Middle English Dictionary Entry
passing(e ger.
Entry Info
Forms | passing(e ger. |
Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Movement, motion; flight, flowing; passage of a sensory impulse within the body [quot.: Barth.37b/a]; movement of food through the digestive tract; growing upward of a tree; ~ abouten, revolving (of stars); ~ bi, going through (a country); ~ forth, draining of a sore; ~ over, moving, migrating; ~ to, proceeding to (another part of the body); (b) a passageway, pass between mountains; ~ oute, a way out; (c) permission to cross a land; (d) crossing of the sea; ~ over, fording of a river; (e) exit, departure; ~ oute, exit, departure; flowing out of blood or another fluid; coming out of a child from the womb, birth; emission of beams of color; emission of something from the skin.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)37b/a : Þe heed haþ litil fatnes to haue þe bettir witte..for þe spirit in þe synewis of felinge is myche I-lette in his passinge [L transitu] by hardnes & greetnes of fleissche.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)92a/a : Þe stomake haþ gret indingnacioun..Also for þe same cause þe mete semeþ colde in his passinge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)105b/b : Heuen..is one þinge compouned in matiere whanne it conteineþ þe kynde of þe whoche heuen is I-nempned, þat is þe laste passinge of alle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)106a/a : Þe firmament haþ..swift passinge..and is swiftest of all meovinges.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)108a/b : By þe opunioun of þe comoun puple, þis cercle galaxias is þe vore of þe passinge of þe sonne þat þe sonne leueþ aftir him.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)140a/b : Briddes..leueþ noo signe neiþir tokene of here passynge and fliȝt.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)155a/a : Other ryuers..renneþ and passeth by damask, and by þe cours and passyng oþer of [?read: þer of] þe gardyns of damask beeþ y-wattered.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)156a/a : Þe oþer partie þerof [of the sea] þat meveþ alwey is y-clepid vnda, of eundo, 'goynge and passynge', ffor contynuelich it meueþ and resteþ neuer.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)213b/a : Ver is a tree and hatte Abyes and haþ þat name of eundo, 'goyng or passynge', for it passeþ more ferre & streccheþ more hihe þan oþre trees.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)286b/b : Þe terme and tyme of generacioun & complement schal be by reuoluciouns and passing aboute [L secundum reuolutiones] of sterres.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.12.3 : Mak to thee vessels of transmygracioun, or passyng ouer..forsothe thou shalt passe ouer fro thi place to another place.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.14.15 : I shal lede yn werst beestis vpon the loond..and it shal be vnwaied, or wayles, for that there is no passyng bi it for beestis.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)89/32 : If aposteme falle..in way of an exiture, i. passyng forþ, [treat it] wiþ maturatyfes.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)361/13 : Þat it [limb] be strongely bounden, in bygynnynge aboue þe struttynge, in passynge to þe contrarie partie byfore and byhynde by þe reynes to þe hole parte.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)93a : A Passing: transitorius, transitus.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)118.136 : Passyngis [L Exitus] of watirs led myn eghyn, for thai kepid noght thi laghe.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.32.49 : Styȝ opp into þis hul abarym, þat is, passynge, into þe hul Nebo.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judith 4.5 : Þe prest, also, eliachym wrot..to alle bi whom passing myȝte be, þat þei welde þe steȝingis vp of hillis bi whiche weie myȝte be to Jerusalem.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)281b/b : An adder..slydeþ and wygeliþ in slider draughtes and wralles and in slymy passyng.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)19a/a : It [read: in] it [penis], forsoþ, bene 2 canalez or principale passyngez [L transitus], viz. of sperme & of þe vrine.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)142/6 : If it be..of an humour þat haþ no passynge oute [*Ch.(1): goyng out; L exitum], medle the þinges aforsaide wiþ some of þe openynge farmacies.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)182/35 : It is a place and passyng [L locus & transitus] of euel moystures.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1757 : God..in þe se reede Made a way and passyng apert.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.2.30 : Seon, þe kyng of Esebon, wolde not ȝeue to vs passynge [WB(2): passage; L transitum].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judg.11.17 : He sente messagerys to þe kyng of Edom seyinge, 'let me þat I passe bi þi lond,' þe whiche wolde not assentyn to hise preyeres; & he sente to þe kyng of Moab, þe whiche & he despisede to ȝifen passynge.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)146a/a : Storkes fleeþ ouer see..& in here passinge [L discessu] Crowis fleeþ wiþ ham and passiþ to fore, as it were ledinge þe storkes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)157b/b : It is soþ þat passynge of þe see is perilouse for priue rokkes þat ben y-hidde vndir watir.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.16.2 : So schulen be the douȝtris of Moab in the passyng ouer [WB(1): ouersteȝyng; L transcensu] of Arnon.
e
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.19.16 : Eche oon soȝte þe passyng out [WB(2): passyng] of his dore.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)129b/a : Cenophegia is a feste a mongis þe Ebrewis, and it was clepid picchinge of tentis and was Ihalewid in mynde of þe speed and passinge whan þey passiden out of Egipt and wonyden in tentis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)253b/b : Whan þe vyne is y-kutte, þerof comeþ droppyng most clene & pure..by passyng out [L emulsionem] of þat droppyng, þe substancial humour of þe vyne is clensed and purged in þe roote.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)303b/a : Vipera..doþ þe skynne of þe heede al in oon day, and his huldynge is and [read: as] passynge of a childe [L sicut exitus embrionis] oute of þe moder wombe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)306b/b : Colours beþ nouȝt y-seye by passyng oute [L discursiones] of bemes þat comeþ oute of yhen.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)155a/a : Attemper passinge out of blood is good to woundes and kepeþ woundes fro enpostumyng.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)103/8 : Infrigidatyfes and repercussyfes fulfillen þe þridde þing in þe bygynnynge..and afterward wiþ evaporatyfes wiþoute, after þe transpiracioun, i. passynge oute, vnknowen to witte.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)242 : He thurstede bodely by cause of the grete passynge out of blood.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)p.438 : Of Pyrrus and of his passyng ffrom Troy.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)2 : Cherubyn was porter ther ate..noon..mighte passe that ded other wounded he shulde be, In so michel that the prince [Christ] of the cite [heaven], for he hadde manhode, he receyuede deth at the passinge [F passage].
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)182/26 : He infudyth þe bestly soule sensibyl, tylle þe pasyng owte or þe departyng, and it [child] getyth a-nodyr gouirnauns to þe fyllyng of tyme of iiij yeris.
2.
Of position or location: ~ oute, leading out from the brain, extension; ~ up, ascending position, upward extension.
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)45a/a : Þe secounde cause is þat þe sinewes & þe nucha þat passen oute fro þe first and þe þrid ventrikel of þe braine mowe haue space for to passen oute atwixe þe braine & þe braine panne, þat in her passing oute þei schal not inmediate mete with þe braine and hurte it.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)46a/b : Þe vtilite whi þat þe arteries ascenden is be cause þat þe impetuosite off þe blode schulde be refreined in þe passing vppe of arteries.
3.
(a) The passing of the soul, death; the end of life; ~ forth, death; ~ oute, end of life, departure of the spirit; in (on) ~, in the process of dying; ~ of deth, ?dissolution of death; -- also with obj.: ~ the lif, ending one's life; (b) ~ forth, progressing from death to life.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)21.15 : Þou ladde me in-to passyng of deþ [vr. pouder or passyng; L pulverem mortis].
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)72.28 : For-soþe, god þyn [read: þyng] it is to me toward to God..Þat ich shewe alle þyn prechynges in þe passyng of þe soules of þe saued.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.10.9 : And the passyng [L excessus], or eendyng, of lijf of Antiochus, that was clepid noble, had it thus.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.193 : Godwyn..took sixe sones..of whos ende and passing forþ [L exitu] it is expressid in þinges þat gooþ bifore.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1440 : As he hadde leuyd yn hys lyfe clene, At hys passyng was hyt weyl sene.
- c1400 WBible(2) Gloss.2 Mac.(Lamb 25)6.27 : Passing the lif strongli [L fortiter vita excedendo], that is, in puttinge it forth, or in dijnge for the lawe of God.
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)46 : My..godes and catelx shal be departed and ȝeve after my deces and passyng out of þis worle.
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)48 : Y wul and ordeine þat my dettes þat ben writen..be paied..or my passyng out of þis worle.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)2 Mac.4.7 : After the passyng out of [WB(1): the passing of] Seleucus lijf..Jasoun..coueitide the hiȝeste presthod.
- a1425 LChart.Chr.C (Roy 17.C.17)648/310 : Þe sewent [Sacrament] es þi laste endyng, to sawe þe fro þi enme at þi passyng.
- (1426) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)340 : I..unknowyng the oure of my passyng, dispose for my lyf and sowle by this my testament.
- (c1434) Drury Wks.(CmbAdd 2830)78/112 : The laste enoynt a-leggit boþyn gostly seknesse & bodyly & strenthyth þe sowle in hys pasyng.
- (1439) *Proc.Chanc.PRO ser.C 1 file 9no.143 : At the tyme of the seyd testatour passyng.
- (1449) Will Sus.in Sus.RS 43207 : I wil yat myne obite be helde at ye Chirch where my body shal be buried at ye day of my passyng owte of yis world.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)683 : Here fadre..lay that tyme on his deth bed..As he on passing lay that stede, Yit a litle his eyen he vndede.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)387/42 : Þey schul seye vii tymes Aue Maria soo [read: to] þat swettist herte of goddes moder..þat sche mercyfully opun þat priue chaumbre of euerlastynge wisdame..in þe laste passynge-oute of her spirites.
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)70/28 : Man lengthes his pacyence owere the tyme of his lyffynge for vnknawynge of his tyme of passynge.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)182/40 : Þe þursdaye byfore þe daye of hir passynge..she wolde not speke to vs.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)29/24 : When he lay seke & was in passyng, he saw many fendis.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)473/1 : He..sayd evyn when he was in passyng, 'I commend his saule vnto all þe devuls in hell.'
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)3391 : Þis chapiter..schewes..what, before his passyng, He bad do of his byrying.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)117/28,31 : Seynt Austyn seiþ that this name 'Pascha' is compounde of a name of Grewe, scilicet, 'passin', whiche is as myche to say as passion, and with this name of Hebrewe 'phase', whiche ben seide by interpretacion as passynge; and so tho two wordis..a-cordeþ wele to-geder..for in passion of Crist was his passyng.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)171/37 : The day of my passynge out of this world commeþ nye.
- -?-(1459) Will in Som.RS 16192 : I have ordeigned my houshold shalbe kept to gedir aftre my passing oute of this lief.
b
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)279 : Paske..is also moche to say as passynge forth, for also moche as oure lorde passed forth fro deth to lyf with oute turnynge aȝeyne.
4.
(a) The passage of time; also, enduring, living; ~ and cours, progress; ~ into age, living to old age; ~ oute of peril, living beyond the age of peril; (b) disappearance of fleshly urges; conclusion of a planet's reign; ~ awei, disappearance of an abscess.
Associated quotations
a
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)4/26 : The knawing that thai had of god almighten, Thai had it of goddes giftt at thaire begynnyng With-outen travaile or trey or passyng of tyme.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.19 : Longe passynge of tyme and elde of dedes makeþ hem vnknowe and writers to erre.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.113 : Þe worschippe of þe see of Ȝork haþ i-dured þere alwey and dureth ȝit, þey Scotlond be wiþdrawe from his subiection by passynge of tyme [Higd.(2): in processe of tyme].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)67b/b : It [old age] is seide..welþe of ioye & passinge out of perile [L recessus a periculo] & comynge in prise perfitnes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)126b/b : By meuynge of sterres derknesse and nyȝt is abatid and þe passinge of..cours [L cursus & processus] of þe nyȝt is I-knowe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218b/b : Cassia fistula is þe fruyt of a certein tree þat bereþ long seed þat waxeþ in passyng of tyme [L succedente tempore].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)227a/b : Man leseþ fayrenesse by passing in to age [L per aetatum successionem] and falleþ in to poudre and deþ.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)246b/b : In passyng of tyme, whanne þe wythy is swiþe olde, þanne he falleþ & roteþ som and som.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)67a/a : Hoornes tokeneþ lengþe of lif & of age and is quenchinge and passinge of fleischlich likinge [L extinctionem libidinis].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)113a/b : Mars..regneþ in Capricorno & in cancro is þe passinge of his kyngdom [L discessus regni].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)115b/a : Þe mone..in þe passinge of hire regne is in libra.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)88/15 : Flegmon haþ foure tymes: þe bygynnynge, þe encresynge, þe standynge, and þe declynacioun, i. passyng away.
5.
Changing of color; breaking down of food, digestion.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)94b/a : Lienteria is a flux of þe wombe wiþoute passinge of mete & drynke, wiþoute digestioun, and wiþoute eny chaunginge I-made in mete oþir drinke, but riȝt as it is I-fonge so it passiþ out at þe neþir ende.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)309b/a : Grene is a mene colour y-gendred bytwene rede and blak, and þat is y-knowe by passyng [L transitum] of reed colera in to vnkynde malencoly þat is blak.
6.
(a) Excess, immoderation; superabundance of heat or cold; ~ oute, ?acting immoderately; (b) abundance; ~ of his quantite, surpassing size of the sun; ~ of wit, surpassing excellence of wit.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)67.29 : Þer hys Beniamyn, þe ȝong man, in passyng of þouȝt [L in mentis excessu].
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)115.2 : Y said in my passing, 'Ich man is liȝer.'
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.335 : Hit semeþ þat þe helþe of þat lond is bycause þat þere is noȝt gret passynge and exces in hele [read: chele] noþer in hete.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)42b/b : Ȝif þey [brows] ben þicke, with long heer somdel by-schadewynge þe siȝt, þey bytokeneþ passinge & excesse of hete.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.30.23 : Y seide in the passyng [vr. out passyng; WB(1): exces] of my soule, 'Y am cast out fro the face of thin iȝen.'
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)581/23 : Excessus: excesse, passynge oute, or surmountynge.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)115a/a : It semeþ nouȝt þat he [sun] meveþ for greet clerenesse and passinge of his quantite, so þe swiftnesse of his mevinge ascapiþ oure sight.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)174a/b : In þat londe is scarsete of wyne, of whete, and offe oyle..but þer is passynge of myle and of Chesteynes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)45 : Þer preued neuer nane his prik for passing of witt.
7.
?An emanation, ?an influence.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)115a/b : In þe side þat is toward þe sonne..þe mone echiþ alle humours, for by priuey passingis [L spiramina] of kynde, flood & ebbe encrecyd & multiplied.
8.
Of a numerical series: ~ upward, ascent.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)328b/a : If þou seist þre, foure, fyue, oon y-do to þree makeþ foure þe myddil bitweene þre and fyue; of oþer passyng vpward [L ascendendo] of parties and special kyndes of euene nombre and odde, it is y-treted toforehonde.
9.
In surname.
Associated quotations
- (c1273) Hundred R.Tower 2425 : Robertus Passingbal.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)4b/b : Anagoge: passyng of vnderstondynge.
Note: Quot. transferred from passing(e ppl. adj., as more likely a gerund. Presumably requires a new sense, 'exceeding, surpassing.' Perhaps under sense 6.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. passing.