Middle English Dictionary Entry
nā̆vei(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | nā̆vei(e n. |
| Etymology | AF navei; cp. CF navoi. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. navi(e n.
1.
(a) A fleet of warships, navy; (b) a naval expedition; (c) ships; with grete ~, with many ships; (d) a ship.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.343 : Millesius..come out of Spayne..in a naueye of þre score schippes and tweie.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)75/933 : Sir Philete of Malebo vij shippes he brouȝt also And com to Grece, as y ȝow say, Or þe grete Nauey.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.7.11 : Agamenon desirede to yeven sayles to the Grykkyssche naveye.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)111a : The Romayns haþ euere redy tweie legiouns wiþ tweie grete naveyes.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)114b : Ofte tyme wiþ a ful blowynge wynde, þe flete or þe naveye fynde þe porte..þat he coueiteþ.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)470 : I wolde wete why nowe owre navey fayleth.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4811 : Ageynes hem comen here naueye, Cogges, drowmoundes, many galeye, Barges, [etc.].
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)123 : With owt thaym all the kynges navey shallnot suffice to borde with carrikkes and oþer grete vessailles.
b
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)113b : Who so wil lede by þe see an oost or a naueye, him nedeth to haue siker knowynge of þe wyndes þat bloweþ & wawes & tempestes.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2665 : A navey and an oost that wil gouerne Vppon the see, him nedeth forto knowe The wyndis.
c
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2719 : A gret number of naueye to þat hauen longet.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.315 : Þe Danes wiþ greet navey londede in a place þat [hatte] Crual.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)173a/b : Noble men of troye aftir þat troye was destroied went þennes and gadreden naueye.
d
- a1425 Methodius(1) (Hrl 1900)101/6 : Þei made to hem naueyes [Meth.(2): schips] & comen into þe west regiouns neiȝ Rome.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: This entry ought perhaps to be deprecated and merged with navi(e n., the forms in -ei- scarcely justifying a separate entry. So, for example, both OED (s.v. navy n.) and AND (s.v. navie n., vrr. navé, navee, naveie, naveye, navy, navye).