Middle English Dictionary Entry
misshāpen ppl.
Entry Info
| Forms | misshāpen ppl. Also misse-, misshap(e, mischap(e(n, mishap, misshapend & mischapped. |
| Etymology | From shāpen & shāped, p.ppl. of shāpen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Transformed; ben misshapen, be altered from (one's) normal shape, be transformed into a beast; (b) crippled, deformed; monstrous; ~ man, a crippled or deformed man; (c) of unusual shape; badly made; (d) immoral, sinful; ben misshapen, to be degraded or perverted (by sin).
Associated quotations
a
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)361/27 : Allas!..a yong man luffis me, & I hafe dispysid hym, and I am aferd þat I sall oght be mysshapend.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)722 : 'I am but a daie in the yere A woman'..And tolde hym..For þat sho myschapen wasse.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)679 : He..is no duerf by nature, but thus hath a damesell hym myschapen [F latourna].
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)694 : Ye shall fynde the damesell that so hath yow mysshapen [F fet] in the foreste.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)8076 : Sagh men neuer..sa misshapen creatures.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)7.95 : Þere is moo mysshape [vrr. myshap, myschappid] peple [A vr.: myschapmen] amonge þise beggeres, Þan of alle maner men þat on þis molde walketh.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)109/16 : Fendez..gatt on þam geauntz..and many oþer disfigured and misschapen men.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)384/31 : Kepe the membres þat þai be noght made mysshapen [*Ch.(1): defourmed].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)339 : Myschape thynge yn kynde: Monstruosus, monstrum.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5482 : Þere auntrid hom oft..mony meruell to mete, & mysshapon bestes.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7758 : There met hym þis Mawhown þat was so mysshap.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)159 : These poetes feyne þat þer were thre monstres, þat is to sey, men or women mis schapin, for þai thre had but o hed.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)126 : It needeth nouht that..thi mis shapen [F contrefait] visage, hidous and derk and foul, thou shewe him.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)688 : It was grete harme of the duerf that was so mysshapen, for he is bolde and hardy.
c
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.70 : Ȝour misse shapen shelde bihynde at ȝour shulderes blowith ȝour ypocrisie and blyndith many foles.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)203 : They toke ane olde rede mantill, foule & myschapene, & cloþed hym þerwith.
d
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1355 : In þe clernes of his concubines..Al watz þe mynde of þat man on misschapen þinges, Til þe Lorde of þe lyfte liste hit abate.
- 1530(c1450) Mirror Our Lady (Fawkes)98 : Oure..soulle..ys made to hys lykenesse, but yt was defoyled and darkyd and mysshape by synne.