Middle English Dictionary Entry
plīen v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | plīen v.(1) Also pli(e, pliȝe & pleie, plaie. |
| Etymology | OF ploiier, pliier, pleier, plaier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To bend (sth.); fold; mold, shape; (b) to bend; be flexible or malleable; bow; ppl. pliande, flexible; of trees: swaying; of claws: curved, crooked.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1099 : Every feld hath corn in honde And many a man his bak hath plied.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1430 : Men may warm wex with handes plye.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)317/21 : A mannes ribbis..moun be plied [L plicari] inward & not to-broke.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)54a/b : Ligature incarnatiue..is made wiþ a bende fro 2 endez plied [Ch.(2): folden; L plicata] vnto þe middez.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)8/37 : Þe first instrument..ow to be smal, þat it may liȝtly be plied & replied.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.522 : A galoun muste..do to A stryk flour..and..In smallest loues plie [L facies].
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)12.61 : Let bowis multiplie, And afterlong on euery side hem plie [L curuetur].
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)1/12 : Vnto my dygnyte dere sall diewly be dyghte A place full of plente to my plesyng at ply.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1063 : A plant, whils it is grene..A man may with his fyngirs ply it wher hym list.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)818 : Þe vssher..Be-fore þo lorde and þe lady..Dowbelle he playes þo towelle.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.1169 : The coyne..wolde rather breste atwo than plye.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)291b/a : The hare hatte..eeren..ful longe and pliaunde [L flexibiles].
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)317/26 : Sumtyme þat oon parte [of a broken rib] plieþ inward.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)439 : Hit watz playn in þat place for plyande greuez.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6112 : Þe Iren hoot, tyme is for to smyte, And nat abide til þat it be colde, For nouþer þanne it plie wil nor folde.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)777 : Thane come..A blake bustous bere..With pykes full perilous, all plyande.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)462 : Þe mayles so sekir ware, Þe spere hedis bi-gan to plye.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6810 : Glas ys..Rede to breke but nat to plye.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)8400 : Thow must..han a leche..Thy synwes harde to mollefye With oynementys, to make hem plye.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)284 : To Plye: flectere, vbi to bowe.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)138 : Þe prelate passide on þe playn; þer plied to hym lordes.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)5722 : Wythe a spere he to hym sought; The sheld was good & faylyd novght, There in the soket plyde.
2.
(a) To make (sb., one's heart, oneself) submissive; subject; influence (sb.), mollify; (b) to be submissive, humble oneself, submit; with inf.: agree (to do sth.), consent; ppl. pliinge, pliant, submissive; (c) to change, waver; relent; ~ from, turn away from, abandon; ~ to, tend toward.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.578 : Of dedly vices..the herte is ofte plied To thing which after schal him grieve.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1370 : Ther be lovers that..wol noght here hertes plie To soffre til it betre falle.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3419 : Ther mai no gold the Jugge plie, That he ne schal the sothe trie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3871 : God was ek wel paid..That he so wolde his herte plye, The lawes forto justefie.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)5985 : Not-wythstondyng þat wyth wattry yhe The shypmen he preyid..Onneyth þei wolde to hys entent them plye.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1779 : He myhte make non essoine, That he ne mot algates plie To gon to bedde of compaignie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.871 : Whanne I to my ladi plie..and merci crie..sche no merci on me leith.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)168/8 : He wil haue þee maad as pleying [vr. plying] to his wille goostly as a roon gloue to þin honde bodely.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.1605 : This Mitridate..loth was for to plie Or for to bowe.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1475 : God for-beede þou þe haddist tyed Þer-to, but if þin herte myght han plyed ffor to obserue it wel.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)7922 : Lat nat thy flesshe ha the maystrye, But mak hym lowly bowe & plye To the spyryt.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)281/58 : Lok that ye lowte to my lykance..dilygently ply to my plesance.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3564 : Cupide..On you is evere that I crie, And yit you deigneth noght to plie, Ne toward me youre Ere encline.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)196 : Þat ilk proper Prynce..Is displesed at uch a poynt þat plyes to scaþe.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4389 : A trewe herte wole not plie For no manace that it may drye.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.4560 : Folkis be dyuers off condiciouns, To turne, plie, & chaunge in ther corage.
- a1450(?c1405) Mannys soule (Dgb 102)102 : And fro ryȝt, god nyl nat plyȝe.