Middle English Dictionary Entry
mūsik(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | mūsik(e n. Also music(e, musiq(u)e. |
| Etymology | OF musique n. & L mūsica; ult. Gr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Music, the art of combining sounds for esthetic effect; also, the science of music; wit of ~, the art of music; -- also personified.
Associated quotations
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)460 : Iobal, is broðer, song and glew, Wit of musike, wel he knew.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)6/51 : Þe seuen ars..grammarie, Musike and astronomie, Geometrie and ars mutike [read: metrike] Rettorike and ek fisike.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4483 : Ye han in musyk [vrr. musike; Physike] moore feelynge Than hadde Boece or any that kan synge.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3335 : Mercurie..hadde a Pipe wel devised Upon the notes of Musiqe, Wherof he mihte hise Eres like.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.150 : Mathematique Devided is in sondri wise..The ferste of whiche is Arsmetique, And the secounde is seid Musique, The thridde is ek Geometrie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.164 : The science of Musique..techeth upon Armonie A man to make melodie Be vois and soun of instrument.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)177a/a : Creta is an Ilonde of Grece..þere Inne was study of musyke [L studium musicum] first y-founde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)328a/a : Acordes in musik haueþ names of nombres..as is fareþ in diatesseroun in diapente and in diapasoun.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333a/b : As art of nombres and mesures serueþ to diuinite, so doþ þe art of melody for musik.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333b/a : Of musike [L Musice] ben þre parties: armonica, rithmica, & metrica.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1520 : Cubal..first vnderfang Musik [Frf: Musike], þat es þe sune o sang.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.32 : For ȝif harlotrie ne halp hem betere..More þanne musik, or makyng of god almiȝt, Wolde neuere king..ne canoun..Ȝiue hem to here ȝerisȝiue þe value of a grote.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)10.43 : Þo þat feynen hem folis and with faityng libbeth..Þei conne namore mynstralcye ne musyke, men to glade.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5607 : Mercuryus..in speche hath most excellence..Of musik, songe, and of armonye He hath lordschipe.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.1.49 : With Rethorice com forth Musice, a damoysele of our hous.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.6.107 : Musyke maketh musicyens, and phisyk maketh phisicyeens, and rethoryke, rethoriens.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)244 : Musyk hadde, voyde off all discorde, Boece, hire clerke, with hevenly armonye.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)349 : Musyk: Musica.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)258 : Hys brothyr Iuball he began musyke, ose mynstralsy and sang.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)49/26 : Speculatijf science is departid..into methaphisik, into natural philosophie comoun, and into medicinal philosophie, and into astronomye, geometrie, arsmetrie, and musik.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)91 : Lerned she was in musyke.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)5.2.87b : The firmament..made a wonder armonye, so melodiows..þat alle erthely instrumentes..devised of maistris of musike schuld be set at no reputacion.
- a1500 When nettuls (BodPoet e.1)p.269 : Whan swyn be conyng in al poyntes of musyke And asses be docturs of euery scyens..Than put women in trust and confydens.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)103/68 : The first spece of philosophie is naturel; whiche in kyndely thinges treten..as by arsmetrike, geometry, musike, and by astronomye.
2.
(a) The performance of a musical composition; music as heard, melody, song; -- also pl. [translating L musica, -orum, 'music']; the music of the spheres [quot.: *Trev.Barth. 112b/a]; (b) instrumentes (organes) of ~, instrumentes longing to ~, musical instruments; men of ~, musicians; (c) as adj.: ~ instrument; ~ maneres, musical compositions, melodies [see also maner(e n. 2c.].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Par.5.13 : Alle togidere in trumpis & voise & cymbaalis & orgnys & of dyuerse kynde of musikes [WB(2): musikis; L musicorum] sownynge to gidere.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.3.5 : In the hour in whiche ȝe shuln heere the sown of trumpe, and pipe, and harpe..and al kynde of musikis, ȝe fallynge wirshipe the golden ymage.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2235 : Iesus Syrak seith that musik in wepyng is anoyous thyng.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.497 : Sirenes..singe With notes of so gret likinge, Of such mesure, of such musike, Wherof the Schipes thei beswike.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)112b/a : Bitwene þe spere of þe Saturnus & of þe mone all þe consonancye & a coord of musik is I-founde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333a/b : Musike meueþ affeciouns and exciteþ þe wittes of dyuers disposiciouns.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333b/a : Musik exciteþ and conforteþ bestes and serpentes and delphynes to take heede þerto.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4782 : Kyng Priamus Was..Of hiȝe stature..Delityng moche in musik & in songe.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4252 : Wikked-Tunge, full of envye..In floytes made he discordaunce And in his musyk, with myschaunce.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.39 : But although the noryssynges of dite of musyk [L musici carminis] deliteth the, thou most suffren and forberen a litel of thilke delit.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)62 : The melodye herde he That cometh of thilke speres thryes thre, That welle is of musik and melodye In this world here.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.649 : Nero..Excelled in musik & in armonye, Crownid with laureer for the beste harpour.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.MRose (Hrl 2255)28 : Iayes in musyk haue smal experyence.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13277 : The songe of þo Syrens was selly to here..The myrthe of þaire mowthes musyk was like.
- 1598(a1475) Flower & L.(Speght)132 : The armony And sweet accord was in so good musyk, That the voice to angels most was lyk.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Par.15.16 : Dauiþ seide to þe princes of leuytes þat þei schulden ordeynen of þer breþern syngeres in orgnes of musikes, þat is in sawtres & syngynge instrumentis & cymbalis.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.179 : He hadde and used instrumentis of musik [Higd.(2): of the arte off musike; L musicæ artis], pipes and strenges, and oþere manere of glee.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4591 : Aiax, Thelamonivs..was inventif for to counterfete Instrumentis..longyng to mvsik.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)88/17 : Next..gase all þe mynistralles..with all maner of instruments of music.
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)164a : Þe voys of harpis & of men of musik shal no more be herd.
- a1500 Leg.Cross BC(1) (Wor F.172)218 : Smyten the instrumentis of musik, Dauid bigan to harpe and daunce and inwardly cald to the name of the Lord.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prols.Ps.(Bod 959)10 : Þis booc..is also seid a sawteer, þe whiche name it tooc of a Musik instrument þat ebruly is clepid nablum, greekly a sawteer.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.44.5 : Preise we glorious men..in þer wisdam sechinge þe musik maneris [WB(2): maneres of musik; L modos musicos] & telling þe dites of scriptures.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)96/1 : Wiþ þis greet bire schall þat citee Babiloyne be sent & neuere oftir schall be herd in hir voice of harpis, neiþir of musikis, neiþir of pipers, neiþir of trumpers.
Note: New sense
Note: Ed. gloss. 'musicians.'
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4029 : He couþe so mykel musyk & thume Þat þe people [saide]…He was þe best of ffythelers.
Note: Additional quote(s)