Middle English Dictionary Entry

mō̆rtheren v.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms mō̆rtheren v. Also morther(e, morthre, morthri, murther(e(n, murthre(n, murthrie, mourthre, mirthren, mirther & morderen, mordre(n, morder, murder, murdre, moerdre. Forms: sg.3 morthereth, etc. & (error) morþrerþ; p. mortherde, etc. & mortheret, murthert, mirtherret, (error) murþerhed; ppl. morthered, etc. & i)morthred, i)murthred, murtheret, imurthret, i)mordred, i)murdred, (error) motheryd.
Etymology OE āmyrþrian, for-, of- & OF mordrir, murdrir & ML murthurāre. Forms also influenced by morther n.(1).

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) To kill (sb.) deliberately; murder (sb.), assassinate; put (sb.) to death unjustly; ~ for ever, ~ to deth, kill (sb.) utterly; (b) refl. to commit suicide; torment oneself to death [quot.: (?c1421)]; (c) to slaughter (people), massacre, kill wantonly or cruelly; (d) fig. to destroy (the soul); squander (one's possessions); torment (sb.) by love or grief to the point of death.
Show 62 Quotations
2.
(a) To kill (sb.); (b) to slaughter (men) in battle; ~ to deth, kill (sb.) completely or decisively; (c) to starve (sb.) to death.
Show 7 Quotations

©2024 Regents of the University of Michigan. For details about this collection's copyright see the MEC copyright statement and the U-M Library Copyright Policy. Data last refreshed December 2023.