Middle English Dictionary Entry
refreshing(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | refreshing(e ger. Also refrisheinge. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Physical comfort or relief; the provision of comfort or relief; the state of being physically refreshed or restored; also fig.; (b) a means of refreshment; food, drink, necessities of life; also, a meal [quot.: ?c1425]; (c) a respite from battle; (d) benefit.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.65.12 : Wee passeden þurȝ fijr & watir & þou broȝtist out vs in to refreshing.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.449 : For refresshynge and socour [L refrigerationem] of way farynge men þere, clere welles were in þe hye weyes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.220 : Ne water shal yeue hem [the damned] no moysture, ne the eyr no refresshyng [vrr. refrissheinge; freshyng].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)167a/b : Þe oyle of olyue riseþ oute of þe bitternes of þe roote..in to refresshing and fedynge of hungrye.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.22.2 : He nurschide me on the watir of refreischyng [WB(1): fulfilling; L refectionis].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)153b/a : Fleobotomye..wircheþ alsone refresshing of al þe habite.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.294 : Euery yer hem [grapevines] forte vnbynde Is confort & refresshyng to theire kynde.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Virtue (Hrl 2255)10 : Quyk lusty sprynges..Do gret refresshyng and counfort to the siht.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)109a : Þyn enemy..wendeþ fro þe walles..somtyme to desport & refreschynge of here bodyes.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)114/32 : Ȝiff þe ryghtwisse man die, he shall be in refresshynge thorowe þe mercy of God.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)296/4 : Here is no wittnes of þi faste þat sulde nurissh þe with lovyng..And þer mans serves & refresshyng of a vayn glorie makis þe fatt.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4126 : Nouthir of ayre na of sonn To refresching was he wonn.
- a1470 Ordin.War Hen.V in RS 55.1 (Lnsd 285)468 : That nomaner man..go..where that eny woman lythe in geseme, her to robbe ne pile of no goodes the whiche longeth unto her refresshyng.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)121/135 : Homward now us must travayl; of þis refreschynge..god ȝeld ȝow.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)36a/a : The lungis..schulden drawe cold wynd to þe refreischinge of þe herte.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)301 : A Refreschynge: refeccio, refrigerium.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)218 : Water shal seye, 'I yaf to the drynke and Refressheynge a-yenste thin hete.'
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)29/18 : Thou must go þroghe fyre & water or þou come to refresshing.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2480 : Pirrus..besouȝt hem..To helpen hym with som refreshing, As hym þat had catel loste and good.
- ?a1425(a1400) Brut-1377 (Corp-C 174)300 : For defaute of vitailles & of refresshyng þey eten hors, houndes, cattes, & mys.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)369/17 : Sawge alitel soden..ȝeueþ a wonderful helpynge..to alle ioyntes, in þe ende of þe refresshynge [*Ch.(1): refeccioun, i. etyng].
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)3727 : Hauen we non vytaylle..Neþer non Refrescheng we mown have of oure frendis.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1207 : Othere refreschynge noghte many hade Bot blody water of a slade, Þat thurghe þe Oste ran.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)5427 : Þe largenes of goddis blissyng Send þaim som refreschyng, Þair grete nede to sees.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)590/16 : Commaunde me to the lady of that castell..and pray hir to sende me som refresshynge of good metys and drynkys.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.215 : Paradise was ȝifen to man as a inhabitacion..the tre of lyfe to refreschenge [Trev.: for mete; L ad edulium].
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.2363 : A pilgreme..besought hym tendirly of refresshyng.
- a1500 Travel Instruc.(CotApp 8)280 : Drynke not betwene meles, but yef suche thurst take you, that ye may not putte hit a-wey with other smale refresshynges in the mouthe.
c
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)9894 : Gaudyns and also Partanope, After her refreschyng, both be In-to the reynes turneth a-yen.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2991 : Late vs rest as for a daye or twayne, That your pepill may haue refresshing; Thanne we wolle geve them batell new ageyn.
d
- (1436) Proc.Privy C.4.352c : Thei shall mowe remember what a preciouse jeuell the saide towne of Calais is to this reame, what profite and refresshing groweth ther by to the Kinges subgittes, the which resorte thidre for marcaundise and other causes.
2.
Spiritual relief, remedy, rest, or comfort; ~ of sinneres, comfort of sinners; place (sete) of ~, heaven.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.2.1 : Litil & wiþ noȝe is þe tyme of þis lijf; þer is not refreshing in þe ende of a man.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.78 : Axeth..which is the goode wey and walketh in that wey, and ye shal fynde refresshynge for youre soules.
- a1425 11 Pains(4) (Add 10036)136/93 : Alle þat were in helle..cried iblessed mote þou be..þat haþ igraunted vs þis refressynge.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)262/28 : Now schal I ȝeue þee a litil refreisching to þi soule.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)325/3 : I haue ȝoue to hym refreisching of hope.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)375/35 : O eendelees myldnes..O refute & refreischinge of synneris..þou hast nede of us wrecchide creaturis.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.78 : Lord god of forȝyuenesse, graunte þou to þe soule of þi seruaunt..a seete of refresching, blisse of reste.
- (1434) Misyn ML (Corp-O 236)117/4 : He sothely his makar þat louys..on hym to þink is his refreschynge.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)136.499 (v.2:p.377) : Laurence .. had within hym thre refresshyngis .. by the whiche he ouyrcam al owtward fyir: the fyrste refrygerie was feruent desyre of the blysse of heuene.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)335 : A synner..by contricion..shall have perpetuell refresshyng.
- a1500 Craft Dying (Rwl C.894)407 : A ryȝtfull man, þouȝe he be..sodenly dede..schalbe had to a place of refresshynge.
3.
(a) Reinforcement or relief of an army in battle; (b) supplying or resupplying of an army or a city; provisions; (c) assistance, protection.
Associated quotations
a
- (1434) Proc.Privy C.4.223 : I..with þoo þat were lefte me..the refresshyng of þe retenue þat myn oncle þe Cardinal had made..sette & kept my self on þe felde dyvers dayes.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)79a : A bettir disposed ordenaunce may not be cast ne ordeyned in confort and refressching of an oost.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)13.476 : Ȝit kepte Tholome to his Availles, In his Refrescheng, twey batailles.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)19474 : Yweyn..tolde hem of his cosyns comenge Hem to Helpe and Refreschynge and that with hym cam gret meyne hem to reskewen.
b
- (1418) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)73/5 : We haue leyd þe siege afore the cite of Roan..atte which siege vs nedeþ gretly refresshing for vs and for our hoost.
- (1418) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)74/12 : They may vp þe Riuer of Seyne to Roan-ward, wiþ þe said vitaille for the refresshing of vs and our said hoost.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)387/19 : Þey cast adoun al her subbarbez about þe cite, vnto þe harde grounde, for þe King schulde haue þere non refreschyng at his comyng.
- (1458) Paston (Gairdner)3.128 : I have desirid hym to move the Counsell for refreshing of the toun of Yermowth with stuff of ordnance and gonnes and gonne powdre.
c
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)739/17 : The knyȝte entrede þe paleys And had helpe & Refreschyng after þe lawe.