Middle English Dictionary Entry
neveu n.
Entry Info
| Forms | neveu n. Also nevou, nevu, neviu, nevieu, neveau, nevoeu, nevoȝ, neweu, newoi, newof, nieveu & nefeu, nepheu, nepveu. |
| Etymology | OF nevo, nevou, neveu, nevu, nepveu. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. neve n.(1).
1.
(a) A nephew, son of one's sister or brother; (b) a grand-nephew or great-grand-nephew; (c) a grandson; (d) a son; (e) a great-great-grandson; (f) a relative, kinsman or kinswoman; cousin.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7037 : Vor is breþeren were aslawe..after is neueu he sende.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)1540 : Mi nevou [vr. Nieueu] Hougoun, whar is he?
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)2906 : It is þe amiral Costdram, Þe nevou [vr. neuyew] of þe riche soudan.
- (1345) in Rymer's Foedera (1816-69)3.48 : Edwardus de Sancto Johanne, le neveu.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1198 : Þat on was his neuew, a nobul kniȝt of armes.
- (?c1375-a1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3594 : Thy brother sone..was thy double allye, For he thy nevew was and sone in lawe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.433 : How the eorle of Chestre, kyng William þe Conquerours nevew [L nepos] on his suster side [deyde].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1409 : He was Nevoeu to themperour.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)127b/b : Abraham..deliuered his nevewe [L nepotem] loth.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3885 : Neuou, murn þou na wight.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)28 : Pallaas..had a nevew [vrr. neuow; cosyn] þat hiȝt Iasoun.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)2443 : Betwyx him [Abraham] and loth his neuow Of bestaile hade þei plente enow.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.221 : Pelleus..purveieth the destruccioun Of his nevewe.
- (1422) EEWills50/5 : I bequeth to sir Ion Skydmore, my newewe, a girdell of peerles.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)26740 : Neuoȝ he was to þe kyng edwin.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)27124 : Kyng salamones newoi was he.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)27317 : He bade him..sende Iuor his son..And hine, his newof.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2659 : My nevew [vrr. nevywe, nevyw, newewe] shal my bane be.
- (1440) Wars France in RS 22.2444 : The preferrement of his nepveu Swynford.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)689 : Thowe arte my neuewe full nere.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5256 : Hym for deþ y may rescuwe; He is myn eem, & y his neuewe.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11011 : Neueus, nyftes, sistres, broþer, Ilka frend welcomede oþer.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1238 : Sir Charles spekes..To Rowlande his nevewe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13096 : Menelay the mighty & his mayn nephew Orestes.
- c1450 7 Sages(1) (Arun 140:Camp.)75 : Ypocras..hade with hym his nefewe [vr. cosynne] Þat he schold leren of his vertue.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)119/2 : Thus complened the kyng to his neviewe.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.49/30 : I will yt my newew Hugh Percy haue the baslard.
- (c1454) Paston2.100 : To take possession and saisine, in the name and to þe vse of our ful worshipful nepueu, th'Erl of Warrewic.
- (1459) RParl.5.348b : John Bourgchier, Edward Bourgchier, Squiers, Nevues to the seid Duc.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.64/10 : Gerarde my nevowe, þe Vicounte of pinkeny.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.110/8 : John ij..the which was Nevywe of the helder John.
- (1462) Paston2.272 : I may have the presentacion of the next avoydaunce for a newew of myn.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)99/11 : I woll do hit..be reson ye ar my nevew, my sistirs son.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1113/7 : By my hede..neveaw, I belyeve you.
- c1470 Bible F.(Cleve-W q091.92-C468)64/8 : Seeth here Seint Iohn, my cosin germaine & youre nevew, that shal be youre sonne in erth in my stede.
- (?1471) Stonor1.118 : My nevewes Willm. Stonor and Emond came unto hym.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)2646 : Y slowe thy neuiew in that stede.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)85b : A nevowe: nepos.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)608 : A-none hym axed thys worthy kynge After hys Neuowe, Partonope.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)230 : Thei mette fyve childeren that be youre neuewes..and..youre suster sones.
b
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)8a/a : Athnepos: sone of neuew.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.55/12 : I will my nevew hir Eldist son haf c s.
c
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7709 : Richard is o neueu brec þere is nekke þer to.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)48/28 : Þeruore smot god to euele dyaþe onam, iacobis neuu.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.383 : Þis Dedalus hadde a nevew [Higd.(2): the son of his doȝhter; L nepotem] þat heet Perdix.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.91 : Scipio Nasica, þe greet Scipio þat heet Affricanus his nevewe [Higd.(2): son of the doȝhter of grete Scipio; L nepos] overcom Antiochus.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)617 : Thou..Hast served..Hys [Jupiter's] blynde nevew Cupido.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.79vb : Thobye lyuyd after he had receyuyd his sight xlii yere, and sawe the sones of hys neuewis, that is the sones of the sones of hys sone yonge Thobye.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)174b/b : In his Nevewes tyme baldazar, babilon was alle destroiede.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.277 : After Clodoueus [L Clodium] Merouius his nevewe [Trev.: sone; L nepotem] was electe in to the kynge.
e
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.263 : Engistus and Horsus..were Woden his nevewes [Higd.(2): in the thridde degre to Woden; L abnepotes].
f
- ?a1300(a1250) Harrow.H.(Dgb 86)10 : In helle was..seint iohan þe baptist Þat was neweu ihesu crist.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20551 : Mi moder was ful wa for me, And sua was hir neuu [Frf: hir eme; Göt: vr cosin] iohan.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)4538 : Scho soiourns in þis same Cety with Neomy, þy Neuow grett.
2.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1194) CRR Rich.I in Pipe R.Soc.1460 : Ralph le Neveu.
- (1225) Pat.R.Hen.III515 : Thomas le Nevou.
- (1328) Pat.R.Edw.III354 : John le Vickerneveu.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2019 : His owen body Ich wil assaile, And do þine newe [read: nevewe; LinI: enbues] conseilynge.
Note: New forms: Also..(errors) enbues, newe.
Note: Supplementary material for sense 1.(f).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--notes per MLL