Middle English Dictionary Entry
ravishing(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | ravishing(e ger. Also (error) revershinge. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Theft, plundering; ben (ben made) in-to ~, to become plunder or spoil; (b) the act of carrying off (a woman) by force, esp. for the purpose of rape; ravishment, rape; also, abduction (of Ganymede); (c) the transporting (of sb. into heaven, contemplation of God, a vision, etc.); mystical ravishment; a state of spiritual ecstasy; ben made in ~ of soule, to be brought into an ecstasy; (d) impelling force, violent motion.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.13.34 : Alle the dedis of Trifon weren don by rauyshyng [L per direptionem].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Zeph.1.13 : The strengthe of hem shal be in to rauyshyng, and the hous of hem in to desert.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.42.22 : Thei ben maad in to raueyn and noon is that delyuereth, in to rauyschyng [WB(1): taking awei], and noon is that seith, 'Ȝelde thou.'
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jer.49.32 : The camels of hem schulen be in to rauyschyng [WB(1): reuyng], and the multitude of her beestis in to prey.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)681/31 : He..forbede..that no man with-in the closyng of ther howses or graungis do violence or Rauysshynge or theft.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.355 : Tros..werred afterward aȝenst Tantalus, kyng of Athene, for þe rauyschynge [Higd.(2): rape; L raptum] of Ganymedes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7080 : Al þe chesun o þat strijf Was for rauising of a wijf.
- a1413 Chaucer TC (Mrg M 817)5.895 : Men shul drede vn-to þe worldes ende..þe rauesshynge of a queene [Rob.: to ravysshen any queene].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2742 : His purpos hool þus he brouȝt aboute: Hir rauyssynge whil hir lord was oute.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.62 : The Grekes stronge In armes, with a thousand shippes, wente To Troiewardes..The ravysshyng [vrr. rauysynge, raueshyng] to wreken of Eleyne.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.548 : This town hath al this werre For ravysshyng [vr. rauaschyng] of wommen so by myght.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)98/6 : Prophecies..seide that þrough þat rauishing Troye shoulde be distroyed.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)23/39 : Rauysschyng is whan a man ledith a wey anoþer mannys dowȝter wtowtyn his wil & his wityng.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)195 : Þat virgine rauysyng Was saint cuthbert consayuyng.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)201/1576e : Amendes have I neuer þe moo..Of robery and ravysheng my Quene.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)11576 : Priam..loste þe honour For Parys..þat he did ffavour In þe Ravesshyng [Rwl: Reuershynge] of feire Eleyne.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 22.17 : It is don to me, turnynge aȝen into Jerusalem and preinge in the temple, me for to be maad in rauyssching of soule [L in stupore mentis] and to se him.
- a1425(?a1400) Benj.Minor (Hrl 674)46/14 : So þat it be fulfillid in þee þat is wretyn in þe psalme:..'Þere is Beniamyn, þe ȝonge childe, in rauesching of mynde.'
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)84/27 : Of dobylle rauischyngis, þat is to say, owt of body & owt of lyftynge of þe mynde in to gode & of þe worþines here-of.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)85/34,86/4 : Rauischynge [L raptus] is als it is schewyd, in to wys is vnderstande: O maner forsoþ in qwhilk sum man is rauischid oute of fleschly felynge..Anoþer maner of rauischynge þer is þat is lyfting of mynde in-to god be contemplacion.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)86/14 : Þat ravyschinge I hald best of lufe in qwhilk man may adyll moste mede.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Eliz.Spalb.(Dc 114)108/5 : Sche is rauisched in a good while, alle starke as an ymage of tree or stoon, wiþ-outen felynge or mouynge and brethe..After the whiche raueschynge, as turnyd agayne to hir-selfe, sche ryseþ vp.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)447/2 : In what state som evur sho was ravissid, sho abade in þat astate vnto sho was turnyd owte of hur ravisshyng.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)53/8 : Seynt austyn..spekith of þe ravisshing of seynt poule in to heuen.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)I.8.5a : Bi rauischinge of lufe, þe soule is oned for þe time and confourmed to þe ymage of þe Trinite.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)27/37 : As it hadde ben in a raveschynge of hure mynde, hure thought sche was sette in another passynge fayre chirche.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)220/14 : The angel of God come to hym and with a rauyschynge toke his sowle and bare it vp in-to heuene, and there it sawe the kynge of kyngis sitte in an hye precious sete.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)107b/b : Þe planetis passiþ with couenable metynge, and metiþ & comeþ aȝen þe rauyschinge of þe firmament, & withstondiþ & tarieþ þe swiftenes þerof.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)118a/a : Aboute þis lyne þat hatte axis, as it were aboute þe myddil of þe worlde, þe firmament passiþ a boute wiþ endeles rauyschinge [L raptibus].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)133a/a : Firy emerys is rauyschid & mevid vpward by rauyschinge of wynde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)153a/b : A ryuer..bereþ downe alle lettes þat he fyndeþ in his cours, and noþing with stondiþ finaliche þe rauysshing [L rapacitati] þerof.