Middle English Dictionary Entry
mīnen v.
Entry Info
Forms | mīnen v. Also mine, mini; p.ppl. i)mined. |
Etymology | OF miner |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) To construct a tunnel in order to undermine fortifications or to make entry into a besieged place; (b) to undermine (a fortification, fortified building, etc.); bring down (a wall) by undermining; raze; ~ doun; (c) fig. to undermine (sth.); ~ herte, subvert the will or feelings; (d) to break into (a house); ~ doun (oute), undermine (a house); (e) ~ oute, to dig (sb.) out (of a building).
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Rich.(Auch)117/143 : Þai hadde so mined vnder þe walle Þat mani a griffoun gan doun falle.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.269 : Furius Camillus mynede in þe oon side of þe citee, and made weies under erþe.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1216 : Ac Alisaundre quyk hete his hynen Vnder her walles forto mynen.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6436 : Þei with-oute an ordinaunce haþ founde, What with gynnys deuised for þe nonys..And large sowis lowe for to myne.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6291 : By day stuffen they the wall, And al the nyght they mynen there.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)434/1205 : Oon at the grownsel lowe gan to myne, A-nother besy to entre, yiff he myhte.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6835 : Þey wyþoute were mynynge alle; Þe wal þey holede & dide hit falle.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)102b : Þei kepe the men þat beþ wiþynne & vnder hem fro harmynge while þei pyke out þe stones and myne þurghe þe walle.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)107b : Sometyme þei þat þus myneþ entreth be nyght þorgh þe myne in to þe citee, and open þe ȝates wiþ ynne & lete yn þe oost & þus þei take þe citee.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2927 : Kyng Richard..Callyd..hys mynour And bad hym myne vp to þe tour.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1107 : Whan Tytus nold no trewe to þe toun graunte, With mynours & masouns myne þey bygonne.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)81a : To Myne: Arapagare, Cunire.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4993 : Þay seȝe Sa[r]zyns myne þe wal Wyþ pykoys & howes gret & smal.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)136/16 : William Bastard..hade taken al þe lande aboute Hastynge & hade also mynede þe castell.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2298 : Þai vnderset þe toure obout And myned it..Þai sunderd softly stane fra stane.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.23.13 : Assur foundide that Tyre..thei myneden [WB(1): vnderdoluen; L suffoderunt] the housis therof, thei settiden it in to fallyng.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jer.51.58 : Thilke brodeste wal of Babiloyne schal be mynyd [WB(1): vndermyned; L suffodietur] with mynyng.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)351 : I sall..Merke vnto Meloyne, and myne doun þe wallez, Bathe of Petyrsande & of Pys.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)30/14 : He bad two hundreth men of armes ga to þe walles, and myne þam doune.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)103b : He haþ in þe neither flore Iheled his mynoures to digge and myne þe wal.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1115 : Jewes..Hadde wroȝt hem a wey & þe wal myned.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)139 : The kyng first bifore wente and mynede the foundement.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)190/21 : I woll..myne doune the wallys of Myllayne the proude.
c
- (c1422) Hoccl.JWife (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)476 : Shee wolde for no thyng bowe & enclyne; Hire hertes Castel kowde they nat myne.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.49.6 : In her woodnesse thei killiden a man, and in her wille thei myneden [WB(1): vndurdelueden; L suffoderunt] the wal.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3133 : Of frendes..haue I large wone, That..Byforne þe kyng for me schal knele echone; They at þe fulle kunne his herte myne.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)4028 : God I byseeche, your herte enlumyne, Gracious prince, þat þe feend, our foo, No power haue so your herte myne.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)15650 : Whan Ire doth myn herte myne I am so venymows, [etc.].
d
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.28.17 : Wallid cites of riche men it destroȝede & þe housis of grete men it mynede out [WB(2): myned doun; L effodit].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 12.39 : If an hosebonde man wiste in what our the theef wolde come, sothli he schulde wake, and not suffre his hous to be mynyd [L perfodi].
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.767 : Youre wommen slepen alle..So that..the hous men myghte myne.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Job 24.16 : Thei [adulterers] mynen [WB(1): breeken thurȝ; L Perfodit] housis in derknesses..and thei knewen not liȝt.
- a1425 Wycl.MCh.(Bod 788)408 : If þe hosebonde man wiste what hour þe þeef were to come, certis he wolde wake, and suffre him not to myne his hous.
e
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.51.7 : Þerfore god shal destroȝen þee in to þe ende; he shal pulle þee out & mynen þee out [L emigrabit te] fro þi tabernacle.
1b.
(a) To dig for minerals, etc.; dig in a mine; (b) to extract (minerals, etc.) by mining; ~ oute (with); mined hille, a hill with mines.
Associated quotations
a
- (1438) Proc.Privy C.5.87 : The King to ordeine newe men to goo to þabbotes myne of Bukfast for to myne þere.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)690 : If we had there pese and gode wylle To myne and fyne and metall for to pure, In wylde Yrishe myght we fynde the cure.
- c1500(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Trin-C R.3.19)24 : Who þat myneþ downe lowe in þe grounde, Of gold & syluer groweþ þe mynerall.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)163b/b : Noble metall ys y-myned owte [L extrahuntur] of veynes of mountayns.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)166a/b : Þere was ymyned goolde and siluer and oþer metalles.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)179b/b : In þe mounteyns þere beþ ymyned with metalles [L metalla..fodiuntur] of dyuers kynde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)206b/b : In capadocia is ȝolow salt y-digged and y-myned.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5818 : Gold, þat may no stele & marbil myne, Þis prestis hert hath so depe graue Þat Anthenor his purpos shal haue.
- (1429) J.Boys in Nrf.Archaeol.15147 : ij lod of sond paying j d. yat it was mynyd to ye same place.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)87/38 : Tak þanne þe stoon hauynge soule..that ys noght a stoon..But it ys lyk in manere to stoones of mynyd hilles, and of planetz, and of þinges hauynge soule.
2a.
(a) To dig into the earth, dig for hidden treasure; also, of water: pierce or penetrate by dripping; (b) to hollow out (a grave), dig (a burrow), dig into (the earth), dig in or layer (a vine); dig out (sth.) [quot.: c1450].
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)93/99 : Þai..sette postes al about, And bigan to mini vnder.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)94/2103 : Al dai þai mined doun riȝt Til hit come to þe niȝt.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2121 : He bad His Mynours forto go and myne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2167 : Thus they myne forth withal, The timber set up overal.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)58/9 : Doþ myne depe til ȝour men come to the ponde.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2283 : Vnder þe stane..Es ful mekil seluir and golde..If þat we myght þarvnder mine, We sold find gold.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)178/20 : Þei schullen dyggen & mynen so strongly till þat þei fynden the ȝates þat kyng Alisandre leet make of grete stones.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3141 : Þe Messedones in þe mold mynes to [Dub: mynyn into] þe graues, Fand coupis all of clene gold.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6918 : Water that droppeth euer in oon Myneth ful depe in-to A stoon.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.102 : Þat first bygan to myne, I can not telle, Bot þat he fond a parel precious.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)43 : As þai m[u]kkyde and mynyde, a mervayle þai founden.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)110 : He saw at the fote of the tree an hidowse pitte, and an orible dragon þere in, myning at the tree.
- c1500(?a1475) St.Marg.(3) (Ashm 61)386 : When þei mynede in þe gronde, They wenyd gold & syluer to hafe fonde.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2232 : He made his werkmen a toumbe for to myne, In marbil gray and metal rychely.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)178/11,13 : A fox schall make þere his trayne & mynen an hole..So longe he schall mynen & percen the erthe til þat he schall passe þorgh towardes þat folk.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.334 : Is not to helpe..To delue hit [a vine] vnder al, but to reclyne Hit lyke a bowe and vnder lond hit myne.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)580/39 : Erudero: to myne.
2b.
Fig. (a) To penetrate as if by digging, delve; ~ in (into, withinnen) the herte (spirites), etc.; (b) to gnaw.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)108/24,32 : Þanne nymþ he his pic and his spade and beginþ to delue and to myny [Vices & V.(2): myne] and geþ in-to his herte..Ac huanne he heþ longe ymyned [Vices & V.(2): myned]..þanne uint he pays and reste.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2063 : Naturis kyndly influence..in-to hertis doþe ful depe myne.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1529 : Þer may no word in his hert myne To þat he seide to maken him enclyne.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3379 : The rage gan myne in hym so depe That he can not but sigh, sobbe, and wepe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.677 : His manhod and his pyne Made love withinne hire herte for to myne.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.471 : The deth may wel out of my brest departe The lif, so longe may this sorwe myne.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)405/448 : Heer-upon a werm most serpentyne Of fals enuye gan in his herte myne.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)409/738 : Thy thret, thy manaces..Shal for no dreed withynne myn herte myne.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.226 : Thonkynde werm off foryetilnesse In his herte hadde myned thoruh the wall.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.4592 : Lat this conceit ay in your thouhtis myne, Bexaumple off Rome how al goth to ruyne!
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)505 : Bot mor þing in our mynde myneþ to-day.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)34 : In Amorous hertes brennyng of kyndenesse This name Iesu most profoundely doth myne.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)1/5 : Dul wit and a thoughtful soule so sore have myned and graffed in my spirites that suche craft of endyting wol not ben of myn acqueyntaunce.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)5/9 : Her absence is to me an helle; my sterving deth thus in wo it myneth, that endeles care is throughout myne herte clenched.
b
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)11872 : Thow shalt se..Vertu set ay in myd place, Wher as they most clerly shyne, And many kankres wych on hem myne.