Middle English Dictionary Entry
rẹ̄h adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | rẹ̄h adj. Also rehe, rehȝ, rei, reȝe, ræh, ræȝe, rahȝe & (error) reht, (dat.) ræham, raien, raȝe(n, (acc.masc.) ræhne, (dat.fem.) rehere, rehȝere, reȝere, ræhere, ræhȝere, ræȝe(re, ræiȝere, raȝere; pl. reȝe, reiȝe, ræhȝe, ræȝe, ræihe, ræiȝe, ræie & (error) ræhðen; comp. reȝere, ræhere; sup. rehest, reȝest, ræhȝest(e, ræiȝest. |
| Etymology | OE hrēoh, hrēh; sg.dat. hrēoum, hrēon; sg.acc. hrēone; sg.dat.fem. hrēore; pl. hrēo, hrēoge. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Fierce in battle, brave, warlike; also, as noun: a brave man; (b) having moral courage, strong-minded, firm.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1938 : He hefte anne sune ræhne, Riwald wes ihaten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2043 : Rudac king þe reht [?read: rehe; Otho: bold] wes to fehte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2740 : Heo ȝærkeden ræhðen twa þusend rideres.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4599 : He hætte al þa ræiȝe [Otho: heȝe] and alle þa rad-fulle, alle his hæȝe men his hustigge isechen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5456 : Dioclicien..wes þe ræhȝeste mon þe wuden [read: wuneden] inne Rome.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6650 : Þe king of Rusie, ræhȝest [Otho: reȝest] alre cnihten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11871 : Þa þe iwepned wes þe rahȝe [Otho: þe king], þa gon he to uarene.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13219 : Aneouste gunnen ride eorles ræȝe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14379 : Seodðen nom þas riche Malgus þe reȝe [Otho: kene].
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10429 : Nes þer nan swa rehȝ [Otho: reh] mon þe him durste ræden; þet him of-þuhte sære sone þer-after.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14842 : Þas biscopes reiȝe weoren and andswere aȝeuen: 'Ne beo we na-wit under..Austin, ah we..habbeoþ ure irihte of ure arche-biscpe.'
2.
(a) Powerful, mighty; also, as noun: a powerful man; mid ~ strengthe, with a strong force, with a mighty army; (b) wise.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3744 : He him to rasde mid ræhæm [Otho: kene] his sweorde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4723 : Ich æm ræh [Otho: riche] mon i-noh; Rome is min riche.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5550 : He wolde riden wið ræiȝere strengðe forð in-to Rome& þa riche bi-winnen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5556 : Þe king gon to riden.. þat he com to Rome mid ræȝere [Otho: rehere] strengðe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9323 : Ofte heo to-ræsden mid ræȝere [Otho: rehȝere] strengðe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11719 : Cnihtes..ræsden heom to-gædere mid ræhȝere [Otho: reȝere] strengðe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12175 : Twalf eorles swiðe ræihe [Otho: heȝe] þe rixleden ouer France.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12542 : Howel..his quides ræhte bi-uoren raien þan kinge.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12621 : We woren at þan raȝe, at Ardure þan kinge.
- c1225 St.Marg.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)31/21 : Þu..art mi broðeres bone Ruffines of helle, þe rehest [Bod: rehe] & te readwisest of alle þeo in helle.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9336 : An ald mon swuðe hende, he wes a swiðe riche þein, and ræh on ælche dome.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13621 : Þa cleopede him to..his redȝiuen alle þa ræiȝest weoren to dome.
3.
(a) Angry, furious; (b) overweening, rash; of the devil: rampant, rebellious; (c) harsh, stern.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10831 : Cnihtes gunnen arisen and ræhȝe word speken.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12460 : Þa iherde Arður þat flit of þissen eorlen, and þus spac þe riche wið raȝen [Otho: bolde] his folke.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13794 : Riwærdðlan þa seide, ræh he was on mode..'Þi saule scal to-ȝere beon þas wurse iuere.'
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13862 : Forð heo gunnen fusen..to Rom-leoden mid raȝere [Otho: strangere] wraððen.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)133/646,657 : Ne ches þu neuere to fere littele mon, ne long, ne red..þe luttele mon he is so rei, ne mai non him wonin nei..þe lonke mon is leþe-bei, selde comid is herte rei, he hauit stoni hert.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7169 : Þe Wurse wes þer ful neh, þe in ælche gomene is ful ræh.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12368 : Wha hit þe durre ræden þat þu swa reh ært iwurðen?
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12440 : Ic þo[n]kie Drihtne..þat Romanisce leoden sunden swa ræie [Otho: bolde].
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4386 : Heu ȝare wes hit iwurðen..þat mines æmes muchele mod swa milde is i-wurðen, & swa swiðe ræh mon rihtes icnawen.