Middle English Dictionary Entry
nightin-gāle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | nightin-gāle n. Also -galle, niȝtingale, nihtin-, nigtin-, nitin-, nighting- & (in surn.) nightingaile, nictingale, niȝthin-, nithtin-, nittin-. |
| Etymology | From nighte-gāle. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A nightingale; esp. the English nightingale (Luscinia megarhyncha); wacche of nightingales, ?a flock of nightingales; (b) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)4 : In one..diȝele hale Iherde ich holde grete tale An hule and one niȝtingale [Jes-O: nyhtegale].
- ?a1300 Thrush & N.(Dgb 86)85 : Niȝttingale, þou hauest wrong!
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)96 : Þer beþ briddes mani and fale: Þrostil, þruisse, and niȝtingale.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)536 : Sche herd þe foules gret & smale, Þe swete note of þe niȝtingale Ful mirily sing on tre.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)788 : Plunchoun, huan, et russenole: Cote, houle, nytyngale.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)76 : Þer weore Pope-iayes prest, Nihtyngales vppon nest, Bliþest Briddes o þe best, In Blossoms so briht.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3377 : He syngeth brokkyng as a nyghtyngale [vr. nyhtingale].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2872 : I thenke upon the nyhtingale, Which slepeth noght be weie of kinde For love, in bokes as I finde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)141a/b : Briddes þat singen in somer tyme wiþ swete notes in woodes and treen, as þurstlis & nyȝtyngales [L philomene].
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)142 : Swaynes justneþ, kniȝttes tournay, Syngeþ þe niȝttyngale [LinI: nyȝtyngale], gradeþ þe jay.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3933 : Nyȝtyngales, þat al þe wode rong, Ful amorously welcomed in hir song Þe lusty sesoun.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.918 : A nyghtyngale, upon a cedir grene..Ful loude song ayein the moone shene.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)657 : In many places were nyghtyngales [F rossigniaus]..That in her swete song deliten.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)28a/a : Filomena: a nyȝtyngale.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)351 : The sparwe, Venus sone; the nyghtyngale, That clepeth forth the grene leves newe.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)356 : Nyghtyngale: Filomena.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)106/62 : Þe sawle..es als byrnand fyre and as þe nyghttyngale þat lufes sang and melody.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)98 : Al þis sawe I..Hov Philomene into a nyȝtyngale Iturned was, and Progne vnto a swalow.
- a1450 As ofte (Tan 346)42 : As many-folde as noumbre of bryddes singe, And nyghtyngales with thorne vndyr the brest For drede awaken agayn the morownyng..So ofte..For you y sigh.
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)603 : A Wayche of nightyngalys.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)379/20 : Þowȝh it so be þat þey kunne..not synge swootly as þe larke and þe nyghtyngalle..neuerþeles..þey ȝiven mater to hem þat knowen þe forto loue þe & prayse the.
- c1450(c1400) ?Clanvowe Cuckoo & N.(Frf 16)261 : Forthe she fley, the gentil nyghtyngale.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)46 : Lovers slepen withe opyn yȝe, As Nightyngalis on grene tre.
- c1475 in Hodgkin Proper Termsp.120 : A Waycche of Nyghtynggalys [vr. nyȝttyngalys].
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)1230 : Mery ys þe fowles song A[nd] notes of þe nyȝtyngales.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)243/37 : The byrdys syngyth; the nyghtyngall shewyth his organe notis.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)594 : Fortunes cours dyversly is dressid..To seen a Kokkow mordre a Nityngale, An innocent brid of hattreede to despise.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)625 : Philomena: nygttyngale.
- a1500 Nightingale (Corp-O 203)p.1 : It is seyd that the nyghtyngale of hure nature hathe A knowleche of hure deth.
b
- (c1275) Hundred R.Tower 1522 : Roberto Nitingal.
- (1281) Let.Bk.Lond.B (Gldh LetBk B)4 : Henry Nitingale.
- (1294) Court R.Ramsey202 : Robertus Nyttingale.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1013 : Robro Nictyngale.
- (1305) Court R.Ramsey117 : Robertus Nythtingal.
- (1325) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.7352 : William Nightingayle.
- (1346) Feudal Aids 567 : Ricardus Nitengale.
- (1443-6) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum358 : Johi. Nyȝthyngale existenti ibidem cum j famulo per j diem x d.