Middle English Dictionary Entry
mūet adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | mūet adj. Also mewet, miwet, muwet, mwet & mut(e, muit. |
| Etymology | OF müet & L mūtus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of animals: without the faculty of speech, mute, dumb; (b) of a person: afflicted with dumbness, mute, dumb; (c) as noun: mute persons, those afflicted with dumbness; ?also, as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.3375 : Al erthli beestis be muet of nature Sauf onli man.
b
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3797 : Here nys bot Syric, þe mute knaue, & y my-self.
c
- (1187) in Pipe R.Soc.372 : Robertus Mut.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1159 : Alanus le Mute.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.111 : Bothe meseles and mute and in þe menysoun blody, Ofte he heled suche.
2.
Of persons: (a) silent, speechless (with awe, contempt, grief, deference, etc.); also, discreetly silent, secretive, given to confidentiality; ~ of langage; (b) of a sheep dog: quiet, not given to barking; (c) in proverbial phrase: ~ as a ston; also as riming tag.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3022 : Whi be ȝe so dismaied And sitte mwet..For þe wordis of þis Elenus.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)743 : This Spynx..Stood..With Chier doune-cast, Muet, pale, and ded.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.194 : Hire fader hath hire in his armes nome..She seyde..she was fayn with hym to mete And stood forth muwet [vr. mewet], milde, and mansuete.
- ?a1500 O sapiencia (Hrl 45)18 : O Radix Iesse..Tofore whome all kyngys þer mowthys shalle stent Beynge ryghte mywet and styll as any stone.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.2765 : Zebenna..Cam tofor Bochas..Sore weepyng, muet of langage, Gan compleyne his woful auenture.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1096 : That ffawnus..lyvid as an hermyte..pensyff offt & mut.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2081 : Beryn stood al mewet & no word he spak.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13900 : A prest..A confessour, or a curaat..muste be mwet and secre.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)20904 : Sathan..Yiveth an answere wych ys double..Or kepeth hym Muet [vr. muyt] off dysdeyn.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)172 : Thei were alle stille and mewet as though thei hadde be dombe.
b
- c1500(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Trin-C R.3.19)304 : Herdys be rekles þe lambe for to defende, Take noon hede on theyr flock to tary. Ther hounde ys muett, whyche þat shuld attende To kepe þe wache fro wolues.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3156 : Þe..porter..roof his chawle boon, Þat he fil ded, mvet as a stoon.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2844 : She was..cloos and mwet as a ston That she ne wold..Discuren hym.
- c1430 Allas for thought (Cmb Gg.4.27)50 : Whan I am come to ȝoure presence..A tunge I haue, but wordys none, But stonde mut as a stone.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6267 : Thogh they with anger be assayled, They be as Muet as a ston.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1268 : In bataile…al is on a roore…Therfore…antiquitee Hath ordeyned iii signys…The thridde macth no noys And mute it hight, or dombe…as is…penoun, Baner.
Note: New sense
Note: Of a military signal (e.g. a banner, etc.)--per LMM