Middle English Dictionary Entry
prē̆sident n.
Entry Info
| Forms | prē̆sident n. Also presedent, precident, precedent; pl. presidentes, etc. & presidens. |
| Etymology | OF president, pl. presidens & L praesidens, -entis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A ruler or head of either sovereign or subordinate status; often, one invested with judicial powers; (b) eccl. the head of a national or regional branch of the Church; (c) the head of a religious house, order, etc.; -- also used jocularly; also, one in a position of authority in a religious house [quot.: (1445)]; (d) the head of a college, almshouse, incorporated establishment, etc.; (e) an official in charge of a department of the royal household.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Esd.5.63 : Þer camen of preestis & of leuytis & of presidentis [L præsidentibus] after þe townes to þe elderes þat hadden seen þe raþer hous.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 23.24 : Make ȝe redy iumentis, or hors, that thei puttinge Poul vpon, schulden lede him saf to Felix, president [L præsidem].
- c1435 Lydg.St.George (Bod 686)151 : Agayn Cristene þer was a tyrant sent..Of peynym lawe he was a president.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.1455 : Breteyne..hadde a prince..That whilom hadde the domynacioun, As cheef monarche, prince, & president Ouer al the world.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)121 : Lisias, þat was president of þe cyte, called hem on to him.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.85 : He fauȝhte ageyne men of Araby alle the tyme that Seleucus Sother was presidente of Siria [L Syriæ præsidebat].
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)5.16.98a : He was brought before the fals president, Pilate.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)381 : The prince of the deuyls seide..'putte hym in a bathe'..then seide the precidente, 'steweth hym.'
- a1500 St.Dor.(2) (Lamb 432)327/42 : Theophile than stonding in the pallice of the precedent, this child apperid to hyme.
b
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.10/27 : The Chirche was fowndid..In..Marche..thanne haldyng and rewlyng the holy see of Rome, mooste holy fadir Pope Calixte the secunde; presidente in the chirche of Inglond, William, Archebisshoppe of Cawntirbury.
- ?a1450 Sel.Rosarium Theol.(Cai 354/581)56/11 : Þan is trewe þe asoylyng of þe presidente wan he seweþ þe dome of þe inwarde domisman or iuge.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)142/6 : President to þe see of Cauntirbury, þe worchipful archbischop Hubert.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.137 : The metropolitan of Caunterbury hathe vnder hym..the bischop of Chichestre, whiche is presidente [L præsidentem] oonly of Southesex..The bischop of Wynchestre, whiche is presidente [L præest] in Hampteschire and Surry.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.165 : Elfworde, bisshop of Londoun and somtyme abbot of Evesham..wolde have bene president [L præsidere] at Evesham.
- (1445) Visit.Alnwick115b : Also we inioyne yow, abbesse and pryoresse and other presidentes of religyone in your monastery..that ye suffre no seculere persone..to hafe any accesse to any nunne in the qwere.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)89/4 : Þou spak to me, þi seruaunt, þat I schuld take up-on me to be president ouyr þis puple [the Gilbertines].
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.385 : Alurede..made ij monasterys, oon of men..an oþer of women..where he made Ethelgof, his doȝhter, presidente [Trev.: abbesse].
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.OFools (LdMisc 683)5 : The ordre of foolis..encreseth the kovent..Markolff, ther foundour, patroun, & president, Noumbre of this frary told iij skore and thre.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)95/24 : Whan..þat þe Abbey be destitute..of an Abbesse, þat þan þe sustris schal chesyn a president to whom in þe mene time þey schul be obedientis til a nyew Abbesse be confermid.
d
- (1448) Indent.Cmb.in PCmb.AS 938 : This indenture made..betwen master Andrew Dokett, president of the Quene college of seynt Margret and seynt Barnard..and John Veyse.
- (1449) in Willis & C.Cambridge 29 : It is shewed unto us by our welbeloved, the President and Felowes of the College of saint Margarete and saint Bernard in our universite of Cambrigge.
- (1464) RParl.5.518a : Provided alwey that neither this Acte..neither any other Acte..be hurtyng..to..Felawes and Scolers, President and Felawes of any College, Halle, Hospitall, Hous incorporate, or any other place.
- (1473) RParl.6.74b : President and Scolers and their Successours, President and Scolers, Hede or Governour of any College, Hall, Hospitall, Hous incorporat or any other place.
e
- (1454) Proc.Privy C.6.221 : My said lordes of the Greet Counsaill..after ripe and sadde communicacion hadde amounge theymself..and presidentes seen of the said houshold..aviced..the nombre..as folowen to be in the said houshold.
2.
(a) One who presides over the meetings of an executive or a governing or judicial body; also, the head of a delegation to an ecclesiastical conference [1st quot.]; (b) one who presides in court, a judge [quot.: c1390 may belong in 1. (a)].
Associated quotations
a
- (1417) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)9.435 : And ther my Lord of Chester, the Presedent [L Præses] of ȝour Nation, hadd his Wordis to hym in swych a wyse.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2890 : He hath pronounced in the Parlement To-forn the lordes and the president his Cleer conceyte.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.213 : Delibered was by parlement, For Antenor to yelden out Criseyde, And it pronounced by the president [vrr. precident, presedente].
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)23 : And the fforseyd Duk off Lancastre occupyyng his owne place..beyng thanne the kyngis See..voyde, withoute eny presedent or ocupiour theroff.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.119/10 : The prelates..in þe chapiter of Seynte John of Colchester..to come they ofte..to offer oone Besaunte of goolde þere in-to þe hande of þe presidente.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)148 : Þe chaunceler..mey be presydent and haue þe suppreme rule off all þe counsell.
b
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)33 : Iwis þer haunted til her hous..Two domus of þat lawe..Preostes and presidens preised als peere.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)158b/b : He seid to þe Courte þat he had tauȝt it to none oþer man, And so by þe president or Iuge he was condempned.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)82.287 (v.2:p.94) : The holi goste is necessarie to presidentis and iuges, for it yiueth hem auctorite to foryiven synne.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Just Measure (Hrl 2251)27 : A rigurous iuge, a foltissh president, With hate and rancour doth his vertu dresse.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)12 : The lawe made hem fre Without excepcioun to come to audience, Bi the president commaundid first silence.