Middle English Dictionary Entry
prīmācī(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | prīmācī(e n. |
| Etymology | OF primacie & ML prīmātia. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Preeminent position; supremacy; (b) the office of primate, preeminent position among the bishops in an ecclesiastical province.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Col.1.18 : The firste bigetun of deede men, that he be holdinge primacie, or the firste dignyte in alle thingis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)3 John 9 : I shulde haue write perauenture to the chirche, but this Diotropis, that loueth for to bere primacye in hem, receyueth not us.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)9.19 (v.1:p.96) : God..yafe hym [Peter] a benefice of gretter dignite, as primacye abouen al thappostles and the beryng of the keyes of heven.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)75.34 (v.2:p.60) : Iamys Zebedee was biforn hym ["James the less"] in vocacion and in callyng to the dignite of appostle, and thefore to hym is ascried the primacie and the maiorite.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)3 : He þat desiriþ primacy in ȝerþ schal fynd confusion in heuen, and he schal not be countid among þe seruaunts of Crist þat tretiþ of primacy.
b
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)25/6 : The iii dygnyte of primacye, the wch was at Caerhust, was translatyd from þense to Meneuye.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.187 : Offa, of Mers kyng, Vnto the B. of Roome sent his letters prayeng To depriue Lambert of Cauntorbury Of primacy and also of the palle.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.187 : The pall he had and all the dignitee Lambert depryued without any delay Of primacie and of all souerayntee Of all the churche of Englande.