Middle English Dictionary Entry
rēs n.
Entry Info
Forms | rēs n. Also res(s)e, reis(e, rease, riese, (early) reas, ræse & (early infl.) ræsen; pl. reses & (early) reases, ræsses, ræsen. |
Etymology | OE rǣs |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. ras(e n.
1.
(a) Violent motion, violent movement, rush; also, of a spaniel: scurrying about; maken ~, to rush, run; rennen on ~, of a stream: run in a torrent; (b) a rash action, a hasty action; also, rashness, impatience; repen of ~, to hurry because of rashness; (c) haste, hurry; at (on) a ~, with a rush; in (a) ~, very soon, at once, in haste; upon a ~, briefly; with a) rapli ~, with a great rush.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.2209 : In such a res and forth he flyh.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)81b/b : If he is I-turned for a tyme to ligge on his side, by his owne rese he turneþ himself eft & liþ vpriȝt.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)132b/b : Sparcle is a litil particle of fire I-broke of firy matiere by virtue and rese of fire.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)139a/b : A storme of ful stronge wynde..cleueþ and brekeþ þe cloude and falliþ out wiþ a greet rees and stronge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)169b/a : Mounteyns..defenden þe valeys from stronge reses of wedir and stormes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)195a/a : Þe rees of þe see is ylette with þe multitude of grauele and sonde.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)7160 : Þaire alies wiþ þaire vyne-trees þer foxes brende atte a-resse [Trin-C: wiþ her rees].
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)7773 : A-pon his squorde he made a rese.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)874 : A hue from heuen I herde þoo, Lyk flodez fele laden runnen on resse.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3245 : Þe lioun..rynnes fast with ful fell rese.
- (1425) RParl.4.298a : By ye Rees of a Spaynell yere was on a nyght taken by hynd a tapet in ye said Chambre, a man.
- c1470 Chaucer CT.Kn.(Phys-L 388)A.1985 : Rees [Heng: ther out cam a rage and..a veze].
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)1187 : The steede strauht on his gate & stired hym under, And wrought no wod res but his waye holdes.
b
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.34 : 'Betere is red þen res,' Quad Hending.
- c1300 Prov.Bozon (Roy 8.E.17)9 : Er yu do eny þing, þenk one þe ending; Betere his red þan res.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.99 : Sche wolde nouȝt diffame here lord..by wymmen rees and anger [Higd.(2): impatience of women; L foeminea impatientia].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1671 : Bot for he [Pyrsemus] wolde noght abide, This meschief fell; Forthi be war..Do thou nothing in such a res, For suffrance is the welle of Pes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25433 : Adam rap him in a res [Frf: maded in a rese], Thoru an apul þat eue him ches, Vs all for to spill.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)288 : The hundis at þe dere gun baye; Þat herde þe geant þer he laye And repid hym of his resse.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)729 : Suche res nyl helpe no thyng.
c
- c1390 NHom.Knt.PW (Vrn)69 : He..eode to þe Bisschop in a Res [Phys-E: ras].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6550 : Quen þai war war o moyses, þai fled a-wai als in a res.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1782 : To þe palays pryncipal þay aproched ful stylle; Þenne ran þay in on a res, on rowtes ful grete.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1484 : Þer-with cam in a sodeyn res In-to his tent a certeyn knyȝt of his.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)22/47 : Þe bare rade, with outen rese, Vnto Cane þe graythest gate.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.350 : Pandare..Gan wel neigh wood out of his wit to breyde, So that, for wo, he nyste what he mente, But in a rees to Troilus he wente.
- c1425(?a1400) Arthur (Lngl 55)p.16 marg. : There-fore þe walsch man..Seyþ 'taw or Peyd Sayson brount,' Þat ys to seye, vpon a reess, 'Stynkyng Saxone, be on pees,' Whan he ys wroth, or ellys drounke.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1366 : When he come to þe prese, He rydes in one a rese.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)477 : He schal be kyng and were þe croun Wyth rycches[t] robys in res.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2979 : Þe pepill of þe palais..Rusches vp in a res [vr. reys], rynnes in-to chambres.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1787 : Þyþer he wente raply res.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)48/255 : I will ryn on a res And slo hym.
- a1500 Awntyrs Arth.(Dc 324)112 : He rayked oute at a res.
- a1500 St.Alex.(5) (Tit A.26)68/353 : She com Forthe with A raply rese, As A lyon lept oute of A lees.
- c1500(a1450) ALacrim.(Hrl 2274)p.273 : With my sone..in a resse Into the temple forth I went.
2.
(a) An attack, onset, onslaught; an incursion; also, a skirmish, battle; frum ~, the first attack; riden ~, to charge; (b) a riot, disturbance, an affray; also, an insurrection; (c) an insult; an outrage.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1142 : Moni grimne reas.. þolede ich on folde bi-foren Brutone.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4322 : Æt þon frum-ræsen he feolde of þon folke feowerti hundred.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5351 : Bruttes heom buȝen to mid bittere ræsen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10166 : Þu ne dærst..his ræsses abiden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10662 : Colgrim..feolde..i þan uormeste ræse fulle fif hundred.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12779 : Heo smiten heom to-gaderen mid feondliche ræsen [Otho: reases].
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)28 : His men he slouȝ among And reped him mani ares.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)248 : Hii sholde gon to the Holi Lond and maken there her res And fihte there for the croiz.
- ?c1350 Ballad Sc.Wars (Jul A.5)210 : Soffid sal be mani of stede, For res þat þai sal after ride.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.413 : Aiax Telamonius knowleched kynrede bytwene hem and so lette hym [Hector] of his rees [L eum impediret].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.423 : He wente away for wreþþe and made oft reses [Higd.(2): sawtes and conflictes; L assultus] uppon þe contray.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)266a/a : Þey suche a sparwe be ful litel, vnneþes may þe asse defende himself aȝeins his rees, prikkinge and bytynge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)271a/b : [Bees] strengþiþ here huyues..aȝeins coueytise and rees of oþere smale briddes.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)7b/b : Assultus: a res or a sawte.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)5193 : As he rode In his wode res He met aȝeyn him Meseres.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)2971 : Lette was he, The kyng of Fraunce at that reys [vr. reyse].
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2909 : The helme that was Ryche and Rownde The noble swerd rove that rease.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)10696 : If þou mete þi foo..holde þi pees And vpon him make noon a rees.
b
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.169 : Statin þe reame nam..Þat Roberd of Thornham..With him forto duelle to maynten þe pes, Þe foles forto felle þat rise wild in res.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.267 : To while þise cardinals trauaild for þe pes, Here of a wikhals how he bigan a res.
- c1410(a1387) Legal Gloss.Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)95 : Hamsokene oþer Hamfare, a rese [LGHigd.(1): insultus; LGHigd.(2): a fray] i-made in hous.
c
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)109/2257 : He was wroþ and maked a res And cleped him sschrewe faderles.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.149 : Mi sister i wille out wyn..& bot he wille with pes acorde in reson, It salle rewe him þat res þat he to Jone has done.
- a1500(?c1400) EToulouse (Cmb Ff.2.38)1086 : That oon knyght made a rees: 'Thou carle monke,' [etc.].
3.
(a) A frenzy, madness; rage, anger; a fit of madness; ~ of colre, an attack of rage due to excess of choleric humor; in a ~, in a rage; (b) a delirium, swoon; mental abstraction due to lovesickness; also, a drunken stupor.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)512 : A sumere chorles awedeþ & uorcrempeþ & uorbredeþ; Hit nis for luue, noþeles, Ac is þe chorles wode res.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)10 : Þis worldes luue nys bute o res.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.149 : Noþeles he wroot som bokes bytwene þe reses of his woodnesse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)235b/a : Þe fruyte þerof..abateþ þe reese of colera.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)101 : Than byspak his broþer þat rape was of rees, 'Stond stille, gadelyng, and hold right þy pees.'
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)822 : So longe heo chidde, wiþoute les, Þeo hore start vp in a res And wiþ hire fust in outrage Smot hire in þe visage.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4815 : Þe kyng was of so felon rees, He ne wolde here of preyere ne pes.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)498 : Wherfor he fill sodenlich in-to a wood rese, Entryng wondir fast in-to a frensy.
b
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)139/781 : When sche waked of þat res, Hir sone sche seye hir bifore.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)439 : A fers feintise folwes me oft & takes me so tenefully..þat i mase al marred for mournyng neiȝh hondes; but redeliche in þat res þe recuuerere þat me falles, [etc.].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1152 : Upon miself the werre I bringe and putte out alle pes, That I fulofte in such a res Am wery of myn oghne lif.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.58 : Halfdrunke in such a res With dreie mouth he sterte him uppe And seith, [etc.].
4.
(a) An action, a deed; a course of action; at on ~, at one stroke; reuen (of) ~, to regret (one's) action, regret (one's) course of action; (b) a journey, mission; course, movement; (c) an occasion; ?also, a crisis, an emergency; in a ~, on one occasion; with that ~, at that time.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 God þat al þis myhtes (Hrl 2253)42 : Vnbold icham to bidde þe bote; swyþe vnreken ys my rees [vr. y am..vnredy of my rese].
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)491 : Now þei bouwe touward þe bente þer þis oþere houen; He arayes his riche men and rihtes hem bettre, Þat þorw him reowen no res þat his red wrouȝten.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16465 : Quen þat he [Judas] saght þar was na soigne þat his lauerd ne suld dei, þan him reued of his res.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)237 : Þe Walssh wer alle day slayn; now rewes þam þer res.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)547 : Gamelyn and Adam had doon a sory rees, Bounden and iwounded men aȝein þe kinges pees.
- a1450(1413) Glade in god call (Dgb 102)7 : To letten fooles of here res, Stonde wiþ þe kyng, mayntene þe croun.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)6575 : Me thenketh this were a fayre lyaunce, And he wol gyf at one Ryese [vr. Reise] As grete lordeship as the honore of Bloys.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)348 : Menealfe, or þe mydnyȝte, Him ruet all his rees.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)137 : Ye schull rewe a sory rees, Yf hyt owt come.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2961 : There-fore men hym fo[r] steward chase..Hys Eme-is wyffe wolde he wedde, That many A man rewyd that rease.
b
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)1693 : Go thou forth in this same rees, Or it shalle the repente ful sore.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2664 : He wolle Rape hym on A Resse Myldely to the holy londe, There to lyue..Whyle he is man lyvande.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5969 : Dounward he [Saturn] takiþ his rees To a signe þat highte Aries.
c
- a1350(1307) Execution Fraser (Hrl 2253)36 : Oþes hue him sworen..to buen him hold ant trewe for alles cunnes res.
- c1330-a1500 Rich.(b-version:Brunner)p.262 : Thanne seyde Kyng Phelip in a res, [etc.].
- a1450(1401) For drede (Dgb 102)70 : What is a kyngdom tresory?..Marchaundes, squyers, chiualry, That wol be redy at a res.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)393 : Sone was þat palfray sold And þe floryns þerfor ytold; Wyth þat res com a palmer old.
5.
A short time, a while; an instant, a moment.
Associated quotations
- ?c1335 Whose þenchiþ vp (Hrl 913)p.136 : 'What hast ido, bel amy, Þat þou me so oxist pes?' 'Sire,' he seid, 'i nel noȝt lie, If þou me woldist hire a res.'
- ?c1335 Whose þenchiþ vp (Hrl 913)p.137 : Sone me ssul compas is lif, And þat in a litil res.
- c1390 Off a trewe loue (Vrn)26 : Monnes loue..lasteþ but a luytel res.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8878 : Vte o þat tre it brast a blese þat brent þam al wit-in a rese.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)273/481 : Thou shall haue drynke within a resse.
6.
A crowd, press, an assemblage; on (upon) a ~, altogether.
Associated quotations
- ?a1300 Maximian (Dgb 86)77 : Ich wes of speche bold..Proud in euchan pres And wlonk in euchan res.
- a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Rwl D.913)13184 : Mikel of þer folk þei les, Als þei souht a-boute be þe res [Lamb: in þe pres].
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)3299 : Kynges, dukes, and Mariner With here naue vpon a res Were Gadered alle to Athenes.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)8484 : If it happe with Ector so That Achilles he myȝt sclo..alle the Gregeis on a res Out of that lond thei schul wende.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)245/62 : Make rowme in this rese, I byd you belyfe, And of youre noys that ye sesse.