Middle English Dictionary Entry
rescǒuen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | rescǒuen v. Also rescou(e, -koue, -couh, -choue, -ceue, -keue(n, -cheue, -cu(e, -kue, -cuwe(n, -cuwi & recou; p. rescoued(e, etc. & -coud, -keuet; ppl. rescoued, etc. & -coude, -ceuet, -keuet. |
| Etymology | OF resco-, rescou-, reskeu-, rekeu-, AF rescu-, stems of OF rescorre, rescourre, reskeure, resceure, rekeure, AF rescure; cp. ML rescouāre, AL rescuere. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To rescue or deliver (sb.) from captivity, fire, death, hell, abduction, etc.; keep (sb. from hell, death); also, raise (sb.) from the dead; (b) to aid (sb. in battle or under siege), relieve, save; also, refl. defend oneself; ~ ayen, help (sb.) against (sb.); ben rescoued thurgh, be protected by (a castle); (c) to deliver (a castle, town, manor) from siege, relieve; defend (a field); save (a temple) from pillagers; also, raise (a siege); (d) to save (the moon, a building, deer) from disaster.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)5107 : Tirries felawes ben..y-nome, Ac Tirri..His feren..rescoud as a gode kniȝt.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1367 : He was take him-selue & reddely wiþ his owne rinkes rescued after.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1003,1008 : Þe Sarasynz..ledeþ wiþ hem þe ryche prysouns..Roland prykede after..to rescuwy þat doȝty man..Now chacieþ þay þe Sarseneys..To rescuwe þis barouns gode.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.667 : He [hypocrisy]..cast upward his yhe As thogh he Cristes face syhe, So that it seemeth ate syhte As he al one alle othre myhte Rescoue with his holy bede.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)14363 : Sone oueral þis tiþande ras of lazar þat rescowed was.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2230 : Certeyn lordis..Ravisshe wolde his quene Penolope..But it so be in haste she be reskewed.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.231 : O lady myn, that I love..Se how I dey, ye nyl me nat rescowe!
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.2.70 : Cresus was..lad to the fyer to ben brend, but..a rayn descendede down fro hevene that rescowyde hym.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)39/3 : Theseus and Protheus went in-to helle for to rescuwe Proserpine that Pluto rauysschid.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5202 : Þan wald I fare with þis freke his fere to reskowe.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)467 : In that batell loth was tane..Abraham..rescuyd hys cosyn.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)595/23 : At my myscheffe sir Trystram rescowed me fro my deth.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1173/29 : If..the quene were brought..to the fyre, shortely they all wolde rescow here.
- ?a1475 LDirige(2) (Dc 322)682 : Now from that londe that cleped ys helle, Worthy lord, rescue now thow me.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)299 : Yef euer ye hir loved..thinke hir to rescowen and to avengen.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)544 : Oon of hem is a knyght that hath rescewed this maiden.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6800 : Þai..wold haue slayn hym..But..þe buerne was rescewet.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)2031 : Wiþ þat com his folk prikeinde & her lord rescuweþ þere.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3801 : Þouȝh þer be mani mo þan ȝe, dismaie ȝe nouȝt þerfore; God wol vs ay rescue.
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)13039 : Rescouh [Lamb: þe Romayns Petron wilde rescouse].
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)5609 : The Troyens ben spilt..But doughti Ector hem rescowe.
- (?c1436) Duke Burgundy (Rome 1306)44 : Whan thou were beseged..thay did the rescewe.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)363 : I sall auntyre me..hys egle to touche..And raas it from his riche men..Bot he be redily reschowede with riotous knyghtez.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2243 : Þe conquerour..come with his strenghes To reschewe þe ryche men of þe rounde table.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4966 : Com..& rescowe me a-geyn þe kynge.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)8498 : Þorow castel þen wold he nought be rescowed.
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Cleo.(Cleo C.4)136 : Yef..they were reskevyd be a certeyn day, they for to yold vp the tovne, and thus it whas won.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)28/24 : Within a whyle they rescoved theyr men and putt the Saresyns to flyght.
- (1469) Paston1.406 : They schall be rescuyd iff all the lande that I haue..and frendys maye do it.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)32/14 : I woll encountir with kynge Bors, and ye will rescow me whan myster ys.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)132/6 : He rescowed and saued xxxiij knyghtes in bataille.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2227 : Launcelot hym-selfe come nere; Bors rescous he them froo.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38)489 : Yondur ys a nobull knyght That styrryth hym styfly in þe fyght..Helpe that he rescowde bee.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 23.12 : He stood in þe myddel of þe feeld & rescowede yt, & he smoot þe philisteis.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.275 : To þe Baliol suld þei send, þer castelle to rescue.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3853 : Grekysche sowdyours..a-woke with noise of þe pilours..And þer-with-al anoon þei issen out, Armyd in stel, þe temple to reskewe.
- (1435) Wars France in RS 22.2584 : A castel..myghte be hastelie rescowed ayene be the said puissaunce.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.264 : Princis..thoruh ther cheualrie Reskewed seeges.
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Cleo.(Cleo C.4)144 : The Erll of Warwyk made ordenauncez..for to rescewe the sayd place of Crotey..the lorde Talbot rescevid that castell.
- (1454) RParl.5.256a : In caas that the said Toun and Castel of Caleis bee not rescowed afore thende of the seid ii monnethes, [etc.].
- (1462) Paston1.523 : The Scottys wyll come in-to Inglond wyth-in vij days..for to rescue these iij castellys..whyche castellys wer besegyd as on yesterdaye.
- (1469) Paston1.406 : Iff I be dreuyn therto to rescu it ere they com there that scholde do it, it shall cost a ml. escutys.
d
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.857 : Whan a chaumbre afire is..Wel more nede is, it sodeynly rescowe Than to dispute..How this candele in the strawe is falle.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.5.22 : Ther is a maner peple that hyghte Coribantes that wenen that whan the mone is in the eclips that it be enchaunted, and therfore for to rescowe the mone thei betyn hir basyns with thikke strokes.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)264 : Why wille noghte Sir Degreuant Come rescu his dere?
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.254 : Open errour maketh folkes blynde, Þat beten bras þe mone to rescowen.
2.
(a) To hinder (a good deed), prevent; (b) refl. to keep oneself (from doing sth.), prevent, preserve; also, excuse oneself.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)17/9 : Whanne ye thenke on any good deede, dothe it anone leste it be lette or rescowed by any wille of the contrary.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.96 : The knihtli David him ne mihte Rescoue, that he with the sihte Of Bersabee ne was bestad.
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)p.311 : [Lamb: Þys Bretons..Þe carole of þe stones byhe[l]d..How þey were reysed þey had wonder, & how þey scholde be brought a-sonder;] with þat worde þei þam rescued -- þei ne wist how þei suld remued.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)91 : Tweyn þat wer my frendis..cam for me..That in no wyse I couthe my selfe rescow, But nede I must cum In and se þe fest.
3.
To recover (sth.), retrieve; also, of a law: provide redress; ~ preie, take booty.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2019 : No lawe mai rescowe Fro him that wol no riht allowe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3536 : Þei in haste his hors to reskewe Bene attonys fallen on Achille, And..Þei han from him berafte it.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)341 : Sir godfraye..rode oute full ryally to rescowe the praye.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)1422 : Of my clothez ther he robbid me; I drew my swerd to reskewe hym ageyn.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)586 : Thei were come oute to hem to bateile for to rescowe the pray [F por la proie rescoure].