Middle English Dictionary Entry
relenten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | relenten v. Also relent(e, relinten; p.ppl. relented, relent. |
| Etymology | AF relenter (see MLR 8.96); cp. CF relent adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To melt, thaw, soften; liquefy; (b) to dissolve (sth.) in water; soften (wax), melt; ben relented, be softened, liquefied, or dissolved; (c) ppl. relented as adj.: loosened; softened, liquefied; (d) of the weather: to be cool and moist.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1278 : He stired the coles til relente [vr. relent] gan The wex agayn the fyr.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5077 : Appollo..On hillis hiȝe gan his bemys smyte, Makyng þe snow..In-to water kyndely relente.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)176a/b : Put it in a vesselle of glas vnder þe dunge to þat it relent into water.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)429 : Relentyn [Win: Relyntyn]: Resolvo, liquo.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)4179 : Yif ageyn hys fader lore That he to high alofte soore Almost to the shene sonne..The wexe with hete wil relente..Than his fethres wil dissever.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)47a : Beholde howe watter of isse dothe relent, And so it muste, for water it was afore.
b
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.20v : [Alumen:] .. Item: For þe same, furst wassch þe festre with acet, þanne oynt þe festre with hony, þanne straw poudre of alum aboue, & put in ious of carmaryn þat alum is relented [Add 27329 (f.148ra): resolued] in.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)152b/b : Sette hem ouer a charecole fire and lette hem seeþe to alle þi þingis be wele meddelde & wele relented.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.1142 : In water first this opium relent, Of sape vntil hit ha similitude.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)110/290 : Do ther to a quartion of encence powdrede wele and styre it wele togedir till it be melcyd [read: meltyd] and relentid.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)288/931 : Lat fry hem all to gedir till þei be relentid and wele medelede.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)151 : Boyle hem to geder & stere hem wyþ astykke tyl þy þynges ben wol relented.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)121a/b : Putte hem in a panne & boile hem togidere and..þanne putte þerto hony & wex relentid togidere.
- a1500(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Stw 952(1))16217 : Wex and Talwh yt [sun's heat] doth Relente.
c
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.105 : In the roote Relented [L liquidum] dong yputte on doth hit boote.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.928 : The bee this Marche..On titymalle and elmes gynneth pike, That bitter be, wherof anoon relent Ther wombes are.
d
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)323 : Thei come..at nyght after the mydnyght..And thei slepte strongeliche in the hoste for the tyme that relented.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1400 PLove (Hrl 2254)107/9 : Þat is þat a man geder hym-self al to hym-self…and entre into his owne þouȝte & þere ȝelde hym & relente hym al in-to God.
Note: MED entry has no such fig. or transferred sense of 'dissolve', nor any refl. exx. per PFS
- a1500 Sln.122 Grafting in SN 57 (Sln 122)24 : Take smal salte and cowche þe salt and þe peris in maner of beddis in a barell, so þat noon towche a noþer, and stoppe fast þe barell, and sett it in a drye place þat þe salt relente notte.
Note: Needed for date
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Jul.Artist.Recipes (Jul D.8) 143/16 : To make a parchemyn skyn..do in þe poudre in half a pynt of clene water and lat hit stond til hit be relentede.
Note: Glossary: "relentede ppl. adj. 'softened'."
Note: Additional quote, sense (c).