Middle English Dictionary Entry
mightful adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | mightful adj. Also (error) migful. |
| Etymology | From might n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Possessing supernatural powers; (b) possessing power, having control, dominant; (c) warlike, courageous; (d) as noun: someone with power; the great, the mighty.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Hayl mari hic (Dgb 2)27 : But-gif þu help us, mitteful may, wit þi sunes grace.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2902 : Ne tagte ic hem nogt for-ði Min migful name adonay.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2916 : Moyseses migtful wond..wurð bi-foren pharaon An Iglic snake sone on-on.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5058 : He þat miȝtfol is Deþ after vre decerte.
- c1330 Roland & V.(Auch)854 : Help, mahoun, & Iubiter..As ȝe beþ miȝt-ful, helpeþ me, Þat ich miȝt y-venged me.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)25/690 : Þat colour ne þat sauour Ne beþ nauȝt þer inne cryste Þaȝ he þer-inne schewe hym By hys myȝte-folle lyste, So couþe.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)130/6 : Þou sselt uinde þane domes man zuo sterne..an zuo miȝtuol.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)269/9 : Lhord, yblyssed by þo þet wonyeþ ine þyne house..Zuyfte hy byeþ..Alle hy byeþ mytuolle.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)63 : God, mihtful and rihtwys.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)574 : God ys ane and þre, miȝtful lorde in trinite.
- a1400 Nou ȝe alle (Hrl 7322)4 : Ho art þou þat comest so litel and so mithful?
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.310 : God..is myȝtful To amende al þat amys is.
- (1420) EEWills47/12 : I bequeth my soule into the mercy off mythfull Ihesu.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)112/12 : Grete murnig made his moder milde For missing of her mightful schilde.
- a1425 Adam & E.(3) (Wht)89/18 : Lord, moost myȝtful and moost merciable..conuerte þou my soule!
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)35/7 : Þis kyng..eendelesly is troned..myȝtful ouer alle.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)716 : Be myghtfull god þan he sware.
- c1475 Ipotis (Brm)p.26 : Owre heuyne kyng..Thys ys the myte full kyng.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)23/1 : Myghtfull god veray, Maker of all that is!
- a1500 Medit.St.Aug.(Hrl 1706)378 : Hem [read: He] knoweth the domesmane..so myghtfulle and stronge that nomane may hyme withstande.
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4008 : Ðis folk sal waxen..And ouer al oðer migtful ben.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4025-6 : Al-so leun is migtful der, So sal ðis folc ben migtful her.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)1.174 : Thouȝ ȝe be myȝtful to mote, beth meke in ȝowre werkes.
- a1450 Dux Moraud (BodPoet f.2)164 : I am mythful and mery..I am flour fayrest be fryt for to fare.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)27/14 : Is þis not Babilon my cyte, so grete, so myȝtful, so riche?
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)34/18 : Ȝif þe kyng of Englond, þat myȝtful is & riche, as kyng in paleys in his see were sette.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.237 : Þus Malaperte was myȝtffull and maister of hous, And euere wandrid Wisdom without þe ȝatis.
c
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)508 : Meeten miȝtful men, mallen þorw scheldes.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6361 : Maumbert mayn son, mightfull Henex.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)359/19 : For his myȝtful manhode..þei choson hym & made hym King.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)137 : Too have All þo mightfull menne þat in þe marches dwelt.
d
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3755 : Two migtful he hauen taken; Meistres, princes he wolden hem maken, On Dathan anoðer Abiron.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.83 : He manaceþ þe wicked proude, þat ben, þe miȝthful.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)119.4 : Sharpe arwen of þe miȝtful [L potentis].
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)55/12 : A myghtfull was þat men callede Nabogodhonosore.
2.
(a) Strong, forceful; determined; of a sound: loud; (b) of a sacrament, a prayer: efficacious.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3464 : Dinede an migtful hornes blast.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)83/19 : Hardy and zyker to greate þinge ondernime, strang and myȝtuol uor to uolȝy, zed and stable uor to uolȝy.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)51/1 : Whi gladestou in malice, þat art myȝtful in wickednes?
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)117/24 : He þat makys short paas ys hastyf..and noght myghtfull yn þe wirkynges of his euyll will.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)205/32 : He neþer was cloþed with purpure ne schyned with dyademe or toke eny myȝtful hors.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)237 : Vor þe sacrement..is naȝt lesse worþ..ne þe lesse miȝtuol uor to halȝy ham þet hit onderuongeþ.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Kath.Sienna (Dc 114)189/19 : By a myghtful biddynge, þe same virgyne heled a worshepful man.