Middle English Dictionary Entry
bāleful adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | bāleful adj. Also balful, (early) baluful. |
| Etymology | OE bealoful |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of man or beast: (a) bent upon mischief or destruction, malevolent; fierce; (b) distressed, wretched, miserable.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24938 : Romanisce leoden sunden..swa balde and swa balufulle, þat heo wulleð nu liðen into ure londen.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)61/670 : Þe reue..set te balefule beast..up o þis meoke meiden.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)33 : He is a balefulle bare; Seche on segh i neuyr are.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)979 : Bot þe balleful burde, þat never bode keped, Blusched byhynde her bak, þat bale for to herkken.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1136 : Þane þe balefull bierdez bownez to þe erthe, Kneland and cryande.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)512 : But be þou nouht, bolde king, balful no tened Þat þou miht trystli trye þe treweste lawe.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.20 : Thenne his lemmon on lofte scrilles and scrykes, Quenne the balefulle birde blenked on his blode.
2.
Of things, events, or acts: (a) pernicious, noxious, destructive; disastrous, fateful; terrible, fierce; (b) painful.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15077 : Þa iueolen Bruttes a balufulle ræde.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)203 : Euch waried weoued of þe mix maumez ron of þet balefule blod.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)24/6 : He [a dragon]..weneð to beore me in-to his balefule hole þer he wuneð inne.
- a1250 Lofsong Louerde (Nero A.14)215 : Tend mine heorte and uorbern al þat is baluful þer inne.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)67 : In balful bende.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)75 : Þai no blan Þat baleful werk to wirke.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1815 : Better be-houis it to be or baleful were þi happes.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.122 : Hir alde fader cal I adam, That broht hir into balful blam.
- a1400(?c1300) LFMass Bk.(Roy 17.B.17)38/404 : Reuerence to ihesu crist awen presence..may lese alle baleful bandes.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)791 : The bere..byttes hym boldlye wyth balefull tuskez.
- c1440 Treat.Prayer (Thrn)295 : Whare þe haly gaste dwelles, balefull bandes brystande with þe brynnynge of lufe.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)272 : So bolde were in þe borowe with balefull strokes.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)181 : On þisse liue we beð on balfulle swinche for adames gulte.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)31a : Understondeð þet dei hwuch wes his diete i þe ilke blodletunge [of Christ] se baleful [Nero: baluhful] & se bitter.