Middle English Dictionary Entry
northen adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | northen adj. |
| Etymology | From north n. & -en suf.(2); also cp. OE norþan adv. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of or from the north; (b) of or from northern Britain; (c) ~ wind, the north wind.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(OE) Bod.Aelfric OT (Bod 343)27/278 : Of Iaphet..com þæt mennisc norðene be ðare Norðsæ.
- c1410 Chaucer CT.Kn.(Hrl 7334)A.1987 : The norþen light in at þe dore schon.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)20063 : In oþir inglis was it drawin, And turnid ic haue it til ur awin Language of the norþin lede.
- a1450(c1405) Purvey Determ.(Trin-C B.14.50)174/142 : A man of Lonndon..hadde a Bible in Englische of norþen speche.
- c1460 I warne you (Dub 432)p.294 : The northen party made hem strong with spere and with sheld.
- a1500 Lamb.448 Chron.in Camd.n.s.28 (Lamb 448)155 : Cum magno exercitu Scotorum, Wallensium, et aliorum alieni genarum et Northenmen.
c
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5934 : Þis þre and fourti com on hast, Wiþ norþþen-winde so doþ tempast.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)256/25 : Þe norþene wynd to-þrauþ þe raynes, and þe lourinde chiere þe wordes of þe missiggere.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)36/479 : But an tis be a vair tre..þe sowþrenwynd schakis hym o þe to side, þe norþynwynd blastis hym o þe toþer.
- a1450 *Trev.Barth.[OD col.] (BodeMus 16)17.61 : The norþen winde [Add: norþryn wynde: L ventus borealis] greueth þe fige tree more þan þe soþen winde.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)32/10 : The mydlonde peple is be-twix þe norþyn & þe sowþirne, as is a participle bee-twix Nowne & Verbe.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)97/5 : Sey to þe see, 'be in reste,' & to þe norþen wynde [L aquiloni] 'blowe not.'
- c1500 Befor my deth (SeldArch B.24)50 : Is there agayn so fremmyt and vnkynd That bittirare ys nocht þe northin wynd.