Middle English Dictionary Entry
nīn num.
Entry Info
| Forms | nīn num. Also nine, ninne, nien, nie, ni- & nighen, nighien, niȝen, niȝne, nighe, niȝe & nēen, neien, nein, nen & neghen, neȝen, neiȝen, neghe, neighe & (early) nigon, niȝan, niȝhen, niwon, nihen, nihe, neoȝon, neoȝe, (error) nunhenne. |
| Etymology | OE nigon |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
Cardinal number as adj.: nine.
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)7/23 : Beȝyte man hym rudan..and eorðjui..and laurtreowes leaf em mycel oððer þæra beriȝa nigon and seoþ hit eall togadere on wætera.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)55/28 : On monandæȝe..to nonsange syn..þry capitles ȝesungene of þam nyȝan capitelum.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)57/2 : Þa niwon sealmes syn dæȝhanlice ȝeedlæhte ofer ealle wucan ȝeond þa sylfa tida oð þone sunnendæȝ.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)15/24 : Ower placebo euche niht seggeð..bute hit beo hali niht for feaste of nihe [Nero: nie; Cleo: niȝe] lesceuns þe cume ine marhen.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)166/28 : Nihe [Tit: Nihene] þinges beoð þet ahten hihin to schrift.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6992 : Nine [vr. Niȝe] tounes þe quene..Ȝef þe house of sein swithin.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2720 : Ne were þer þo bot kniȝtes neȝene to fiȝte aȝen þat host.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.125 : Alisaundre..slouȝ Demetrius þe kyng and regnede nyne [vr. nyȝen] ȝere in Siria.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1521 : The gold of nyne kinges londes Ne scholde him save fro myn hondes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23265 : And qui þar es þaa paines nene [Frf: ix; Göt: nine], He [read: Here] nu þe skil.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.58 : Feith..nolde nouȝt neighen hym by nyne londes lengthe.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)21082 : Þus to werrai and fight þai dreghien, To it wer past þe yiers nighien.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)36a/b : Þer owe nyne þingis for to be knowen oþere vnderstonden in euerye member.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1023 : Ȝerne he prayes hym to too His nyne sonnes, with hym to goo.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)220/30 : He that desyres..to deserue forȝeuenes..pay tythes; Also stodie he to do or make almesdede of the neyne pertes.
- c1460 Ipom.(3) (Lngl 257)348/12 : Ipomedon..broght with him nyen hert heides.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)683/5 : They myght lawfully..arendre..all frutis..afore or these..porcions of tythes..were departed fro..the nyne parties.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)151/15 : Anthiocus..sent in a bataille agaynste the Romayns an hondred and nyne olyfauntes.
1b.
In phrases: (a) slen by ~ and ten, to kill the enemy left and right, mow down (foes); (b) ~ sith (times), nine times; (c) daies (nightes) ~, ~ daies (monthes, night, wekes, yer), for a space or period of nine days, months, etc.; of ~ yer, of nine years, nine-year; (d) ~ hepes (hod, ordres, thede, wered), ordres ~, the nine orders of angels; (e) muses (sustren) ~, the nine muses; ~ speres, speres ~, the nine spheres of the heavens.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)2406 : So Alisaundre among heore men Sleþ doun ryȝt by nyne and ten [Ld: by sex and ten].
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)4500 : Thei Turned aȝeyn on ther fomen And sclow hem doun by nyne and ten.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)95.54/2 : Wið naddran slite ȝenim þeos wyrt ebulum..& cweð þrywa niȝon siþan [L ter nouies]: Omnes bestias malas canto.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1188 : Niȝen siðen [Otho: niȝesiþe] he bi-eode þat weofed.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)485 : Þe eorþe is more þane þe Mone, nye [Hrl:Wright: neoȝe] siþe, i-wis.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)610 : Ofter þan ix times hit takeþ me a-daye, & ten times on þe niȝt, nouȝt ones lesse.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)95b/b : And he schal do in þe same maner þre daies vnto þe tyme þat he haue drunken it nyne tymes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1373,1377 : Nyne tymes he made hys preyere..Nyne syþe he ȝede aboute, & kiste þe auter.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)52/5 : For ewel herynge: Take..elys-gres..and helde þer-of in þin hole ere..and he schall ben hol with-inne ix tymes.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)85a : Neyne [vr. Neen] tymes: Nonies.
c
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)109.82/13 : Leȝe þæron, læt liȝge neoȝon nih, þanne halað hit raðe after þan.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)118.98/2 : Þe mona byð neoȝa nihta eald.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)46/42 : Nye ȝer he hadde king ibeo.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)248 : Nie dawes he was þuder-ward.
- c1300 SLeg.Swithin (Hrl 2277)85 : Þer he lai an hondred ȝer and neoȝe [Corp-C: nie] ȝer also.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8086 : He adde arst duc of normandie nye [vrr. nyȝe, nyne] ȝer ybe.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)364 : Niȝen woukes and mare Þe mariners flet on flod.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)683 : He reignede nyghe yer.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4019 : In daies and in nyhtes Nyne..Sche was pourveid of every piece, And torneth homward into Grece.
- a1400 Recipe MS Hal.in Rel.Ant.1 (Hal 335)51 : Do hit in a vessel ix dayes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4810 : Þus drafe þai furth in derknes a neȝen daies euen.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)85a : Of Neyne ȝere [Monson: Neen yere]: Nouenus [Monson: novennus, novennis].
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)536 : The wynd gan blowe swyde schylle Neyghe dayes.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)650 : In þe quene chamber sche woneþ dore Neghe yere and sumdell more.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)567 : Þe king was þenne wroþ and hem badde Þat he shulde oþer daies nyne Ligge in prisoun and suffre pyne.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)2440 : Þe ȝatis shitte he shal lighte And dwelle in hir nyne monþes righte.
d
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)2/16 : Þa nigon werod..bugon to heora Scyppinde mid ealra eadmodnysse.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1051 : All enngleþeod todæledd iss O niȝhenn kinne þeode.
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)219 : Her beoð niȝen anglen hapes, oðer had, oðer werod.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)239 : Þer he sit mid his derewrþe ȝefered mid niȝen anglene had.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)28/269 : Nihe wordes þer beoð, ah hu ha..beoð iordret..were long to tellen.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)19/2 : Þer beoð nihene [Nero: niene] englene weoredes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23267 : Nine [Göt: Niene] orders of angels þai forsok, Quen þai þaim to þe warlau tok.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.2402 : And Ordres Nyne be heuenli concordaunce..Affor the Trynyte syng fresshli be mesure.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)11973 : Þe ordres nyne..Shal be fulfilled as þei weren alle Or þat Lucifer fro heuen gan falle.
e
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)828 : Ne ther was none of the musys nyne By on accord to make melodye.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1810 : Yee sustren nyne ek, that by Elicone In hil Pernaso listen for t'abide, That ye thus fer han deyned me to gyde.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)59 : Thanne shewede he hym the lytel erthe that here is..And after shewede he hym the nyne speres.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)1997 : He made..Þe cercles and þe speres nyne.
1c.
In prov.: a wonder lasts but nine days (nights), etc.
Associated quotations
- a1350 In a fryht (Hrl 2253)32 : Þo [read: Þou] woldest vachen an newe, ant take anoþer wiþinne nyȝe naht.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.588 : Ek wonder last but nyne nyght [vr. nyne dayis] nevere in towne.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)208/6217 : For this a wondir last but dayes nyne, An oold proverbe is seid.
1d.
In cpds.: ~ mannedole, ?common land shared by nine families; ~ ore, ?nine-year.
Associated quotations
- (a1300) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 2107 : i mes' cens' et half ninemannedole dat de ferthinge ad Annunciationem B. Marie ij d. et ob.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)136/27 : He weddyt Elyzabeth of Fraunce, y-callid kynges doghtyr, of nynore [?read: mynore] age.
2.
Cardinal number as noun: (a) nine persons, nine psalms, etc.; (b) the nine muses; the worthi ~, the Nine Worthies; (c) nine o'clock; ~ of the clok, when the clok is ~; (d) the canonical hour of nones; (e) nine as an abstract number; also, the arithmetic symbol for nine.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26501 : Sone heom after wenden iwepnede kempen: þer sixe, þer seouene, þer æhte, þer niȝene.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)15/27 : In aniuersaries of ower leoueste freond, seggeð alle nihene [Nero: niene; Cleo: niȝene].
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)4687 : Fif hundred on hors..Ac of hem, bot neiȝen, kniȝt Þer no ware.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)45/23 : Þe oþer is gauelynge to grat, ase neȝen uor tuelf.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 17.17 : Wher ten ben not clensid, and where ben the nyne?
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)969 : Of alkin fruit haf þou þe nine, For I wil þat þe tend be mine.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)402 : Anoþer noyse..herd I..Als it war of horsmen, Mo þan owþer nyen or ten.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.598 : And she to soper com..with hire faire nece Antigone, And other of hire wommen nyne or ten.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.35 : Þes nyne þat ben many moo bitokeneþ men out of bileve.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)48a/b : First þer ben þe bones of þe chekes, alle ȝif þei schewe not but two ioyned vnder þe nose; neþeles þei be nyne, as galien seiþ.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)2128 : This prioure comaunded his felawis, nyne or ten, To lose þe bondes of þis ich caytyf.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)297 : I schall neuen ȝow the names of nyne of the beste.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)15/218 : We! aght, aght, & neyn, & ten is this.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3686 : I am nat aqueintid with no mwse Of alle nyne; þer-fore I me excuse..for defaut only of eloquence.
- a1456(c1422) Lydg.Glo.Marriage (Trin-C R.3.20)134 : He haþe deserved..To beo regystred in þe Hous of Faame, Egally..with þe Worþy Nyen.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.KEng.(1) (Hrl 372)201 : The Fifte Herry, of knyhthod loodsterr..Able to stonde among the Worthi Nyne.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3204 : Vpon þe hour whan þe cloke is nyne, Iason..Gan dresse him forth.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1050 : By my chilyndre I gan anon to se..Of þe clok that it drogh to nyne.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.3.35 : It was 9 of the clokke of the day.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)161/1 : Hit was nine of the clok.
d
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)411/22 : Þe same lord ȝaf as myche to him..as he ȝaf to him þat cam bi þe morowe at þe first hour or þridde or sixte or ix or at euensong.
e
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)326b/b : Oon y-do to eighte makeþ þe noumbre of nyne.
- ?a1400 Numer.Algorism (Hal)31 : The figure of nyne..hath this schape 9.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)44b/a : Nouem: nyen.
- ?c1425 Craft Number.(Eg 2622)5/38 : Nomburs digitus bene alle nomburs þat ben with-inne ten, as nyne, 8, 7, [etc.].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)357 : Nyne: Novem.
- c1450 Art Number.(Ashm 396)36/5 : And yf it happe that a figure of 9 by the figure that me mvst adde to.
3.
In compound numbers: (a) ~ and twenti, ~ hund(red, ~ score, ~ thousand, ninti and ~, ten and ~, etc.; (b) ~ and thritieth, ~ hundreth, seventi and ~, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)225 : He lefede nigon hundred ȝiere..Noe lefede on all his life nigon hund ȝeare and fifti.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2804 : & niȝen & þritti winter he heold þæs leoden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5149 : Mid nihen [a1300: niȝe] hundred scipene heo commen in to hauene..
- a1300(OE) Deed Crediton (CotR 2.11)115 : Of feour archebischopes of hirlonde and of hire ondersetele bischopes nunhenne honderd daȝes and tin daȝes.
- c1300 SLeg.(Hrl 2277)581/287 : Þer turnde neoȝe þousend men & ibaptised were.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5208 : Hit was eiȝte hundred ȝer & nyene & þritti þer to.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5413 : Edward..king was ymad þo In þe ȝer of grace nyen [vr. nyȝe] hundred ȝer & on.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)1750 : When Adam..Was of eld nyghen hundreth yhere..he kend Þat his lyf drogh nere þe end.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 2.30 : Þer faileden of þe children of dauyþ ten & nyne [L decem et novem] men, out taken Asahele.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.255 : Elporicius seiþ fyve hondred ȝere foure score and nyne [vr. nyȝne].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.105 : He knowlechede his trespas to fore nyne [vr. nyȝen] score bisshoppis.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.24 : At nyght was come into that hostelrye Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye Of sondry folk.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20832 : Efter þe vpstei o þat drightin, Scho liued wintres seuen and nin [Frf: xvj ȝere].
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)9179 : He regned xxx ȝere and neyen.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)2166 : Phaleth..liued..To hundrid ȝere & nein [Vsp: anen] and thritti.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)18632 : His lijf was in þis werld here Neine hundreth and thritti ȝere.
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)1170 : And fro þe flod to Abraham..Neghene hondred ȝer & twelue.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)102/17 : Þer is more ioye to angelis in heuene of one synful man þat doþ worþiliche penaunce þan of nynti and nyne þat non nede haue to do penaunce.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)729 : In þe first bygynnyng of þe kynd of man Neghen hundreth wynter man lyfed þan.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)73a/b : Alle þe bones of a mannes bodie be two hundred & fouretye and nyne.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2638 : My fader was..of fele yeres, To the nowmber of nene skowre.
- c1450 NPass.(Add 31042)147/88* : Þe ȝeris of adame..thay ere wretyne wittirly Nynne hundrethe wyntir & two & thritty.
- a1456(a1402) *Trev.Nicod.(Add 16165)98a : He is worthy þat he haue nyen [vr. neyne] and thritty of lasshes.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)56 : Whanne þei weren gadrid yfere, Foure score and nyne maistres þer were.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)4 Kings 15.13 : Sellum þe sone of Jabes regnede þe nyne & þrettiþe [L trigesimo nono] ȝeer of Aȝarie kyng of Juda.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)110a/b : In þe nyne and twenty gree arisiþ þilke scharpe sterre þat hat hatte Canicula.
- c1400 Wycl.LAChurch [OD col.] (Dub 244)p.xxiv : Þe seuynty and nyne chapitre.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Curates (Corp-C 296)160 : Þerfore telle we summe defautis to amende hem..Þe neyne & twentiþe: þei robben cristene peple.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)251 : Neyn hundreth:..nongentesimus, nongentenus, nongentenarius.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)2497 : By þe nyne hundred ȝere Þat Adam was lyvinge here.
4.
Ordinal number: ninth.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.161 : Now, þe ȝere of..þe secounde kyng Richard after þe conquest nyne..children leueþ Frensche and construeþ and lerneþ an Englische.
- ?a1425(a1400) Brut-1377 (Corp-C 174)291/27 : In þe neyne ȝere of his regne..Edwarde rode into Scotlond.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3439 : Fore thy fortune þe fetches to fulfill the nowmbyre Alls nynne of þe nobileste namede in erthe.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.36.24 : The begynnyng of the 9 hous is nader of the 3.
5.
As adverb: nine times.
Associated quotations
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.21 : In þe passion tyme was þe first bataile, Nene [F nef fez] was þat ilk ȝere.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)138b/a : And þen þe wounde bassed wiþ plumasoles of towe wette in hote stiptik wyne and expressed and holden to þe wounde viij times oþer nyne.
6.
(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.50].
Associated quotations
a
- (1334) Name in LuSE 35209 : Nynpenyz.
- (1358) Will Durham in Sur.Soc.228 : Lego Domino Johanni Ninepennys capellano meo..xx s.
- (1444) Cart.Oseney in OHS 90130 : Thomas Nynehide.
b
- (1313) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)153 : Nylowe.
- (c1360) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)225 : Nynacres.
- (1386) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.)30 : Stowe Nichurche.
- (1479) EPNSoc.20 (Cum.)178 : Ninistanes.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.21 : In þe passion tyme was þe first bataile, Nene was þat ilk ȝere.
Note: New spelling
Note: Quot. is already under 5., but form is not listed.--JL