Middle English Dictionary Entry
quī̆te-claimen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | quī̆te-claimen v. Also quitecleimen, quit-, quitclemin & (errors) quyckeclayme, quikcleyme, quyteclene; p.ppl. quiteclaimed, etc. & (N) whiteclamed. |
| Etymology | AF quiteclamer, -claimer; also cp. ML quite clāmāre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. quiet-claimen v.
1.
(a) To relinquish entirely (a legal right or claim), relinquish all rights to (property, possessions); also fig.; (b) ~ querele, to abandon a dispute, relinquish the right to redress of a wrong; (c) to set (sb.) free from captivity, release; acquit (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)199 : Ȝyue hym þy doghtyr on þys cunnaunt, Þat he forsake & quyte clene [vr. quyt cleyme] God of heuene and hys bapteme.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)293 : If any freke be so felle to fonde þat I telle, Lepe lyȝtly me to, & lach þis weppen, I quit-clayme hit for euer; kepe hit as his auen, & I schal stonde hym a strok.
- (1427) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA.54.1b : We..for vs our heirs and Executours, relesse and quite clayme to þe forseid John Cornewaill..alle manere accions, claymes, suytes, chalanges, querels and demandes.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)161 : He or shee may his lond or his free tenement ȝevyn, sellyn, and letyn, or his right quyt clemyn [ID(1): quiteclamer].
- (1437) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA.64.2a : Þe seid John yedele..releseth &, by thise present lettres indented, quyteclaymeth all maner accions, reals & personels..& all þe ryght state and clayme þat he hath in þe seid manoir.
- (1455) Will York in Sur.Soc.30216 : I have..relesede and white clamed all ye reghte yat I have in ye forsaide landes to Jane my moder.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.29/15 : Þe chanons quite-claymed to me two telthis in Cleydon..þe which þey claymed agaynste me of þe ȝifte of my Beledame and of my ffadur.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.65/20 : Knowe ye me to haue i-yeve..to god and to seynte Marye of Oseney..þe Ile of langeneye..þe which Geffrey..a-fore me to þem in-to almes grantid and quite-claymed.
- (1464) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.3267 : Þe seid Thomas Hoo, Richard Harecourt..han relessed and quiteclaymed for þeym and þeir heirs for euermore to þe seid Thomas Urswyk..all her right, title, and clayme of and in þe maners..aforseid.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.44b : The forseid Thomas and Philip knowlached the same Manoirs..to be the right of the seid William..and theym remised and quiteclaymed from the seid Thomas and Philip..to the seid William.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)263/25 : Iordan of Aldeswell..by his charter confermed and quyteclaymed..to god and to the chirche..all his londes of karsyngton and of Thorp.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)327/17 : William turpin quite-claimid þe londe þat þe abbot claimid to þe churche of abendon.
b
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)497 : Quycke [vr. I qwytte] clayme þe [vr. I voyde awey all cleymes &] querels of alle quyk burnes & clayme of euereche kyng saue of Crist one.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)503 : Þat querel y quik [vr. qwite] cleyme.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1763 : But it likis you lordis..Þat I send for my suster on a softe wise To þe Grekes..To qwit claym all querels & be qweme fryndes.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13086 : By counsell of kynges & comyn assent, Thai qwite claymit the qwerell.
c
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)6654 : Þai ben out of prisoun y-gon Oþer quite-cleymed ichon.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38)1192 : Thou schuldyst not haue skapyd soo; But syn Y qwyte claymed the þore, Ȝyt muste þou be of mercy more.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)19 : Thow haste quyte claymed my moder, yef I may hir deffende in this maner.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)502 : The quene quyte cleymed [F clama quite] the x knyghtes that were prisoners.