb 72:Benson-Robinson)44.22 : Adde hit togeder, and that is thy mene mote, for the laste meridian of the December, for the same yer which that thou hast purposed.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3408 : Þe sonne was in Meridene, In mydday angel, passynge hote & shene.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4256 : Phebus was passyd merydyen And fro the south westward gan hym drawe.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)251 : The bryght sonne..in merydyen moost Amerously doth shyne.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)347 : Phebus..The goldene wayn thorugh the world doth lede..with his celestial streemys In merydien fervent as the glede.
c
- (c1386) Almanac 1386 [OD col.]50 : Bot as towchyng þe altitudes of þe son and þe houres of þe clok in oþer places fro Oxenforth toward þe meridian or atrion, how mycul howeth to be set to wythdrawen, here es no certeyn rewle.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 8.26 : An aungel of God..spake, Rise ande wende to meridiane [WB(1): aȝens the south; L contra meridianum].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.90 : I knowe..How thou trauailest..In thi studie euer dilligent, Now in the west, now in the orient, To serche stories, north & meredien, Of worthi princis.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.47 : Asia after nowmbre schalle be the thrydde part..goenge from the meridien or sowthe [L a meridie] by the este vn to the northe.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.41 : Machomete made an ydole..havynge the face of hit towarde the meridien [L versus meridiem].
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)320 : Thus in vj thynges be order men may seen Notable accord and lust convenience, Blod, eyre, and ver, south and meridien, And age of chyldhood.
2.
(a) Astron. A celestial meridian; ark of ~, the celestial meridian which marks the midday position of the sun; (b) the longitude of a place on earth.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400 *Chaucer Astr.(Brussels 4869)[2.39.] 95b : Wite thow also that the arch of the equinoxial that is contened or bownded bitwix the two meridians is clepid the longitude of the town.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2419 : We hadde ful many buk & do By strengþe slaw..Til briȝt Phebus of his daies bowe Amyd þe arke was of meridyen, Whan his bemys ful hote wern & schene.
b
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.39. 16,21,24 : Of eny 2 cytes or 2 townes, of which that oo town approchith more toward the est than doth that othir town, truste wel that thilke townes han diverse meridians..And yf so be that two townes have ilike meridian or oon meridian, than is the distaunce of hem both ilike fer fro the est, and the contrarie; and in this manere thei change not her meridian.
3.
Used as a proper name for the Devil; -- transl. L dæmonio meridiano (Ps. 90.6).
Associated quotations
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)5/14 : Kepe hym þan from meridiane, þe deuel þat wil schewe hym to hym as a goode Aungel.