Middle English Dictionary Entry
renǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | renǒun n. Also renoun(n)e, renowun, rennoun(e, renon, rennone & (error) renonone; pl. renoun(e)s, etc. & rennons, renoums & (error) ronons. |
| Etymology | OF renom, renon, AF renoun. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. renome n.
1.
(a) Fame, renown; glory; geten (winnen) ~; (b) reputation, esp. good reputation; -- also pl. as sg.; god (ivel) ~; honour and ~, honorable reputation; (c) esteem, respect, honor; dede of gret ~, action by which great honor could be gained, a tournament; don ~, to do honor (to sb.); riden in ~, be honored wherever one travels; (d) worth, value; excellence; (e) of (gret) ~, of a person, a rat: (much) esteemed, (greatly) honored; of noblemen: (right) honorable; -- also pl. as sg.; (f) pomp, solemnity; also, festivity.
Associated quotations
a
- [ a1350 Langtoft Chron.(Jul A.5)1.160 : Parmy tote terres..vole son renoun. ]
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)180 : Wiþ scheld & spere to ride on stede, Þai gat hem gret renoun.
- c1330 Roland & V.(Auch)352 : Mani a chirche he lete arere, Þat was of gret renoun.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3286 : Of Hercules the souereyn conquerour, Syngen hise werkes laude and heigh renoun [vr. renonone].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2154 : Al was that for the renoun Of worschipe and of worldes fame.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3242 : Þer was a lady, a lordys wyfe, here fayrhede was yn renoun ryfe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)313 : Now is þe reuel & þe renoun of þe Rounde Table Ouer-walt.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1269 : Ther cam a knyght ryding..sone vnto the kyng OfCalydonye, a londe of gret renoun.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)30/81 : A knight þat was of grete renowne, Sir Iohn de Viene was his name.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.2.60 : Noblesse and favour of peple..yyveth to men..a maner of cleernesse of renoun.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)365 : Þis knyȝte þat is of renowun Hase takyn me to presowun.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)147/4 : The renouun of this heuenly quene, moder and maide, is euerlastinge.
- a1456 Marmaduke SSecr.(Ashm 59)212/11 : Reaumes and lordshippes..shoulde..beo rightfully desired..for by þat moyene to gete hem goode fame and rightful renovne.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)136 : Thair renounne wolbe eternall.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)111/10 : The grete renowne of Grece defayled..Alexaundre..brought theim up agayne.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)140/28 : Marchandis..Passyth fro londe to londe and expaundyth the rennons of kynges and roialmes lyke as thay fyndyth.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)106 : Ther was noon but that..seide that he sholde be of high renon.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)227 : Y wil hold vp his renoun wyþ al my myȝt.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.530 : That euere mo myn honour and renoun Were saued, bothe pryuee and apert.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8720 : None yn cherche shal beryed be But bysshope..Or prest þat ys of gode renoun [F qe mult seit renume].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.73 : Abbot & prioure, men of Religion..Wer priued of þar office, of woulfes had renoun.
- (c1422) Hoccl.JWife (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)140/14 : Mercy causith good renon fer to sprede.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.5.67 : Thow hast sorwyd for my blame, and thow hast wepen for the damage of thi renoun [L opinionis] that is apayred.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.304 : Many other folk han bought honourable renoun [L venerandum..nomen] of this world by the prys of glorious deth.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)700 : Þat fend es of so grete renowne, Þare dare no man come nere þe towne.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)3780 : Þorwȝ here cry his renoun ros, Hou he was curteys and ffree.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)16576 : Byd all wemen to be bown To þer husbandes in all degre to saue his ryȝt and his renown.
- c1475 Abbrev.Trip.SSecr.(UC 85)296/6 : He shall shamefully come to confusion through his euill renoun and fame.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)135/5-7 : The desyre and willynge to good rennone is a signyfiance and a tokyne of connynge and vndyrstondynge, And who so weraly desyryth good rennoune [L bonam famam], he shall be renounet.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)90/5 : Þe assentement of þe Ministre prouincial be requirid whan it may be done couenabli, for as moche þat þe clerete of here renouns be sauid & kepte.
c
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)231 : He stemmed & con studie Quo walt þer most renoun.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2434 : Bot in syngne of my surfet I schal se hit ofte When I ride in renoun, remorde to myseluen Þe faut & þe fayntyse of þe flesche crabbed.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)1196 : Sir Eglamour..herde telle of þat dede of grete renown, And thedir wolde he wende.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)129/79 : Lorde, messengers shulde no man wyte; It may be for youre awne rennowne.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)16826 : Þis sall be his mede þat þe kyng wyll reuerence with renown: he sall be cled in kynges wede and crowned with a kynges crowne.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)32/35 : Yondir I se the moste valiante knyght of the worlde, and the man of moste renowne.
- a1500(a1400) Libeaus (Lamb 306)473 : Traytor, torne agayne and fight, Or leve here thi rennoun!
- a1500 Tan.Mir.Virg.(Tan 407)376/26 : A-forn þe lord þei dede hym knelyn doun To do hym wurchep, reuerens, and renoun.
d
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)986 : I syȝe þat cyty of gret renoun, Jerusalem so nwe and ryally dyȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1182 : O perle..of rych renoun, So watz hit me dere þat þou con deme In þis veray avysyoun!
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)14753 : Westsex þe þrydde of renoun, & Wyltone was þer chef toun.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)14403 : Þei rafe þer robes of rych renown, and als rude bestes oft þei rare.
e
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2853 : In seyn matheus toun..afair fest was Of lordes of renoun.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)19/202 : He cleped to-gider his barouns, Erls, lordes of renouns [vrr. grete renoun; grete renownys].
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)20/419 : Whilom a riche burgeis..woned her in Rome toun, A riche man of gret renoun.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1917 : Þere was an abbot of great renoun [F renun], An holy man yn relygyoun.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3229 : Ryche ladyys of grete renouns [glossed: name], Þey do make hem ryche corouns.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)prol.158 : A raton of renon, most renable of tonge, Seide, [etc.].
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)1190 : His fadir was..holden a mon of gret renoun And þow art a mysbyȝete wreche.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)13774 : He slow..two þousand of þe Bretouns, Wiþoute men of grete renouns [vr. noble men of ronons].
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)21.54 : Welcome, Sire, hidir, Of Renown.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)5987 : Ye shull to-morow see grete prees..Of ladyes, gentylwomen of grete Renon.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)3397 : Þare was an alde monke of grete renoun [L venerabilis vitae].
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)526 : Lord of renounnes [Lamb: renon]..A knyȝt vs hyder gan sende.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)121/11 : In oone techynge acordyth..the moste wyse clerkes and Maysteris of renoune that haue beyn afor vs.
f
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)14725 : Þer he many chapmen fande diuerse marchandise chepande, as men dos ȝet in toun, þer faire is halden wiþ grete renoun.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)138/28 : When þai war to batail bown, To þe mawmettes went þai wit renown To wit at þam..How þai suld in þe batayl spede.
- (1458) Visit Hen.VI (Vsp B.16)33 : At Poules in london, with gret renoun, On oure ladi day in lente this peas was wrought.
2.
Power, might, ability; also, valor, worthiness; at mi ~, in my power; as of ~, as having power; ~ of landes, control of lands.
Associated quotations
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3744 : Was neuere capitayn..gretter of renoun Ne moore pompous in heigh presumpcioun Than Oloferne.
- c1390 RSicily (Vrn)405 : I am an angel of renoun, Isent to kepe þi regioun.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)8515 : His regnyng was of suche renoun, his foos wiþ him had no foysoun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1104 : Egistus..nouþer was of birþe nor of blood..Nor renomed of manhod nor renoun, Nor of knyȝthod nor of hiȝe prowesse.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2184 : Tydeus, thorgh his hegh [vr. gret] renoun..Sleth and kylleth vpon euery side.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.4353 : Pirotheus fond first the manere Off wilful force, thoruh his hih renoun, Rewmys to conquere and holde possessioun.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3615 : Kyng, kayser, knyt, and kampyoun..Lytyl and mekyl, þe more and þe les, All þe statys of þe werld is at myn renoun.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)214/412 : Men fro deth to liffe he rayse..They calle hym prophite be right, As of renowne.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)369 : We no recche of no ricchesse no renoun of landus.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)857 : Therfore thanke god whiche gevith þis renowne, For it is bettir then is to were a crowne.
3.
(a) Rumor, report; (b) a story, an account.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)5003 : Renoun ran [Lamb: Tydynges ronne]..to ilk a man mad þei [speches].
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1054 : His lordes..ben to the cite come..to seke The queene..Swich renoun was there sprongen of hire goodnesse.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)176 : So com the renoun [F si reuint li renons] in-to the hoste, that thei durste not ride that wey with-oute grete foyson of peple.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)285 : The worde and the renon [F la parole & li renons] com to Agrauain..that the childeren foughten be-nethe fer from hem.
b
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.3.63 : Yit myghtestow han knowen the Senecciens and the Canyos..of whiche folk the renoun [L memoria] is neyther over-oold ne unsollempne.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)111/25 : For to bringe to mynde the high merytorye dedis and gloriouse renowms of victories..writinges ben made.
4.
A name; also, a by-name, sobriquet.
Associated quotations
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2880 : What she is he loveth so..he shal..Bothe tell hir renoun and hir name.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2168 : Aclud he calde Maidenes toun, Carlauerok es now þe renoun.