Middle English Dictionary Entry
mọ̄ten v.(3)
Entry Info
| Forms | mọ̄ten v.(3) Also mote & N mute, moute, moit(e & (early) motien, moti, motegen. P.ppl. mọ̄tede & (early) imọ̄tet & (?error) mọ̄ten. Contr.: motestu (motest thou). |
| Etymology | OE mōtian |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To speak, talk; say (sth.); complain, argue; (b) ~ an-uppen, ?to find fault with (sb.), complain about, abuse verbally; ~ ayen(es, complain about (sth.), deny or dispute (sth.); struggle or fight against (sb.); ~ into (the) mire, talk or lead (sb.) into sin or error, lead astray; ?also, be in error, argue falsely; ~ of (abouten), discuss (sth.), talk of (sth.); say (sth.) about (sb.); ~ with (ayenes), debate or argue with (sb.); ~ with, talk to (sb.); discuss (sth.) with (sb.); ?have dealings with (the world), occupy oneself with [quot.: Ancr.]; -- common in line fillers and rime tags: is hit (hit nas) no bote ayenes..for to ~, hit was (hir was) no bote..more to ~, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1443 : Cniht þu ært muchel sot þat þu swa motest.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1238 : Hwil þis eadi meiden motede & mealde þis & muchele mare.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1316 : In hire ne moteð na mon, For nawt nis hit monlich mot þet ha mealeð.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)2083 : Hu nu, dame, dotestu? Cwen, acangestu nu..Hwi motestu se medliche?
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.640 : It halp him nothing forto mote To gete ayein that he hath lore.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23847 : Mikel wald i mene and mote, Wist i þat it me war bute.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23947 : For mikel i haf to mote.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.270 : Tille þis werld be, it it [read: is] ȝit no tyme to mote.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)13b/b : Certo: to fyȝt, chide, mote.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)22423 : Romaines þis ses, nalangre to mote, Bot..On þis legates ensuede þai.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)354/159 : It may not mende for to moote mote.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)609 : Þen Medea with mowthe motys þus agayne.
b
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.DD (Lamb 487)43 : Ofter he walde anuppon his underlinges mid wohe motien and longe dringan þenne he walde salmes singen oðer eani oðer god don.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15229 : Beon we on sele and motegen of sahte.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)31/310 : Akempe of helle..feng on to motin þus wið his meiden.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)588 : Makien se monie clerkes to cumene..to motin wið a meiden.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)760 : & me, nawiht under al, þe moti, a meiden, aȝeines ham alle.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)40/21 : Ne schalt tu, alde schucke, motin wið me mare.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)50/25 : Ich habbe iherd hu drihtines deore muð haueð wið þe imotet [L tibi locutus est].
- a1250 Ancr.(Tit D.18)13/36 : Þah ȝe makin manifald owre bones toward me, ȝe þat moten [Corp-C: pleieð; Cleo: pleideð] wið þe world, nulich ow nawt iheren.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)1092 : Iudas saw it was no bote More of þis mater for to mote.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14893 : Bot o þair luue es noght to mote.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)12938 : Þe enemy fend..had no doute wiþ him to mote.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)23847 : Muche wolde I here of mote [Vsp: mene and mote] Wist I hit were any bote.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)19/28 : Oure men sall with ȝow mote, Who sall ȝow clip and kys, And fall ȝowre folk to fote.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)3748 : Hir was na bote Of þat mater more to mote.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3328 : Þe lord saw it was na bote Obout þat mater more to mote.
- a1425(?a1400) Penny (Glb E.9)20 : In kinges court es it no bote ogaines sir peni forto mote.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)85/360 : Þe gude man saw it was no bute Ogayns hir wil more forto mote.
- a1425 Siege Troy(1) (LinI 150)416 : Sir Antynor saw hit nas no bote Agaynes heom alle for to mote..And com hom and..tolde þeo kyng..How he was rebuykid.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17236 : Thei haue no hope to no socour..hem is no bote A-ȝeyn Gregays more to mote.
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)70 : With his lord may he noȝt mote.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)8450 : But sith it is doo, there is no bote Therageyn no lenger to mote.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)387/256 : Þou motes his men in to þe myre; To breke his [God's] bidding were thei boune.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)105 : I seghe thre thro men threpden full ȝerne And moten [?read: moted] of myche-whate.
- c1450 Lychefelde Comp.G.(Lamb 853)743 : Graunte mercy, ihesu..Aȝens þee nyle y not moote.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1439 : What schall we more of hym mote?
- a1500(?a1425) Chester Pl.Antichr.(Pen 399)502/316 : This devuls lym that comyn ys..nowe been we redye..agaynst hym for to mote.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)213/298 : Sir, therof let vs moyte no mare we hold vs payde, take ther thi pay.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)271/430 : A dede, what has thou done? with the will I moytt sone.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)301/270 : Thou moyttys as man dos into myre, To breke thi byddyng they were full bowne.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)341/100 : My rysyng fro dede to lyfe shall no man agane moytt.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)1282 : Beues sye no better bote; He wold with hem no more mote.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)92/329 : Yt is noe boote longer with this man to moote.
2.
To go to law, institute legal proceedings, litigate; plead or argue a case; ~ the ples (of the coroune), present or argue pleas (falling within the jurisdiction of the Crown).
Associated quotations
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)132 : Homme plede et toile pur glebe: M. motith and striuyth for rit of kyrke.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)4.118 : I schal no reuþe haue While Meede haþ eny Maystrie to Mooten [vr. moute] in þis halle.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.58 : At London at þe benke schewe þer þin askyng; Alle þat lawe wille, þou wynnes it of þe kyng; The kyng com to London, with lawe to mote in benke.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)1.150 : I rede þe riche haue reuþe on þe pore; Þeiȝ ȝe ben miȝty to mote [vrr. mute; mete], beþ meke of ȝour werkis.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)3.149 : She [Meed] let lawe as hire list & louedaies makiþ; Þe mase for a mene man þeiȝ he mote [vrr. mute; plede; B vr. moote] euere.
- a1425 Mannyng HS (Dlw 24)2701 : Motedyn [F pleiderent; Hrl: A ryche man and pore were at cuntek, And pleted a-boute a lytyl land].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)496 : Tolyon, or motyn [Win: moton]: Discepto, placito.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)295/9 : To snybbe aȝens skyll, to mote in wronge causys, to lere a man to greue his enmyes.
- a1475 PPl.A(1) (Hrl 875:Skeat)8.46 : [Vrn: Men of lawe..beoþ] loþ To mote for mene men but ȝif þei hadde money.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)60 : Ande that yere were the plays holdyn and motyde at the Towre of London.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)62 : That yere the plees of the crowne were motyde at the Towre of London.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cxliii : Crist had noon seculer courtes to plete & to mote.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)83b : To Mute:..Causari..perorare, placitare.
- ?a1500 Lament.Sinner (Thrn)73 : Than may þer na lernyd men for ȝow mute, No iustys, nor no man of lawe..þa be no buyt.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17871 : Thei wot wel thei are so hye That no-thyng In erthe but foule…May come hem to, for out thei do eyȝt [read: myȝt] But if it were with tresoun or sleȝt.
Note: New spelling
Note: emendation suggested Hiroyuki Matsumoto
Note: out = ought pron.