Middle English Dictionary Entry
opportūne adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | opportūne adj. Also oportune. |
| Etymology | OF oportune & L opportūnus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Convenient, appropriate, suitable, favorable; time (leiser) ~, ~ space, etc.; (b) as mistranslation of L opportunius comp. adv.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2274 : Fortune I-graunted hath a leiser opportune To schewe Iason hooly al hir herte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2678 : Þe dirke nyȝt..ofte ȝeueth by fauour of fortune Vnto louers a leyser oportune For to parforme her lustus.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1426 : So ȝe me graunt opportune space For to declare þe cause of my commyng, I wil reherse.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2626 : Who is manful set but litel charge To parte frely his tresour..Whan he discretly seth tyme oportune.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2946 : Achilles I-charged hath his Mirundones Þe kyng Menon amonge hem to embrace, Ȝif þei hym founde in oportune place.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)139 : Non..dar me denye..To telle a tale..Whan I assigne and se tyme opportune.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)503 : Whan he saugh opportune space, And the kyng in sycre place, He hym bysoghte.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)420/37 : In þis orcherd ȝee mowe disporte ȝou in oportune tyme.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)600 : Lete no man grucche a-ȝens his fortune But take yn gre what god euer hym sende Whiche punyssheth al whan tyme is oportune.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)211 : Sone a tyme oportune he had found.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)1840 : Whan I espyed by her chere Tyme opportune and best leysere..To hem I did reuerence.
- a1475(c1450) Shirley SSecr.(Add 5467)309/15 : It behoveth the wise kynge to..thynke on thynges that bene conuenient and oportune for the prosperite..of hym and his reavme.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.231 : Thei were religious men, and oportune [L opportuniora; Trev.: couenable] exhibicion was ȝiffen to theyme, hauenge glorious vertues, as astrology and geometry.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.427 : Hit is oportune [Trev.: it behoveþ; L oportet] that y exercise the bridelle of correccion amonge thy subiectes.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)129/8 : If it be so þat thow be wrongyd owdyr of þi persone or þi name, sofyr for þe qwyle tyl tyme oportune be.
- a1500(a1471) Ashby APP (Cmb Mm.4.42)357 : Kepe secretnesse..Withoute langage, speche, or vtterance, But vnto suche personnes oportune As may be furthering to youre fortune.
b
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)149/10 : I may fully truste in noon þat may helpe me in oportune necessites [L in necessitatibus auxilietur opportunius] but allone in þe, my god.