Middle English Dictionary Entry
mōrn n.
Entry Info
Forms | mōrn n. Also morne, moren, -in, -on, -oun, -un & morwen, -when, -win, -woun, morewen, -ewan, -owen, morgen, morȝen, mouroun, (early) morghen, morgan, morhan, moreghen, (in names) morghine-, morȝenes-, moriyenes- & (WM) marne, (early, chiefly WM) marȝen, marhen, maregen, mareȝen, mæreȝen. |
Etymology | OE morgen, infl. morgne, morne & Merc. margen, infl. marne. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. mō̆rwe n.
1.
(a) Morning; dawn, break of day; neue yeres ~; paske ~, Easter morning; sevendai (sonnes) ~, Sunday morning; also fig.; (b) at (bi, in, on) ~, in the morning; bi forth ~, at dawn; in a ~, during a morning; nother bi even ne bi ~, on even ne ~, never; on a ~, on a certain morning; also, on any morning; whiles the ~ to middai, all morning until midday; etc.; (c) even and ~, middai (midnight) and ~, midnight ~ and non, always, ever; that (this) ~, on that (this) morning; the ~ saterdai, on Saturday morning; (d) in the greeting: god ~ [see god adj. 7. (e)].
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)247 : Ðe seuendai morgen sprog [read: sprong], Ðat dai tokenede reste long.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.1.8 : & made is euen & morn [WB(2): morwetid; L mane] þe secounde day.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)453 : I charge þe to fotte Such a dunt as þou hatz dalt..To be ȝederly ȝolden on nwȝeres morn.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1555 : The morwen com, and neighen gan the tyme Of meeltide..an houre after the prime.
- a1425 Hayle bote (Wht)187 : Ihesu..rose froo deeth on sonnes morne.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.223 : Even and morewen was maad o day.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.BV(2) (Hnt HM 744)46 : For as an heuenely morwen, thy bountee Eternel day hath gote vs, lady free.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9141 : Hit semyt by sight of sitters aboute, As the moron mylde meltid aboue, When ho hasted with hond þe hore for to touche.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)306 : My soule may sitte þer in sorow and sike ful colde Dynly in þat derke dethe þer dawes never morowen.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)278/666 : That lord that thus wold dee, And rose on pasche morne.
- a1500 PParv.(KC 8)344 : Morwyn [Hrl 221: Mornynge, or morwenynge: Mane, aurora, diluculum].
b
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)28/460 : Me þeo þe best luuieð ham to beoreð ofte þrin, þah ha na semblant ne makien ine marhen.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)721 : Maxence, ine marhen..bed bringen biforen him þeos modi moteres, & te meiden wið ham.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)15/8 : Euchan segge hire ures as ha haueð iwriten ham..Prime in winter earliche, I Sumer bi forð marhen [Nero: deies; Cleo: mareȝen].
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)220/202 : On goodman was þat ferst uut yede bi þe Moreghen for to here werkmen in to his winyarde.
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)220/215 : And so hi seghen þo þet bi þe Morghen waren icomen, þet hi þet waren last i cume Hedden here euerich ane peny.
- c1350 Of alle þe witti (Add 45896)24 : I momele on myn matyns..from erly on marne to myddey, an mare.
- c1390 ?Hilton Qui Habitat (Vrn)54/6 : For to schewen þi merci at morwen & þi soþfastnesse be þe niht.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)177 : Þei dede hire in a dungon..whiles þe Morwen to Middai.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6385 : Þis mete..Þai cald it, in þair langage, manna; It come at morn and euening.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)29.6 : At euen wepinge dwelle sal, And at morwhen [vr. moryhen; L matutinum] fainnes al.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)493 : Myryly on a fayr morn..Ledez loȝen in þat lome.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)995 : On þe morne..Þat dryȝtyn for oure destyne to deȝe watz borne, Wele waxez in vche a won in worlde for his sake.
- (1413) Will in Bdf.HRS 218 : Þe tapers..brenne to fore þe sepulcre from good freiday in to Esterday by þe morowen.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2668 : Þarfor at morne, when þou sese lyght, Thynk als þou sal dygh ar nyght.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)26/17 : And so þat gas vt of þe wuke, and so þat cumis in, sal recaiue þe benichun at morne at matins.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)37/27 : Þou wakest at morn meche þe merier.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)109/18 : For summe of hem worschipe the sonne, summe the mone..or the firste þing þat þei meeten at morwen [Man.(2): at morne; F la matyne].
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)27/18 : Þay faught to-geder all þe daye fra þe morne till þe euen.
- a1450(c1409) Man haue hit (Dgb 102)10 : To þy bed whan þou shalt go, Þenk what þou hast don sen morn.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)593 : We sal not swer on euyn ne morn, For fardnes for to be for-sworn.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)135/7 : Ete it erly in þe morwyn and it schall kepe þe þat þou schalt noȝt be drounkyn þat day.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6065 : Ector..erly at Morne, When the sun vp soght with his softe beames..purpost his pepull..to fare to the fight.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4769 : Fra morewane to þe mydday merely þai spring.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)12745 : Fell on a morn þe prophett man luked furth, and..fand wele mo men þen we nowmer can.
- c1450 Chaucer TC (Hrl 2280)3.389 : Myghte I now for þe A thousand tymes on [Mrg: In] a morwen sterue.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)1543 : That daie fro morne til mydouernone He renneth as othir watris done.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)57b/a : Þou schalt..visite þi curis at morne & at euene.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)152b/b : A man schal and may ete twies so myche at morn as at euen.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)81/17 : Alexander, no tyme be it noyous to þe, at morwyn fastyng, to take a soupyng of venegre.
- a1500 Awntyrs Arth.(Dc 324)474 : In þe daying of þe day, þe doughti..herdene matens and masse erly one morne [IrBl: morun].
- a1500 Rule Serve Ld.(Add 37969)11/8 : The marshall..ought to..se..þat none houndes be abydyng in þe halle from morne to evyn.
- c1500(?c1450) Wedding Gawain (Rwl C.86)151 : I am nott that man that wold you dishonour, Nother by euyn ne by moron.
c
- c1440 Treat.Prayer (Thrn)297 : Þay þat walde fayne lufe godd..thayme by-houede hertly beseke and besely pray..nyghte and day, euyne and morne, midill-tyme and all tyme.
- (1447) Shillingford11 : The morun Saterday y came to Westminster to kepe my day.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2676 : Nyth and day, mydnyth and morn, In Penyman is al hys trust.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)178/14 : All þat hath ben sithen borne Has comen to me, mydday and morne.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)11724 : He sall neuer say ne do bot yll both euyn and morn.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)14698 : And he þat rewls hym ryȝt, mydnyȝt, morn, and noyne, he has dole day and nyȝt.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)14922 : And fylled with fayndyngs sall he be and with myschefes mydday and morn.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)50/212 : He wyll þe blysse both evyn and morn.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)58/16 : Aungell At þe chyldys byrth joye xal make þat morn.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)150/124 : God is born þis mery morn.
2.
(a) The morrow; the next morning; the next day; at ~, a the ~, o (the) ~, on (the) ~, on the other (tother) ~, thas on ~, on the next morning, on the next day; (b) in (the) ~, on the next morning; in the ~ of, on the day after (the feast of St. Matthew); into the ~, until tomorrow; about tomorrow; on that other ~, on the second morning; on ~ after, on the ~ (next) after, on the morning after, on the day after; til (on the) ~, until the next morning; upon (the) ~, on the next morning; upon the thridde ~, on the third day following; (c) the ~, other ~, the next morning; the next day; the ~ next after, on the day following (a specified saint's day); the thridde ~, on the third morning.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1117 : Ane niht þær inne wunedon, & on morgen butan gefeohte ongean ferden.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)43/6 : Eftsona [nim] endlufun leaf of bulȝaȝine, ofȝeot hy ane niht mid wyne, þanne on morȝen nim þa leaf and cnuca hy on treowenum fæte.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)28/4 : Ða comen ðæs on mareȝen his men him toȝeanes.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)2/10 : On mareȝen þa he þeonon aras, þa wundrede he hwæt þare ȝyrdæ tacnunge were.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)18/26 : He þa nihtlangne first ðær wunede ant on morȝen ðanon wende to iordanen.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)22/1 : On mæreȝen þa heo eft ðærto comen & ða gyrden nimen wolden þa ne mihte heom nan mon of ðam stude awæcgan.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)79 : An helendis Mon..A þe marȝen bitahte him twa peneȝes to spenen on him.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)605 : Com a sonde & seide hire þet ha schulde cumen forð to fehten in þe marhen, ane aȝein fifti.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)40/26 : Ine marhen sende hise men Olibrius þe luðere to bringen hire biuoren him.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)65/25 : Efter alle þe schendfule pinen þet he þolede oþe longe friniht, me leadde him ine marhen [Cai: in erne maregen] to hongin o wearitreo.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)166/19 : Schrift schal beon on hihðe imaket: ȝef sunne timeð bi niht, anan oðer ine marhen [Cleo: in Mareȝen].
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)811 : On þe morwen, hwan it was day, He stirt up sone.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1093 : On morgen quan day cam hem to, Loth and his dogtres two Ledden ðis angeles ut in sel.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1417 : Sone o morwen he gan him garen..and wolde hom faren.
- c1330(c1250) Floris (Auch)560 : On þe morewen þat þider com Florice, Hit fel to Blauncheflour and to Clarice.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)426 : At morn [vrr. Amorewe, Amoreȝe], when it was daylyȝt, He dide him into þe wylde flood.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9124 : He toke hys doghtyr arme forlorn, And byryed hyt on þe morn.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3345 : On morn, wit godds beniscon, Was mai rebecca lede o ton.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)89/1105 : In troy þey rest hem a nyȝt; On þe morn þey wente to fyȝt.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)16824 : Þe iewes, for þe mychel feest þat on þe morn shulde be, Seiden no bodi shulde be laft hongynge on no tre.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.49 : Þe kyng one on þe morn [F al matyn] went to London.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.404 : I haue made vowes fourty, and for-ȝete hem on þe morne [vr. morwen].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1001 : Abraham ful erly watz up on þe morne.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1670 : Þe knyȝt craued leue to kayre on þe morn.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1455 : Bot othemorwyn hit was alle-hole to-gedur y-go þoro goddus grace.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1711 : At morwen [vrr. At morwe; On morwe; one þe morne] he com to hym.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2611 : Mett þai on þe oþire [Dub: þe toþer] morne.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)489/17 : And þen on þe morowen at after None, the Quene come from the Toure.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7104 : Þai war on morne to durham boun.
- (1461) RParl.5.476a : And on the morne, the xvth day of Decembre, my Lord Chaunceller remembred unto the Lordes..howe yesterday they had herde what was opened..by the seid Sergeauntz.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)83a/a : Or ellis take a kirnel of a note and staumpe it and leye it on þe wounde al anyȝt and on þe morn ȝeue þat same kirnel to an henne for to eten and if sche ete þerof sche schal dien.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)243 : Moryn: cras, in crastino.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)953 : Erly on þe mowroun Þe lady louȝh hyr to scorn.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)1353 : Sir Degriuaunt, on þe morwoun, Come aȝe to þe þorun.
- a1500 God made (Dgb 88)4 : The iij day then was Caym borne: Begynne not on that day tille on þe morne.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1100 : And þær æfter, on morgen æfter hlam mæsse dæge, wearð se cyng Willelm on huntnoðe fram his anan men mid anre fla of sceoten.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.16.19 : No man leue þerof in to þe morn [Corp-O: vnto the morwen; WB(2): til to the morewtid; L in mane].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.27.1 : Ne glorie þou in to þe morewen vnknowynge what þe day to ouercomen brynge forþ.
- c1390 In a Pistel (Vrn)20 : Þou nost neuer, ȝif þou byde til morn, Hou lihtly þou maiȝt be forlorn.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1414 : Adam..Was ded apon þe thrid morn.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1024 : Þer wer gestes to go vpon þe gray morne.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)106b/a : On þe mornynge he drowe blode..and þen on þe toþer morne he ȝaf him þe laxatiue.
- (1429) RParl.4.337b : Your present Parlement beyng holden..on the morne next after the Fest of Seint Mathewe the Apostell, the yere of your regne the viiie.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)825 : He..rydes forthe all þe nyghte..Till on þe morne, at forthe dayes, He mett a wyche.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)42.39 : Vppon the Morwen, whanne it was day lyht, vp Ros thanne this Nasciens.
- a1450 Lond.Chron.Hrl.3775 (Hrl 3775)293 : On the morn after at nyȝth the kyng and his lordes toke the feld.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)183 : Uppon morwen, tho it was day, The childe awakid.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)245/19 : Opon þe morn þis mynstrall was ill plesid.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)176/8 : In-to witnes of þys thynge, þey put to thys wrytynge her selis The date at Godestowe in þe morne of seynt Mathie apostle, þe yer of our lorde a thousande to hundred iiij score & iiij.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)110 : The kyng sende hem worde yf that they wolde delivery the towne on the morne aftyr, by the oure of mydnyght a bove sayd..he wolde accepte hyt.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)112 : And in that same yere, onne the morne aftyr Syn Symonnys day and Jude..come tydyngys to London of the batayle.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)46/1 : Þane morȝen [Vices & V.(2): omorwe] huanne he zet ate gemene, his arowe vil ope þet cheker al blody.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11532 : Þe morun quen þai risen ware..Þai tok þair leue.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24258 : Bot þof i dei nu on þis wise, I sal þe thrid morun vprise.
- (1429) RParl.4.337b : Your present Parlement beyng holden..the morne nexte after the Fest of Seint Mathewe the Appostell, the yeer of your regne the viiie.
- (1442) RParl.5.62a : At youre Parlement holden at Westminster the morne next after the Fest of Seint Martyn in Wynter, the xviiie yere of youre full noble reigne, amonges othir thinges hit was ordeigned.
- (1461) RParl.5.476b : And the morne, the xvi day of Decembre, my Lord Chaunceller opened..the matiers aboveseid.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)258 : Odyr morne: perendie, quaci perempta vna die.
3.
Cpds. and combs. (a) ~ drinke, a morning drink; ~ light, morning light; ~ milk, freshly drawn milk; ~ prest, the priest celebrating early Mass; ~ slep, morning sleep; ~ sterre, the planet Venus when appearing before sunrise; (b) ~ whil, morning; the early morning, the hours of the night after midnight; in the (a) ~ whil, in the morning; in the early morning; on other daies ~ whil, on the morning of the next day; the ~ dai, on the next day; (c) ~ speche, a regular meeting of a guild, esp. one held on either the morning of or the morning after the guild feast; ~ yifte, a nuptial gift, a gift presented by the husband to the wife on the morning after the consummation of the marriage; the marriage portion.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17946 : & þu to þere mid-nihte, wepne þine cnihtes, þat we i þan morȝen-liht mæȝen come forð riht.
- a1250(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Mdst A.13)101/260 : His morȝen-slep scal ben mucheles þe wersse, hwo-so on euen iuele haueþ i-drunken.
- a1350 Most i ryden (Hrl 2253)77 : Heo haþ..eyþer side soft ase sylk, whittore þen þe moren-mylk, wiþ leofly lit on lere.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.358 : An anlaas and a gipser, al of silk, Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne [vrr. morowyn, morowen, morwyn; morowe] mylk.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3236 : A ceynt she wered barred al of silk, A barmcloth as whit as morne mylk.
- a1425 Body & S.(5) (Add 37787)228 : When I bad þe erly to ryse..Þu seydest þu myȝtyst in no wyse, ffor þe mery morne-slepe.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)381 : He saw þe bare com fra the see: His morne-drynke hade he tane.
- (1466) Rec.St.Stephen in Archaeol.5044 : Item: j nothir Riddyll be hynde the morne preste in the quere.
- a1500 PParv.(KC 8)344 : Morwynstere [Hrl 221: Morow sterre: Lucifer].
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3275 : In a morgen-quile Ðe se luked..And on and on, swiðe litel stund, Egypcienes fellen to ðe grunð.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3443 : On oðer daiges morgen-quile, God tauned moysi quat he wile.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)5993 : Moises prayed þe morne day [Trin-C: toþer day; Vsp: moru dai], & alle þe fleys ware away.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2001 : Þise lordly knyghttez, Sall lenge on his lefte hande, wyth legyones ynewe, To meue in þe morne-while, ȝif þe myste happynne.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3223 : Aftyre mydnyghte all his mode changede; He mett in the morne-while full meruaylous dremes!
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2771 : Þan was a man, as me mynes, in þe morne-qwile [Dub: morne-while]..Þat certified his souerane þir saȝes in a pistill.
c
- c1120(OE) Leges Hen.I in Liebermann Gesetze 1557 : Et si infra unius anni spacium capiat maritum, perdat morgangifam [vr. morhan-] suam et omnem peccuniam quam ex priori marito habebat.
- c1120(OE) Leges Hen.I in Liebermann Gesetze 1590 : Si sponsa uirum suum superuixerit..habeat et morgangifam.
- a1250 Ancr.(Tit D.18)22/5 : Þis is nu þat an marhen ȝiue þat i seide ancres schulden haue biforen oðre.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1428 : Siðen men hauen holden skil First to freinen ðe wimmanes wil, Or or men hire to louerd giue For wedding or for morgen-giwe.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.59 : Ye skeueyns..schal fynde borowes of ye catel, to bryng hit before ye Alderman and ye gilde breyeren and systers atte ye general mornspeche.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.69 : If anny broyer or sister be somonde to anny of yis mornspheches, and yei be in toune and wil noght come..he schal pay..di. pounde of wax.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.100 : And yis gilde schal haue foure mornspeches be ye ȝeere: Þe first schal ben after ye drynkynge; þe secunde schal ben vp-on ye seynt Jhon day in heruyst.
- (1470) Doc.in HMC Rep.9 App.1295a : The Alderman and his Bretheren shall yerly have a mornspeche on the Fryday next before Trinite Sunday by vii of Clocke on the fore none in the Gylde Halle, when the Balyfe of lands shall yeld his accounts.
4.
?As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1292) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.440 : Hugh le Morne.
- (1292) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.440 : John, son of William Morne.