Middle English Dictionary Entry
barain(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | barain(e adj. Also barraine, bar(r)eine, bar(r)eigne, bar(r)en, bar(r)ine, baran, baron. |
| Etymology | AF barain(e, CF baraigne. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Barren (woman); sterile (woman or man); also fig.; (b) childless (woman or man); (c) unpregnant (animal); (d) infertile (egg).
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)133 : Þe wimman was barrage [?read: barraigne] swo þat heo ne mihte for unkinde hauen no child.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.576 : Whan man..maketh a womman..bareyne by drynkynge of venemouse herbes, thurgh whiche she may nat conceyue.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)152b/b : In Cicilia beeþ two welles and one..maketh femeles bareyne and þat oþer makeþ hem þat ben bareyne able to conceyue.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.278 : Þou chirche of heþene men þat now art barayne of goostly children.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)4650 : Anna..was barand of hyr body.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)138/9 : To knowyn wheþer a man is bareyn or a womman.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)110b/a : A maide is bareine & withouten fruyt.
- (1450-2) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xlvii : By the which fere his seid wiff loste hir child & eversith hath ben bareyn.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)126/16 : She..said that..he shal not be hir husbonde and that [she] shuld rathre be barren.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)65/76 : Þou and þi Wyff arn barrany and bare; neyther of ȝow ffruteful nevyr ȝett ware.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)68/155 : Sara was nynty ȝere bareyn.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)15/31 : Iohachym..hyt fallyth not to þe þat art barayne, for to offyr yn company wyth þes þat God hath ȝeuen fruyte yn Israell.
c
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1320 : To hunt..at hyndez barayne.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)21 : Of þe hyndes some bene bareyn and some be þat bere calfes; of þise þat bene bareyn, here sesoun bygynneþ whan þe sesoun of þe hert failleþ and lasteþ to lenton.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)41 : Vndir þose bewes þay bade..To bekire at þose barrayne [vr. baraynes].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1199 : Bring in al þe bestaill, barayn & othire.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)3843 : Both beyrys and bullys and baran dere, þer wanted none.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)322a/b : Some eiren ben conceyued in eueriche wynd, but þey beþ barayne but he be conceyued of tredynge or worchinge of þe male.
2.
Unproductive, non-bearing, fruitless (tree); leafless (branch); ~ of (fruit, boughs, leaves); also fig.
Associated quotations
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1977 : A forest..With knotty, knarry bareyne trees olde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)238a/a : Olyaster..þis tree is bareyn & bitter.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)239a/b : If þe male [palm] is y fulde, þanne is þe femelle bareyne after tweye dayes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)246b/b : Þough euerich wythy be bareyne of fruyte, naþeles it bereþ wel and is nought bareyne of bowes.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)1746 : Þu deuel son..Þi braunches er baran & bare; Þe rowtes of þe er old, cold, & dry.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2553 : It semes..barran thyng, þat na fruyt beres.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)1438 : Afftir hervest, whan..somyr trees be bareyn of ther levys.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)2578 : To gadre cheryssh he kam a-geyn, And found the tre drye & bareyn.
3.
(a) Unproductive, bare (land, region); infertile (soil); ~ and bar; also fig.; (b) scantily productive, lean (season, year).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.68 : The bareyne ile stondynge in the see.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2319 : Archade..was bareigne and povere.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)125a/b : Þerþe is bareyne & bare, whanne he is I spoiled of corn & fruyt.
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)348 : Þei maken londis bareyne for wiþdrawyng of werkmen, not al oonli in defaute of cornes but in beestis and oþer good.
- c1460(?c1435) Lydg.Let.Glo.(Hrl 2255)58 : Thy bareyn soyl is sool and solitarye.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.191 : Some [trees] þere ben þat in þe sondes drye, þat baren ben, ful plentevously spryngeth.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)260/1 : Þou hast mysgouernaunce, qwiche gouernaunce is bareyn & hevy as grauel to weȝe þi soule doun to peyne.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)23 : [Scythia] had mech voide folke; therfor were here feldis bareyn for the most part.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)652 : All londys xall be desolate, all xall be baren and bare.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.591 : Mid of autumpnus..Whiche after somer is naked & bareyn.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.1.119 : The yeres ben..outherwhile plentevous and outherwhile bareyne.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)27/9 : Þir er þe bernes..þat ware made for to kepe corne in for þe seuen barayne ȝeres.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.66 : Som ȝere [i]s plentevous and some bareyne.
4.
Intellectually or morally sterile; dull, callous.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.11 : I..dradde after so noble spekeris..to putte forþ my bareyn speche.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1905 : Þi wit was to bareyn, Þat þou aforne by prudence naddist seyne What schulde folwe of þis vnhappy caas.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1813 : Þou art..For lak of resoun..ful bareyn to cast a-forne and see Þe harmys foloyng of þin aduersite!
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)183 : Thogh that my wit barayn be and dul.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget (Gar 145)21/26 : Vykked men ar as londe or erthe..They ar baron and drye fro compunccion and soroe for her synnes.
5.
Destitute, devoid, bare (of sth.); ~ and naked.
Associated quotations
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1244 : Exiled and bareyne Of alle grace, and in so greet despeir.
- (1402) Hoccl.Cupid (Hnt HM 744)298 : Of constance they [women] been nat so bareyne As þat some of tho sotil Clerkes feyne.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.106 : Þe fals iuwes..shal..Ne haue lordship in londe, ne no londe tylye, But al bareyne be & vsurye vsen.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.2.187 : The wikkide men semen to be bareyne and naked of alle strengthe.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.2168 : To flee for socour to an hih mounteyne, Of al vitaille nakid & bareyne.
- c1480(1422) Lydg.SD (Add 48031)50/6 : The..pride of Julius..cavsed hem also to be full barreigne and desolate of here menne.
6.
(a) Stripped of covering; ~ and bare; (b) solitary, alone.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6347 : Þe walles with þe roves huge, Couered with leed for a chef refuge, Were now, allas! bareyn & bare y maked.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4827 : Ȝe cast to declyne Away fro me, bareyne lefte and sool.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)168/1 : For sodenly..þou leuyst bareyn in þe bote, blowyn with blundryng.
7.
Worthless, poor.
Associated quotations
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)121/103 : Slyke harnays as I haue, A baren broche by a belle of tynne At youre bosom to be.
- c1475 Falm.Squire (RwlPoet 118)30 : And he be gotyn in awoutrye Oþir ellys barayn bastard borne.