Middle English Dictionary Entry
nortūre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | nortūre n. Also nortour(e, nortor, norter, nortire, norther, nurtur(e, nurtoure, nourtoure, (error) nuttoure & noritur(e, noretur. |
| Etymology | OF norture, nurture, nor(r)eture, noriture, noureture. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Nourishment, food; also fig.
Associated quotations
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)113/2 : Ine þise breade is more..of norture [F norreture] þanne me moȝe þenche oþer zigge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)313b/b : Swetenesse is þe propre sauour of norture [L nutrimenti] if it is stedefast..in the membres.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.768 : How sholde a plaunte or lyves creature Lyve withouten his kynde noriture [vr. noretur]?
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6728 : If he haue..Thurgh vsage of his norture Lyued ouer deliciously, Thanne oughten good folk..Han of his myscheef somme pitee.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)1630 : Iuno..bisyly dide hir cure To yive him mylke to hys norture.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)4222 : Þei reuen þe body of norture..Þat it no greece gadre may.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)7918 : Coolde to seed is no norture.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)6/34 : How shulde the ground, without kyndly noriture, bringen forth any frutes?
2.
(a) The action or responsibility of rearing a child; upbringing, rearing; also, the period of a child's upbringing; haven ~ of, to be responsible for a child's upbringing; (b) teaching; training, education; learning; maken a ~ in, to give an education to (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2855 : He stamered a litel wiȝt, Þat he it hadde in nortoure Þurth þe norices coure.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2847 : Here [in Thebes] hadden þe goddes her norture [LinI: of nortour].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1091 : By nobleye of his norture he nolde never towche Oȝt þat watz ungoderly.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)89 : Of every heire femel or male..have the next freend on the fader syde..the norture [F nurture] til that the heir be of ful age.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)91 : Ȝif it falle..that he that hath norture of that heir lese the cost of his norture..thanne be the same norture takyn to an other..they have non in the forseid toun, by reson of swich norture, power to maryen swich a child in his norture.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)15.678 : In hem bothe I trosted ful wel, For Of myn Norture weren they Eueridel.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1885 : Þe fre is so faire..& of so clene nurtur.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)86/2560 : Hit am y..that writyng brought..Vnto childhode, as from dame nature, Dischargyng hir of thee the noriture, And vnto youthe to rewle bitook y thee.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)111/33 : For the noriture and seruice that this lady had ydo vnto Moyses, she was right well rewarded.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)102 : Youre fader I am as in norture, but certes I dide yow neuer engender.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)135 : This tecche hadde kay take in his norice..ffor he hadde it nothynge of norture of his modere.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)98/27 : Ihesu Criste..stablisshid nurture, modered, and dewe generacion and lawefull.
b
- ?a1425 Const.Masonry(1) (Roy 17.A.1)707 : So, affter the norter of the boke, Yn hys face lovely thou loke.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)988 : Yet felt y..Lyche a maner of suetnesse..Whych was to me..Ryght profytable to my Norture.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)4720 : And by xii ȝeres was past tyll end, he cowth enogh of nurtur [vr. nurturs] new.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.309 : Knyghtes and clerkys..were ordeyned..newe norture to telle here and to teche.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)65/6 : I haue made a simple nurture in you, when ye wate to dyshonour me.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)16/23 : What cowdist thou lern..but onely..to chaunge nurture vnto vnconyng?
3.
(a) Breeding, manners; courtesy; also, cultivation of mind; of gentil ~, gentil of ~, nobly born; well-bred, well brought-up; (b) the correct way, the way prescribed by good manners; (c) birth, parentage; (d) ?a tutor; ?a male nurse; also fig.; (e) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8620 : Ful y knawe him of worþschipe, Of nortour, and of hendeschippe.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)1704 : For his nortour and his largesse, Þer nis kniȝt þat so miche preysed be.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.635 : Norture y schel him lere.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)286 : Hii ben ilaft wid pride, and cast nurture [vr. norter] awey.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)989 : Lad, we sall þe lere nurtoure To answer men of gret honoure.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.188 : Gentille of norture & noble of lynage Was non þat bare armure þat did suilk vassalage.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)4 : Sire Iohn of Boundys..cowde of norture ynough and mochil of game.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)179 : Ful foul and cherlyssh semed she..And litel coude of norture.
- ?a1425 Const.Masonry(1) (Roy 17.A.1)580 : Taketh hede to goode dyscrecyon, And to good norter.
- ?a1425 Const.Masonry(1) (Roy 17.A.1)720 : Nowther to sytte, ny to lene, That ys norther good and clene.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)77/8 : Þir wymmen er riȝt blak and vggly to behold and of euill nurture.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)358 : Norture, or curtesye: Curialitas, urbanitas.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)231 : Nowþer nurture ne lare Scho wolde hym none lere.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)397 : Lyttill þou can of nuttoure [read: nurtoure].
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)97 : Off mene stature was Amoryus..fulle of norture and curtesye.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)676 : Ȝe sevene have haddyn..My sone..To teche nortyre and wyt.
- ?a1450 MLChrist (Add 39996)4841 : Þat tyme..Was þe vsage in þe olde laye Men þat were of worþinesse At þe temple to haue a maystresse To teche her childer in all wise Boþe norture and clergyse.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)187/5593 : Y bithynke yowre goodly port, Yowre witty yowthe, yowre demene and norture.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)903 : But it had be wel bettir he had be wele I-lernyd Noriture & gentilnes.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1760 : Noritur wol it nat for to part so.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)375/8 : He sente yonge Tristrams..into Fraunce to lerne the langage and nurture and dedis of armys.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)358/97 : Say me vp-on youre hie nortur What is the very name that to youre persone dith is.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)43/6 : It is beste to gete him a mastre that is a good man and a discrete bothe in wisdom and in nortur.
- a1500(c1380) Chaucer Bal.Ch.(Benson-Robinson)27 : Auctour of norture..Take ye non hede unto myn ignoraunce.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)731 : She..tawȝte her sone nortowre.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)122/20 : He [Aristotle] was of hey nourtoure, wel prowed, and I-lernyd of al Sciencis.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)40 : Of norture, iwys, myche he couthe, That lordys vsyd in there halle And ladyes in chamber.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)482 : Gawein..cowde all norture and curtesie [F tous les biens].
- c1450 Const.Masonry(1) (Clg A.2)34 : Nurtur & good maners makeþ man.
b
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)651 : Of þe nurture of kervynge y suppose þat y be sure.
c
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.213 : Hir name is Helianore, of gentille norture [F parente].
d
- (1338) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.188 : [Henry de Bridport], nortor.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)3837 : Adieu, sir Raymounde..Adieu, my swete norish And noriture!
e
- (1289) Chester R.in Chet.n.s.84142 : Richard le Nurtur.