Middle English Dictionary Entry
poet(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | poet(e n. Also poit(e, poiet(e & (error) poece. |
| Etymology | OF pöete & L poēta, from Gr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A poet; also, a singer; (b) flour of poetes, the best of poets, Chaucer; ~ laureate, laureate ~ [see also laureate]; ~ saues, poems; in ~ wise, in the manner of a reciting poet; (c) the works of a poet or poets; (d) any ancient writer; (e) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- (?c1375-a1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3650 : Who so wole heere it in a lenger wise, Redeth the grete poete of Ytaille That highte Dant.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 17.28 : As and summe of ȝoure poetis seiden, Sotheli we ben and the kynde of him.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.7 : Writinge of poetes is more worthy to preisynge of emperoures þan al þe welþe of þis worlde.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)475 : Þis poete telleþ of merueyles Þat aren not alle to leue.
- (c1390) Gower CA 1st Concl.(Bod 902)8.2942* : Gret wel Chaucer whan ye mete, As mi disciple and mi poete.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1732 : Hoold thow thy pees, thou poete Marcian.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)180a/b : Errour of naciouns and makyng of poetis trowed þat þise Ilondes were paradys.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8531 : Homer þe poet..Liued in þis king dauid lijf.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.896 : Þe poete..in þe pulpit stood With dedly face al devoide of blood, Singinge his dites, with muses al to-rent.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)68a/b : Vates: a profyte or a poete.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.p.12.144 : Thow hast wel herd..the fables of the poetis, how the geauntis assaileden hevene.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)81/14 : Orpheus was a poete [vr. poyete], and þe fable seith þat he couthe pley so well vppon þe harpe þat þe rynnyng watris torned theire course.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)2197 : Ion Lydgate..Hys bokys endytyd with termys off retoryk..hys contynwauns made hym both a poyet and a clerk.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)33 : Sum poyetis full prist þat put hom þerto, With fablis and falshed fayned þere speche.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9075 : No mynd is þere made in our mene bokes, Ne noght put in our proses by poiettes of old.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)74 : All maner of pepill..delytede theyme to here the poietis [StJ-C: poet] pley.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)64/18 : Erippides that was a grete poete..said he made..his ditees..that it sholde induce and stere men to good leuyng.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)172/204 : I pray you inquere in all wrytyng, In vyrgyll, in homere, And all other thyng Bot legende; Sekys poece [read: poete] tayllys.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)47/13 : O poete, what moeuid the to blame this Catholike emperour?
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)680/23 : Poeta: a poyte.
- a1500 We fynde wryttyn (Trin-C O.2.40)20 : And therefore þe poyt on thys says, 'De minimis granis fit maxima summa caballo, etc.'
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) Pref.Jer.(Bod 959)6.15 : We wryten pasemele poyet sawez.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.31 : Fraunceys Petrak, the laureat poete, Highte this clerk whos rethoryk swete Enlumyned al Ytaille.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)40 : Canterbury talys..Echon ywrite..By hym þat was..Floure of Poetes thorghout al breteyne.
- a1456(1429) Lydg.Mum.Mercers (Trin-C R.3.20)35 : Thoroughe þat sugred bawme aureate, Þey called weren poetes laureate.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.BC (Trin-C R.3.20)p.433 : First þere shal stonde an ymage in poete-wyse seying þees thre balades.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.175 : Virgilius Maro, the poete laureate, was borne nye to Mantua.
- a1500(a1470) Brut-1461(1) (Add 10099)526/21 : Calixt Pius was Pope..An Eloquent man & A poete laureat.
- a1500 Consideryng effectually (Cmb Hh.4.12)154 : Who made the so hardy, thow simple balad, The presence to approche of poetys lawreate?
c
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.453 : Mony hundrede of aungelis harpeden þo and songen..Thenne pipede pees of poetes a note.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.350 : His conquest..In þis poete ȝe may be ordre rede.
d
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.130 : Plato þe poete, I putte hym ferst to boke.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.237 : Of briddes and of bestes men by olde tyme Ensamples token and termes, as telleth þis poetes [C: as here bokes telleþ].
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.260 : Þe poete preues þat þe pecok for his fetheres is reuerenced.
e
- (c1200) Doc.Ireland in RS 5341 : Baldewinus le poet.
- (1280) Pleas Som.in Som.RS 44267 : Roger Poete.