Middle English Dictionary Entry
badde adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | badde adj. Also bad. Forms: badder, baddest. |
| Etymology | Not attested in clear context before c1300; ?cp. OE bæddel & bædling effeminate person, hermaphrodite. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Wicked, evil, vicious; [quot.: a1450] ill-behaved; (b) disloyal, unfaithful (to sb.); (c) dishonorable, bad (name).
Associated quotations
a
- (1221) Justice in Eyre R.in Seld.Soc.531081 : William Badde.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.343 : A good man in oþere dedes, þeyȝ he were badde in þat doynge.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3155 : Ther been ful goode wyues many oon, And euere a thousand goode ayenys oon badde.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1542 : With any wyf, if so were that she hadde Mo goode thewes than hir vices badde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1801 : For þar misdedes wepe þai þan..Þai greued þan þaa caitiues badd [Trin-C: badde; Ld: bad].
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.2.128 : The soverein good..is eveneliche purposed to the goode folk and to badde.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)1741 : The lord a lytyl kenet hadde, He loved hit wel, the hit were bad.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)145 : The moral goodnes or baddenes..in the dede of the wil makith the othere dede to be morali good or bad.
- c1500 Blessid god (Hnt HM 501)93 : [F]or body & soule, under thy law, [th]at euery bad purpose & wicked entent [ha]ue not his Course but be with-drawe.
b
- ?a1500(a1475) Wright's CW (Lamb 306)266 : Be the same hatte I can knowe yf my wyfe be badde To me by eny other man.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1593 : Somme were riche and hadden badde name.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.290 : As best for his body be to haue a badde name.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)313 : Bad name: Infamia.
2.
(a) Inferior or poor in quality; unattractive, distasteful; wretched, foul; both god and badde, all without exception; (b) decayed, rotten; (c) debased, counterfeit.
Associated quotations
a
- (1203) Feet Fines in Archaeol.Cant.4273 : Asketinus Baddecheese.
- (?c1375-a1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3612 : Mete and drynke he hadde So smal that wel vnnethe it may suffise, And ther with al it was ful poure and badde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1350 : Hir Sadel ek was wonder badde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.351 : Tuo tonnes fulle of love drinke..That on..makth a jolif herte in haste: That other..makth a mannes herte palle..Cupide..Fulofte..takth the badde for the goode.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.965 : Though thyn array be badde and yuel biseye.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)238 : Avarice..Wolde have ful gret necessite Of clothyng, er she bought hir newe, Al were it bad of woll and hewe.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)19.202 : Nasciens In presown kepten thei there, That him & his londis bothe, they hadde In here Award, bothe good & badde.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)14789 : Hyr lokkys wern ryht Rud and badde.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)33/139 : Bad thyng þou [Cain] hym bede; of þe best was my [Abel's] tythyng, and of þe werst was þin offryng.
b
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)634 : Than the mykil tree wax al badde.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)48/93 : Badde wedes whiche somtyme stonken han caught the name of love among idiotes.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.1167 : The gold of hem hath now so badde alayes With bras that, thogh the coyne be fair at eye, It wolde rather breste atwo than plye.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)18.73 : Men may lykne letterid men to a..badde peny.
- (a1472) Acc.Bodmin in Camd.n.s.1426 : Item y paied..for chengyng of a bad nobill.
3.
(a) Inadequate, unsatisfactory, worthless; (b) inadequately provided, badly off; þe baddest, the worst off.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2361 : Wat is vs to lete þis badde king Go þus aliue as a ssade, þat nis worþ no þing?
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)5024 : Of here a-tir for to telle to badde is my witte.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1608 : Hym thoughte ech oother mannes wit so badde, That impossible it were to replye.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2118 : Nas þere neuere a body badd.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)16180 : Alle vnarmed, certein, they were, So þat but lytel defens they hadde, For here rescus was but badde.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3187 : I made no chaunge Of my good eyen for thyne þat badder were.
b
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)529/17 : If sho be wele arayed hur lykis..to com emang no pepull and sho will say, 'Lo! I am þe baddeste in all þis town!'
- c1500(1463) Ashby Pris.(Trin-C R.3.19)77 : To be in pouert and of goodes bad, That before was well in goodes and rest.
4.
(a) Unfortunate, untoward; (b) unfavorable (aspect).
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(?c1300) Caiphas (Sln 2478)48 : Þo annas and ich panes tolde Our byȝete was badde..We were wel faste to helle y-wronge.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1357 : Thei despise The goode fortune as the badde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1562 : I finde his [Danger's] ansuere ay so badde, That werse mihte it nevere be.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.224 : Lewed peple..demen gladly to the badder ende.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1675 : Suche blynde bargens beith oft full badde.
- c1475 Why Nun (Vsp D.9)54 : My chawnce ys bad, I trow that fortune be my fo.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)290/331 : Here is baddyst aboue, by mahownes bonys!
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.716 : Aspectes badde of Mars or of Saturne.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2597 : To badde aspectes hath she of Saturne, That made hire for to deyen in prisoun.
5.
Diseased, ill; ?~ in the hed, feeble-minded.
Associated quotations
- (1276) Hundred R.Tower 141a : Rads Badinteheved.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1393 : Min hors is now so fieble and badde, And al totore is myn arai.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1160 : Thogh I be feble & badde, The sooth is, vnto youre subieccioun I gat Affrik.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)112/17 : For wormys in þe wombe and for a badde stomak.
6.
In names.
Associated quotations
- (1229) Close R.Hen.III178 : Petri Badde.
- (1264) Pat.R.Hen.III329 : William Badde.
- (1343) Court R.Ramsey134 : Petrus Badd.
- (1414) Reg.Mascall in Cant.Yk.S.21159 : Richard Badlond.