Middle English Dictionary Entry
preien v.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | preien v.(2) Also prai(en; p.ppl. preied, etc. & ipreied, ipraied. |
| Etymology | From preie n.(2); also cp. OF präer. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To plunder, pillage; ~ in, seize upon (goods, land), make spoil of; (b) to plunder (a country, an area); prey upon (sb.); of diseases: ravage (the heads of people); ~ awei, carry off (animals); ~ and piken, ransack (a place), pillage (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)471 : Hii wende aboute & preide [B: preid]; hom ne miȝte noȝt atstonde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2134 : It sittes vs..ffor to purvey a pepull pruddest of werre..Pas into þere prouyns, pray in hor londys.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2643 : Parys with a pepull past into Grese In purpas to pray or profet to gete.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)575/15 : They ryfelt and spoilet that cuntre and praiet in catell.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2503 : Siþen þai spred to prai [Frf: spoly; Göt: winne] þe land; Al þai tok þai forwit fand.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)20.85 : Forageres of kynde Hadde yprykked and prayed [vr. yprayed; C: preyede; vr. y-preyed] polles of peple, þat largelich a legioun lese her lyf sone.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1624 : Hit is tolde me bi tulkes þat þou trwe were Profete of þat provynce þat prayed my fader.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1371 : The Grekes were full gredy, grippit hom belyue, Prayen and pyken mony priuey chambur.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3199 : Þai..To the tempull full tite token þere gate, Prayen & piken all the pure godes.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4771 : The grekes..prayet & piket þat proffet was in.
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Cleo.(Cleo C.4)124 : Þe ffrenschmen come downe with here vesselles into the maryes of Calys in þe servis tyme to have prayed away owre bests.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)183/24 : The extorcioner rubbyth and Preyeth good men and trew.
- a1500 Parton.(1) (Add 35288)2748 : The Ethen wyth grete boste and cryynge..The Cuntre prayden yn euery syde.