Middle English Dictionary Entry
remissiǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | remissiǒun n. Also remiscioun, remissiun, ramiceoun. |
| Etymology | L remissio, -iōnis & OF: cp. CF remissïon, AF remissiun. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Release from duty or obligation; freeing of captives; Bibl. dai of ~, a holiday from work; yer of ~, a Jubilee year; also, a Sabbatical year; don (maken) ~, to grant immunity; also, Bibl. grant freedom (from debt, to slaves, etc.); (b) mercy, pardon, respite; withouten ~; don (maken) ~.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.36.4 : Þe Iubyle..is þe fiftyþe ȝeer of remyssion.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.15.1 : The seueþe ȝeer þou shalt do [WB(2): make] remissioun..to whom is owed eny þyng of frend or neiȝbor & his broþer, he shal not mowe aȝeyn aske hit, for ȝeer of remyssioun of þe lord hit is.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.10.34 : Alle solempne days and sabothis and neomenyes..be alle dais of ynmunite, or fraunchise, and of remissioun to alle Jewis that ben in my rewme.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.13.34 : Symont cheese men and sente to kyng Demetrie, that he shulde do [WB(2): make] remissioun to the cuntre, for alle the dedis of Trifon weren don by rauyshyng.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Cor.8.13 : Not that it be remyssioun, or slouthe, to othere, forsoth to ȝou tribulacioun, but of euenesse in the present tyme ȝoure haboundaunce fulfille the myseste of hem.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Lev.25.10 : Thou schalt halewe the fiftithe ȝeer, and thou schalt clepe remissioun [WB(1): forȝifnesse] to alle the dwellers of thi lond, for thilke ȝeer is iubilee.
- a1425 WBible(1) (CC 145)Ezek.46.17 : If þe prince..shul ȝiue a biqueþin thing..to oen of his seruauntis, It shal be his vn to þe ȝer of remissioun.
- a1425 Christ.Belief (LoC 4)11/401 : Of his blode na left noght widinne him noght a sely droppe, so largely he haued it despended for ramiceoun of oure synnes.
- a1450(a1397) WBible(2) GProl.(Hrl 1666)p.6 : In the vij ȝeer shal be remissioun of dette to citeseynes and kynnesmen.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.291 : From whiche victory of Abraham somme men say the yere of Iubile to haue taken originalle, for that remission [Trev.: þe delyueraunce; L remissione] of captif men, for Iobel is callede remission [Trev.: forȝifnes] other 'begynnenge'.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4383 : Moste þei wern on þe wommen wood To be avenged..With-oute mercy or remyssioun.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3471 : The quene..platly seide as in this matere Avayleth not requeste nor preyere, Pyte, Mercy, nor remyssyoun.
- a1456(1429) Lydg.Hen.VI Coron.Ballade (Trin-C R.3.20)132 : Þy right ay sugre with remyssyoun.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2601 : Noble Princessis..Beth merciable & doth remyssioun.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.807 : Thei..Withoute merci or remyssioun, Most vengable, haue robbed & Ibrent Al the contre aboute hem.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)66/4 : He was a general iuge..to make his remissiones and comminaciones rith as he list.
2.
Theol.: (a) Forgiveness, remission of sin; plenere ~, full forgiveness of sin; also, remission of punishment (by an indulgence) [see also plenere adj. (b)]; ben of ~, of a relic: to have an indulgence attached; don (maken) ~; (b) release from or lessening of canonically imposed penances.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)177/3 : Al ich engoini þe, al ich legge up o þei remissiun of þeose, & i forȝeuenesse of alle þine sunnen.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)157/5 : In remissiun & in uorȝiuenesse of alle þine sunnen.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)634 : He presentede him the spere That Charlemayne wes wonet to bere..That is of gret remissioun.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)2321 : In remyssyoune of his syn To mak a kyrk he gan bi-gyn.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.346 : Goddes sone in this world was withholde To doon mankynde pleyn [vr. pleyner] remyssioun That was ybounde in synne.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.26.28 : This is my blood of the newe testament, the whiche shal be shed out for many, in to remissioun of synnys.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20048 : Þai sal haue beniscon to medis, Bath crist aun beniscun, And o þair sin remisiun.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.285 : A goode friday..A robbere hadde remission [B: was yraunceouned] raþere þanne þei alle.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Heb.9.22 : Withoutyn schedyng of blood is maad no remyssyoun.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)175/31 : Þe same pardon þat was grawntyd þe befor-tyme, it was confermyd on Seynt Nicholas Day, þat is to seyn plenowr remissyon.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)234 : Preye On-to thys virgyne that, ere I deye, Thorgh hyr merytys I may purchase Of my mysleuyng a pardounn of grace And of myn old & newe transgressyoun..I may haue a plener remyssyoun.
- ?a1450 MLChrist (Add 39996)2040 : My blode..mot be sched out fully In remissioun of ȝoure synne.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)191 : O blyssed Iesu, do remissioun To alle that aske mercy on ther kne.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)193/20 : I pray..that they will requyre to God for me to haue indulgence and remission of my defaultes.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)6.1 : Thare is seuen maners of remyssioun of synn.
- a1500 Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149)101 : Y..went be-fore hys face..to yeue vndyrstondynge to the helthe of hys peple for remyssyoun of her synnes.
b
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)52/14 : Quinquagesime..betokeneþ tyme of remissioun and foryevenes of penaunce, in the whiche are foryeven alle thynges.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)75/5 : These remissiouns of penitencial fastyngis are seen to be commendable ȝif they be kepte louyngly for tyme, stede, and encheson.
3.
Phys. & physiol. Of a quality, symptom, etc.: reduction in intensity; bi ~, weakly, mildly.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)74b/b : Qualite of mete is I-knowe be þe most remissioun & slakinge of þe qualites of elementis.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)37b/b : When þer is grete furiouste or wodenez & þer bigynneþ som remissioun, i. slakyng, þer is state.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)380/3 : The tokenes forsoþe whiche signifie þe dede, some ben cleped of one voyce, þat bitokene alway the lepre, And þai folowe it oþer by intencioun or remyssioun [*Ch.(1): intensly or remissely; L vel intense vel remisse].
4.
Law: (a) A transfer of property, quitclaim; (b) a legal opinion, submission.
Associated quotations
a
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)100/17 : The forsaid acre of mede..he remytted to them and quyte-claymed..to the same abbesse..And for þis knowlechyng, remission, fyne, and accorde, the forsaid abbesse..resceived the forsaid Aleyne and his heires in all orisons.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)450/27 : Henry..relesed and vttirly quyte-claymed..all the right and clayme that he had or in any wise myght have in one acre of mede..And for this remyssion and quyte-clayme the forsaid abbesse and mynchons of Godestowe yaf to hym one marke of siluer.
b
- (1447) Shillingford34 : The seide Maier writeth..with maters of pretens contrarye articulis and other allegauncies and remissions.
5.
Reference, cross reference.
Associated quotations
- c1425 Wycl.Concord.in Spec.43 (Roy 17.B.1)272 : Loke in alle suche synonemus..til þou fynde þe text wiþ which þe liste mete; Remissioun is ofte maad in þis concordaunce fro such a synoneme til a-noþir; Sumtyme þe formere remittiþ to þe lattere, & sumtyme þe lattere remittiþ to þe formere.