Middle English Dictionary Entry
prē̆cept(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | prē̆cept(e n. Also precep, (error) priapt. |
| Etymology | OF precet, precept & L praeceptum. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A commandment regulating human conduct, precept; esp. a divine command or injunction; one of the Ten Commandments; a precept as distinguished from a counsel [cp. counseil 5. (e)]; a rule of conduct imposed upon those in a religious order; (b) ~ of the laue, Mosaic law; also, a New Testament injunction; under ~, required by divine commandment.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3247 : This Sampsoun neuere ciser drank ne wyn..By precept of the messager dyuyn.
- c1390 Maidstone PPs.(Vrn)155 : Calueren after þi precepte, Þei schul beo leyd on þin Autere.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.65 : Thapostle, whan he speketh of maydenhede, He seyde that precept ther of hadde he noon.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.5.6 : Thei han caste awei my domys, and thei walkeden not in my preceptis, or heestis [WB(2): comaundementis; L præceptis].
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)88/22 : The cristene ben cursed..for þei kepen not the commandementes & the preceptes of the gospell.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)285/37 : Thei [religious orders] wolen gladly ley upon þe heedis of hem whiche wil kepe þe ordir heuy stoonys or riȝt grete preceptis and comaundementis.
- ?c1430 Wycl.PSacr.(Corp-C 296)225 : Þei þat wolen not obeie to þis most holsum precept rennen into synne of ydolatrie.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2548 : To knowe the Lord and bowe be meeknesse, Tobeie his preceptis and eschewe idilnesse.
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)730 : Þai myth not acord With his [Norbert's] hard preceptis.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)9672 : Constreynyd to entryn was she The state wych longyth to weddit men..Wyth kepyng of goddys preceptis ten.
- (a1449) Lydg.PPs.102 (Trin-C R.3.20(1))155 : Blesseþe þee lord with al your ful might, Mighty of vertu his preceptis to applye.
- c1450 Dives & P.(Lchf 35)1.33 : Of thre maner preceptes, cerimonial, iudicial, & moral.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)83/1-2 : Alle þe fre inward deedis of þe wil..if þei be doon, reulid, and gouernyd in hem silf..aȝens þe precept of prudence, and aȝens þe precept of resoun or of feiþ..ben moral vicis.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10184 : Remembre in thyn entencyoun The precept off kyng salomoun..Tavoyde slouthe.
- a1475 Asneth (Hnt EL 26.A.13)371 : Þe stonis grete & wateris of hyght depnesse, Conseruyng kyndly þi priaptis and to þi vois obeisant..wyl nawt offende þi maundementis.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)54/83 : The secund precept of þe fyrst tabyll: þe name of god take nevyr in vayne.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)177/25 : Amonge comaundementis of god summe ben biddingis or preceptis, as þese, 'þou schalt loue god aboue al þing.'
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Hrl 2251)708 : In His preceptis, whiche that be devyne, God bad man bere no false witnesse.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.265 : Moral preceptis..techyn us to louyn our God.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)743/26 : Þey ete of þe appull a-gayne þe precepte of gode.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)1682 : When Adam & Eue had broke the precept -- Whyche clerkes call the Tyme of Deuyacion -- The worldly pepyll in paynym law slept.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.7.30 : Y obeye not to biddyng of the kyng, bot to precept of the lawe that is ȝouen to vs by Moyses.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)380/4 : Generali of myn sooþfastnes ben put to ȝou þe preceptis of þe lawe.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)285 : To alle suche men as mowe not or kunne not ellis kepe hem from deedly synne wiþoute þis seid vertu of voluntarie aduersite suffring, þis vertu is vndir precep and maundement.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)327 : Many oþere poyntis comounly rehercid in þe attendaunce of a curat to his parischens ben oonly vndir counceil and not vndir precept.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)6.20 : The dayes passede of thy purgacion To fulfille the precept of the lawe In euery thyng.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)16/11 : Oure lord was circumcised aftur the precept of the lawe the eiȝte day aftur his birthe.
2.
(a) An order, a command, law; (b) law a writ, warrant; (c) med. & surg. a rule, principle; a prescribed method of performance; a maxim.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 16.24 : The kepere..whanne he hadde takyn such a precept [L præceptum], sente hem into the ynner prisoun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5048 : He anoon..to arme hym was ful dilligent, A-gein þe precepte and commandement Of his fader.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)433 : To whom was yoven a precept in scripture, Wrete in the ffrontour off the hyh stage, That they shulde done theyre besy cure To kepe the Kyng ffrom alle damage.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3527 : Off þe kyngus precepte þey token non hede, Ny of no worde þat þe kynge to hem dude say.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)982 : He..Makis crie þat all þe curte, kniȝtis & erles, Suld put þaim in-to presens his precep to here.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)128 : The preceptis of princes schuld ȝe not despise.
- c1450 Dives & P.(Lchf 35)1.40 : Sugettes been excused of fyghtyng by precept of her prynce.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)106/8 : Lawe punissheth brekers of preceptes and the contrary-doers of the written constitucions.
b
- (1444) RParl.5.110b : That he take no more for makyng of any such Obligation, Waraunt, or Precept, by thaym to be made but iiii d.
- (1450) RParl.5.211a : It is ordeyned that the Shirref of every Shire..execute all maner of Preceptes and Warauntez to hym fro the seid Commissioners directe.
- (a1467) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.lxxviii : The shirif nor noon other officer of the shire of Gloucestre myght not in any wyse execute any preceptez ageynst theym.
c
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)273/4 : If he wole holde alle þes preceptis, he mai be hool.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)27a/b : Al þis is after þe halfe of tyme of alle þe hole digestion, which is of 16 houres, after þe olde precept or commaundement þat in 2 daiez þe bodie be thriez refecte.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)164/38 : Þat was þe precepte or charge [*Ch.(1): byddyng] of Galien.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)74b/a : Ouer þat þou kepe þe preceptis and þe doctrines y-tauȝt in þe same chapitre.
- a1500 Hisp.SSecr.(Rwl C.83)3/17 : Here endith the prologe and begynnith the booke of gouernaunce for the helth of mannis body, the which conteynith xv doctrines or preceptis.