Middle English Dictionary Entry
nīth n.
Entry Info
Forms | nīth n. Also nithe, nuth & (errors) nigh, nih, niht & (early sg. gen.) nithes, (pl.) nithæs. |
Etymology | OE nīþ |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Enmity, ill will; malice, spite; envy; (b) hete and ~, ~ and hete, hatred and malice; wratthe and ~, anger and malice, anger and spite; ~ and onde (enst), spite and hate, malice and spite; onde and ~, for ~ no onde, for ~ and for onde; with) ~ and (with) onde; etc; -- also personified; (c) beren (haven) ~, to be resentful or envious; haven ~ and onde (onde and ~); haven onde other ~; beren ~ until, haven ~ til (to, yen), feel or bear resentment, animosity, or envy towards (sb.); haven ~ and onde to, haven ~ and win with, haven wratthe other ~ mid; beren ~ to (yen) [see beren 7. (b)]; haven ~ of, feel resentment or envy over (sth.); taken ~ til, develop a grudge towards (sb.), grow hostile to (sb.); taken ~ with (yen), become hostile or resentful towards (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)102/15 : Þa englas healdæþ heom wið his yfel & wið his niþes grymnesse.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)6/35 : Unneaþe ic on þe eni wununge hæ [read: hæfde] For hearde niþe ond ofermete fulle.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3832 : Deofell iss all full off niþ & full off grammcunndnesse.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)7/11 : Hic deberet poni inuidia..Nith nere nohutt te forȝeten.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)206/19,27 : Neauer..ear nu nes ich ful pinet..þurh hare ondfule nið..loke hu ha ȝulden him for piment of huniluue, eisil of sur nið & galle of bitter onde.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)417 : Hit is for þine fule niþe Þat þu ne miȝt mid us bo bliþe; Vor þu forbernest welneȝ foronde Þane ure blisse cumeþ to londe.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)373 : Nið and strif and ate and san Sal ben bi-twen neddre and wimman.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3749 : Ille nið is herte wexe on A-gen moysen and aaron.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)149/576 : Deuelen..forse scholle brede And wreþe and nyþe.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.14 : He had for grete nyth [F par hatye], If any Breton were fonden holdand lond or lyth, þat he suld voide þe lond.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5578 : Himm reoweþþ þatt he dwelleþþ her..onn eorþe Þatt all iss full of hete & niþ.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14474 : To forrwerrpenn hete & niþ.
- c1230 Ancr.(Corp-C 402)104/6 : Herto limpeð alswa..leasunges ladliche þurh nið & þurh onde [L pro liuore uel odio].
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1096 : Þene kniȝt Þat hadde idon so muchel unriȝt..Vor riȝte niþe & for fule onde.
- a1275 Wolle ye i-heren (Trin-C B.14.39)68 : Þes kinges were boþe some & saiste..trewe wid-uten niþe & onde.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)3934 : Aiþer hatede oþer..and beine in niþe and honde wonede in þisse londe.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1915 : Wexem wið gret nið And hate for it in ille lið.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1937 : Swilc nið & hate ros hem on, He redden alle him for to slon.
- a1350 Heȝe louerd (Hrl 2253)59 : Coueytise myn keyes bere, Niþe ant Onde were mi fere.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)208 : Euer he proued wiþ niþ [vr. enuy] & ond For to haue brouȝt hem boþe to schond.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)48/1195 : Þai sschal..for nithe [vr. yre] an hete Put þe out of þi kinges sete.
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)2274 : He dede it noiþer for niþe no ond Bot forto saue al Inglond.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)344 : Pride priketh aboute, wid nithe and wid onde; Pes and love and charite hien hem out of londe.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)553 : Pees and Riht cussen and be sauȝt and some, And druyuen out werre, nuþ and onde.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)13.258/5 : But sathanas þorwh Onde and nyþe Com aȝeyn hym his Maystrie to kiþe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11941 : An..þat sibb was to sathan Wit nith and enst and iuel witt þe water wissing can he ditt.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)23279 : Þo þat euer had wraþþe & nyþe And wiþ bacbytyng wolde kiþe.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.237 : Leulyn had..werred..on him with nyth & onde.
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)3956 : Niht and hete [Lamb: He couþe hym neuere ffrendes gete, Tyl al he hadde ire & hate].
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)101 : Al he dude for nyþe [vr. angur] and onde: He þouȝte to beo kyng of þis londe.
c
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)417 : Noff whatt menn mihhtenn habbenn niþ, Ne wraþþe ȝæn heore owwþerr.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10267 : All þatt follc toc niþ wiþþ himm..Off þatt he toc swa baldeliȝ To spellenn & to fullhtnenn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14457 : Caym..toc Niþ ȝæn Abæl..Off þatt he sahh þatt he wass god.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19806 : Tokenn þeȝȝ till Crist Full hefiȝ niþ & wraþþe.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)153 : Nedre haueð niþ and onde..Swa haueð þe douel nih [read: nið] and onde to monne.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)27 : Ne mai no man þese word seggen þanne he godes milce bisecð gief he haueð on his heorte onde oðer nið.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)191 : Inuidia tabescit..hie haueð nið and onde..Swo haueð þe deuel nið and onde to men, for þan hem is bi-hoten þe hege sete on heuene þe he fel of.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)41/4 : Ne beswic ðu noht ðe seluen..ðat Crist wuniȝe mid ðe..all ðare hwile ðe ðu wraððe oðer nið hauest mid te.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)55/11 : He haueð to us muchel nið..abuten us he is for to blenchen.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)65/181 : Hwenne we habbeð nið and onde to eni monne þet is on londe.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)25/21 : Clænnesse lufian; nane man hatian; ande & nuð [L zelum et inuidiam] nang habbon.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)169 : Wið al mankin he haueð nið & win.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2545 : Egipte folc adden nið, For ebris adden seli sið.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1069 : Caym..Vntil his broþer nith [Frf: enuy; Göt: ire] he bare..A-gain abel he raysed strijf.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4075 : Wit ioseph ware þai neuer saght, For nigh þai had til him sa strang þai soght him ai to greue wit wrang.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27716-17 : Ane caitife mai fle envi, For þof he nith him-seluen bere Es nan þat nith [Glb: enuy] has to begger.
2.
(a) One of the deadly sins, envy, malice; ?also, wrath; ~ and onde (enst), envy and spite; (b) ?a malicious or spiteful act; (c) wickedness, badness, evil; (d) vexation, distress, tribulation.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)89/27 : Ðohtes..of ȝiuernesse, oðer of galnesse, oðer of ȝitsinge, oðer of wraððe, and of nið and of ande..wite ðu..ðat..is dieuel.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1401 : Þe gost mis deþ þurch niþe an onde.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)244 : Boðen nið & win, golsipe & giscing, giuernesse & wissing, pride & ouerwene.
- a1300 Sayings St.Bede (Jes-O 29)81 : Þeo seuen heaued-sunne..beoþ of swikele kunne..Prude and modynesse, Ne arhhede ne sorynesse, And nyþe and ek onde, Wraþþe and swikelnesse, [etc.].
- c1300 Body & S.(5) (LdMisc 108)p.45 : Glotenie and lecherie, Prude and wicke coveytise, Niþe and onde and envie.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)806 : Lete þe lores of þe Fende: Pride, wratþe and glotonie, Niþe, sleuþe & lecherie, [etc.].
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.52 : This gat es stany and thornye Wit couaitys and glotounye, Wit prid and nithe and licherye.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23138 : In pride..In nith and enst [Trin-C: nythe & onde] and licheri And vntelland sinnes fele. .
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27660 : O nith [Glb: enuy] cums bitternes o thoght, Finding of il, wit wicked for-thoght.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)787 : He bad hire forsake..Pruyde, hate, and couetyse, Nyþe and onde and envye And monnes flechs in lecherye.
- a1425 Iesu þat wolde (LdMisc 463)p.194 : Nou haue ȝe herd..of ire a partye. Nou shole ȝe here of an oþer: Nithe and onde, þat is here broþer. Many man wile..wiþ an oþer swete and swink And bere him fair companye And thinkeþ al on felonie.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)102/22 : We sceolon yfelræ mannæ hate & heora niþæs ðuldelice forberæn.
c
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)27.5 : After þair werkes gif to þa, And after nithe [vr. nigh; L nequitiam] ofe þair findings ma.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)54.17 : In helle liuand doune þai ga, For nith [vrr. nigh, quedenesse; L nequitiæ] in teldes of þam ai.
d
- ?a1300 *Body & S.(4) (Dgb 86)17 : Spac þe bodi wiþ niþe [vrr. onde, drery mod] of herte, mid sunnes þer hit lai srud.