Middle English Dictionary Entry
minishen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | minishen v. Also minesh, minush(e, minuishe, minis(e, minuse, menuse, munish. Forms: sg.3 minisheth, minusheth, minuceth; pl. minusheth, minuceithe, munseth; p. minushede, minused, menusede & minusht(e; ppl. i)minushed, minshed, minnised, i)minused, menushed, menused, menussed, imenusid & minusht. |
| Etymology | OF menuisier |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) To reduce (sth.); make less or fewer; lessen; (b) to demolish (sth.); break down, shatter; ~ into gobettes (poudre); (c) ~ of, to deprive (sth.) of (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Kings 17.14 : Þe stene of mele schal not failyn ne þe vessel of oile schal not ben menusyd.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)26762 : Aelde and ek sekenes of cors Greued him and menusede his fors.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)293 : So þe duc scho procured fulsone Lettyng therin þat þer war done, Menuse her fadyr menȝe so large.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)22b/a : Declinacion is when þe grossenez bigynneþ to be minushed [Ch.(2): wexe lesse; L minui].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)56b/a : In þo men forsoþ þat beth sike, we hasty not forto eke or augmente vertue, moderately forsoþ we minushe yt.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)157a/b : Þe mone augmented in liȝt, augmenteþ and draweþ humourez to þe superficite of þe body; And it ymynushed, mynusheþ and closeþ to þe inward partiez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)73a/a : Þe forseide noumber of þe fforseide bones maie be menussed oþer augmented.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)106b/a : Vertue was no þing menussed bi þe euacuaciouns, but it was strengþed.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)254/30 : Þe vertu of þe sacramentis is not lessid or menusid þoru þe synnes of hem þat mynystren hem.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)258/1 : What þat euere þei ben in lyuynge, þe reuerence of hem schulde neuere be mynvsid.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)358/26 : For þouȝ a soule passe awey fro me by her owne trespassis..ȝit schulde not affeccioun of charite be lesnyd & menusid aȝeins hem.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)91/22 : After þat þou wilt haue it hard or softe, be added þerto, or minusched, oile with which it is resolued.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.21/12 : Yf..it plesith hym his to kepe to hym self..all hole and saf, not mynuschyd.
- c1430 Chaucer CT.Pars.(Cmb Gg.4.27)I.377 : Ek ȝif he withdrawe or menuse [Elsm: amenuse] the almesse of the poore.
- (a1446) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1p.lviii : In such maner that shal in no wyse..munysch your tresur nor your coffures.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.81 : This oo thyng is þat may þi welþe apaire..and menuse it most.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)31/29 : I remevid þis stone in þe feld, to þe entent þat I wolde enlarge myne awn grownd & mynys oþer mens grownd.
- (1465) Paston (Gairdner)4.129 : They wold wyrke ayenst me to minussh my power.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)18b/b : In þis wise þe noumbre of bonys is encresid or y-menusid.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)36a/b : Whanne yt [lungs] puttiþ out þe eir wiþ breþinge þanne it is manyschid or menusid and falliþ voyde lijk vn to a smyþis belies.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)46b/b : For as myche as þe noumbre of teeþ in diuers men ben dyuers, þerfore may þe noumbre be echid or menusid.
- c1475 Libel EP (Pep 1461)399 : Mynuceythe they [vr. mynysche they; Ld 704: mynuceth oure commodite].
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.74ra : Thy fader [viz., King Solomon] sette on vs an harde yoke & grete imposicions; now thou hast not so moch nede, wherfor lasse it and mynuysshe it, and ease vs of the grete and hard burthen.
- a1500(a1470) Brut-1461(1) (Add 10099)533/29 : Our feith..in thise dayes is sore mynnshed by þe puissaunce of þe Turkes & hethen men.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)67 : He and his wif to be corrupt, and his money to be mynnised.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Par.15.16 : Sche hadde maad a symulacre of a mannys ȝerde in þe mawmete wode þe whiche al he distroȝede & in to gobetis mynuschynge.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)4 Kings 23.15 : Þat heȝe awter he destroȝede & brende & mynuschede [L comminuit] in to powdre.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)2 Par.34.4 : The mawmete wodis & grauen thingus he hewz doun & mynuscht.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.22/7 : The schippe with the rochis schulde be gobettemele be mynusid.
c
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.1386 : Thei caste to make a disiunccioun Atween thes londis..For thyng disseuered is menusid of his strengthe.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)102b/a : If þou se þe wounde to superflue in exsictacioun, þanne minuse þilke medicyne of summe of hise vertues.
1b.
(a) To become less in quantity, number, or power; dwindle; (b) to make omission or subtraction.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)24314 : Lo, þai þoru pride and charge of sin To falle and menuse now bigin.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)399 : Also they bere the golde oute of thys londe..So mynuceth oure commodite.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)759 : So mynusshyth [vrr. munseth; lessethe] partyes of oure puissaunce.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2629 : Ser Darie..Sees his meneȝe so mynesch.
b
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)98b : If ony man mynyschiþ of þe wordis [L diminuerit de verbis].
- (1429) Will Braybroke in Ess.AST 5306 : I wol that what so euer I fulfille..of al that is writen here aboue..as liketh me to adde or menvse.
- (1444) Proc.Privy C.6.318 : Fro þat tyme..noo man shall mowe adde þerto or mynussh.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)3 : If he be moost obedient to God..not presumand to put to his lawe, ne to minys þerfro.
- a1500(a1422) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)28 : To have libertee to adde and minise, chaunge and amende, as hit may him most speede.
2.
(a) To degrade (sb. or the majesty of sb.); belittle; ?also, vanquish (sb.) [quot.: WBible(1) 2 Mac.]; (b) to deprive (sb.) of (sth.); (c) minished fro, ?freed from (sth.); (d) minished in wit, ?mentally depraved.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.4.17 : Þei shul not vnderstonde..why þe lord mynushte [L munierit] or made litil hym.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.11.8 : Whan þei weren mynusht [L minuerentur] in þe ouerleding of þe slayne litle childre, þou ȝeue to þem abunding watir.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.13.19 : He mouede the tentis to Bethsura, that was a stronge hold of Jewis; bot he was dryuen, hurtlid, and menushid [WB(2): menusid].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))John 3.30 : It bihoueth him for to wexe, forsoth me to be menusid [vr. mynusht], or maad lesse.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.53 : Thi baffyng, lye thou never so lowde, may not menuse this seint.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.85 : Thou assentist thi silf in tresoun, menusynge the kyngis majeste, privyng him of his power.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.33.11 : Ryche men nededen & hungreden; forsoþe þe inwardly sechinge þe lord shal not be mynusht [L minuentur] alle goode.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.23.11 : A seruaunt askid besili, fro wannesse or enuye is not mynusht [L non minuitur].
d
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Col.1.21 : Ȝe weren sumtyme yalyened, & y-mynused in wyt in efel werkes, now he haþ reconsyled ȝow in þe body of his flesch þoroȝ deþ.
3.
Surg. To subject (sb.) to bloodletting; bleed (a vein).
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)43a/a : It falleþ þe arme somtyme to be apostemed after fleobotomye wher þat is goode in þe bigynnyng..Auicen counsaileþ..þat he be minushed [Ch.(2): late blood; L minuatur] of þe toþer arme.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)154a/a : Veynez þat beþ mynushed in men bene 33.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)61/10 : When-someuer þe pacient feleþ..ychyng..þan be he minusched.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1467) in Black Leathersellers33 : And by the means of the said occupying of the said Calves-lether, Shepes-lether, and Lambes-lether, in divers places out of this City of London, the prices of the wildewares…minuced so sore, that the bringers thereof…restrained their bringing hither of the same felles.
Note: New spelling
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.20rb (1.4) : Exces in mete & drynk moisteþ þe body & when it is excessif in þe body..þe kynde of þe blode is minussede þerþrough.
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.95rb (3.8) : If 'pinguedo' be o þe reyns, 'pinguedo' it [is] in gode quantite, by cause þat it ȝede noght fer waie wiþ þe vryn, and also for þan is þere no febre mynusshand the fathede.
Note: New spellings (pa. ppl. & pr. ppl.) = minussede & minusshand.