Middle English Dictionary Entry
obstināt(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | obstināt(e adj. Also obstenate, obstanat. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Obstinate, stubborn, unyielding, obdurate, impenitent; willful, perverse, refractory; (b) ~ ayen(es, ~ to, obdurate towards (sb. or sth.), hardened; ~ ayen, unyielding towards (sb.); ~ in, obdurate in (error, sin, etc.); (c) unwilling (to do sth.); (d) inflexibly persisted in; also, persistent [quot.: Walton].
Associated quotations
a
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)107/738 : Among alle þe abusiones of þe world, most is a olde man þat is obstinat.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.521 : To drawen folk to heuene..By good ensample, this was his bisynesse; But it were any persone obstinat..Hym wolde he snybben.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1704 : For that he was obstinat, And wolde noght to trouthe encline, He fell.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)77/6 : Suche obstinat men þei ben þat wollen not haue þe world ruled bi stabilite of uertues but bi unpunschinge of uices.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)193/5 : Seint Iude techiþ to iugge..heretikes, obstynat folk þat defenden and iustefien here synnes and wollen not leue hem.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.92 : Her sory sentences ben clepid heresies, but namely when thei ben holdun of obstinat hertis.
- (1419) Proc.Privy C.2.260 : Whethir partye were obstynat or unresonable that the Kynges conseil shuld be the meene to rewle..them and us.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4008 : He was wilful and he was indurat And in his hert of malyce obstynat.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.2.5 : Þerfore after þyn hardnesse and þi herte obstynate [L impenitens], þou tresoures to þee wrathe in þe day of wrathe.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)25/7 : Þei schulen haue forȝeuenes of her synnes, but if it so be þat þei be so obstynat þat þoru her dispeir þei wole be repreuyd of me, no rewarde takynge to þe blood of my sone.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)91/20 : Alwey he abidiþ obstynat in þe yuel and peyne þat he suffreþ.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)3680 : Fayre Feyth..be not obstynat..I wyl þe councellyn al a-noþir weye.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.St.Austin (Hrl 2255)155 : Al for nouht; I fond hym obstynat, Moost indurat in his oppynyoun.
- (1449) Rec.Norwich 2287 : In cas that any persone of obstynacye wyll not brynge in his writyng unto þem..þe said wardeyns shall take that persone or tho persones that so be obstinat..as foreyns.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)189 : Do as I schal þe seye, & þin estat Amende I schal but þou be obstinat And wilfully rebelle & dissobeye.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)177/21 : I am so obstinatt & so fraward þat I may not will nor desire nothyng att is gude nor profetable vnto my selfe.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)10 : First thou shuldest softeliche avise hem..And sithe if thow seest hem obstinat [F obstinas], thou hast good leeue to prikke hem.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4924 : That he..be gentyl to my executours and in my wil fulfyllyng; and he be obstinat or froward, I wil he haue noon of all.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)637 : Of my sovereynes [I] gaf no force at all, Wex obstinat by Inobedience.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.1044 : He was obstinate, in his will malicious, And wolde not applye to be as Goddis creature And to amende his lyffe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)88a : Obstinate: Contumax, obstinatus, obstinax, peruicax, vbi frawarde.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)1664 : Whanne the Sowdon had hard hym every dele..he thought he wold noo more be obstenate.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)275 : Nowe an obstinat man woll not take hede to þis, but what he shetith an arowe of synne.
- a1500 Chartier Quad.(2) (Rwl A.338)204/6 : Thyn obstinate will aforetyme past the lawe, insomoche that whosoeuir said the contrary to thi fauour and pleasur, his sentence was iuged wourthy deth.
b
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1:Compston)744 : Þough it be leful in caas to werre & sleen euele cristene men obstinat [L obstinatos] in synnis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)18b/b : He [Satan] hatte a boor, for he is obstinat & rootid in schrewednes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)19a/a : Fendes be obstanat in euel.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Dan.5.20 : Whanne..his spirit was maad obstynat in pride, he was put doun of the seete of his rewme.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)147 : He knoweth that the hereres ben obstynate in errour.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)38/34 : Sche schewyd hym..how vnkynd sche had ben a-geyn owyr Lord Ihesu Crist..how obstynat a-geyns þe lawes of God.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2703 : To God aboue he gan wexe obstynat.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.294 : Behold..off Pouert the corage..How ageyn me [Fortune] she is now obstynat.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)9 : Thanne schulden thei not be so obstinat aȝens clerkis..for defaut of perceuyng whanne an argument procedith into his conclusioun needis.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)18 : The gost..whan it is obstinate [F obstinas] in his sinne and wol not amende for amonestinge.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10917 : Nabaal & kyng Pharaoun..were..in ther hertys indurat, Ek obstynat in ther entent.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)160/9 : Þe peple were aȝens þis purposed mater so obstynat and so vnouercomable and vnaȝendressabli hardid.
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)29 : Thes galantes, thes prout people, obstinate aȝen the will of almyghty God.
- a1500 Ihesu mercy mercy (Chet 6690)154 : Lord, to þee I cry, And in my synne stande obstynate; þerfore þou hers nouȝt me.
c
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.2219 : Thei wer so indurat..To axe mercy verray obstynat.
d
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)132/11 : Synne..dureþ forþ bi deseites of false hope or obstinat þoruȝ dispeir.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.49.7 : Curside be the woodnesse of hem, for it is obstynat [WB(1): stedfast; L pertinax].
- (1426) Doc.N.Convocation in Sur.Soc.113161 : Sirs, I knawlege yt yis two conclusions et open errors and obstinat defens of yai herisy.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)496 : Into remediyng of her obstynat holding..y schal now reherce.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.74 : As aȝeyn þi sorwes obstynat [L contumacis] Ageyn þyn helþe it is a maner lesse.
- c1475 St.Anne(2) (Trin-C R.3.21)303 : The iewes be lykenyd to thornes, For theyre obstinate, froward crokydnes.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)81/23 : The moste shamefull thing is obstinate abiding in errour.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)81/30 : What is the cause the people of Iewes be so long tyme..put bak? Nothing ellis but for obstinate beleve and hope opynatyff.