Middle English Dictionary Entry
passī̆f adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | passī̆f adj. Also -ive. |
| Etymology | OF passif & L passīvus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of matter or a quality of matter: capable of being acted upon, passive as opposed to active; (b) of one's relation to an attitude or judgment: receptive, passive; ~ cursing, the suffering of punishment as a result of sin; ~ worshipe, honor received as opposed to honor given; (c) ~ diseses, produced disharmonies, resultant discords.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)28b/b : Tweyne of þese qualites ben I-clepid actiue, able to worche -- hete & cooldnes; þe oþir tweyne -- drynesse and wetnesse -- ben I-clepid passiue [L passiue], to soffre.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)70b/b : In þe male beþ vertues formal & of schapinge & werchinge, and in þe femel material suffringe & passiue.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)305a/a : Bitwene whitenesse & blaknesse beþ many mene grees folwynge þe maistry of qualitees þat beþ actiue and passyue -- worchinge and suffrynge -- as þey beþ more stronge or feble.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)2.23.45a : Thu [the soul] were to me [the body] actiff as fire in the wode, and I to the passif as wode in the fier.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1476 : Hete and colde be qualitees actyve; Moistour and drynys be qualitees passyve, For thei suffren the actyuys evirmore, As stonys to be lyme, & water to be frore.
b
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)298 : Passyue worschip is in a man heering or knowing hym be worschipid..and ȝitt þilk passyue worschip is not oonly in þe wil but in al þe hool man.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)14 : Þus owiþ no man to curse ani man, for God may not autorise þat actyfe cursyng..But passyue cursyng, þat is, peyn be it self wiþ synne folowand..is iust medicyn þat þo synnar owiþ for to take þankfuly.
c
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)79/45 : This armony, this melody..may nat be in doinge but betwene hevens and elementes..as hevens and planettes..for kyndly accordaunces, foryeteth al contrarious mevinges, that in-to passive diseses may sowne.
2.
Gram. Of a verb or its voice: passive.
Associated quotations
- a1450(a1397) WBible(2) GProl.(Cmb Mm.2.15)p.57 : A participle of a present tens either preterit, of actif vois eithir passif, mai be resoluid into a verbe of the same tens and a coniunccioun copulatif.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)106 : Whenne I haue a noun betokenyng party of mannys body comyng..after..a verbe neutre or verbe passyf, the party of the body schall be accusatyf case.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)111 : How knowyste a verbe passyf?
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)115 : How many significaciones haste in the participle? ffyue: actyf, passyf, neutre, comyn, and deponent.
- a1500 Donatus (1) (StJ-C F.26)1023 : How many maneer of verbys ben þere? v. Qwech v? Verbe actyf, verbe passyf, verbe neutyr, verbe deponent, & verbe comowne.
- a1500 Donatus (1) (StJ-C F.26)1023 : A verbe deponent..in þe thrydde persone..may haue a passyf voys.
3.
Med. = 1. (a); ~ qualite, the quality of moistness or dryness causing a morbid condition.
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)176a/b : Þe tyme of cure of passiue [L passiuarum] qualiteez is mych more folde þan of actiuez.
4.
Having human weaknesses, passible.
Associated quotations
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.1236 : A lawe he sette..That men..sholde hym name..This wordlis monarke, nat mortal nor passiff, Sone to Iubiter.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Peniarth Accedence(1) (Pen 356B)5/202 : How knos þu a verbe passyue?
- a1475 Peniarth Informacio(1) (Pen 356B)99/311 : How knous thow a uerbe impersonell of the passyue uoyce?
- c1450 Peniarth Accedence(2) (Pen 356B)12/175 : How know ȝe a verbe passyf?
Note: Additional quotes, sense 2..