Middle English Dictionary Entry
misdọ̄n v.
Entry Info
Forms | misdọ̄n v. Also misdo, missedo, misdoe, misdoi. Forms: sg. 2 misdẹ̄st; sg. 3 misdọ̄th, -dọ̄ith & misdẹ̄th; p. misdid(e & (S & W) misdude & misdẹ̄d(e, -deode; ppl. misdọ̄(n, -doun, -idọ̄, -hidọ̄n. |
Etymology | OE misdọ̄n. For OE dọ̄n, the general OE preterite was dyde, but dēde was frequent in A & K. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To do wrong or evil, sin, transgress; commit fornication or adultery [quots.: Mannyng HS, Gen.& Ex. 1890, Sidrak & B. 8888]; (b) to make a mistake, err; fail to perform well, do a job badly; ?do harm, give the wrong treatment [last quot.]; (c) ~ to (toward), to behave badly towards (sb.), do harm to (sb.), injure; ~ ayen (ayenes, yenes, to, with), commit an offense against (God, man, a law, etc.), trespass or sin against.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6146 : Ȝiff þe preost missdoþ, het shall Wiþþ Cristess hellpe betenn.
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)191 : He secheð forte þat he open fint..at te muð ȝif hit open beoð to spekende mis..oðer on drinke to mis don.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)192 : Þet ure eldre misduden [vrr. misdude, misdede, misdeden], we habbeð uuele on honde.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)206 : We þe swa muchel & swa ofte mis doð [vr. agulteþ], we muȝen eðe us adrede.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)127/5,6 : Þeih he michel mis-do, nis..na mare sori, þanne ȝif he nadde naht mis-don.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)143/5 : Ða þe misdoð [L Peccantes] beon eawunȝa ȝeþreade beforan ealre ȝeferreddenne.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1201 : He..for mon þe misdude, þolede dom & deide.
- a1250 Mon may longe (Mdst A.13)25 : Do bi salomones rede..and..þu selth wel do; Do al so he tothte..Ne seltu neuere mis-do.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)447 : Ȝif a clerk hath ane Man a-slawe..And..mouwe þanne desordeined beo..heo wollez þanne mis-don al day.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)337 : And leue sho mo him y-se..hangen..Þat hire haued in sorwe brouth, So as sho ne misdede nouth!
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2798 : Leuedi..we hauen misdo mikel, Þat we ayen you haue be fikel.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1890 : Ruben misdede wid bala ðer.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3555 : He hauen sineged and misdon, Let me taken wreche ðer-on.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of godde (Hrl 913)128 : Þe fire sal berne Vp sinful man þat haþ misdo.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.72 : Þe vndoyng is þe suffraunce þat oure lorde suffreþ hem mysdone [F mal fere] in þat tyme.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.3.39 : He smyteth..men cummynge to mysdo [L venientes ad malefaciendum].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.85 : Penitence is the waymentynge of man that..pyneth hym self for he hath mysdoon.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)112b/b : He makþ a man brown and foule, mysdoynge [L iniqua opærantem], slowh.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)7931 : Ȝyf she wulde algate mysdo, A knaue myȝt best beseme here to, Þan hyt were to take a prest.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.129 : Clerkes often tide misdo blithely For..pride.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)3.112 : She makiþ men mysdo [vrr. mysse do, misdoy; done amysse] manye score tymes.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)312 : Ful sore [Christ] wil smyte..Bot men mende hem þat mys-doth.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)6/12 : Blame þat mis-do..do þam liue riht; chasti þaim fra iuil wne.
- a1425 God þat madist al (Wht)8 : Þe world, oure flesch, þe feend oure fo, Makiþ us mys-þinke, mys-speke, mys-do.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)46 : Concyens..And..Confescyon..mevyn Man to mendement þat he mysdyd before.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)42/37 : Aftir þat þou hast mysdon, þou knowest þi gilt, þou birewest it, þou preyest God þat he þee forȝyue.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)362 : To avenge þe wraþ of god in-to hym þat misdoiþ, and to supporte and mayntene hym þat wel doþe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)973/8 : That I have myssedo, have mercy uppon my soule.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.188 : This makyth men mysdo..and stryue aȝeyn vertu.
- c1475(a1400) Brut-1333 (Dc 323)2.31 : Dioclician..herde so many pleyntes of his doughters..& þought boþe nyght & day how he..myghte amende hit þat þey so mysdede.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5738 : Euery man haþ an aungel..To kepe him þat he not mysdo.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)8888 : Wicked demyng falleþ in þi þoght..Þanne teneþ hir þat þou farest so, Sith þou woost hir not mysdo.
- a1500 St.Brendan Conf.(Lamb 541)18/323 : Wiþ myn hondis I haue..ful myche mys-doon, for I haue handlid and touchid þat I schulde not.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)144/26 : Me shold..chasty ham that mysdeden [Rwl: did amys].
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3949 : Madame, ȝe misdon..þat arn..a quen..to..a simpul sowdiour..forto knele.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.139 : Yf the plough mys do [L praetermissa], the spade amende.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)9 : Now keep the that thou mistake the not to meward ne misdoo nouht [Lydg.: that thow not offende; F ne n'i entreprengnes].
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Lamb 633)195/30 : On lech..myȝt the priuely don the harm..But manny lechis togedir wold not consent so lighteli to mys-don, ffor euery of tham shall dout othir.
c
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1135 : Durste nan man mis don wið oðer on his time.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)63/21 : He..wepð and woneð..ðat he scolde swa michel habben misdon aȝean his sceppend.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6971 : Moder..ich abbe misdo [vr. mys ydo] aȝen god & þe.
- a1350 Iesu suete is (Hrl 2253)106 : Iesu..ych habbe misdon aȝeynes þe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 26.21 : I haue synned; turne aȝeen my sone dauyd, no more forsoþe I schal mys-do [WB(2): do yuel; L malefaciam] to þee.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.3443 : Withoute cause to misdo Toward himself and othre also.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)781 : He takyþ more to wraþþe þat synne, Þan þou mysdedyst [F trespassa] aȝens hym with worde or dede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7914 : Ga to dauid king and sai He has misdon again mi lai.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21815 : Iudas, quat has þou don? Gains me þou has mis-don.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)43/8 : Yif he haue mysdon to the fader, lete him be-ware of the son whan he cometh to age.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)52/9 : In him to whom thou hast to myche mysdoon, The which may not venge him the vppon, Trust not him.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)4/10 : Forȝyue vs oure trespases..as we forȝyuen hem þat haue mysdon to vs.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)10/21 : If þou nouȝt hem forȝyue þat haue mysdon aȝens þee.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)11620 : Þe stewerd toke me..A man þat had mysdone to þe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)997/9 : If they mysseded ayenst God, the vengeaunce ys nat owris.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)98/25 : Who may repreve Ihesu Criste, that He had mysdone ayeinst the lawe of nature?
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)513 : Aȝeinst oure grete god he haþ mysdon..þorgh his treson.
- a1500 St.Brendan Conf.(Lamb 541)13/208 : I haue mys-do to oþere men oþerwise þan I wolde þei hadden do to me.
- 1532(?a1400) RRose (Thynne)3671 : Agayn her [Chastyte] dar I nat mysdo [F mesprendre].
2.
To do (sth.) wrongfully, sinfully, or unjustly; commit (misdeeds).
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)15154 : Off all þatt teȝȝ missdidenn..Wiþþ bodiȝ & wiþþ sawle.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)99 : Al þet we misduden her ho hit wulleð kuðe þere.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)125/31 : Bute ðu neme riht of ðe seluen of ðe misdades ðe ðu mis-dest..godes wraððe cumþ uppen ðe.
- a1300 Hayl mari hic (Dgb 2)8 : Dred ham hi wen hi þenke þat hi sal bi þat hi haf mis hi-don.
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)292 : Jesus..fur ȝiuez is wrathþing To heom þat mis doth ani þing.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4142 : Migten he finden ðe stede Quor engel-wird his liche dede, fele sulden him leuen on And leten god; ðat were mis-don.
- a1325 SLeg.Longinus (Corp-C 145)40 : Sein Longius, mercy ȝerne he bad of þat he hadde misdo.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10077 : Erl Ion..bisouȝte is grace of þat he adde misdo.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2385 : Godd it thee foryive if thou have eny thing misdo Touchende of this.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.227 : That I misdede, yowthe it made.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5107 : Þat we haue misdon [Göt: done miss] we will knau. For-giue it vs, lauerd.
- a1400(?a1325) Bonav.Medit.(1) (Hrl 1701)462 : What haþ he mysdo to dey þus?
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.74 : Ȝif þat eny þynge ys mysdoun [F trespas iad fet], by commune assent þat hit be a-mended.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)4.90 : And so amende þat is mysdo, and euermore þe bettere.
- c1440 Fadur and sone (Thrn)6 : I praye þe, Lorde..To forgyffe þat I hafe mysdone.
- a1450 SLeg.Suppl.Bod.(Bod 779)420/80 : Hem he ȝaf þe two & kepte..þe þridde, & þat was mys I-do.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3568 : To byde þe ward & Iugement of þat he had mys-do.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)124b : Þai are kissed & frendes; al is forgifen þat was misdone.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)94 : Þat I..haue mend þe þingis þat I haue misdon, oþer be vnkunning, or infirmite, or be maleyce.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)7428 : Y am purposed..In goddis seruyse..To acquite some-what that y haue mysdoo.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)130/30 : All þat is mysdon all þe ȝere befor.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)500 : The beste knyghtes of the worlde obbey hem to yow and offre to a-mende all that is mysdon [F tous mesfais].
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)4040 : Sir Beues, yf ought be mysdone, Hit shall be mendid in parlament.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)9/8 : Robert Steues-Sonne..many yll tvrnys hadd y-done vp-on the Princes men, when thay eny thyng mysdedyn.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)4233 : If she haue oghte mysdone, She..shameþ of hire misdede.
3.
(a) To do wrong or harm to (sb.); behave badly towards (sb.); treat (sb.) unjustly; do (sth.) wrong or harmful to (sb.); commit (an offense) against (God, sb.); also, weaken or damage (Holy Church); (b) to sin against (God, Christ), offend; (c) to do physical hurt or injury to (sb.), injure; handle (sb.) roughly, maltreat; damage (sth.); ?also, destroy (sth.); [sometimes difficult to distinguish from 3. (a), to which some quots. here may belong].
Associated quotations
a
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)65/183 : Ȝif eni mon mis-deð us oht, we wulleð him habben to deðe ibroht.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)66/27,3 : Þe hali mon..custe..þe..hond þe hefde him ihearmet..Ant tu segge alswa bi hond þe misdeð þe, & bi þe muð..þe..misseið þe. Iblescet beo þi muð, sei..Ȝef ei mon oðer wummon misseide oðer misdude ow..swa ȝe schulden seggen.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1489 : Hit is unriȝt..mis don one gode manne, An his ibedde from him spanne.
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)216/63 : Þe amonestement of þo dieule þet ha ne may us mis do.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)22456 : Ich þe wolle loke to, þat no king ne sal þe mis-do [Clg: woh don].
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1004 : For-ȝif us þat ȝe on us berez; we nellez þe mis-don [Hrl: misdo] non-more.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)992 : Þey a man him misdede ofte, Neuere more he him misdede, Ne hond on him with yuele leyde.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)159 : Loke þat ȝe euere fforȝiue..Of wraþþe toward eny man þat ȝow haþ mysdo.
- a1325 SLeg.Becket (Corp-C 145)631/634 : For him þoȝte al Holy Churche he misdude in þulke stude.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8835 : Ȝif enie of is men misdude [B vr.: mysdeden] þe pouere..vengance he nom stronge.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)535 : Ȝif þi neiheboure misdoþ þe..in dede, or in vbbreid, Or wid word.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)69/17 : Huet wyle god me do? Huet habe ich him misdo [Vices & V.(2): do aȝens hym]?
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)114/23 : Uor to yeue uorbisne uor to uoryeue to ham þet þe habbeþ misdo.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2581 : Late man neuer haue miȝt him to misdone.
- c1390 SLeg.Dunstan (Vrn)153 : He..for-ȝaf hem heore trespas þat heo him hedden misdo.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)4.86 : Pees..preyede to þe king To haue mercy on þat man þat mysdede [vrr. mysdeode, misdude; C: greuede] hym ofte.
- c1440 Treat.PN(2) (Thrn)263 : Vs behuffes forgyffe þaym þat hase mysdone vs.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)47/16 : Ȝif I me wraþþe for anyþing þat men seyn or don to me, he þat me mysdoþ is nouȝt enchesoun of myn angre but myself.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1726 : A Cristene kyng, þat neuere mysdede [vr. mysdide] þe no þyng.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)241/23 : Shall none myssedo you, madam, that to me longis.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)10333 : Wise men..bereþ hem faire and softe, Þei no man misseie ne misdo.
- a1500 And a woman (RwlPoet 34)68 : Nay, clerk, for thi curtesy, Mys-doe thow me ryght noght.
b
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)281/131 : Moder..Ne sixtþou hou men me mis-doth, þat I-ne mai hit þolie more?
- a1350(?c1280) SLeg.Concep.Virg.(Ashm 43)257 : I nele noȝt god misdo, wenne it mot be so nede.
c
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)43/8 : Seie hwo haueð misdon þe, hwo haueð ihurt te.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2642 : His corune..Ðe child..warp dun to de grund..Ðis crune is broken, ðis is misdon.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3142 : Þai..þouȝt wiþ gret deshonour For to misdo sir Arthour.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.111 : Þe chirche of þe Holy Sepulcre. Mysbyleued men mysdede neuere þat chirche [Higd.(2): whiche hathe not suffrede iniury; L quae nunquam..tulit injuriam].
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5325 : Þe kyng onon dude crye Þat non mysdone hem ne sholde.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.97 : Cursed caytyue, kniȝthod was it neuere To mysdo a ded body.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)126 : Misdoo no messangere for menske of þi seluyn Sen we are in thy mannrede.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5088 : I wold..my-seluyn suffer..Or any messanger were mysdon, or marrit with hond Within my courtte.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)128/11 : He..prayd hir..to open hym the dore and swore..that he wold not mysdoo hir.
- ?c1450 Brut-1419 (Hrl 24)12 : The walles were so stronge that noo man myght hem mysdoo [Brut-1436: do hem no harme].
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)185/17 : Crowned kynge, myssedo no messyngers!