Middle English Dictionary Entry
orient(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | orient(e n. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The eastern cardinal point or its direction; marche of ~, the eastern border of the world; into the ~, toward(es ~, eastward; oute of the ~, from the east; (b) the eastern sky; eastern horizon; (c) the eastern regions of the world, or of the Roman world; the Orient; Asia; perle of ~, a pearl from the Indian seas; an unusually brilliant pearl; (d) fig. God.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3236 : O Phebus..thi swifte hors restreigne Lowe under Erthe in Occident, That thei towardes Orient Be Cercle go the longe weie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3590 : He scholde make his sacrifise..on knes doun bent Thre sithes toward orient.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.555 : Asie, which lay to the Sonne Upon the Marche of orient, Was graunted be comun assent To Sem.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)25/37 : And from Babyloyne, where the soudan dwelleth, to go right betwene the Oryent & the Septemtryon toward the grete Babyloyne is xl iourneyes.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.1632 : A vois..out of the orient, Vois fro the south, fro north & occident..Vois ageyn Iherusalem crieth out on euery side.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)16 : This riche lond..With Surry marchith toward thorient.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)919/25 : He saw the same shippe com from the Oryente.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)1910 : I sawe komen..A pylgrym..Drawynge in-to the oryent.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)12302 : The spyryt..Meueth toward the oryent.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)12314 : The boterflye..ffro the occident Tourneth toward the orient.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)458/6 : Phebus with hys bemys bryght Aperyth fyrst owt of þe oryente.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)461/16 : Out of þo orient..A ster aperyd, Ryght in the firmament.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1494 : Firy Phebus riseth vp so brighte That al the orient laugheth of the lighte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1201 : The lusty rowes rede Of Phebus char..sprede Vp-on þe bordure of þe orient.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5801 : Wlcanus..forgiþ on his blak stith..þe levenys þat whilom be viseble In-to þe west, oute of þe orient.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2269 : Phebus meryly aroos In þe orient.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.1008 : And in the tyme of thes mortal werris..Many toknis wer shewed in the sterris..Thre moonys appeeryng in the orient.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)55/9 : Phebus þe sonne..arisith in þe Oryent and bi successife cours accendith into þe hieste poynt of þe mydday spere.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)1.48 : This is the sterre..Whose gladde beamys without eclypsyng stonde Estwarde to vs in the orient full shene.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)5.78 : Whan criste was borne in Bedlem of marye, The same hour the sterre thay aspye Of newe aryse in the Oryent.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)126.26 (v.2:p.323) : Eusebie purifiyd and purgyd the cherche of the occydent or the west from the Arrians herysie, lych as Attanasye purgyd the cherche of the orient or the Est.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.God MH (Hrl 2255)74 : Ful offte the somyr shene sonne In the Oryent rysith cleer and bryght.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)197/16 : Ordeyn þe ascendent vppon þe oryent in þe Lyon.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)644 : Ther com a-gein hym a grete dragon from the Clowdes of the orient [F les nues dorient].
c
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3504 : They conquered manye regnes grete In thorient with many a fair citee.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3883 : Allas, Pompeie, of thorient conquerour, That fortune vn to swich a fyn thee broghte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.719 : He, Noght al only of thorient Bot al the Marche of thoccident, Governeth under his empire.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.573 : Of Orient in general Withinne his bounde Asie hath al.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.583 : Ther ben of londes fele..In orient as for the hete, Which of the poeple be forlete..For it mai noght ben habitable.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)82 : Þe grauayl..Wern precious perlez of oryente.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7674 : Trace..in þe plage of þe oriente Haueth his syyt.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)44a/b : It [the plague] biganne forsoþ in þe orient, i. este, And so shetyng þe worlde yt passed by ows toward þe occident.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.89 : Thou trauailest..Now in the west, now in the orient, To serche stories.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.717 : Maugre the Romeyns, proudli gan hir speede Al the parties of thorient To occupie.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1906 : Be an awntere of armes, Ioneke has nommen With erlez of þe Oryentte, austeren knyghttez.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2289 : Moyllez mylke-whitte and meruayllous bestez..Þer are of þe Oryent with honourable kynges.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)666 : Scho was frely and fayre..With a frountell endent With perle of þe Oryent.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)111b : Furþermore þat navey þat lieth at Rauennaunce haþ euen saillynge..to Achaye, to pounte, to purpount, to oriente [L Orientem], to Crete, to Cypre and to alle oþre side ylondes.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)4054 : With þi riȝt honde, thow þe orient Shuldest han touchid..And with þi lift honde, eke þe occident.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10807 : There out in the Orient..A prouynse of prise..prestly was cald Amysone.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)334 : Sir Alysaunder alle þe worlde wanne..Þe iles of the Oryent to Ercules boundes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)94 : Þer is comyn with him knyȝt[es] of landis dyuerse..Of Syre & of Sychim..And oþire out of þe orient.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3079 : Now am I kast vndire, Þat had of the Orient all ouire homage vmqwile.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.776 : Of al the orient, Youre meny calle yow kyng omnypotent.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9643 : And ne were the gret dyrknesse Off thys skye..The sowle sholde han so cler a syht At o look, fro the oryent To sen in-to the occident.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)77/3 : Pompee..conquerid allmoste all the parties in the Orient.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.80va : Olyfernes .. wente to many royames which he subdued and ocupyed a grete parte of thoryent.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2057 : The mayden is Redy for to Ryde In A full Ryche Aparaylmente Off Samytte grene..That wroght was in the oryente.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)104/27 : Twoo men..felawschipped hem to gedre in a way, of whom oon was oon enchauntere of þe orient, þe oþer a Iewe.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.38 : Brute with his wife So sailed furth, thorowe the Grekish oryent.
d
- c1475 The high Astrapotent (Hrl 2251)32 : And herfor visited hem the orient On Synai with hand most reuerent, Wrote expresse in tablis also doutles His lawe and commytted it to Moyses.