Middle English Dictionary Entry
principā̆litẹ̄ n.
Entry Info
| Forms | principā̆litẹ̄ n. Also principalete, principalitie, principalte. |
| Etymology | OF principalité & L principālitas. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Government by a prince, monarchy; rulership, dominion; high station [quot.: a1500]; ~ of flight, leadership in flight; ~ of presthede, office of chief priest; (b) a geographical unit ruled by a prince or monarch; a country, principality, or kingdom; (c) the dominance or importance of a part of the body; the dominance or importance of a virtue or a mental faculty; haven ~, to have dominance; (d) superiority in quality or efficacy; haven (obteinen) ~, to be superior.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)138.16 : Ha, God, þin frendes for-soþe ben michel worþshiped to me; her principalte [vr. princehode] is mychel conforted.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.213 : Þe gretteste and most palys of alle was in þe myddel of þe citee, in tokene of oon principalte [Higd.(2): monarchy; L monarchiæ] of all þe world wide.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.253 : For trespas of þat peple putteþ awey al principalte [Higd.(2): principate; L principatum] oþer makeþ here prynce more mylde.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.125 : He hadde renewed þe principalte and þe preosthode.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)143b/b : Noon of hem [bees] dar gone out..to gete mete but ȝif þe kyng passe out and take þe principalte of fliȝt.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)167a/b : In þis mount Aaron his sone Eliazar venged þe principalte of presthode [L sacerdocij principatum].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)189b/b : Þe quene of Saba..hadde principalte of alle Affrica.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1672 : Nabugodenozar..Now is alle þy pryncipalte past at ones, And þou..on mor most abide.
- (1414) RParl.4.58a : The chieftie..and principalite of the same Lordshipe and Tounshipe shal retorne to the Kyng.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)413 : Princypalyte: Principalitas.
- a1450 Methodius(2) (Add 37049)99/31 : Þe kyngdom of Nembrot opteyned þe principalite [Meth.(1): maistere] vnto Esdrem kyng.
- a1500 Gaude the flowre (Lamb 306)2 : Gaude, the flowre of virginyte; In hevyn thow hast a principalite Off worship and honowre.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)39/47 : Man..hath, under god, principalite above al thinges.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)54/12 : Right as man halt the principalte of al thing under his beinge in the masculyne gender..right so in the femenyne, [etc.].
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)217/2 : Nowe by my soverayntie I sweare and principallitye that I beare..a gamon I will assaye.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)192b/b : Of phelippe þe londe of Jewes was departede in foure particuler principaltees [L principatus].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1738 : Departed is þy pryncipalte..Þy rengne rafte is þe fro.
- (1434) Proc.Privy C.4.253 : Yn þe middes of þe seide basyns, þarmes of Seynt George and aboute þeim..þarmes of Englond and Fraunce departyd, þarmes of þe Pryncipaltee, and þarmes of þe duchie of Guyen.
- (1450) RParl.5.194a : A parcell of lande callid Gerarston within oure Shire of Cardigan in Suthwales, in oure principalte there.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1737 : Þou..wenes to wild..Þe prouynce & principalte of Persye la graunt.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2311 : In a wrath þe wale kyng swyth Him of his principalete priueð.
- (1459) RParl.5.363a : All avoidaunces of Bisshopriches, Dignitees, and grete Offices perteynyng to the said Principaltee and Duchie be and stond at oure will.
c
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)85/7 : It nediþ þe..to amende al þe bodi, & namely þo lymes þat han principalte [L membra principalia] in mannes body.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)158b/b : In 3 maneres strengþ of sikenesez: For principalite of þe particule, as in þe heued or þe wombe ysmyten; For magnitude of disposicoun, as in woundez so grete þat hem nedeþ sewing; And for yuel morigeracioun, i. yuel maneryng, as in articulis ybrissed or crusshed.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)34/8 : Oon of þese vertues be put for a principalte of vertues in a soule, moore disposid or betir to þe principal conuersacioun wiþ þat vertu þan wiþ oþire vertues.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)354/5 : Amonge alle goostly exercises clennes of herte hath þe principalite.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)107a/b : As if þe body be oute of his kynde complexioun, or ellis þe same membre or ony oþir of al þe bodi þat han principalte.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Conf.(Dub 245)327 : Wille haþ principalite to-fore witt of mannes soule.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)141b/b : Þe egle..haþ principalite [L obtinet principatum] among foules.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)167a/a : Among alle þe mountys of Siria, mount liban hath principalte in hiȝenesse.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)27b/a : Or be þer put a corresiue; And in þis Arsenec opteyneþ þe principaltee [Ch.(2): price].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)48a/a : In cesyng aking, leuez of Iusquiami opteneþ principalitee.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)175a/a : Arsenec..aboue al in þis haþ þe principaltee.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)648 : He had na pere in na place..For þe principalte of all þe pake he of a-prefe wynnys.