Middle English Dictionary Entry
reprẹ̄vāble adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | reprẹ̄vāble adj. Also repreveable, reprefable, reprọ̄v(e)able, reproevable, reprǒuvable. |
| Etymology | From rē̆prẹ̄ven v. & OF reprovable, reprouvable. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Blameworthy, culpable, reprehensible, damnable; wicked, evil, sinful; of the moon: harmful in influence, malign; (b) shameful, disgraceful, despicable; ~ wordes, jeering; (c) defective, faulty; worthless, unworthy; rejected.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.9.11 : Þe fairnesse of an alien womman, manye men wundrid ben maad repreuable [L reprobi].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.632 : Greet sweryng is a thyng abhomynable, And fals sweryng is yet moore repreuable; The heighe god forbad sweryng.
- c1400 Wycl.Dominion (Dub 244)292 : Seynt poul iugiþ of petris synne and aȝen-stoode him for he was reprouable.
- ?c1400 Sloane SSecr.(Sln 213)11/2 : I biheld and knewe me schapli to þese thynges filthy and reprouable [Lambeth: dampnable].
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)110/6 : I haue clepid hem to grace in þe tyme þat þei weren repreuable þoru her defautis.
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)14 : Supersticions..been not lauful, and þai been reprouabul.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)430 : Reprefable: Reprehensibilis, increpabilis, culpabilis.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1689 : Bareynesse to god is reprouable, And cursed is yche man..That no fruht forth bryngþe.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)210/13 : He..sayd a full ferdfull wurd..þe estate of þe kurk..suld not be wurthi to be gouernyd bod with reprevable bisshoppis.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)89/14 : Perauenture he aspieth in vs sum defaute þat is reprouable.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)537 : That Soule Gode made incomparable..I xall make yt most reprouable.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)140/9 : Brekyng of þi promysse..Is an euyl tecche and a repreuabyl exampyl.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)38.2 : I sett kepynge til my mouth..that nane reprouabil word withpassid me.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)86/13 : Þe mone..ys yn þe secunde [quarter] repreuable or noyant.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)512 : Atte the lest y am nat repreuable Of fayled herte.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.431 : The superfluitee or desordinat scantitee of clothynge is repreuable.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)281/8 : He ran gladly to þe moost repreuable deeþ of þe cros.
- (1431) Ordin.Gild St.Clement (Trin-C O.7.15)279 : Who so despyse his Alderman..or ȝeue hym any reprouable wordys..he schal payne for his trespas ij li. wax.
- c1432-a1500(c1390) Chaucer L.St.(Robinson)24 : O prince, desyre to be honourable..Suffre nothing that may be reprevable [vr. Reproevable] To thyn estat don in thy regioun.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.2622 : Your accus is so abhomynable That your gifftis I fulli do refuse, Thei be so froward and repreuable.
- c1450 Hoccl.Cupid (Frf 16)319 : Oothe in no behest may no man bynde; of repreuable shame [Hnt: repreef ne of shame] han they no drede.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)139 : To a king it is thing reprouable to diche and to delue.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)55/18 : To haue sworn so by their ydoles and goddis..is contrary and reprouable to all Crysten men.
- a1500 Ancr.TSenses (Roy 8.C.1)22/14 : Crist suffered in his heryng reproueable wordys and scornfuli fals lesinges.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 15.9 : Saul sparede & þe puple..to alle þingis þat weren faire..what þing forsoþe was foul & reprouable þat þei destroiedyn.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.6.8 : The erthe..bryngynge forth thornes and breris is reprouable.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)14a/b : Withoute konnyge, þe werk is repreuable [L reprehensibilis] & þe ordre vnprofitable.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jer.6.30 : Clepe ȝe hem repreuable siluer, for the Lord hath cast hem awei.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.46/18 : He was rauashid of a feende and made woid, and yn-to a reprouable witte be-taken.
- (1445) Indent.Build.in WANHSM 15330 : Whiche hows..shal be..made of sufficiant tymber and clene withoute sape or wyndshake reprevable.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)11a : Many..þogh þei ben noȝt reprouable [L inprobabiles] in persone..by long preue of assaie þey ben founde onworþy.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.142 : If þow saw a wise man..Endowed al of wit and sapeince, Woldest þou foriuggen hym as repreuable, And as vnworþi to þat excellence?