Middle English Dictionary Entry
nǒumper(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | nǒumper(e n. Also -piere, -poure, nompere, -peir, numpere & oumpere, houmper, omper(e, -par, umper(e, -piere, wompoure & nounper(e, -piere, nonpier, unpar. |
| Etymology | OF nonper adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An arbitrator, arbiter, umpire, a mediator; (b) one who decides a matter when arbitrators cannot agree.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Of alle þe witti (Add 45896)84 : Bote my rente myste reche to þe reprise, I myste ben Ipriued þerof wyt a noumper.
- c1390 RSicily (Vrn)28 : In his þouȝt he hedde pryde, For he was nounpeer in vch a syde.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)5.179 : Þanne þei ne couþe be here consience acorden togidere Til robyn þe ropere was red to arisen And nempnide hym for a noumpere [vrr. nounpere, nounpiere, vmper, ompere; C: nompeyr] þat no debate nere.
- a1425 WBible(2) Prol.Rom.(2) (Lnsd 455)4.302 : And while thei stryuen thus, the apostil putte him bitwene as a mene, distruynge alle her qwestiouns, as a good noumpere; strecchinge forth the hond to hem, and spekyng brouȝte hem alle to oon acoord.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)360 : Nwmpere [vr. nowmpowre], or owmpere: Arbiter, sequester.
- (c1450) Deed Yks.in YASRS 65124 : The sayd howmpers gafe award that the sayd Bryan suld pay hys rente and hys servyce to the hed lord.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Hrl 2251)890 : Among these owmperis was werre none, ne stryf, But concludyd to accord.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)90a : Omper [Monson: an Ovmper]: Impar.
- a1500 Lex is layde (Roy 7.A.6)19 : Inuidia is als vmpeire qwen þai be-gyne to stryfe.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)11/96 : Maked I not a loveday bytwene god and mankynde, and chees a mayde to be nompere, to putte the quarel at ende?
b
- (1379) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.12036 : [They agreed to submit to the arbitration of four good men and a] noumpere.
- (1426-7) Paston (EETS)1.9 : Walter and William schuld stonde and obeye to þe ordinaunce of certeyns persones..and ellys of a noounpier also þat same tyme named.
- (a1460) Paston2.196 : Chese ij lerned men, and þe said Canon shal chese other ij, þey to juge þis mater as they shal seme of right and reson..And if ȝe thinke it to many lerned men, take ȝe on and he a noþer; and if þey may not accorde, ȝe and I to be vmpere.
- (1468-83) Anc.Deed (PRO) 478 : [If the said arbitrators are unable to finish the matter, they are to choose a] noumpiere [to do so].
- a1525(?1464) Cov.Leet Bk.329 : If in the mean tyme the seid iiij arbitrours can not accorde, that then the seid Mair to be unpar..for-somoche as the a-fore named iiij arbitrours..cowde not accorde, that then the seid mair to be vmper.