Middle English Dictionary Entry

passing(e ger.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

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.
2.
Of position or location: ~ oute, leading out from the brain, extension; ~ up, ascending position, upward extension.
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.
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.
5.
Changing of color; breaking down of food, digestion.
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.
7.
?An emanation, ?an influence.
8.
Of a numerical series: ~ upward, ascent.
9.

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.