Middle English Dictionary Entry
refūs(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | refūs(e n.(1) |
| Etymology | OF refus, refuse refusal. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Refusal, rejection; disgrace; also person.; maken ~ of, to reject (sb.); putten in ~, reject (sth.), despise; (b) hunt. withouten ~, old enough to be hunted.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.686 : Thei made hem naked..As it was tho custume..Amonges hem was no refus.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.1560 : Þe flour of Grekis chiualrie..enhast hem to com to rescus, Amongis whom was þere no refus.
- c1430 Allas for thought (Cmb Gg.4.27)335 : To telle hire port & hire manere: Large in refus & dangerous to take.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)78 : As towarde the Refuse made vnto my Lorde off Gloucestre off openyng off the Toure vnto hym..my seyde lorde off Wynchester Answereth, [etc.].
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)485 : That he chese not or refuse not neither execute hise choisis or refusis aȝens the now seid lawe of kinde.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)150/4462 : Refuse to mercy, daunger vnto grace That they myght be transformyd.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)127/2 : Make ye refuse of me?
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)51/5 : Sum man vsiþ þe bifore rekened kyndis of worldly godis into his propre lordschipwithoute eny refuse of her multitude or quantite.
- a1500 Richardoune Stones (Add 34360)60 : Al trewe louers put it [expenditure] in refuse, Holdith them content and payed with loves presence.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)506 : He hathe hertis [read: an hert] full fele, þat list to make A yift lightly, þat put is in refuse.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)755 : Is hit reson, þough on his tonge distayn, with cursyd spech..Þat sichur refus schuld wrongfully remayn Vpon the good, Renomyd in þair fame?
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)817 : Refuse hath mad, for all sich flateryse, Hys castels strong, stuffyd with ordynaunce.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)848 : Many pety capteyns aftyr these went, As Trew Feythe..Refuse of Rychesse & Worldly Veynglory, [etc.].
b
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)80 : If a man see a wilde boor þe whiche semeþ hym grete inow..he shall saie a wilde boor of þe iii yere þat is withowte refuse [F n'a point de refus].