Middle English Dictionary Entry
merveillen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | merveillen v. Also -veille, -veil(e(n, -veili, -vail(e, -vaille(n, -vel(en, -vil, -val, marvaile, (error) meveilen. |
| Etymology | OF merveillier |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of persons: to be filled with wonder, surprise, admiration, or puzzlement; -- (a) as simple verb or in verb phrase; (b) with of, on, in, into, or upon phr.; (c) with dependent clause; (d) refl.; (e) impers.; (f) in passive constr.; (g) with infinitive.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5305 : Also þe kyng was meruelynde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.195 : And merveil noon, for hit was causeles.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6824 : Merueille nat nor haue no wondring, Þouȝ we to þe do non honour dew.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3876 : Þou auȝtest nat in herte to mervaille Þouȝ..Day be day I þi deth conspire.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3611 : Ethiocles Gan in party gretly mervaille whan that he saugh þe grete apparaylle Of the Grekes.
- (1424) EEWills56/32 : And no man merueil, þogh I do well to him.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.m.3.18 : Thanne schyneth Phebus ischaken with sodeyn light and smyteth with his beemes in merveylynge eien.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)2/6 : Mor haue I meruayled þan I schewe..when I felt fyrst my hert wax warme.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)652 : Jn his herte he merveillede many folde.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2432 : Þuse twey princes talodone þis & gretlyche in hurre hert merueyldedone also.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)8/249 : The blyssyd babe..ouer cam olde clerkys with suych langage þat þei meveylyd.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)3 : When the heirdes sye their bestes so deyen in the feldes, thei merveyled gretly.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.5.2 : Þei shul ben disturblid with orrible drede and shul merueilen in þe soodeynesse of þe vnhopid helþe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.11.14 : Þei membreden þe lord merueilynge [L admirantes] in to þe ende of þe goyng out.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4481 : So that upon his ignorance The wyde world merveileth yit.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2162 : It falleth ofte a man merveileth Of that he seth an other fare.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)8697 : Þe kyng..Of þis pleynt merueiled sore.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)11274 : What þei had herde & sene, þei tolde; Alle merueiled þeron [Vsp: wondir on], ȝonge & olde.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)1248 : Water of þe ton come nane; Hereof meruayled mani ane.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.5.47 : I wondre gretly that men merveylen on swiche thynges.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)827 : Mochel he merveilled of this chaunce.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)840 : He sayde he meruaylede muche of þatte þat kynge Edgar was so mechel adredde Of all men þat dweltone hym aboute.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11805 : The troiens merueld full mekyll of þe mayne foghle; All stonyed þai stode.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)17281 : Þe merueld of hyr rych aray, for so semly had þei sene none.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)111/25 : He stood and merueiled longe on þe beute of þis curteyn.
- (1456) Paston (Gairdner)3.75 : This day my Lordes York and Warwik comen to the Parlement in a good aray, to the noumbre of iijc men..wherof many men mervailed.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)80/228 : Merveyle not, mekest maydon, of my mynystracion.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.5 : What man scholde haue perfecte knowlege of emperoures, meruaile [L miraretur] of philosophres, and folowe thapostles, but that the actes of writers made theym nowble?
- a1500 Lydg.LOL (Adv 19.3.1)p.132 : Mary..gan merveyly with grett avysnes Of the wordis that he can expresse.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2226 : Now schalt thou noght forthi mervaile That I doun fro my Charr alihte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1347 : He merveileth..what thing hire eyleth And cawhte hire up.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1266 : Thei merveille how such a wiht..Desireth nother Mariage Ne yit the love of paramours.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)16.21 : Ich meruailede in herte how ymagynatif saide Þat iustus by-fore iesu in die iudicii Non saluabitur.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)346 : Þe bisshops..merualyd þat so ȝohng a thyng, All hyr werkys to goddes plesyng, So sone couth dresse & drawe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1664 : I merueile how þou art so bolde To presume myn eris to offende.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)1089 : Iosep sais, 'meruail ȝe þat he es risen to liue?'
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)9/371 : First he meruayled in his minde How scho was cumen of gentil kinde.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)189/6 : I merueylled moche þat þere weren so manye.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)54/19 : I merveile that y se so many perellis suffrid for bodili delite.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)329/277 : Þer-of meruayled we mekill what moued ȝou in mynde.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)529 : Thay meruelde why þe bellis so range.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)366 : I merueyle wher þe pryuelegis commen alonde wherby owre colagis of monkis..claymen to be exempt.
- (1465) Paston (Gairdner)4.174 : I mervyll that I here no tidyngges from yow hough ye have do at the assisses.
- (1465) Paston (Gairdner)4.175 : I merveyll what shuld cause hym to aske mony for that dewte.
- a1475 St.Mary Magd.(2) (Dur-U Cosin V.2.14)219 : He merveiled gretli what it myght be.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.224 : Þere was non of þe mene þat þey ne merueilid moche How he cam to þe courte and was not y-knowe.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)9/28 : Thenne she merveilled who that myghte be that laye with her in lykenes of her lord.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)3 : Whan the gode man herde this he..merveyled gretly what was cause of the moreyn.
d
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2725 : I merveyle me wonder faste How ony man may lyve or laste In such peyne.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.5.22 : Thanne I merveile me gretly..why that the thinges ben so mys entrechaunged that tormentz of felonyes pressen and confounden goode folk.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)70/3 : And bathe þe sowdan and þai spakk Fransch wonder wele, and þerof I meruailed me [F me meruueillay] gretely.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)131/1 : When I had talde þam þis, þai meruailed þam [F se meruaillent] gretely þeroff.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.Mir.Virg.(Hnt HM 744)33 : Our lady..byfore him he sy appeere, where-of the monk took good auisament, Merueillynge him what þat this mighte han ment.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1314 : My lorde meruailles hym mekyll..Why thow morthires his men.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)73/17 : We here tell þat þou commez to werre apon vs, whare of we merueylle vs gretly.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)5924 : We meruayle vs Þat ȝe ressayue þir reuours þus.
- a1475 St.Mary Magd.(2) (Dur-U Cosin V.2.14)220 : Whan the pilgryme hurde this thinge, he merueyled him.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.44.28a : I merueyle me þe more þat þei sey contrarye here to, as it semeþ.
e
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)556 : Garyn, me meruaylleþ myche of þe..How þou darst entremetrie of me a-ȝen me to take fiȝt.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)97 : But ȝit me merueyles ouer al Þat God let mony mon croke and elde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4481 : So that the more me merveilleth What thing it is mi ladi eilleth.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.385 : So that it me nothing merveilleth..of love that thee eilleth.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1426 : To sum housys hyt [a mist] gan gone, And to sum come hyt noght, Þat me merueyled yn my þoght.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)11671 : 'Marye,' he saide, 'me merueileþ þe [Vsp: me thinc ferli o þe] Þat seest þe heȝenes of þis tre.'
- ?a1400(a1338) *Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)7b/[963] : Ne meruell þe, if þei haf grace.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.65 : Me meruailes of my boke; I trowe he wrote not right.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.342 : And ȝet me merueilled more how many other briddes Hudden and hileden her egges.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)14.193 : Þer-fore meruaileþ me..Whi he [mankind] ne loueþ þy lore.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)19.23 : Muche meruailede me on what more thei growede.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)81/21 : Gretely vs mervailes, Arthure, þat þow art on so hardy..to maken oppen werr..aȝeyns vs of Rome.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.75 : Me merveilith moche of thin lewidheed!
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)217 : It meruailes me þat þou standes so still.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)435 : Him meruayles What ȝe thenken and what ȝow ayles.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)143/16 : Me merueylyth mech of þis woman, why sche wepith & cryith so.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11463 : Me merueilles mykel..Þat þou dar bere þe so heye..Y wondre at the bost þou makest.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)115/92 : Me merueles mekill of þis light Þat þus-gates shynes in þis place.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)971 : The flammyng of þe flese was ferly to see, Ȝet merueld hym more how Mars was distroyed.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)458/25 : Þerfor me mervels..at þow may fynde in þi harte to lagh.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)100/89 : Mercy, me merveylyth what ȝow movyth.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.1 : But moche now me merueilith..Of ȝoure large leuerey to leodis abouȝte.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)90/156 : Of mary, my wyfe, meruels me.
f
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2060 : The world is yit merveiled Of the maistries that he wroghte.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)2/8 : I was forsoth meruayld [L Eram..attonitus] as þe byrnyng in my saule byrst vp.
- c1450(c1400) *Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)104b : I sawe thre hevens, of the whilke syght I was gretlye merveylede.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3218 : Þan gase he vp be degrece..Passis in-to þe palais..Was on þe make of þat mote noȝt mervalled a litill.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)2750 : When Simeon segh þis ilk thing, Merueilet wonderly he was.
g
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1828 : He cam..To þe presence of kyng Ydumee In symple array and torne apparaile. Wher-of þe kyng gretly gan mervaile To sen his pouert in so lowe maner.
2.
(a) Of events, things, etc.: to cause (sb.) to be filled with wonder, surprise, admiration, or puzzlement; also, to upset (one's mood) [1st quot.]; (b) of the Gorgons: to stupefy (sb.), stun.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Barlaam & J.(Hrl 4196)229/260 : Þis meteyng meruaild all his mode & put mekill of his myrth owai.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)45a/b : Obstupefacio: make agaste or merueyled.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)256/55 : O thyng me mervayles mekill ouere all, Of diuerse dedis þat he has done.
- (1465) Paston (Gairdner)4.176 : His wryting merveylith me that he askith thes mony as dewte.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)941/12 : One thynge mervaylith me muche..I have mette with twenty knyghtes..and all they complayne as I do.
- a1475 As Reson Rywlyde (Hrl 3954)52 : Why deyed þi sone?..Þis merueliȝt me meche in my thowt.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)80a : To mervell:..stupifacio..stupidare.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)162/59 : Youre sorow on this manere It mekill meruels me.
b
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.369 : There were iij sustyrs [Gorgons] as of oon pulcritude, whiche meruaylede [L obstupefaciebant] theire beholders, as if thei were stones.
3.
(a) To marvel at (sth.); (b) to admire (sb.), hold in high esteem; (c) to wonder at (sb. doing sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judith 10.7 : Þe preestis of þe cite..stoneynge merueileden [WB(2): wondriden; L mirati sunt] ful myche þe fairnesse of hir.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3647 : So he merveileþ hir gret semlynes, Hir womanhed, hir port, & hir fairnes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6752 : Whan þei come, þei merveil ful gretly Þe rial siȝt of so huge strengþe.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2732 : This merveile I How man, but he were maad of stele, Myght lyve a month, such peynes to fele.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.16/3 : The kynge, mervellyng the prudence and constaunce of this mane, answerd, [etc.].
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.92 : Thei [inanimate things] may not worthi been in no mesure To be merveilled in ȝoure excellence.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)140/7 : Þey þat worship and meruaile wormys wellynge oute of seint Symeouns woundes..why wonder þey not..so grete strengthe of a womman?
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)111 : Hit mey peraventur be mervellid be some men, whi on reaume is a lordeshippe only roialle..and a nother kyngdome is a lordshippe roiall and politike.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.17 : Diuine miracles ar to be meruailede [L admiranda sunt] and to be worschipped.
- 1534(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Herford)2.514 : Maruayll of maruayles most I can maruayle, The deed body to lyfe agayne rose.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.8.11 : Þe facis of princis shul merueilen me [WB(2): worschipe me; L mirabuntur me].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.11.15 : Whom forsoþe..þei scorneden, cast a-fer, in to þe ende of þat þat fel, þei merueileden [L mirati sunt].
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prol.Josh.(Bod 959)173/36 : Whi Orygene þei merueylyn [L Cur Origenem mirantur]?
c
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2062 : I merveile the askyng this demande.