Middle English Dictionary Entry
novice n.
Entry Info
| Forms | novice n. Also novis(e, novece, noves(e, novace, novisce, nowis. |
| Etymology | OF novice, novisse, novisce. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Eccl. One undergoing a probationary period in a religious order before taking the required vows, a novice; ~ bed (celle), a bed (cell) occupied by a novice; (b) a beginner, one who is inexperienced or unpracticed in something.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)49/503 : Whon þat nouices schulden ben schorn, To hem he wolde seye, [etc.].
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)24.278/71 : In þis hous Nouys was I, And aftur Monk.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3129 : Thow art a maister whan thou art at hom, No poure cloistrer ne no novys [vrr. novise, nowys], But a gouernour wily and wys.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)129a/b : And al þe office of þe day is endid vndir compendiousnesse of most schort euensong, for nouices [L neophiti] þat beþ nauȝt I-founde to goddis seruise schulde nouȝt ben I-greued ne I-noyed.
- c1400(?c1384) Wycl.50 HFriars (Bod 647)397 : Freris also..byndynge [?read: bynden] novycis to unknowen þing, for þei wil not suffre hom knowe hor privetees of hor reule and hor lif, til þat þei ben professid.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)13/24 : Woo to ȝou scribis & pharises ypocritis, þat cumpassen aboute þe see & þe lond to make ȝou a novise [L proselytum], & whanne ȝe han founden him, ȝe maken him helle broond.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)20/26 : Þe nouice beddis sal be þat nane þaire may nehe oþir.
- a1425 Ordin.Nuns(1) (Lnsd 378)141/1 : This is þe furme how A Nouice sall be made & resaiuid to religiun.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1535 : It happed..þat he fro Reymys went, With certeyn of his felawis & too nouyces eke, Whech he newly fro þe world had hent.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)360 : Nouyce, or novys: Novisius.
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)57/5 : Honeste es Maystresse of þe nouyce, and teches þam alle curtasye.
- (1442) Visit.Alnwick230 : We charge and enioyne yowe, prioresse..that..ye do your sustres now nouyces that are of lawfulle age and that hafe staide in religyon ouere j yere of prefe to be expressely professed by a bysshop.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1269 : None or nouese, mor or lese, Comyn with þam þat cursed es.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2088 : Als a gest ȝit sal scho be And sine a place forto haue grayde, Als vnto nouysces es puruayd.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2106 : Sithen efter ij moneth space..if scho þan wil langer dwel, Scho sal bide in þe noues sel At gud laser.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2361 : Þe nouece þat þis rewle sal lere, Vntil þai be past xv ȝere, Sal be in keping of mastres.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)380/20 : Þe same abbott þoght þat he wold prufe a novace.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.54/22 : I pray..Ilke prest in the Cite to say iij messys..& Ilke noues of [read: the] sautre of dauid.
- (1454) Will York in Sur.Soc.30177 : Lego cuilibet novyse, iiij d.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)681/20-21 : Novellus, novicius: a novys.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)573 : Alle thingis..arre put in the reule as tochinge the fourme of the habyt aswell of the novyce as of the profest bretherne.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)573 : Saynt Frauncis saith in his rewle that the bretherne shold beware that they medle nat with the temporalle goodis of novicis.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)155/20 : Þerof byeþ uele herten nouices.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)155/29 : Þo byeþ ase is þe yonge grihound þet is yet al nouis, þet yernþ efter eche beste þet yernþ beuore him, and ne makeþ bote him weri and his time lyese.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)71/10 : Who myȝt suffre abliche & here þat Fraunceys, þat was but a nouys [vrr. noon, non] in þe fey ordeyne þe wey of parfitnesse of mankynde.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.61 : For that tyme alle the senate was but as a nouice [Trev.: þe senatoures were nouȝt wise; L novitius].