Middle English Dictionary Entry
nīthful adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | nīthful adj. Also nithe- (error) niht- & (early infl.) niðfulne, -fulran. |
| Etymology | OE nīþful |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Envious; malicious, spiteful; wicked; (b) as noun: the envious; the malicious.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.78 : Þatt laþe flocc Þatt iss þurrh niþ forrblendedd..tæleþþ þatt to lofenn iss, Þurrh niþfull modiȝnesse.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)672 : Deofell iss..Off grimme & niþfull herrte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)18254 : Teȝȝ wærenn off Farisewisshe þede, Þatt wass wel swiþe niþfull þed.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10219 : Þa laȝen..weoren soððen..ladliche iniþered þurh niðfulne craft.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)29 : Þe deuel..To þe man þat is niðful..spekeð on his herte and þus queð, 'Ful mai þe þinke þat forcuðer haueð faire weden.'
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)57/50 : Prud ne wreiere ne beo þu noht, Ne niðful in þi þoht.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)113/24 : Þeo abbodesse foresceawiȝe swiðe ȝeorne þære seocnesse, þære þe mare healpes behofiað, & na on hire neode wandie for ðam yfelam willan nyðfulran manmanna [read: manna; L inuidentium].
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)206/15 : Þe þridde þing is eisil..þe niðfule [Pep: ondeful] giws offreden ure lauerd þis sure present up o þe rode.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)369 : Niðful neddre, loð an liðer, Sal gliden on hise brest neðer.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1917 : Ðo wex her hertes niðful & bold, Quanne he hem adde is dremes told, Ðat is handful stod rigt up soren, And here it leigen alle hem bi-foren.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23750 : Þe flexs es ai to filthes fus, þe werld nithful [Trin-C: hateful] and couatus.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27658 : Nithful [Glb: enuius] man he luues lest Þe quilk he wat es dughtiest.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)175/12 : Alle..þat han swich nyþeful hertes & ondeful to her euencristen offren ihesu crist þis bitter drynk.
b
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)143 : Þe niðfulle, þe prude..sculen beon iwarpen ine eche pine.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)278 : Þar beð naddren and snaken..Þe tereð and freteð þo euele swiken, þe niðfule [vr. nihtfulle] and þe prude.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.100 : By þe mouþe as a lyoun bitokneþ þe manaces of þe proude Men & of þe niþeful.