Middle English Dictionary Entry
rāven v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | rāven v.(1) Also rave, ravin, ravie, rafe(n, raffen, reven. |
| Etymology | OF resver, rever, (late 15th cent.) raver to be mad; also cp. OF resverie, raverie. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To be or become mad; be in a frenzy, behave foolishly or irrationally, rave; speak in a deranged or senseless manner; also, become distraught because of love; ?be amorous or passionate [quot.: Wisd.]; (b) to be delirious (from a fever, wound, etc.), speak in delirium; (c) to experience religious ecstasy; see a vision; (d) mistransl. of L alleviare.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 SLeg.11000 Virg.(Corp-C 145)97 : Þe cardinals were þere aȝen and sede he gan reue, Wiþ fole wenclen forto go, and is dignete to bileue.
- ?c1325 As I stod on (ArmsAr 27)19 : Sche bar me fast on hond, that I began to rave, And bad me fond ferther, a fol for to feche.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.91 : Ech of hem..wenen that I scholde rave For Anger that thei se me have.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.959 : In oure madnesse euere moore we raue.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.10 : Þat folke helden me a fole, and in þat folye I raued [vr. reued].
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.186 : 'What, rauestow?' quod riȝtwisnesse, 'or þow art riȝt dronke!'
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)363 : If rapely [I] raue, spornande in spelle, My herte watz al wyth mysse remorde.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)110/183 : Sir, þou raues; Þow whate noght þou efter crawes.
- a1425 Shrewsbury Frag.(Shrw 6)1/15 : Ȝe lye bothe..And raues as recheles royes.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.3667 : Cleopatras..Slouh eek hirsilf, loue so did hir raue.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)424 : Ravyn, or dotyn: Desipio, insanio, deliro.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)671 : Loue haþ mad þe so to raue Þat þou wenest maistry to haue Whan þou art slayn and feld with loue.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)1214 : Hast þou..I-made any mon dronke to be..To se hym dronke and to raue?
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1483 : Þe ten comaundementys brokyn I haue..I was þanne wood and gan to raue.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)6546 : She tare her here and gan to Rave.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)107/146 : To me þis is a carefull cas; Rekkeles I raffe.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)1340 : For rowth he remyd als he wold raue.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)83/22 : ij men played at þe dyce, and when þe tane of þaim began to lose, he began to wax wrathe with þe toder & speke grete wurdis, & rauie & flite with God for þat he wan nott.
- ?a1475 LDirige(2) (Dc 322)200 : Thow were redy..With mercy, lord, me to saue, But I denyed hit alwey, So woodly syn made me to raue.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.305 : He supposed som fantasie fill in his thought And for lacke of slepe that he shold raue [vr. ravede].
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)837 : In my mynde I haue My cosyn Jenet N..I pley me þer wen I lyst rawe; Than þe chorle wyll here dysprawe.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)7436 : Hit is Imayne, That for the suffers muche payne, Nere hand in poynt to rave.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)21/423 : I hope my master rafe.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)235/226 : He has reuyd ouer lang with his fals lyys, And done mekyll wrang, sir cesar he defyes.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)270/384 : I am redles and rad ffor ferd that I mon rafe.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)283 : Þat lytell thyng may do you gret plesaunce, you to begyle, or make you for to rave.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)81b/b : Ȝif þe sike be I-clepid, vnneþis he answereþ; And if it happe þat he answeriþ, he raueþ & spekeþ vanite.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)51b/a : Where forsoþ beþ tenonthez & neruez & vnflesshye & bony regionz, it is perile for to ake & wake & spasme and for to raue [L decipere].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)154a/b : Þe pacient ofte tymes maie not slepe & feleþ grete akkeþ and raueþ & falleþ in to a frensye and ofte tymes in to a spasme and þenne dieþ.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)866 : A stroke on him than Charles layde; He made the Paynym to rafe.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)59b/a : The signys of aman perilously woundid..if he lese his siȝt or his felynge or his mynde, Or if þat he raueþ or brakiþ.
c
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)72/11 : I felle to myselfe & into my bodelye seknes..and I sayde that I hafe raued þat daye.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)93a/a : If ventosite is in þe cause, hit is I-knowe by rotinge & rollinge & hurlinge & noise & vnsauery bolkynges, by þe whiche bolkinges þe pacient raueþ [L alleuiatur].