Middle English Dictionary Entry
nā̆tī̆f adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | nā̆tī̆f adj. Also native; pl. natif(s. |
| Etymology | OF & L |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Natural, hereditary; of a characteristic of a language: inherent; ~ birthe, heredity; (b) of one's birth, native; ~ ground (lond), native land; ~ langage (tonge); (c) bond; born in servitude or serfdom; as noun: a bondsman, serf; ~ man, serf; ~ to, attached to (a monastery) as a serf.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.585 : Polycene..I-chaungid hath vpon hir visage Hir natif colour.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3639 : Changed was..in hir visage Hir natif colour and hir rody hewe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.102 : So aungelik was hir natif beaute That lik a thing inmortal semed she.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.5576 : He shal be..in his herte inli surquedous, Bi thoccasioun off his natif fairnesse.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)33/34 : Þe natyff..rudnesse of my modur-tounge hathe..inflectyd & cankeryd my speche.
- ?a1500 Job (Hnt HM 140)20 : To his doughtres..Of theire native beaute, he bad them haue respect, How bryght lucyfer for his pryde from heven was derect.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.68 : Arthegall, his brother..The kyng was then..By natyfe byrth nexte brother.
b
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)99/33 : Purposyng to gon a-geyn in-to her owyn natyf lond, it was telde hem þat þer wer many theuys be þe wey.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)30/26 : Of commyxtioun dyuers..they hane corrupte her first natif toungis and vsyn now Ine wot what straunge..blaberynge & cheterynge.
- a1475 Cato(2) (Rwl G.59)29 : For thi natyf ground [Copenh: thy cuntray] fyght myghtly.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.159 : The corrupcion of that natife langage [Trev.: þe burþe of þe tunge; L nativæ linguæ] is causede moche of ij thynges.
c
- c1460 Oseney Reg.110/26 : I haue..i-grauntid to god and to þe forsaide church anneys my natife or bondewoman.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.154/15 : I..haue i-grauntid to þe forsaide Abbot and Couent þe saide Aliz, sumtyme my Natife.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)137 : He was bore at Seint Albones and natif to the same Monasteri.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)559/10 : He yaf also..the bodies of..his bonde men..the which ben called natif or bonde or bonde of birthe.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)559/28 : Thomas..warantized..to the forsaid siris..the forsaid bondmen or natifis.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)8.39 : Somme men say this pope was the native man [Trev.: bonde man; L nativum] of thabbot of Seynte Alban in Ynglonde.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) Ctn.(Hrl 2261)457 : The firste peticion was that he scholde make alle men fre thro Ynglonde..so that þere scholde not be eny native man after that tyme.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) Ctn.(Hrl 2261)459 : Natif men did ryse ageyne theire lordes and began to resiste theyme, seyenge that thei were free.