Middle English Dictionary Entry
proferen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | proferen v. Also profer(e, proferre, proffere, profre, propheren; p. profrede, etc. & prof(f)ert. |
| Etymology | OF prōferer & L prōferre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To project, jut out; ~ forth, thrust out (a finger), extend; (b) ben profered forth, to be brought forth or born; (c) to utter (speech, words, a prayer); express (a feeling); publish (a narrative); ~ forth, send forth (one's spirit), utter (one's thoughts).
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.140,141 : Þe fader was fyrst, as a fyst with o fynger foldynge, Tyl hym loued and lest to vnlosen his fynger, And profre [vrr. profered, proferyn; C: profrede] it forth..to what place it sholde. Þe paume is purely þe hande and profreth forth þe fyngres To mynystre.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1463 : Þe coperounes..Wer fetysely formed out in fylyoles longe, Pinacles pyȝt þer apert þat profert bitwene.
b
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.42/20 : Stondyng neyr the tyme that the fruyt shulde be proferid forth, the cowe begane inwardly with throwys to be tormentyd.
c
- a1400(?c1300) LFMass Bk.(Roy 17.B.17)254 : And oure praieres þat we profer [vrr. profere, profur, proffere], þou, take, lorde, to þi louyng.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)235 : Ho profered me speche.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Prov.1.23 : Y schal profre [WB(1): bringe] forth to ȝou my spirit, and Y schal schewe my wordis.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.13/23 : Anoon he proferred sadnesse and sorow of ther synnys.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)332/373 : To haue petie of his paunche, he propheres no prayer.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1096 : When the peopull were pesit, he proffert þes wordes..'Ye noblist of nome' [etc.].
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)13110 : Of holy men, þen here wyll he þat for vs profers þer prayer.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.11 : Y..dredde to proferre a raw thynge with bareyne eloquence.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)65/37 : Be-war þerfore, in begynynge of þi gude conuersacion, with woman's fayrnes kepe þou no speche, so þat þer of takyn þe venemus seyknes of lust, þe fowlnes of mynde to profyr [L perferendum] & fulfyll, þou knawingly desauyd and cowardly of þin enmys scomfett be drawen.
Note: New sense : ?suffer, brook.