Middle English Dictionary Entry
queintī̆s(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | queintī̆s(e n. Also -ies, -iz, -eis(e, -ese, quaintis(e, -es, queaintise, quointis(e, quantis(e, -ice, quontise, quentise, quintise, whaintise, -ice, cointise, -ice, kointise, -es, contise, couintise & (error) quaynty. |
| Etymology | OF cointise, cointice, quointise, quentise, cuintise. Late 15th-cent. ME rimes indicate a tendency to shorten the vowel of the suffix. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Wisdom, intelligence, skill; ~ of clergie, knowledge; (b) guile, cunning; deceit, trickery.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)32 : Oþere resones of clergie þat mayde proffrede also..Gret wonder him þouȝte..of hire Quoyntise.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1872 : He ladde is kinedom Riȝtuolliche & suiþe wel wiþ quoyntise [B: quintise] & wisdom.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)303 : Þere is..Wit and kunning and kointise, And trewe loue widou feintise.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)90/18 : Guodes gostliche..byeþ creft and queyntyse, wyt and clergye.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.36 : Þise foure figures..ben foure vertues..þe Egle, queyntise [F prudence].
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)48.3 : My mouþe shal speke wisdome, and þe þouȝt of myn hert quaintise [vr. quayntenes].
- c1390 Mirror St.Edm.(1) (Vrn)1003 : Þe iiij vertuwes principal..Qweyntise, Rihtfulnes..Strengþe, and also Temperaunce.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.2 : For thi suld man in thi seruis Despend his witte and his quaintis.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)18 : Gude it is..for to here..whilk were foles & whilk were wyse, & whilk of þam couthe most quantyse.
- c1400(?c1280) SLeg.OTHist.(LdMisc 622)5 : Kyng salamon couþe.. þorouȝ queintise in book ywrite þe fende to ouer-come.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2447 : Þurȝ..koyntyse of clergye, bi craftes wel lerned, Þe maystres of Merlyn mony ho taken.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)3402 : Þe knight quit wele þe seruise Of þe mason for his quayntyse.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.1.19 : I schal lose þe wisdam of þe wyse; and þe queyntyse [L prudentiam] of þe queynte I schal reproue.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)53a/b : Prudencia: queyntyse.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)381/27 : He schall enquere ham of þe thinges or tokenes þat þai knowe, and þerwiþ of here queyntise [*Ch.(1): wilynez; L astutia].
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)8798 : Queyntise ouer-comeþ alle þynge; Strengþe ys god wyþ trauaille; Þer strengþe ne may, sleyght wil availle.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)378 : Fondys..For to holde my lyf a day With qweyntys of clergye.
- c1475(a1400) Sayings Fathers (Rwl C.285)127 : Haf whayntise with þe, þat þou be ay as a straunger.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)48.3 : Wisdome falles til thynge that is of god, quantise til confourmynge of maners.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)p.519 : Genge withouten counsayl it is and withouten quayntis.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1326 : He tok wyth hym hys sone Florent For greet queynteys.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)12006 : Bi a posterne þe legat, þoru quointise & gile, Hii broȝte to stratford.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)37/16 : Þe þyef y-wreȝe is þet steleþ..oþer be traysoun oþer be queayntise.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.733 : The deuel fighteth agayns a man moore by queyntise [vr. queynteyse] and by sleighte than by strengthe.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)740 : Þe nedder..Mast of quantise es in craft.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.7 : Þe Sessons..were chaced..with maistrie, & eft aryued on þam here þorgh quantise of spie.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)69/2 : For al her falsenesse & queyntise, þai myȝt neuer come ney þe kyng.
- a1425 Alle þt thenke (LdMisc 463)p.202 : Pride is in his companye, Þoruh þe fendes quointyse.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)7b/b : Astucia: queyntyse, deceyt.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)22a/b : Dolus: gyle or queyntyse.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)29/64 : Oft þai ordant þam omell By quayntys how þai might him quell.
- 1425(a1400) Spec.Chr.(1) (Lnsd 344)143/10 : To maynten synne sum can gret skyle..Þere fore þis world holdis þame ful wyse, for moche þai canne of his quaintise [vrr. qwentise, whayntyce].
- c1432 *SMChron.(Cmb Dd.14.2)267b : 'Wassayl ich shal say to þe kyng And slen hym'..And þus þurgh hure qweyntise þis lond she wan.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)420 : Qventyse, or sleythe: Astucia, calliditas.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)2639 : Genever, the clerke..wyth qweyntyes and with bost Schend the kynge and hys hoste.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1847 : Þe deuel with his quayntys Will be aboute ȝow to suppryse.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)66/65 : Wyth quantyse we shall thaym quell.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)246/110 : He wold downe bryng oure lawes, I-wys, with his fals lesyng and his quantys.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)21/198 : Of the tree of paradice shee shall eate through my contyse.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)218/14 : His cannot I find iwys, for all my crafte and my couintise.
2.
(a) Ingenuity or strategy; bi (in, thurgh, with) ~, by ingenious or subtle means; (b) an ingenious act or device; a plan, ruse, or stratagem; a subtle distinction [quot.: Mannyng HS]; a surgical technique [quot.: Lanfranc]; (c) a plot, scheme, trick, or trap; a dishonest act or deceptive statement.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)411 : Þoruȝ smale holes bi quoyntyse þat watur..he made to grounde falle riȝt ase it rein were.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)461 : Ȝwanne strengþe faileþ, me mot nime vorþ quointise [B: quintise].
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)4611 : To me sche come þurch queyntise Doun of þe castel..Bi on cable.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4220 : We hade þe quen þurth queintyse & strengþe brouȝt ferst at swiche bale.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2403 : Me roghte noght be what queintise, So that I mihte..Hire herte make forto swerve.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27286 : In spiring loke þe preist be sli..Noght openly þe sin to frain, Bot..Wit quentise.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4047 : Trayson þou ne dedest ne feyntise, Ac hardy dede in grete queyntise.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4673 : What wiþ ȝifte, what wiþ queyntise, Alle he wan hem to his seruyse.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6245 : Þis dude Alisaunder..Þorouȝ þe queyntise of his butumay.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.135 : With hyr herbes and..By quentyse eke of hir instrumentys..Sche made a drynke.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)119/2 : Oftyn men getyn of that gold with queyntyse.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2652 : Gunnes he hadde on wondyr wyse, Mangneles off gret queyntyse.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)801 : Y schall turne the fyr..Aȝen on the sarisins..thorow crafte that ȝe couthe and queyntyse of gynne.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)99/23 : He was..wel taght in wepyn, of queyntyse and of Sleght in fygh.
b
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)189/154 : We ne mouwen quik ne ded ouer-come him a-londe For ne quoyntise þat we mouwen do.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)323/19 : Heo hire bi-þouȝte of one quoyntise þat to hire louerd heo seide.
- a1325 SLeg.Pilate (Corp-C 145)54 : Wyþ vayr speches & quoyntises, he hadde of ȝham is wylle.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)445 : Brut & corineus an quointise hom bi þouȝte, þat þis corineus bi niȝte wende out..At a posterne stilleliche.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)2635 : Þai ne miȝt hit no lenger defende But ase þai dide a fair queintise.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1665 : Þei..preyed hire..to kenne hem sum coyntice..to wisse hem forto wend.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)619 : Y aske wheþyr ys grettyr eye, A lesyng or a fals tale seye; Here mayst þou lerne a queyntyse, To knowe of boþe þe ryȝt asyse.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19567 : Symon magus..wend it [the Holy Ghost] war bot a quantis and wend ha boght it for sum pris.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)1339 : Achilles moder, þat was a wycche wysȝe..had lered him of a faire quayntyse [vrr. coyntise, quentyse].
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)170/36 : Summen seien..make a pipe of eldre & putt wiþinne þe gutt & þanne soude þe gutt þer vpon, & I seie þat it is not sooþ, for..to þe greete guttis þis queyntise is nouȝt.
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)6826 : Þei couth not þe querels scurne ne no quantise in bataile turne.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5233 : Þis kid he for a coyntise..Lest he ware knawyn for þe kyng.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)359 : She hyr bythought on a queyntyse..To wete where of he were come.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)50/29 : It byhoues þat kynges haue a-noþer queyntise [Ashmole: cautell; Abbrev.: wyle; L cautelam].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)367/8 : Ther may no man of lagh help with no quantyce.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)200/3981 : Thorouȝ that queyntyz and that gynne, The riche Cite gan they wynne.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)6 : Calliditas: a queyntyse or a slythe.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Jas.(LdMisc 108)357 : Ich habbe leue..to bi-gyli and bi-traye al-so Mid eche quointise þat ich mai.
- c1390 NHom.Theoph.(Vrn)81 : Now schul ȝe here what queyntise þe fend gilede Teophele þe wyse.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5517 : Ȝyf þou..ȝaue..to haue vaunsement..þan art þou come, þurgh þat queyntyse, To symonye and coueytyse.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)11767 : No queyntyse make þou..But sey ryȝt as þou dedyst þy synne.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.47 : Þe fals Edrik did his quaintise þat Edmund with Knoute mette in non wyse.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.272 : May no deth hym dere ne no deueles queyntise.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)25768 : Brian suld..him avise On sumkins maner of quaintise; Preuelie he might be spiande sua, Kyng edwines mages þat he might sla.
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)170/17 : Þei were al ouercomen by queyntise & whiles of women.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)20 : Þis men myȝten schewe..bi soteltees and queyntese and false bihetynges..hou þes newe feyned religious ben anticristis.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)7146 : He þoughte on oþer wyse To contreoue a fals queyntyse.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)156/16 : Þei loke wel forþ bihynde þe nettes and þe queyntises [Ayenb.: ginnes] of þe deuel.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)12692 : With quaynty [vr. quayntise] he wold hym quell.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1354 : Þat fole..schall be stole Wyth som queyntys.
3.
(a) Beauty, charm, elegance; (b) elaborate clothing or ornament, finery; (c) elegance of clothing or appearance, fashion; ?also, vanity; (d) ornamental battle trappings for man or horse; a surcoat or mantle worn over armor and bearing a heraldic device; a retainer's livery or other identifying device.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 SLeg.And.(CmbAdd 3039)60/237 : So lange he loked inhir bewte þat sho hym temped sore..Sho woundid hym so with hir quayntyse.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)950 : Manie mirþus..men usen..in handlinge of hond and heringe of ere..And queminge of quaintise þat quencheþ our tene.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13245 : The qwene with hir qwaintis qwaitid me to cacche,Held me..with hir loue bounden.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.36 : Þo kormorount schalle rost iwys, With þo bylle opone for grete koyntes.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)258/28 : Man oþer wyfman þet heþ wyt..ne ssel him naȝt prede of þe ssredinge of his bodye ne of þe quayntises of his heuede.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)173 : Leuedyes and damoysele Quyk hem greiþed, þousandes fele, Jn faire atyre, in dyuers queyntise.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)54 : Þay samne schulde And in comly quoyntis to com to his feste.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2250 : He that loveth..Shulde..hym disgysen in queyntise [F cointerie].
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)181/30 : Seynt Poule techiþ hem to be symple in siȝt..and no queyntise seche ne devise for her heuedes, as tressis, philettis.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)619 : Of alle queyntise þat þou may se, Haue vn-to þy schip.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)64/33 : It is a gret foly for ani woman to bringe up ani newe noueltees of array..And therfor the bisshope bade hem leue these queintyses.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)80 : After mete þe lordys wyse, Euerych yn dyvers queyntyse, To daunce wente.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.932 : They sholde setten hire entente to plesen hir housbondes, but nat by hire queyntise [vr. quayntes] of array.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3341 : Gretly þey synne yn þer queyntyse [F cointises] Þat nouelrye al day areyse For to be preysed and of grete syght.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1181 : In þe world..we se..Pride and pompe and covatyse And vayn sleghtes and qwayntyse [vr. whayntyse].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)840 : Wrought was his robe in straunge gise, And al toslytered for queyntise [F cointise].
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)62/13 : Nowise woman aught to be hasty to take upon the new noualitees of array and queyntys.
- a1475 PPl.A(1) (Hrl 875)prol.24 : Quoyntyse [Trin-C: summe..In cuntenaunce of cloþing comen disgisid].
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.176 : To ledyn her lust..In quentise of cloþinge for to queme sir Pride..it dullith my wittes.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)2.20.44b : Wher is now thi pride and..thi lewyd play..& how hast thu with alle thi qwentyse don?
d
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5656 : Merlin rode biforn..And bad hem..him suwe..On hors in fair queintise.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)177/3782 : Beues and Terry..greiþede hem in faire queintise; Here armes were riale of siȝt.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)384 : Sche lete fet forþ a stede blac, Was couered al wiþ palle..& seyd..'Y þe ȝif here a stede liȝt & a queyntise of palle.'
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)1054 : Wikeles queintise is ȝalu & grene, Floure de liis sett bi tvene.
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)4744 : Knyghtes, squiers..hem desgysede in þer quantise of purpure.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3582 : Nis non so fair þing..As kniȝth y-armed in queyntise, Bot þe preest in Goddes seruyse.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)420 : Queyntyse, yn gay florysschynge, or oþer lyke: Virilia.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)10558 : He had ben wyþ kyng Arthour & hadde taken of his liuere, Cloþ or queyntise, þat knowe myght be.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5699 : A qweyntyse [vr. qwaynttes] off þe kynges owen, Vpon hys hors was jþrowen.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.107 : Comounes of contre..Sholde knowe be hir [retainers'] quentise þat þe kyng loued hem.
4.
(a) A strange thing, wonder; natural mystery; (b) supernatural means, magic.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3566 : Þere þo men miȝt yhere Þe queintise of þe spere, Of þe sonne, of mone and ster.
- a1500(c1400) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)74 : Þen wos wonder to wale on wehes þat stoden, That myȝt not come to knowe a quontyse strange.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3124 : Merlin mid enchantement & mid is quointise þer Sette vp þe stones..Þus was stonheng uerst ymad.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)519 : 'Dame,' seyd þe bysshop, 'do þy quentyse..' Þys wycche here charme began to sey.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8152 : Alle þe wecches wyþ alle here myȝt Shul neuer drecche þe..with no queyntyse of here artt.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8185 : Þys nygromancyene..made þan hys queyntyse, And ded þe fendys many one vpryse.
5.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1327) Sub.R.Lei.in AASRP 19.2253 : Thomas Coyntise.