Middle English Dictionary Entry
operāciǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | operāciǒun n. Also oparacion, operation, -tiun. |
| Etymology | OF operacïon & L operātio. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Work, deed(s, action(s; a military operation; also fig.; don operacioun(es, to perform (one's) deed(s, conduct (oneself), behave; (b) spiritual labor(s; (c) a scientific, alchemical, or magical process or experiment; (d) surg. an operation; a surgical treatment; manual ~, ~ of honde(s, an operation or treatment in which the hands are used.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.1148 : Folk ne doon hir operacioun [vr. operacions] Alwey as dooth the fyr lo in his kynde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3159 : Ȝoure noble, royal excellence Consydre shulde..In euery werke and operacioun, To caste a-forn..Þe final ende.
- (?c1422) Hoccl.ASM (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)368 : Good wil withouten operacion, Good promesse and noon execucion, ffoorth dryue amendes fro morwe to morwe.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)7.115 : Ek in this mone is maad castracion Of calues..Therynne is subtil operacion, In memory wel worthy to be born.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)473 : In þis wise is noon eend til to gidere be brouȝt forþ hiȝest and parfitist contemplacioun and, of it folewing, parfitist operacioun and accioun.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)1.21.70 : Thei causen us..like to the operaciouns of bestes.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)4781 : Prudence is vertu of entendement..Vertu gyeth hir operacioun.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)780 : Therfor hire operaciouns, hire domes, & hire deedis, Were..egallich I-doon.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.155 : Everyche operacion or dede [L omnis actus] of man awe to be ponderate after the intencion of the doer.
- c1475 Abbrev.Trip.SSecr.(UC 85)252/10 : I..haue yiuen cause of oparacion to geete the booke.
- c1475 Abbrev.Trip.SSecr.(UC 85)314/34 : The peeple doon thaire power to exalte the laude and honeure of the kinge, recommending his good and vertuous operacions.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)211/5 : Theise greuous discencions..restith nat in the deede nor operacion of the willfull and hasty men.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)235/28 : Suche was thaire operacion [CQ(2): werkis] that, by deedes and by touchynge [CQ(2): techingis], they gaue knowlege to the peeple which did bere armes that the cheftayne was more to dreede than the enmyes.
- a1500(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Stw 952(1))16220 : Evene thus In myn Entente, Lyke Folkys Dysposicioun Is myn [Tribulation's] Operacion.
- a1500(a1475) Ashby Dicta (Cmb Mm.4.42)51 : Beware of theim that lyve not truly, In iuste gouernance & operacion.
b
- c1475 MEccles.(Trin-C R.3.21)p.693 : They bere vp þe churche by ghostly operacion, Not we theym but þey vs with holsom doctryne.
- c1475 St.Anne(2) (Trin-C R.3.21)155 : Blyssed Anne..in operacion Of oure redempcion ys gone out.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)73 : They shold..desire to haue the sprite of our Lorde and his holy operation, too pray alwayes to almyghty God with a pure spirite and a clene herte.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.130 : He wayted many a constellacioun Er he hadde doon this operacioun.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1290 : He..knew ful wel the moones mansioun Acordaunt to his operacioun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5594 : Kyng Priamus..caste a weie..Þe cors to kepe from corrupcioun..by crafty operacioun.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)495 : Redy anone he dyght hys sacrifyse, Abydyng the oure off hys operacion, Arayd in qwyght, hys cerkyl gan dyuyse With carectyrs and fygurys.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)478/6 : Certeyn clerkes and women þat ar called wicches had made theire operacion and theire craft to destroy men and women.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)20506 : Thow seyst also, men sholde obserue Houres and constellaciouns ffor sondry operaciouns.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1062 : In Antymonye, arsenek..In malgams, in blaunchers, in citrinacions, Alle fille to nogthe in his operacions.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2362 : Therfor who can not his graduacions, May not be perfite in oure operacions.
d
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)0b/a : Cyrurgie is a party of Cerapeutici, i. of curing, heling men by inscisions & adustions & articulacions of bones..and by oþer operacioun of handes.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)48b/b : Oþer forsoþ wiþ a cauterie actuale perfourmeþ þe forsaid operacion [Ch.(2): operacioun; L operationem].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)149b/b : Of cure [ of kidney stones] with manual operacioun [Ch.(2): wirchynge]..Cure forsoþ wiþ manuale acte ys double, Som palliatif, som properly curatyue.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)46b/b : Operaciouns þat ben done aboute þe commissures of þe brayne ben suspecte, be cause of fallynge of þe dura mater vppon þe pia mater.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)97a/a : A surgene þat wille curen woundes of þe heued þat persen þe braine panne, wille he nylle he, moste wirche wiþ manuel operacioun & wiþ irens.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)166/16 : He haue noght þe coghe ne þe fluxe, ne none oþer accidente þat letteþ the operacioun [*Ch.(1): worchyng] wiþ yren.
- ?a1450 Arderne LW (Em 69)126 : I putte one the laard till that all the ded flessch was departed..& with the operacione afore done, the yvyll of the yerd was almoste clensyd from all superfluite.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)146a/b : And he schal not bigynne noon operacioun þat ony perel is ynne vnto þe tyme þat he be purueied of alle maner nessessaries þat him nediþ to eschewen þo perels þat moun falle.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)146b/a : Þis word Cirurgia, it comeþ of a word of Grew þat is clepid Cyros, þat is to seie, an hond, And of a word of grew, Siros, þat is to seie operacioun, wherfore surgerie is as myche to seie as a manuel operacioun.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)160a/a : A sirurgian muste in alle þese vj causis..worche wiþ irens bi manuel operacioun for to take out þe broken bonys.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)168a/b : Smal woundis þat neden not to be sewid schal be left to þe worchinge of kynde, for operacioun of hond profitiþ not to hem.
2.
(a) Something made or created; (b) structure, construction; workmanship, skill.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5028 : I, Nature..can my wirke and operacioun Riȝt as me list adourne & make fair, So peint & florische, it schal nat apeire.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)650 : To this appoyntment aggreyd both he and she [Neptune and Athena] That, which cowde make most merveluss operacion, Of that grete cyte shuld haue the nominacion.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)141/29 : I haue composed this litle tretys whiche I call Quadriloge bycause that in iiij sondry maters is this operacion comprehendid.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)187/5 : The ladys of the citee..constented thaire naturell and deerest ornamentes to be conuerted into the rude operacion and to be wrought by the harde handes of the workemen.
- 1600(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2013)3/69 : Nowe, Luciffer and Lightborne, loke lowely you bee; The blessinge of my begyninge I geve to my first operacion.
b
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)530 : But the secunde cerkyl, ther ys no lyuyng creature That myght yt behold but gretly he schuld wondyr Off the operacion and ryches off that meruulus fygure.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6097 : Half the poyntes Wer..Wroght in so sotile manere That the operacion Passed my wyt and my reson.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)86/17 : That instrument..is a brasyn horn, wrought with mervelous operacion.
3.
(a) The function of an element, one of the senses, reason, will, nature, etc.; that which it does or is designed to do; (b) astron. & astrol. the influence of a planet, constellation, or sign; (c) physiol. the function of a bodily organ or member; (d) med. the power or effect of a medicine, a medicinal plant, a poisonous tree, a magical plant; don ~, of a laxative: to exercise (its) function.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1282 : Upon sondri creacion Stant sondri operacion, Som worcheth this, som worcheth that; The fyr..brenneth what he mai atteigne; The water mai the fyr restreigne.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.47/7 : The fallynge evill..is a syknes that compressith the ventriclis and the weys of the brayne, lettyng the operacion of the wyttis.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)5168 : Mynd, Resoun, Wyl..dystynctly They han her operacyouns, & yet essencyally But oon soule þei ben al thre.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)30/271 : Dionisius..was in his ȝungage as fair of face..as any man mythte awher be maad be þe operatiun & te wurkis o kynde.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)1669 : The first membryd..Wheer powrys Organycall vse ther operacioun Is the heed.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.177 : A man and the worlde be assimilate in iij thynges: in dimension..dimetralle, in disposicion naturelle, and in operation virtualle.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)95/34 : This may not be true as to the operacion of the soule, whiche may werke at his owyn libertee and myght.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)66/27 : The rede stone..begynneth to descende tille the sone-fallyng..The operacion of the white stone is the contrarie, for the horse that bere it shall never nye tille thow remove it a-way.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1911 : Soeffre nature with hir operacion At hir owne leysere to make generacion.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.998 : Of this constellacioun [Aries] The verray operacioun Availeth, if a man therinne The pourpos of his werk beginne.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)1.21.69 : Whan the planetes ben under thilke signes, thei causen us by her influence, operaciouns, and effectes like to, [etc.].
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)20070 : Ther be Many constellaciouns..And lyk affter ther dyfferences, They yive in erthe influences, Many dysposiciouns, And dyvers operaciouns.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)57a/a : By spasme vnderstondeþ Aueroys decurtacioun of membrez of sich starknez þat þay mowe noȝt be bowed ne dilated, for in it is noȝt take a way operacioun [Ch.(2): wirchynge; L operatio] as is in peralisy, bot þer is mutacioun.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)41b/b : Þe nailes aumenten o lengþe, for ȝif þei growe not o lengþe þei schulde alle vtterlie faile with alle her operaciouns.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)133b/a : And it happen..þe wounde of þe liuer be grete, comunelie it is not cured after be cause of grete bledinge and be cause of nescescite of his operacioun in alle þe bodie and for his owen operacioun also.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)140b/a : Ȝif a wounde in þis place be kit ouereþwerte so þat þe nerues be kitte in partie oþere alle, þe member schal lese his operacioun aftir þat þe member is kitte.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)38b/a : A gutte..haþ diuers partis & formes aftir þat he haþ in þe body diuers operaciouns & helpingis.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)168b/b : It is necessarie to knowe..þe membre þat is hurt & his complexioun & his operacioun and hise helpis þat he doiþ in a mannys bodi.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)169b/a : Þe herte is a membre þat is most sensible, and also his operacioun is moost necessarie.
d
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)176b/a : O medicyne may haue contrarie operacionz, And o plante diuers in diuers parties.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)166a/b : Þo medicines þat clensen wiþ oute furþe allonelye ben localies, of what condicioun oþer vertue oþer operacioun þat euer þei ben.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)168b/a : Summe tyme two compounde medicines done boþe one operacioun.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)80/12 : [Vitriol] doþe noȝt þus for contrariouste of operacion..bot..of complexions.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)563/5 : In þe dede forsoþe of mynistryng of a laxatyf, it is to be ware þat he holde it and þat he brekle it noght til þat it do some operacioun.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)4013 : Ther ben other trees mo Which ar cause of myche wo..Ther mortal operacion Is of swich condicion.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.209 : Monstruous transformaciones of men in to bestes be made otherwhile thro charmes of wicches and wikkede operaciones of yerbes.