Middle English Dictionary Entry
reuful adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | reuful adj. Also reuful(l)e, -fol, ruful(le, -fo(i)l, rufful, rue-, (early SW & SWM) reowfule; comp. rufullier. |
| Etymology | From reu(e n.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a cry, voice, tear, facial expression, etc.: expressing suffering or sorrow, doleful; piteous; (b) of a person: lamenting, grieving; miserable; as noun: a miserable or an unhappy person; (c) of news, a situation, an action, etc.: pitiable, sad; grievous, painful; causing sorrow; also, fearful, dreadful.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)11/74 : Ifont þer swiðe feole ȝeinde & ȝurinde & þeotinde unþuldeliche wið rewfule remes [L queruloso gemitu].
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)578 : Ouer londes he gan fare Wiþ sorwe and reweful chere.
- c1330 Body & S.(5) (Auch)p.54 : Haddestow..Shriuen þe and þe fende yschent, And haue ylate a reweful tere..Þe þortest neuer haue had fere.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)11/114 : Lete ben al þis reweful cri & tel me..what þing may þe help.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.317 : In þat place beeþ i-seie dyuers figures and schappes and i-herd reweful [vr. rufol; Higd.(2): lamentable; L gemebundae] voys and gronynge.
- (c1390) Chart.Abbey HG (LdMisc 210)347 : For he miȝte not fynde hem, he made a reuful mone.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.26 : Other gret fises alle Sal yel and mak sa reuful ber That soru sal it be to her.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)916 : Wythnay þou neuer my ruful bone.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5113 : To þe kyng she ran..So diffacid and ruful of hir siȝt Þat by hir hewe knoweþ hir no wiȝt.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)117/395 : He..stac þare fast; He rared þan with rewful chere.
- a1450(?1409) Vision Staunton (Roy 17.B.43)74 : 'Alas..mekill people in the world synneth in trust of goddis mercy'..these ruful wordes rehersid a bowte a xii times.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)299/214 : One Lazar..Lay loken vndir layre..And his sister come rakand in rewfull arraye.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)39 : She snyffith, sighith, and shooke hire hede and made rouful chere.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)972 : Syr Gyffroun..Was y-bore hom fram þe feld Wyth care and rufull roun.
- a1500(?c1400) Song Roland (Lnsd 388)1047 : Then answerd olyuer with a ruffull steuyn.
- a1500 Arth.& M.(Dc 236)325/906 : His moder þere after kepte hym þere Wiþ rewful hert & sory chere.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8518 : Andromoca..With a rufull rore rent of hir clothis.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2886 : Tho cam..passyng othere of wepyng, Emelye, The rufulleste of al the compaignye.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.854 : Now lady bright..Rewe on my child that of thy gentillesse Rewest on euery rewful [vrr. Rwefull; sinfulle, woful] in distresse.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)439 : Rufulle, and fulle of peyne and desese; a caytyf: Dolorosus, penosus, calamitosus.
c
- ?c1225 Ancr.(Cleo C.6)241/6 : Þe oðer þing is þe Muchele & þe reufule [Tit: reowfule; Cai: dreadfule] lure þet he leoseð, þet na þing þet he deð nis godlicwurðe.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)132/11 : Wið uten þe ilke reowfule [Cleo: reufule; Tit: reowfule] garces of þe luðere scurgunge ȝont al his leofliche lich.
- a1250 Orison Lord (Lamb 487)187 : Weneð ei to beon bi-clupped bi-twene þine blisfulle earmes In heouene, bute he warpe er her bitweone þine rewfulle earmes on þe rode?
- a1300 If man him (Arun 292)5 : Wu reuful is te flitte fro flore te pitte.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)30 : Whoso hereþ þis tale to þe nendinge, Of more reufule song herde he neuere singe.
- c1300 SLeg.11000 Virg.(LdMisc 108)25 : Deol and sor..in is heorte þare cam; He ne tolde no-þing is douȝter fore of þis reuful cas.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6709 : Erl godwine..let smite of hor alre heued & made a reufol dom.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)6782 : Messangers com to Angvisaunt þe king And teld him reweful tiding.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24443 : I stod þan be þat reuful tre, Þat al mi soru was on to se.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2076 : His wyȝe..schulde teche hym to tourne to þat tene place Þer þe ruful race he shulde resayue.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)6/168 : At Cristis cumyng..God and mon present schal be, And al þe world on fuyre brenny[n]g, A reuful aray.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1838 : Atte last of Tarquyny she hem tolde This rewful cas and al thys thing horryble.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1049 : Þare ware rostez full ruyde and rewfull bredez..Cowle full cramede of crysmede childyre, Sum as brede brochede.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)86 : Bi this now seid cause bifille the rewful and wepeabledestruccioun of the worthi citee..of Prage.
- a1450 Castle Love(1) (BodAdd B.107)197 : Rufoill [Vrn: Adam þorw reuþful rage Was cast out of his heritage].
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7796 : With speres þai sloughe him in þat place; Rewfull it was to see, allas!
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)579/29 : Hit [a love complaint] is an hondred parte more rufullyer than myne herte can uttir.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)1032 : Echon odur faste can assayle..There was a rewfull syght.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Play Sacr.(Dub 652)817 : Lord, I crye to the..From thys rufull syght þou wylt reuerte.
2.
Wretched, contemptible, worthless.
Associated quotations
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)53 : Þou wreche bodi, þou reuful bodi, vi ne auedestu þe biþout þat tu and þine uerkes hal solde uende to nout.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)7.237 : 'Þat was a reufol [vr. vnriȝtful] restitucion,' quaþ repentaunce, 'for soþe; Thow wolt hongy heye þer-fore.'
- a1450 Chaucer PF (Tan 346)613 : Þou mortherer of þe heysugge on þe braunch Þat brought the forth, þou rewful [vrr. Ruful, ruffull] gloton.
- ?c1450 Susan.(Mrg M 818)341 : Þat rewful charle began for to rore.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)432 : Foure roþeren hym by-forn..feble were..Men myȝte reken ich a ryb, so reufull þey weren.
3.
Merciful, compassionate, forgiving; also, tenderhearted.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)16/10 : Arude, reowfule godd, mi sawle of sweordes egge.
- ?c1225 Ancr.(Cleo C.6)165/3,5 : Se luueful & se rewful [Corp-C: reowðful] is hire heorte, Ichulle, he þencheð, maken hire to..reuful [Tit: rewful] mid alle.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6780 : Reufol he was to nedi men, of is almes large & fre.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)111.4 : Lyȝt hys sprungen in derkenes to þe ryȝtful; merciful & reuful [WB(1): the mercy doere; L miserator] & riȝtful.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)144.8 : Our Lord..is rewful and merciable.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5693 : A mylder man ne myȝt nat be..And reuful [F tres pituz] of herte also he was.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)7148 : Charyte suffreþ boþe gode and yl, And charyte ys of reuful wyl.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.148 : Criste..shal..rewarde alle dowble ricchesse þat reuful hertes habbeth.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)439 : Ruful [Win: Rufful], or ful of ruthe and pyte: Pieticus, compassivus.
- a1450 Castle Love(1) (BodAdd B.107)612 : Rewfull [Vrn: Al þus schal ben his nome: Wondurful God and of miht, And redeful and fader ariht].