Middle English Dictionary Entry
resisten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | resisten v. Also resist(e, reciste. |
| Etymology | OF resister & L resistere. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To withstand, resist; ~ ayen(es, stand against (sb. or sth.), resist; (b) to withstand (sb. or sth.), resist, oppose; (c) to block (a stream); (d) to desist; ~ of, cease from (some action), give up; (e) ppl. resistinge as adj.: hard, resistant to the touch.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6978 : Þou hast so many cruel fo Of Grekis..Ageyn whos myȝt þou maist þe nat assure To resiste.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2537 : Ȝe of knyȝthod manly take on honde To resiste in þis silfe place.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.1327 : Thei myhte hem nat assure For to resiste a-geyns fals tresoun.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)169/18 : The puissance that prynces haue, they haue it by the ordinaunce of God; Wherfor whoo that resisteth agayn their powr he stombeleth or mysgydeth himselfe agayn the ordynaunce of God.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)153/9 : Naturall pitee..constreyned hem to resiste and kepe the place of thaire birthe and sepultures of theire kynne.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)66/14 : Yf thow take this stone..and bere hym with the, this is impossible: that any host shall endure ayenst the other resist ayenst the.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)44/5 : The consenters [to sin] or suche as haue power to resiste and do it nat..bene parteners and norischers of synne.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)44/26 : Some there be that wolde nat resiste ayeinste comon infeccion.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1954 : We mote resisten her wille malicious.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.60 : How ofte have I resisted and withstonden thilke man that highte Conigaste?
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)142a/b : It is better to reciste þe malice of ane yuel aforne þat it falle þen to hele it vppe when it is fallen.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)91/26 : Þe ful & perfitȝ felicite is þat þe whiche makiþ man sufficiently myȝti, reuerende, solempne, & ioyeux, þe which condicions resist not þe þingis where-vppon worldly pepill settiþ þere felicite.
- (1457) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)385 : Certeyn confederacies..contrary to þe Kinges peas..if it ne had þe sonner be resisted and lette.
- (1469) Paston (EETS)1.401 : I recomande me to yow, besechyng yow..that ye be not dryuen to take an appoyntment iff ye kan vndrestand by any lyklyod that itt be able to be abydyn and recystyd.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.333 : This philosophre Demostines resistede the legates of the Molosynes commen to Athenes.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.33 : Alferus..putte prestes into theyme [monasteries] with theire concubynes; But seynte Dunstan and the erle of Este Ynglonde resiste [Trev.: wiþstood; L restiterunt] hym, and expulsede the clerkes.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)226 : The temptacyon of þe flesch ȝe must resyst lyke a man.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)28/22 : There was none that durst resiste or gaynsey hym in worde or dede.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.m.7.12 : The fleetynge streem..is areestid and resisted ofte tyme by the encountrynge of a stoon.
d
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)184/28 : Wherefore I [Darius] sende to the [Alexander] and commaunde the..incontinent that þou resist of this [DSPhilos.: put the oute of thi grete foly] for thou arte a childe of no value, fulle of folie.
e
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)102a/b : When a man gropeþ it, it is harde & resistinge to a mannes touching.