Middle English Dictionary Entry
profǒund(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | profǒund(e adj. Also profond, profund(e. |
| Etymology | OF profont, -fond & L profundus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of lakes, bogs, etc.: deep; of walls: thick; (b) of wounds, sores: deep in the flesh; of bodily parts, arteries, etc.: located in the inner part of the body; (c) most ~, fig. innermost.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4436 : Þei han þe dede cors..in a profounde lake..cast.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2053 : I was lyk to haue be deuourid Of Caribdis with his profounde welle.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.1292 : Reise up your wallis, most myhti and profounde.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)21045 : I fond A Maryssh..That peryllous was, and ful profounde.
- a1500 Chartier Quad.(2) (Rwl A.338)224/24 : Marcius Currius..dyd nat he lepe into the profounde swollowe which..openid in grette largenesse?
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2572 : Achilles kauȝte..a wounde In his body, so depe and profounde, Þat long he lay.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)4b/b : In which is treted of a grete wounde superficiale & noȝt profunde [L profundo], i. depe.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)55a/a : 2a. maner is suture incarnatyue made wiþ nedilez..in grete profound wondez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)84b/b : Off an vleere profounde & cauernous.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)56b/a : Arteries ben more profounde and depe in þe bodie þen þe veines.
c
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)592 : Alle the toknes of thy passioun, I prey the..grave hem in my memorye..requyryng the to myne Of my mende the mydpoynt most profounde This word 'Iesu'.
2.
(a) Of persons: learned, steeped in learning; (b) of knowledge, learning, education, etc.: profound, thorough; (c) difficult to understand, abstruse, mysterious.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(Hrl 2277)224 : Siþþe for [to] beo more profound, to arsmetrike he drouȝ.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)139 : He was a profounde clerke.
b
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)90 : Y wolde that profound and groundli scoling in logik, philsophi..were not left bihinde.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)363 : Þe suffissant clergye, Endowyd of profound intelligence, Of al þis land werreyen þi sentence.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)122/19 : Arystotle was a man of grete consaill, Of Profounde lettrure.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)70 : This is the highe dignite of most profounde and highe pouertee.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6766 : In-to þe paleis..þei..goon..Musing wher it [a tree] wer artificial..or set by magik natural Or by engyne of werkmen..Or profond castyng of philosophie.
- (?c1422) Hoccl.ASM (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)13 : Enforme..me and vn-to me by-wreye..Sotil matires right profownde.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Hrl 1766)9.3325 : The profunde processe was so poetical.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)4856 : Noo songe..in comparysoun Was so worthy of renoun..Nor of profounde poetrie.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)26 : The processe was nat to profounde nor deepe, Off ther debat.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)53 : It is most profunde philosophie, The subtile science of holi Alchymye.
3.
Of tears, sighs, etc.: prompted by deep emotions; of sorrow: deeply felt, intense.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.713 : With profounde siȝes depe, Þis Achilles brast oute for to wepe.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)199/16 : Sche had þes myndys & þes desyrys wyth profownde teerys, syhyngys, & sobbyngys.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)343/3 : Sorowfulle þou schalt abyde þe grace of þe hye iustyse..seyinge þus with profounde sorowe of þi herte, [etc.].