Middle English Dictionary Entry
remedī(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | remedī(e n. |
| Etymology | OF remedie (var. of remede) & L remedium. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Relief from distress, trouble, pain, etc., help, alleviation; a remedy for a situation, means of relief; means of evading a difficulty, solution, recourse; alternative; bi ~ of, by means of; in ~ of, for relief from (sorrow), as a cure for (imperfection); withouten ~, without hope of relief; don ~, to put matters right; don ~ to, provide relief for (a condition); (b) don (maken, ordeinen, putten, shapen) ~, to devise a plan or solution; provide a means of relief; don no ~, do no good, be of no use; (c) in proverbs and prov. expressions; (d) the ~ of love, remedies of love (ovid), Ovid's Remedia Amoris; also [quot.: c1387-95], ?means of relief for lovers; ?means of contraception or abortion.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1216 : With a swerd he sholde lese his heed; Ther nas noon other remedye ne reed.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.5 : Þe mercy of God had i-ordyned vs of lettres in remedie of vnparfiȝtnesse of mankynde.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.11 : Alisaundre..axede a tool to slee hymself in remedie of sorwe.
- (c1392) ?Westwyk EPlanets (Peterh 75)26/25 : Yif thow myshappe in this cas, i shal teche the aremedie.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)224a/b : Þe fyge tree is made bere wel fruyte by remedy of a tre þat hatte caput ficus.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)261b/a : Kynde haþ ordeigned remedy to saue þe kynde of þat bestes, and ordeigneþ þat suche bestes brynge forþ many children.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5235 : Þer was no remedie Ageyns hem to holde champartie Nor with hem any more to stryue.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Tob.10.4 : His modir wepte with teeris withouten remedie [L irremediabilibus lacrymis].
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2015 : The hous..is shapen as the mase is wrought; Therto have I a remedye in my thought.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)93/14 : Cephalus..caste his iauelott & killed his wijf. He was hevy of þat mysaventure, but þer myȝt no remedye [vr. remedies] be had.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)63 : No wight coude remedie of his care.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)92/3 : Thus sister in al oure nedis we shuld renne to þe remedye of prayeris.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)173/23 : Is there no remedy..but that I must have ado with you?
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)176/31 : The remedie of that trauaylle is for to reioyse his spryte with som goodly pley and disporte.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)841 : For thys I kan a remedye: I xall rebuk hym.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.242 : So he schal sendyn hem to sory place and to sory company withoutyn ony remedye.
- a1500(1428) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)40 : I beseche yow doo suche diligence anenst my lorde for remedy of this maugree.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)83/32 : As the laste remedy of lyue, he sende his lettres to Reymond.
- a1500 15c.Serm.Cycle(Hrl 2247:Powell)98/11 : There was no man to do remedy [vr. do no remedy þerto] nor cowde oþir comfort.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.210 : He..charged hem in hye To shapen for his lyf som remedye.
- (1400) Let.in Ellis Orig.Let.ser.2.14 : If ye hadde tho officers under your governance, thei koude ordeyn remedy wherthrogh thei sholde be taken.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3638 : It helpeth nat nor doth no remedie.
- a1425(?a1400) Benj.Minor (Hrl 674)41/14 : So schal we do remedye and seek counsel at wyser þen we.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.335 : To the maladye of hym God putteth remedye [L remedio medetur] to yeven hym rychesses.
- (1450) Doc.in Kingsford EHist.Lit.(CotR 2.23)367 : I offur and woll put remedy [vr. put me in devour] for to execute your Commandement in these premisses for þe punyssion of Suche offendorres.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)7/20 : Ye haue gret desir to save the countree and the people that ben fallen to gret myschief into the tyme that Ihesu Criste putt remedye therin..I schal putt the best remedye thurgh your goode councell that I can putt therin.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)339/22 : Sytthe hit is so..that he thus is gone frome us all, we muste shape a remedy to fynde hym.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)23787 : Ioseph..Ageyn the hunger..ful prudently gan to provide and shop ther-fore a remedye.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)136/11 : Gayus Marcus..for to make a remedy for that doubte..promysed theim that and so be that the fylde be wonne by their manhode, that he wolde rewarde theim.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)6276 : Ye may do remedy, And ye wolle do after my conselle.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.951 : Whan the pot boyleth strongly, the beste remedie is to withdrawe the fyr.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7874 : At þe gynnyng Þe remedie is put of euery þing.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3705 : Eche venym maked is triacle, And euery wo hath his remedie.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)140 : Th'eschewing is only the remedye.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)1090 : In abiding, of wo & al affray..is founden remedie.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.770 : Wher as is no remedie, ther is noo boote.
- a1500(1456) Whan lordschype (Dub 516)20 : Yn rancur with-owte remedy ys none avayle.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)141/9 : Forto speke of thynge that is Paste is no remedy.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)658 : A man shold shortly the dole ouerpas When remedy non may be in the cas.
- c1500 Melusine (Roy 18.B.2)92/11 : Alwayes it is good to be purueyed of remedye.
d
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.475 : Of remedies of loue she knew par chaunce, For she koude of that art the olde daunce.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2166 : Prudence remembred hire vp on the sentence of Ouyde in his book that cleped is the remedie of loue.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)568 : May noght make my sorwes slyde, Nought al the remedyes of Ovyde.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)113/20 : Of this idylnesse Ouyde speketh in his boke whiche is called the Remedy of Loue.
2.
Legal redress or recourse; official relief from an injustice; also fig.; don (setten) ~, to provide legal or official redress.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2648 : Syn ye desire..vengeance..after the lawe..thanne haue ye noon oother remedie but for to haue youre recours vn to the souereyn iuge.
- (1423) Pet.Sutton in Fenland NQ 7307 : Besechys mekely the pore tenauntry..to consider the grete grevaunce and myschief that thei stonde in, as it apperes in a Cedule here to annexit, and for the said tenaunts and lordschip there provei for remedie en salvacion of the said lordschip and tenaunts.
- c1432 Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 (Cmb Dd.14.2)455 : Þes Mayre counceylyng þis seyd Nicholas for to sewe to assise, for oþer remedye is þer non þer fore.
- (1434-43) Doc.Trade in BRS 782 : Ther lyeth no remedy for the sayd suppliantz in this sayd mater atte comyn lawe.
- (1436) RParl.4.498a : William Pulle..to yentent to exclude hir of hir suyte and lawefull remedie of ye said Ravyshement, hir emprisoned.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)5/3 : Whan dauid Þe kyng herd her of, he wente & dede remedye þer a ȝens.
- (1452) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.4201 : They shall doo hym remedy accordyng to the statutes.
- (1461-2) Paston (EETS)1.102 : Your seid besecher hath no remedy at the comon lawe.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)245 : The Kyng gaf favoure to this matere, but..the duke of Gloucester,uncle to the forseid Ysabel..thoute sumtyme to set remedy in this mater.
- (a1483) Rec.St.Stephen in Archaeol.5052 : If any man or woman contrarye and will not pay ther dewty, to informe the Curate and the Chirch wardens, and they shal sette remedy, with grace of God.
3.
(a) A means of counteracting sin or evil; a remedy for a specific vice, temptation, etc.; (b) deliverance from sin or damnation, salvation; also, a means of hope or redemption; ~ of sinnes, expiation of sins; ~ of sinneres, salvation of sinners; don (ordeinen) ~, to devise a means of salvation.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)65/17 : Lo, her aȝeines wreaððe monie remedies, frouren a muche floc, & misliche boten.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)94/22 : We schulen nu speoken of þe uttre [temptation], & teachen þeo þe habbeð hire hu ha mahen wið godes grace ifinde remedie.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)207/15 : Holy bene..his remedie aye alle zenne.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)111 : Such men..beþ treacle and remedi For synful men þat han do wronge.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27816 : Again þis sin remedi es: Haf gastli ioi and hope o blis.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)31/8 : He wiþ his conuersacioun is to alle þat wollen be saued þe beste remedie..to ouercome synne.
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)910 : Betwix man and woman is wedding For remedie of lecherie and childer nurishing.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.25 : Thei in vertu shal remedies fynde Teschewe vices.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)1556 : Agaynus pruyde..þe forme remedy ys mekenes.
- a1450 *Aelred Inst.(2) (Bod 423)562,565 : Vse wel this remedye that..thy mynde be euere vpon som sentence of holy writ..for it is a souerayne remedy ayenst temptacyoun.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.38.23a : Oþer remedie is þat þey drede nouȝt ne charge as for a synne, ne sette nouȝt at herte swilk maliciouse steringes of despeir.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Pseudo-F.(Dub 245)311 : In mong alle þe remedies þat god spak aȝen siche men, þis is a special remedie of god.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Lamb 633)193/37 : The work of matremony may be ussit and don..whan that the work is don for remedy, that is to wit, to enchu fornicasion.
- a1500 Ihesu the sonne (Hrl 4012)11 : Ihesu..ffor mans gilte and transgression Chef salfe and beste remedy.
b
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)97/32 : Þanne schulen her bodies with þe soulis go down euere to abyde wiþ þe feendis withoute ony remedye of hope.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)303/12 : Þou maist wiþ al þi myȝt fynde no remedy but oonly in my mercy, tristynge in þat swete blood.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)214 : Þyn holy lijf and passioun..was remedie to oure redempcioun.
- c1450 Whanne marye was greet (Lamb 853)280 : In helle is no remedie.
- 1451-1500 Tundale (Wagner)96 : A Jhesu Criste, I aske mercye; I canne no beter remedy.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.79/6 : I..haue i-grauntid and i-ȝeve to þe church of Seynt Marye in Oseneye j hide of londe..for þe Remedye of þe Sowle of þe mooste noble Kyng Henry of Inglond.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)572/21 : Bernard of seynt walery hath..grauntyd..for the remedy of hys synnys..the yle-lande a-fore-seyd.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)10 : Mankynde was dere bought; By þe pytuose deth of Jhesu he hade hys remedye.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)139.7 : What remedy is bot forto cry til my god?
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.13.61b : Now sey me, der sone, what the semith in this matier, þat we bothe to geder may ordeyne a remedy for this greet mischief.
- a1500(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Stw 952(1))16889 : O blyssed lady, why or wher-ffore shuldestow haue Chylded and brought fforth hym ffor Remedye Off Synnerys, which neuere knewe what synne was?
- a1500 15c.Serm.Cycle(Hrl 2247:Powell)106/100 : Mankinde..was brought to þe sepulture of hell, to whome no prophete myght do remedye..but allonely þat loving leche.
4.
Med. & surg. A medical remedy, cure; medical means of relief, medicament; method of treatment; curative power; don (no) ~, to effect a (no) cure; don remedies to, give medicines to (sb.).
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Tob.6.7 : What remedie shuln han þese thingis þat of þe fish þou hast comaundid to ben kept?
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)94a/a : Þe euel is pestilence & moreine, sleinge anon but if þere be hasty socoure & remedye.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)220a/b : Comyn..acordiþ to many medicynes and remedyes and namely of þe stomak.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3122 : We most, as techeth sorgerye, With scharp yrens sechyn remedye, To kut awey..Þe prowde flesche þat growith in þe grounde.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)56b/b : Ȝiff þes members fallen in to a peralisie, þe remedies owen to be leide aboute þe spondiles off þe necke.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.5676 : Thei turned hym into a fressh flour, A watir-lelie, which doth remedie In hote accessis.
- c1440(a1349) Rolle 10 Com.(Thrn)10/10 : Wychcrafte and charemynge..may do na remedy till any seknes of man, woman, or beste.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)87/15 : Manys priuite hangith doun to here kneis that dwellyn ther; But the men of that contre..vsyn colde medecynys and onymentis, that restreyneth it thour remedye for swich myschef.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)181 : Zeduale..wole do huge remedy a-ȝens venemous [read: venymys].
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1084/11 : Lat us fynde a remedy how sone that I may be hole.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)153b/a : It is more sikir to aȝenstonde an hoot empostyme afore þat he bigynne þan for to do ony remedies to him aftir þat he be fully empostymed.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)145/19 : I yefe þe my doctrine most certeyn of þe kendys of sekenes and remedyis of þo sekenessis.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)15.3 : He that felis him seke, he sekis remedy.
- a1500 Diseases Women(2) (Sln 2463)74 : For as moche as ther ben manye women that hauen many diuers maladies..I schal sumdele wright to herre maladies remedye.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)30b/21 : Þe comoyne remedy is in festers and depe bylis to make an openyng in the stede þat is most hangyng.
5.
A period of relaxation or recreation.
Associated quotations
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)307/27 : In companye scolers on a tyme had remedy & went to play þaim.
6.
A permissible deviation allowance in the minting of coins, tolerance.
Associated quotations
- (1423) RParl.4.257a : As touching ye remedie of vi d. of the pound of Troie, the Kyng will be avised.
- (1464) Statutes Ireland 3p.114 : Forasmuche as the said moneis of silver may not continually be made according to his right estandert..the said moneis of silver may be made to muche or to litell in pois or in alay or in the one or in the othir by vj penyweight in euery of the said poundes of Troy, whiche vj penyweight shall be called remedy for the said Maister.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. remedy.