Middle English Dictionary Entry
retentī̆f adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | retentī̆f adj. Also retentive, (errors) recentyue, retentatyf. |
| Etymology | OF retentif, -tive & ML retentīvus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Having a good memory; of the mind: good at remembering; ~ wit; celle ~, the compartment of the brain dealing with remembrance; (b) having the ability to retain nourishment or food in the stomach; also, remaining in the stomach, hard to digest; ~ vertu, vertu ~, the natural faculty to retain and control bodily effluents; (c) of a bandage: keeping an injured part in its proper place; holding medicine in place on an injury; of a suture: restraining bleeding; ligature ~, suture ~; (d) miserly, stingy.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.123 : So febled was his celle retentif And fordirked his ymaginatif, That lost were bothe memorie and resoun.
- c1450 Metham Physiog.(Gar 141)125/30 : Eyn stondyng alluey with moystur..sygnyffye a gode wyt and a retentyff.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)135/9 : Alle sobre folk ben more retentif in witte þan oþer.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)103/9 : Euery man that herde him did blisse theimselfe for the grete mervayle that they sawe in his retentyfe witte [F grande memoire].
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)200/21 : He þat hath ryght grete eris is a veri fole, but he schuld a-haue a retentyf wytt.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)108/24 : Who hath inflate tymples, and the pryncipall veynes grete..is retentif of mynde.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.913 : Polucioun..comth..Somtyme of infermetee, for the feblesse of the vertu retentif.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)217b/b : Þe apples þer of [cypress]..helpeþ aȝeins þe flux of þe wombe þat comeþ of defaute of þe vertu retentyf [L retentiue].
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)59/7 : In euery þing þat goþ out of þe body bene 3 comon causez..If it be for vertue, þan it is for vertue retentyue is feble, and vertu expulsyue strong.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)37b/a : By þe longitudinel is maad parfiȝt þe attractif vertu, And by þe latitudynel þe expulsif vertu, And by þe transuersel þe retentif vertu.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)53/10 : Yf thow take dissoluyng potages, it dissolueth, and retentif [vr. retentatyf] potages constreynen.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)73/12 : The second forsoth operant is lightned by with the glorious God with 7 strengthes þat ben cleped attractif, retentif, digestif, expulsif, nutritif, informatif, vegetatif.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)54a/b : Þer is 3 maner ligaturez: Incarnatyue, Expulsiue, & Retentyue.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)54b/a : Ligature retentyue [L retinens] of medicenez is competent to membrez in which may not be made stricture ne oþer ligature.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)54b/b : Þer is 3 maner suturez: Incarnatiue; Of blode recentyue [read: retentyue]; Of þe lippez vnto a tyme seruatyue.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)62a/a : Be it bounden with a ligature medecenez recentyue [read: retentyue] vn to perfite mundificacioun.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)62a/a : If þe flesh were mych dilacerate..And þat suture war proffitable, be þe lippez sowed with a laxe suture retentyue [Ch.(2): haldynge þe lippes].
d
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)4504 : Sche is a couetyse excessyf Of othres good; & of hire owne, sche So streit and hard is, and so retentyf, That it profyte may in no degree.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 16/31 : The poudre of the marblestone þat is þeramong makeþ alle that oþer del þe more retentife.
Note: ?New sense. Cf. OED 5. retentive, adj.1, sense 5. a. 'Having the property of preserving or keeping hold of something (material or immaterial); tending or inclined to the retention of a substance, quality, attribute, state, etc.'