Middle English Dictionary Entry
ou interj.
Entry Info
| Forms | ou interj. Also ǒu, oue, ough, ouȝ, ouh, ouhȝ. |
| Etymology | ?Imitative; ?cp. MnScot.dial. ou, ough; Sc.Gael. och, uch, Wel. och, ych, Corn. och, ogh; OIr. & MIr. uch. The Celt. words are commonly used as exclamations of pain or sorrow, 'alas', etc., rather than exclamations of surprise, excitement, contempt, etc., as in ME. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Oh, ah; ?alas.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Eust.(LdMisc 108)283 : 'Ov!' seide þe Aumperour; 'hast þou þus i-seid?'
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)53 : 'Ov [Corp-C: Ou; Ashm: O], beu frere,' quath þe bischop, 'be stille! ȝwi seist þo so?'
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)423 : 'Ouȝ,' he sede, 'þe gret despit þat i se to me here.'
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1299 : Ou [B: A] louerd, þe noble fok þat is of þis londe.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4409 : Ou [B vr. A] louerd, þe deol þat þer was of hom of normandye Þo hii seye hor king aslawe.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11699 : 'Ouȝ,' he sede, 'redi folk & wel iwar is þis!'
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1841 : 'Owe,' quaþ Vter Pendragoun, 'bi God aboue, Now y schal se who me wil loue.'
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.446 : 'Owe,' seyd þe king, 'artow Inglis kniȝt? Þan schuld y þurch skil and riȝt Hate þe euer more.'
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)475 : 'Ouȝ,' quaþ roulond, 'blame me nouȝt.'
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)459 : Ow, child, me þynkeþ welle Þat muche þow þynkest on my [read: þy] catelle.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.295 : Ouh! for Saynt Dauy! þe Flemmyng wille him gile, Þe kest alle suilk a crie, þat men mot here a myle.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)13.19 : 'Owh [vrr. Ow, Owhȝ; How]! how!' quaþ ich þo..'By my faith, frere..ȝe fare lik þe wouwere That wilneþ þe wydewe bote for to wedde here goodes.'
- c1400 Wycl.Blasph.(Bod 647)404 : Owe, wheþer we shal se Anticrist so myghty þat he shal dampne Cristen men for þei graunte þo gospel!
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)71 : Ow, Colgrevance..Ful light of lepes has þou bene ay.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.6.25 : But owgh [vr. owh, i. pape; L Papae]! I wondre gretly, certes, whi that thou art sik, syn that thow art put in so holsom a sentence.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.2.1 : Owh! I wondre me that thow byhetist me so grete thinges.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)828 : Ow, Mankynde, blyssyd mote þou be!
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)4/92 : Owe! what I am derworth and defte. Owe! dewes! all goes downe!
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)110/34 : Ow dame, what þinge menyth this? with childe þou gynnyst ryth gret to gon.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)381/149 : Sattan: Owe!…Þis traytoure traues vs alway…Loke þat he passe noght!
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)389/301 : Sattan: Owe! þanne se I howe þou mouys emang.
Note: Additional quote(s)