Middle English Dictionary Entry
miserī(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | miserī(e n. Also misẹ̄re, miserẹ̄ & mesuri. |
| Etymology | OF misere, miseri(e, miseire. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Misery, unhappiness, suffering; an instance of suffering or affliction, a misfortune; to thi ~, in bondage to thee; (b) low estate, poverty, privation.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1916 : Sche..In gret miserie and aduersite An ende made.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2277 : And ȝonge maydenes in captiuite Be-wepen schal, in myserie and in wo, Her seruytute.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)48/5 : Þe myseri [vr. mysterie] of þe world and þe foule infirmyte of holy chirche.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)96/4,5 : I haue toold þee of þe dignyte of riȝtful men, þat þou myȝtist..knowe þe myserie of hem þat ben dampnyd. Þis is anoþir peyne to her myseryes for to biholde so myche blis of riȝtful men.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)400/3 : The þridde chapitil is of þe peruersyte, myseries, & laboris of hem whiche ben not obedient.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3551 : Now muses þou to þi miserie my maieste to bowe.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)5.1751 : Som men wene that deth-fal were myserye.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)51/1488 : Moche tyme..Doth she me spende in payne and mysere, And doth me dwelle in this aduersite.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)73/7 : Three kyngdomys shall be brought into grete poverte, miseri, and wrecchednesse.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)43/15 : Thay shold..Shew hym the mesury [vr. wrechednesse] that thay Sufferid for his Sake.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)13/23 : Þan he morniþ, þan he wailiþ, & þan he praieþ for þe miseries [L miseriis] þat he suffriþ.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)9/31 : I was so fer fallen in-to miserye and wrecched hid caytifnesse.
b
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3196 : Now artow Sathanas, that mayst nat twynne Out of miserie in which thou art falle.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3167 : Tragedie is to seyn a certeyn storie..Of hym that stood in greet prosperitee And is yfallen out of heigh degree In to myserie, and endeth wrecchedly.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.272 : O Troilus, what may men now the calle But wrecche of wrecches, Out of honour falle Into miserie.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)43.450 : Kyng Of kynges..so longe abod..here In povert and In gret Misere.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1774 : For mestire & miserie [Dub: michefe] vnneth may þou forthe Þine awen caitefe cors to clethe & to fede.
- (1455) RParl.5.339a : Many..Creditours..ben gretly empovred, and some by misery therof imprisoned and utterly destroied.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)125 : For yff a kyng did not so..he lyved then not like his estate, but rather in miserie and in more subgeccion than doth a priuate person.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.145 : Grete miserie haue they þat no goode canne.
- a1500 GRom.(Add 9066)77 : I shall..shew to hym my grete myserye, that I may have of hym some clothes.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)38/16 : For thy moebles and thyn estate arn voyded, thou thinkest [thee] fallen in suche miserie that gladnesse of thy pursute wol nat on thee discende.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1475 VPhilibert (Brog 2.1)p.15 : By the body the spret stod and weppyd And..the body dyde repreve.."Who hath the put into this gret mysyré? Thy sollen festus be changyt into serré."
Note: New spelling: Also..misirẹ̄.
Note: Belongs to sense (a).--notes per MLL