Middle English Dictionary Entry
prō̆verb(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | prō̆verb(e n. Also prowerbe, (errors) proverd, proverble. |
| Etymology | OF proverbe & L prōverbium. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A proverb, maxim; a saying; (b) pl. a series of proverbs or sayings; (c) a proverb from the Old Testament; pl. the Book of Proverbs; bok of proverbes, proverbes of salamon; (d) a figurative saying; an allegory; a parable; (e) an object of general reproach or derision, a cautionary example, byword.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3436 : What man that hath freendes thurgh fortune, Mishap wol make hem enemys, I gesse; This prouerbe is ful sooth and ful commune.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.21.27 : Hit is seide in prouerbe [WB(2) Gloss.: that is, in a comown song maad of the victorye of Seon], 'Come ȝe into Esebon'.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.39 : In preisynge of this ilond, Walsche men beeþ i-woned to seie a prouerbe and an olde sawe, 'Mon mam Kembry'.
- c1390 Treat.Mass (Vrn)170 : Ful hard hit were to vre bi-houe, Vch a prouerbe for to proue Of þeos Auctours alle.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2325 : The commune prouerbe is this that he that soone demeth, soone repenteth.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.448 : 'Selden get a domb man lond' -- Tak that proverbe and understond That wordes ben of vertu grete.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)283b/a : In his forheede whan he is y-foled is y-founde iconemor..And wommen wicches han prouerbes heerof.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)7671 : Yn a prouerbe of olde Englys Telle men..'Þat ȝougþe wones, yn age mones'.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)7.61 : He bad me make ȝow þis and þis prouerbe me tolde, 'Quodcumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines, facite eis'.
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)433 : The prouerbe is, 'the doumb man no lond getith'.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)51 : Rede his making, who list the trouth fynde..With many prouerbe, diuers and vnkouth, Be rehersaile of his Sugrid mouth.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.18.2 : Amonge ȝou ȝe turnen a parable in to this prouerbe in the loond of Israel, seyynge, 'The fadris eeten a soure grape, and the teeth of sones wexen on egge'.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.397 : Lat this proverbe [vr. prouerb] a loore unto yow be, 'To late ywar, quod beaute, whan it paste'.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)25/21 : Forȝete þou not þis olde prouerbe: 'Alle is wel þat endeþ wel'.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)109b/a : As it is seide in olde prouerbe, 'þer is no horse so hardie as baieard þe blynde'.
- (c1438) MKempe B (Add 61823)244/6 : It sprong in-to a maner of prouerbe a-ȝen hir þat summe seydyn, 'fals flesch, þu xalt ete non heryng'.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)98/9 : Troylus..seid þat men should not in counceil of werre beleve olde men ne þere prouerbes.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)22/14 : It is rehersid in þe bok of philofris [read: philosofris] prouerbys þt þer was a lecherous man which þt spak to þe filosofre Pictagoras & seyde, [etc.].
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.254 : 'The grey hors, whil his gres groweth, May sterue for hunger'; thus seyth the prouerbe.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)145/3 : Take hede to thys sentence of the olde prouerbe, þat is, thise versus, 'Surge, miser, mane sed noli surgere vane'.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)247 : Even peer hath not power into his eeve peer, aftir the comoun, wel allowid proverbe.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)838 : The prowerbe seyth 'Þe trewth tryith þe sylfe'.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)372 : Vn-to purpoos this proverbe [vr. prouerd] is ful riff, Rad & reportid bi oold remembraunce, 'A childis brid and a knaves wyff Have oft sithe gret sorwe & myschaunce'.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)10043 : In proverbe hyt ys seyde full ȝare, 'Mony for þe lesse forgoyþ þe mare'.
b
- c1450(c1396) Chaucer Buk.(Benson-Robinson)25 : This lytel writ, proverbes, or figure I sende yow, take kepe of yt.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prol.Kings (Bod 959)53 : Þe þredde ordre weldeþ agiogrofa, þat ben, holi writyn exsawmplis..þe þredde is of Salamon, hafynge thre bookis, prouerbis þat þei clepyn parablys, þat is, Masloth; þe ferþe ecclesiasten..þe fifþe is song of songes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.155 : Remembreth yow of the prouerbe [vr. prouerble] of Salomon.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1407 : He was a worthi knyht and king And clerk knowende of every thing..Of Salomon and the proverbes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.651 : Thanne wolde he vpon his Bible seke That ilke prouerbe of Ecclesiaste Where he comandeth..'Man shal nat suffre his wyf go roule aboute'.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)11904 : Salamon seyþ..Yn a boke of Prouerbyys, 'Þe weye of lyue..Oute of ryȝtwys mannes mouþe shal wende'.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)18.51 : Iob þe parfit patriark þis prouerbe wrot and tauhte To makye a man louye mesure.
- c1425 WBible(2) Prol.Prov.(Qu-O 387)p.1 : In these Prouerbis of Salomon is contened myche prudence and vndurstonding.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)14/3 : It is alwey good to fle þe company of þe enuyous man, as Salomon consaylith in his bok of prouerbis.
d
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))John 16.25 : I haue spokun to ȝou thes thingis in prouerbis, or derke saumplis; the our cometh whanne now I schal not speke to ȝou in prouerbis, but opynly of my fadir, I schal telle to ȝou.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))John 16.29 : Lo! now thou spekist opynli, and thou seist no prouerbe.
- c1390 ?Hilton Qui Habitat (Vrn)50/2 : I schal speke a-perteliche to him, not in prouerbes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1681 : In proverbe and in probleme Sche spak, and bad he scholde deme In many a soubtil question.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)47b/a : Parabola: a prouerbe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)99b : A Proverbe: parabola.
e
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.28.37 : Þou shalt be lost into prouerbe [Corp-O: proveerb; L proverbium] & fable to alle peplis.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.24.9 : I shal ȝyuen hem..in to repref & in to parable & in to prouerbe & in to cursing.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Kings 9.7 : Israel schal ben in to prouerbe & in to fable to alle peplis.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.109 : Westsex men haveþ in proverbe [L habent in proverbio] of hiȝe despite 'hynderlyng' whiche sowneþ i-cast doun fro honeste.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.73ra : The temple that I haue halowed to my name I shal cast it away fro my syght, and it shal be a fable and prouerbe, and thys hows an example shal be to alle peple.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500(?1451) Poem Waynflete (Add 60577)49 : I speke in noo prouerbys; my speche ys open and clere.
Note: postdates (d)