Middle English Dictionary Entry
revolven v.
Entry Info
| Forms | revolven v. |
| Etymology | L revolvere & OF revolvre, revolver. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of time: to pass; (b) to change; (c) to turn (sb.) upside down, invert; ?also, to turn (sth.) completely around, avert.
Associated quotations
a
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)7/177 : In June, the qwyche the nest month ys aftyr May, The yere reuoluyd; fro the tyme the olde tempyl fyl The nwe was made and complet be xxti day.
b
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)34/4 : Thinke on my speche, for..how-so-ever thou see Fortune shape her wheele to tourne, this meditacion [shal] by no waye revolve.
c
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)21/25 : What disese the planetis shewe in her worchyng, good men mowe so preye vnto god..that god wille turne, revolue, and reuoke [Lambeth: turne fro; Ashmole: putte away; Abbrev.: turne and reuoke] alle that men dowte.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)3.1583 (v.1:p.59) : See how I am revolued, lorde, in despite of the, With myn hede dounward, a ridicle to be.
2.
(a) To make a stitch with (a needle); wind (a bandage) around, wrap around; (b) to roll; roll (sb. or sth.); (c) to restore (sth.), rebuild; (d) to change direction, bend around; -- also refl.; turn (the eyes); ppl. revolved, folded, convoluted.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)55a/a : 2a. maner is suture incarnatyue made..in putting in als many threded nedilezhow many be necessary & reuoluyng hem wiþ þe threde.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)75a/a : Be it [bandage] reuolued [Ch.(2): wrappede] so ofte þat it suffice.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)75b/a : Ligature..is made wiþ a long bende..bigynnyng at þe partie opposite of þe wonde ..& reuoluyng [Ch.(2): wrappynge] þe 2 endez aboue þe wonde.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3919 : From þe hil þe water is revolvid Of snowys white, þat Phebus hath dissoluyd.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)14a/b : Þose roundenes [of a bone] entreþ in to þe concauiteez of þe focilez & þai ar reuolued [Ch.(2): beeþ turned aȝene; *Ch.(3): reuoluen oþer turnen aȝeine] in þe tyme of the extensioun & of plicacioun of þe arme.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)76b/a : Be þer caste in wiþ a clisterie within þe breste a certane quantite of wyne..& reuoluyng [Ch.(2): rollynge] þe body hider & þider, drawe out þe liquour.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)76b/b : Be þe sike volued and reuolued [Ch.(2): Rolle þe seke man hider and thider].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)90b/a : Þe roller schal ben firste duced towarde þe bodie..reuoluynge þe rollere apon þe parties þat lien nye þe wounde.
c
- (1430-31) RParl.4.371a : Ye saide Prison..was throwen doune, and of almesse..revolved and made agayn in a better maner.
d
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)61b/a : In þe goinge vppe towarde þe splene, he [colon] reuolueþ him [*Ch.(1): reuolueþ it selfe; Ch.(2): turneþ aȝeyne itself] on þe forþer partie att þe riȝte side of þe stomake vnder þe þridde pennule off þe liuer.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)61b/a : He reuolueþ [*Ch.(1): in reuoluyng; Ch.(2): in turnynge aȝen] oþer turneþ aȝeine and goeþ downe to þe riȝt reine.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)61b/b : Yleon..is a longe smalle gutte..miche reuolued [Ch.(2): folden togedre] aboute þe fflaunkes and þe backe.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)33/72 : If such men wolden their eyen of their conscience revolven, shulden seen the same sentence they legen on other springe out of their sydes.
3.
To turn (sth.) over in one's mind, reflect upon, consider; -- also with how and that clauses; consider (sth. to be sth. else); plan (to do sth.); ~ aboute.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1096 : Priam now in his entencioun Cast & compaseth, revolvyng vp & dovn How strong he was of riches & meyne.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1513 : Al this he ganne to reuolue aboute, Ay in his herte hauyng a maner doute.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)111a/a : A leche owyng for to deme hem oweþ ofte tymez..with hym selfe for to volue & reuolue þe signez.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.56/17 : The mane awakid, that he sawh and herde besyly reuoluyd yn his mynde.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.Ad Patrem (Hnt HM 744)109 : We preyen thee..reuolue in thy thoght How deere þat thy sone hath vs boght.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)176/6 : The sayd creatur..reuoluyng in hir mende þe tyme of hir deth..seyd, [etc].
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)73/2162 : Y thenke most how y am a knyght, The oth therof and oth y to hir plight, Reuoluyng als this lijf a chere-fayre.
- a1456 Marmaduke SSecr.(Ashm 59)208/20 : Consider þe maner of alle þy so noble tryvmphes..and so revolve in þine advertence þonnour of covenable largesse.
- (1459) Paston (Gairdner)3.147 : I, John Fastolf..revolvynge in my soule how..there is noe thynge..so serteyn..as is departynge out of this world be dethe..ordeyn..this my last will.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.301 : Y beseche youre maieste..to solve oon question þat y have revolvede [Trev. vr. walwed] longe in my mynde.
- ?a1475 Banester Guiscardo (Add 12524)503 : She afore preuided and kan revolue Þis poysoune in vater for to dissolue.
- a1500(c1435) ?Lydg.DM(2) (Lnsd 699)77/578 : Be nat a-fferd this scriptur in tyme of pley In your mynde to revolve & reede.
- a1500(a1475) Ashby Dicta (Cmb Mm.4.42)125 : Ye may Reuolue in cogitacion That here ther is no longe habitacion.