Middle English Dictionary Entry
obēdient adj.
Entry Info
Forms | obēdient adj. Also obediant, obediand, obidient & (error) obedience. |
Etymology | OF obedïent |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Obedient; willing to serve someone; also, willing to fulfill an obligation; ~ to, ~ unto; (b) as noun: obedient person; (c) ~ to (unto), subject to the rule of (sb. or sth.), subjected to; in servitude to (a vice).
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)218/3 : Twa wummen..beon obedient to hare dame in alle þing.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.171 : Holy chirche regneþ & is fre to seruen god & obedient to þe prelates.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Cor.2.9 : In alle thingis ȝe ben obedyent.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Phil.2.8 : He mekede him silf, maad obedient til to the deeth, forsoth to the deeth of cross.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.851 : The Knyght..wys was and obedient To kepe his forward by his free assent.
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)68/113 : Praie þilke þat beþ obedient; reproue hem þat ben vnobedient to God.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.997 : Iesu Crist for the giltes of o man was obedient to the deeth.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1125 : What so mi lady hath me bede, With al myn herte obedient I have therto be diligent.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)264b/b : Wheþer he is y-ladde to pasture or to deþ, he gruccheþ nouȝt..but is obedient and meke.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)54/17 : A wounde mai be kept from apostyme..if þat..þe sike man be obedient to þe leche.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.191 : It is a wel lelly lif..among þe lewide peple..Trewe tilieris on erþe, taillours & souteris..Obedient as breþeren & sustren to oþere.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)183/7 : Breþeren, ȝif ony is not obedient to oure word, markeþ him, and comune ȝe not wiþ him.
- (1409) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.125176 : It is ordand be the assent of all the hale crafte beforsayd that ilkane of tham sal be obedient to thair sercheours of the same crafte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2362 : Allas, Iason, whi wil ȝe not appese Ȝour manly corage..And to my counseil ben obedient.
- a1422 Gild St.Geo.Nrw.(Rwl D.913)449 : Qwan time is to send þe Bedel..euery brother and suster schal be obedient to him at that time.
- a1425 Ordin.Nuns(1) (Lnsd 378)142/6 : Forsake þine awne propir will & liffe vndir obedience & be obediant principally to þi priores & to þi elders in þe ordir.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)54/22 : Chanouns Reguleres..hadden an Abbot, to whom þei weren obedient.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)3b/a : Þe sikeman bene..obedient to þe leche as a seruant to his lord.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)378/31 : Þei þat ben verry obedient ben verry pacient, which is þe piþ of obediens.
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)9 : Man was principally ordayned for to be obedient to god and to drede him and for to kepe his commaundementis.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)975 : He turned deuoute, sad, and obediente, Sayde his mateyns, masse, and his pryme Witȝ more deuocyone.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)199 : Þe will of þe resoune..was Obedyent & consentande to dye.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)154 : Þay..for godes sake..will assent To be bowsum and obidient.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)2022 : He..yaf expres commaundement, To which I am obedient, To further the with al my myght.
- (1455) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.4203 : Ye shalbe good and trewe unto oure Soverayne Lord..and to the Mayre for the tyme beyng and your seniours be obedient.
- (1463-4) Doc.in Welch Hist.Pewterers Lond.30 : Ye shul swere that ye shul be goode & trew vnto oure souereyne lorde..and obedient vnto the mayre and to the ministres of this cite.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)57b/a : Þou schalt take no cure by no maner of weye but if þe pacient be obedient to þi gouernaile & þin ordynaunce.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)744 : All þis world was not aprehensyble To dyscharge þin orygynall offence..Tyll Godys own welbelouyde son was obedient and passyble.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)88a : Obedient: vbi meke.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)5 : Thenne þou shalt take a new wife..a sprit [read: spirit] obediente to a new gouernaunce.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)26/121 : Thou was alway well wirkand to me trew as stele, To my bydyng obediand.
b
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)206/24 : Soner Is graciously hardyn oone Prayere of the obedient, than ten thowsante of oon rebelloure othyr an evill lyuere.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)146b/b : Rauenes fiȝtiþ stronglyche..and he þat is ouercome is obedient to þe victor.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)259b/a : Man is defouled wiþ lust and likynge of fleissh and obedient to leccherie of þe wombe.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4072 : Fra þat tyme..sal na man be bughsome, Ne obedient to þe kirk of Rome.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)117/9 : Byfore er man synned, was ymagynacion so obedyent vnto þe reson.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)10/13 : Þere ben manye..Contreys þat ben obedyent to the Emperour.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)16b : Neyþer Gaynes of garnementis, gold ne siluer..makiþ oure enemyes sugettis ne obedient vnto vs, but onliche drede of dowtynesse of dedes of armes.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)26/27 : As tochynge þe prouynce of Est-sex, form [read: from] the begynnynge yn to þis day hit was alwey obedience [read: obediente] to þe bysshopes offe London.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)29/9 : The Persiens were aboue all other nacions most obedient to his empire.
2.
(a) Med. & anat. Of an organ, limb, bodily tissue or fluid, etc.: capable of responding to a bodily process, a stimulus, or a medical treatment; responsive; flexible; of a disease or wound: responsive to a treatment; of a type of food: amenable to digestion; (b) phys. & astron. of matter, an element, a star or sign of the zodiac, a natural force, an object, etc.: subject or responsive to some force or influence; readily moved (to do sth.); ready or willing (to be acted upon).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)27b/a : Þis puls grete and strong comeþ..of þe naschnes of þe lime þat is obedient to þe spredinge a brood.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)39b/b : In þe wanynge of þe mone..þe brayne..is nouȝt so frelich obedient to þe spirit of felinge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)103a/b : A wise leche..cureþ þe matiere þat is hard and corrupt wiþinne wiþ medicynes of digestioun..& makeþ it obedient to out passynge & voidaunce.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)285b/a : Kydes fleissh..is..more obedient to digestioun for temp[er]atenesse þerof in moysture and in hete.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)26/2 : Þis arterie is y-clepid venales, &..for as myche as he ne haþ but oon coote..he is þe more obedient to be drawe abrood þoruȝ out alle þe lungis.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)159a/b : If his wombe was obedient [Ch.(2): buxum; L obediens] and wele solible..hym nedeþ more liȝt or lesse farmaciez; If forsoþ it were hard & inobedient, more stronge.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)55a/a : [A bone] is holowe..be cause þat it schulde be liȝter and more obedient to þe meuynge off þe brawnes.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)59a/b : Þe arterie þat is cleped venalis is content of one tunikel..be cause þat þe skynne schulde ben obedient to dilatacioun and constriccioun in beringe colde eire fro þe liuer to þe hert.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)103b/b : Þat partie of þe bocche þat is depe is not obedient to maturacioun.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)161b/b : We assaie to repercusse a mater & maye not..be cause þat þe mater is not obedient.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)59a/a : Þe humouris þat ben aboute þe wounde ne beþ not obedient to turne to maturacioun.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)73a/a : Yuele woundis ben þo to whom scharpe humouris rennen and deþ not obedient to kyndely hete to be turned in to quytture.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1420 : Botercadent..of his kinde obedient Is to Mercurie and to Venus.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)106a/a : Þuse þre elementis, ayer, fire, & watir, beþ obedient to som maner meuynge of heuen..What is more liȝt amd [read: and] pure is more obedient; and what is lasse liȝt & pure folewiþ more slouliche & is lasse obedient.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)200a/b : Iren y-drawe by mene of siluer and of bras foleweþ þe stoon and is subiecte and obedient þer to.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)203b/b : Influence of heuene comeþ in to oþer place and prenteþ þer Inne þe effectes þer of; and he fyndeþ matier more able and obedient to his worchynge, þe more noble impressioun he prenteþ þer Inne.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.12.109 : The reume ne schulde nat seme blisful yif ther were a yok of mysdrawynges in diverse parties, ne the savynge of obedient thynges ne scholde nat be.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)412/19 : Erþe is to þis vertu obedient; beestis ben obedient; water is obedient þerto.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.28.33 : These croked signes ben obedient to the signes that ben of right ascensioun.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)6 : To god alle þinges lyven & her creature feelen..floodes & wawis of þe see feelen him; for to þe places þat þei comen fro þei ben obedient to flowe ageyn; all wyndes & þe see feelen him, for at his wille þei ben obedient to rise & falle.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)75a/b : Jf it is so þat an arowe is not obedient to be drawen out anoon aftir þat sche is schoten, þanne it bihoueþ þat þou lete yt resten in pees in to þe tyme þat þe fleisch be rotid.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1983 : The cause of odours to know if ye delyte, Fowre thingis therto be requysite: First that subtile matere be obedient To the worching of hete.