Middle English Dictionary Entry
molesten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | molesten v. P.ppl. molested & molest. |
| Etymology | OF molester & L molestāre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
To molest (sb.); harass, torment; harm, injure.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.749 : It was no þing in her entencioun..For to moleste or greuen ony wyȝt.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.880 : But how this cas dooth Troilus moleste, That may non erthely mannes tonge seye; For verray wo his wit is al aweye.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5274 : And if he do not his requeste, He shal as mochel hym moleste As his felow.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)50a/a : Ȝif he touched þe visibel spirites wiþ outen mene of þe humor cristalline, he schulde molesten him to hugelye.
- (1433) RParl.4.472a : The Kyng wille..that he nor his heirs..be not empesched, molested, nor greved by the Kyng nor his heirs.
- (1435) RParl.4.489b : So that he..be not empesched, arested, molest, or greved in his persone or in his godes in tyme to come.
- ?a1500 Job (Hnt HM 140)83 : God..Power of the body hym gafe..But the soule not to moleste.