Middle English Dictionary Entry
ac(c)ūsen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | ac(c)ūsen v. Also acusy, acuisen. |
| Etymology | OF ac(c)user & L accūsāre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To charge (sb. with an offence, or misconduct, etc.), to impugn or blame; ~ gilt, to blame; to make a formal charge, indict; -- often with of (in, upon) phrase; also with inf. phrase or that clause; (b) ?to treat (sb.) as an offender, to treat badly.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)421 : Þe preost to Iuggement I brouȝt was at þe laste. Men acuseden him faste of þe dede; he ne answerede nouȝt þer-to.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10742 : Sir hubert de boru..Acused was to þe king of mani luþer prise.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)34/938 : For mytter senne þat he dede Þe sleuþe hine wyle acusy.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1765 : He hath considered..The trespas of hem bothe..And althogh that his ire hir gilt accused, Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.139 : Accused of avowtrye.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.167 : Excuse þe, ȝif þou const..For Concience haþ a-cuiset þe, to Congeye for euere.
- c1390 Erliche in þe morwenyng (Vrn)18 : Falslich þei him a-cuiseden Wiþ mony a wikked sawe.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2377 : This Prisoner tofor the king..upon this thing In audience he was accused: And he his dede hath noght excused.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3240 : My gilt, I may it nat excuse, Shal to the kyng of treson me accuse.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3985 : Þe accusers many Þat þe synful saul sal accuse þar openly.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)34b(2)/a : Insimulo, -as : to accuse.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.150,188 : Al hadde noght Fortune ben aschamed that innocence was accused..I am accused to han hoped the fredom of Rome.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)96/26 : Athanasius..was accused to the Pope of Rome þat he was an heretyk.
- ?c1430 St.Aug.ATN (Corp-C 296)281 : Þou reprouest oþer folk..þou acusest oþer folk, but þou ne þenkest not on þi self.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.3347 : He was accusid to them..That he was gilti in parti off tresoun.
- a1450(?1404) As þe see (Dgb 102)45 : Þere he accuseþ his owen name..He can not hele his owen shame.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)27.331 : Erthe, why art thow so hardye & so fre, The Erthe To Acvsen In Ony degre?
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)350 : This man to yow may falsly ben accused.
- c1450 Lydg.FP (Ryl Eng 2)p.113 : How Atreus accusid himsilf of mordre and his brothir vpon auoutry.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)11/337 : Þo jewys fful redy þer xul be bent Cryst to Acuse.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)276/146 : Heryst not in how many thyngys þei þe Acuse.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.524 : Thenne the Bysshoppe..Sith she soo openly hirsilf dide accuse, Made hir to swere that al the daies of hir breth She shold neuer efte suche craftis vse.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)3 : To Accuse: Arguere, argutare, calumpniari, reprehendere, deffere, excipere, Accusare pares vel minores, incusare pociores.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)4/27 : His on concyens accusyng hym of þe lest þoght þat euer he dyd amys.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)7/19 : His modyr accusyt hym styfly to þe justice.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)342 : But oure modir, that is holy chirche, accuseth the world to god.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)39 : Than the Right callid thaccusers and the accused and comaunded that thei shulden Reherse the plees
b
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.130 : Thus dyuersli my giftes I departe: Oon acceptid, a-nothir is refusid..Oon weel foorthrid, anothir is accusid.
2.
(a) To disclose or reveal (sth.), make known; (b) to reflect (things); (c) to confess or admit (sth.); refl. make a confession.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)52 : Þe grete loue was perseyuid and by a seruaunte accused to þe modir of þe yong gentylvoman.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)195/9 : Þai warr accusid vnto Decius Cesar at þai war þer.
b
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1591 : The cristall stoon, shynyng, Withouten ony disseyvyng The estrees of the yerde accusith.
c
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1081 : He seyde..that she sholde han his konnyng excused, That litel was..And his unworthynesse he ay acused.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)198/15 : If thou wilte be clensede, accuse thynselfe in peyne, and prayse the ryghtwysnesse of god.