Middle English Dictionary Entry
mēth(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | mēth(e n. Also mede & (early) mæth(e, meað, maðe, (error) mæȝð. |
| Etymology | OE mǣþ measure, etc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Restraint of one's passions or appetites; abstemiousness, temperance; self-control, self-discipline; mek (milde) of ~, mild of manner; met and ~; (b) mercy, compassion; merci and ~, mercy and compassion; (c) the cardinal virtue of temperance; also, temperance personified.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2573 : Ȝho wass full of mett & mæþ..Swa þatt nan þing att oferrdon Ne keppte ȝho to follȝhenn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6116 : Wiþþ mett & mæþ i mete & drinnch.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7515 : Uss birrþ follȝhenn mett & mæþ I claþess & i fode.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)29 : Witte wel hwat þu hauest..and cune sume meðe, þenne þu almesse makest.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)107/12 : Temperantia is an oðer hali mihte, ðe cann swiðe michel scile and mæðe of alle kennes þinge.
- ?a1300 Fox & W.(Dgb 86)97 : Wo worþe..lust and wille Þat ne can meþ to his mete!
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)102/315 : Þer as god, ful of meþ, ffleih to Egipte..þis techeþ vs þat holy men..Schulde Coueyte to suffre..And so to crist wiþ mekenesse..come.
- c1390 In a Pistel (Vrn)35 : ..To saue þi soule..Wiþ þi Maystrie medel þi meþ, For vche mon ouȝte him-self to knowe.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)269/741 : Heo hedde Meth, as worschipful wyf, ffor heo nas nout to hastyf.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)279/52 : Ȝif vs mekenesse and Meþ, And bring vs to..blis.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.107 : And mari ledd hir lif wit methe In a toun that hiht nazarothe.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)7858 : Of him come Iesse meke of meth.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)10152 : An haly leudi, milde of meth.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1716 : Etheldrede oȝte not to be kynge..for he was so ȝonge a thyng & couȝthe nowthre mesure ny methe.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)147/46 : Amos spak with mylde meth.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)98/12 : Reymond was a man..of moche methe [vr. mette] & of grete purueyaunce..heet & cool, al I-lyche, wel he myght suffre.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)977 : Ȝif we sceoteð to heora mæðe [ Otho: meþe], þat bið ure imone deað.
- ?a1300 Sayings St.Bern.(Dgb 86)759/52 : If ich þe bere to muchel meþ, Þou wilt me bringen helle deþ.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)195 : Erf helpeð him ðurg godes með.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1044 : Louerd..hu saltu don If ðu salt nimen wreche ðor-on? Salt ðu nogt ðe rigt-wise weren, Or for hem ðe toðere með beren?
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2498 : Alle he fellen him ðor to fot To beðen meðe and bedden oc, And he it for-gaf hem mildelike.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3601 : Louerd..ðin meðe is god, Merci get for ðin milde mod!
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)436 : Bot quen þe Lorde of þe lyfte lyked hymselven For to mynne on his mon his meth þat abydez.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)565 : He knyt a covenaunde cortaysly wyth monkynde..In þe mesure of his mode and meþe of his wylle, Þat he schulde never..smyte al at onez, As to quelle alle quykez.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)816 : All at left was o lyfe..in his mercy & meth mekely þaim put.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1981 : Lend agayn..nowe quen þou leue hauys, Þat I mete þe in my malicoly my meth be to littill.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4324 : Is þar na mercy ne methe in oure marche vsyd.
- c1485 Assump.Virg.(1) (Hrl 2382)119/290 : My lord was hard y-broght to deth, thurgh fals Iewis that couthe no meth.
c
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4584 : An hæfedd mahhte iss mett & mæþ Inn all þatt te birrþ follȝhenn, I word, i werrc, i mete, i drinnch.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)139/14 : Sobrietas is an oðer mihte, þat is, maðe.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)6/48 : Þe þridde suster, þet is meað [vr. með]..he makeð meistre ouer his willesfule hirð..þet ha leare ham mete.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)22/200 : Mi þridde suster meað spekeð of þe middel sti bituhhe riht & luft þat lut cunnen halden.
- c1225 SWard (Roy 17.A.27)40/395 : Þe fowr heued þeawes: Warschipe, Strencðe in godd, ant Með, ant Rihtwisnesse.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)86/440,445 : The seuent vertu and the laste is methe or methefulnesse [Wycl.LFC: mesure], Temperancia..methe is mesur and met of al that we do.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10011 : All oþer vertus o þam has hald, For-þi er þai hede vertus tald, Þat es, rightwis[nes] and meth [Trin-C: meeþ], For-sight and strenght.
2.
(a) Capacity, reach, capability; mouthes ~, capacity for food and drink, appetite; (b) what is fitting or appropriate for one to do; (one's) right or due; bi..~, corresponding or appropriate to (an offense, one's understanding); in (mesure and) ~, thurgh ~, in due proportion or measure, appropriately, fittingly; withouten ~, immoderate, excessive; immoderately, excessively.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)80/19 : Ne ongin þu to asmeaȝene ofer þine meðe embe þa mycele deopnesse.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)96/31 : Na for þam þæt þe deofel hæfde æniȝ fare to ure Hælende oðer his mæð wære þæt he him ahwær on neawste come, ȝif he hit..ne ȝeðafede.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)11 : Þar man ne can his muðes meðe, ne cunnen nele, ne his wombe met.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)13 : Temperancia..is riht medeme mel; þe man..gemeð his muðes meðe and of his wombe mete.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)51 : Hie..folgeden here lichames wille, nameliche on two þigges, þat was muðes meðe, þat oðer hordom.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)55 : We auen forgult ure saules..and don us in to helle wite for ure muðes mete..on untimliche ete..and..on drinke untimeliche..and alle þe wile þe hersumieð þese two þing þe ich nu nemde, muðes meðe and golnesse.
- ?c1335 Earth(1) (Hrl 913)4/78 : He is king of blis and mon of moche mede [L mensura], Þat deliþ þe dai fram niȝt and leniþ lif and dede [L mortem].
- a1450(?c1350) Pride Life (ChrC-Dub)497 : Bot he ne hath miȝt ne meth Þe King of Lif to afere.
b
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)28/15 : Ane bene leof ic ȝyrnen wolde, ȝif hit min mæȝð wære þet ic hit ȝyrnan durste.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)22/30 : We wullæð eow sæcgæn sum andȝit..of þare trahtnunge bi eowræs andȝites mæðe.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)136/22 : Ȝyf he þa bote deþ bi þes gyltes mæðe & on Gode trywiȝe.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)318 : Heo him duden in prisun of deþ And pyneden him sore wiþouten meþ.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)846 : Godes grace todeleþ þis Þorw meth wiþ al as his wille is; Ac he louede so þis mayden..Þe folle of grace he hire ȝaf outriht.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)1135 : Hou fynliche..God loueþ þe Þat wolde deþ þolen þorw pyne wiþouten meþ, To saue þi soule.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)79.6 : Þou salt fede vs with brede of teres eth And gif vs drink in teres in meth [vrr. mete, met; L mensura].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)247 : Al in mesure and meþe watz mad þe vengiaunce, And efte amended wyth a mayden þat make had never.