Middle English Dictionary Entry
rīot(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | rīot(e n. Also riotte, riout, riaut(e, riet(te, reot, reaut. |
| Etymology | OF riot & riote, AF rioute. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Riotous living, dissipation, debauchery; extravagance, a course of extravagance; setten in ~, to set (sb.) on a course of dissipation; (b) an instance of loose living, debauchery, or extravagance; a riotous assembly or feast; places of ~; (c) a lecherous disposition.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 Body & S.(5) (Auch)p.50 : So ȝong þi riot [Ld: blisse] to forsake, And euer to liue in sorwe and wo!
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)5/30 : He scholde nowt in Rome bilaue, For Burgeis, maiden, oþer knaue Miȝte him in som riot sette Þat al his lore he scholde lette.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Co.(Manly-Rickert)A.4392 : A prentys reuelour..haunteth dys, ryot [vr. reuel], or paramour.
- (c1391) Gower CA Suppl.(Hnt EL 26.A.17)5.*7131 : Lucius..lacketh reule His oghne astat to guide and reule..Bot every riot ate laste Mot nedes falle and mai noght laste.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)48-9 : A saumpul her be þaem I say, þat rages in þare riot [Bedf: Reaut] ay; In riot [Bedf: Riaut] and in rigolage Of all þere liif spend þai þe stage.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)203/3 : He..prayede ham..þat þai shulde nought suffre Piers of Gauaston..forto make his sone vse ryaute.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)21578 : Quare vse of armes amanges folk cesses, Licherie certes and sin encresses, fflaume of women, aserd, and tables, Alle slik riotes ful vncouenables.
- ?a1425 Brut-1333 (Dub 490)243/10 : Ryout [Rwl B.171: To miche he ȝaf him vnto realte and folie].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)294 : When þe Romaynes regnede, þay..rade in theire ryotte and rauyschett oure wyfes.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.Ex.AW (Dgb 181)104 : Some women outrage, some stedfast been & true; Some renne in riote.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)253 : With renkes in ryotte to reuelle in haulle..this es life for to lede.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)165/29 : Þis sonne geve hym to riott, synne, and foolye.
- a1456(a1407) Scogan MB (Ashm 59)161 : Þat vertuous noblesse..Dryveþe aweye al vyce and wrecchednesse, Al slogardrye, al ryots, and dispence.
- c1460 To you beholders (Dub 432)6 : Dowȝteryn..Haue no..mowþe licorous..ffor affter ryat sone comeþ evyl fare.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.345 : Goodes ȝiffen liberally of fowndres and devowte peple to monasterys be dispersed raþerthr o ryette of the governoures then spende to the lyfe and sustentacion of the bretherne of theyme.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.308 : Our sone..ȝeuyth hym to ryot, glotonye, and lecherye, & to grete festis & to gret fare.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4459 : He þenkþ hold an huge ryot, Of Mahoun, & iubiter, & Margot, Wyþ-inne þis forteniȝt.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.5278 : Minotaurus..was begete in a riote Upon Pasiphe, his oghne wif.
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)208/10 : Þei..lyueþ after her iolyte þat loueþ wel companyes, ryotes, & vanitees.
- (?a1450) Oath Bk.Colchester3 : Of al maner vacabunds, dise pleiers, and riotours that wake be nyght and sclepe be daye, and of all such as haunte customably the tavernys, ale housys, and riotts.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)137/9 : Yf he wyl dyet hym selfe mesurably, he must eschew all places of ryot.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.377 : The clergy of that londe schynethe in chastite, ȝiffenge attendaunce to preier and to abstinence by the day artificialle, spendenge the nyȝhtes in surfettes and in ryette.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)4.20 : Whanne þe reot and þe reeuell þe rent þus passid, And no þing y-lafte but þe bare baggis, Þan felle it afforse to fille hem aȝeyne.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.5168 : Marchus Claudius..was a man of such riote Riht as the king himselve was.
2.
(a) Revels, celebrations; (b) a company, crowd.
Associated quotations
a
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)412 : Thene the roy reall rehetes thes knyghttys Wyth reuerence and ryotte of all his rounde table.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3893 : Þat renayede renke remembirde hym seluen Of reuerence and ryotes of þe rownde table.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)14994 : Þe thefe þat on þe crose hang, þat in lust had led all his lyfe..þat [read: þou] gaf hym grace with þe to gang in paradyse with ryotes [vr. riottes] ryfe.
b
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)388 : I may se þe Romaynes þat are so ryche halden, Arayede in þeire riotes on a rounde felde.
3.
(a) Violence, strife; civil disorder; (b) a violent disturbance of the peace, lawless act; hostile attack; reren ~, to raise a rebellion; (c) domestic or filial disobedience.
Associated quotations
a
- (1400) Let.in Ellis Orig.Let.ser.2.13 : Our liege Lord es pryve seal..commaundyng me..to apees the misgouernance and the riote..in the marches of North Wales.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)106/6 : He þat bereth the dyamand vpon him..it kepeth him fro strif & ryot [F riotz].
- (1429) RParl.4.345b : There have come grete multitude of peple..with greete ryot and strengthe in maner of Werre.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)74/26 : It is a foul þing to be a debatour and to meve riotis.
- (1451) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)338 : They..falle on ryott and other misgouvernance.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)221 : Whyle þou rixlis in this Reame, no riot we drede.
b
- [ (1378) Statutes Realm2.10 : Le Roi voet & comande a touz ses Justices..que redde punissement & Justice soit fait sour toutes les persones qui serront atteintz de tieux riotes & malfaitz. ]
- [ (1391) Statutes Realm2.78 : Lestatutz & ordeinances..de ceux..qui font insurreccions..rioutes, routes, ou assemblees en destourbance de la pees..soient tenuz. ]
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.2542 : Achab..tok non hiede Til ate laste..Benedab, king of Surie, Of Irahel a gret partie..Hath sesed; and of that riote He tok conseil in sondri wise.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.14 head. : Of the riottys and assemylyngis of the aduersarie partys.
- (1429) RParl.4.345b : After the wheche Proclamation made, the saide trespassours come to the saide Rever with grettur rowtes and riotes thenne ever thay dede byfore.
- (1450) RParl.5.205a : He and hus hath do..gret offencis in the See..in morthering the Kinggis peple..castyng them owte of har vessellis..bi the whiche the Kinggis Costumes of his Port..hath be lost, bi his riot kept uppon the See, of v or vi m. mark in a yer.
- (1462) Paston2.273 : Maister Yeluerton..seid..þat þe Kyng shulde..come into þis cuntre and se suyche riottes as haue be in þis cuntre punysshed in suche fourme as happely summe shulde hange by the nekke.
- a1475 Against Lollards (Vsp B.16)37 : Suich a capitayn..rereth riot for to ride Agayns þe kynge & his clergie.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)213/4 : Let it be remembred how many..diuers and suspecious repoortes, longe riottes amonge his men, prince ledinge werre is constreyned to herken.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)77/401 : We, out tyte, that they were tayn; That ryett radly shall thay rew.
c
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)108/13 : Neuer, for defaute nor Riotte that her children trespased not unto them, they cursed hem not atte no tyme.
4.
A prov. saying, an old saw; long ~ of tales, a long rigamarole.
Associated quotations
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)56/1191 : Men saiþ..in olde riote, Þat wimmannes bolt is sone schote.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)99/17 : God þe uader..heþ none hede of longe ryote [Vices & V.(2): tarienge] of tales y-slyked ne y-rymed.
5.
Hunt. The following of a wrong scent by hounds; also fig.; ?also, used as a name for a rabbit [?from the frequency of a rabbit's causing the hounds to mistake].
Associated quotations
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)102/28 : Contumace..fet hwa se isanewil i þing þet ha haueð undernume to donne, beo hit god, beo hit uuel, þet na wisure read ne mei bringen hire ut of hire riote.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)41 : What Racches þat rennen to a Cony in ony tyme, hym ouȝt to be astried, sayeng to him lowde, 'ware Riot ware,' for non oþer wilde best in Engelond is callid ryott sauf þe Conynge alonly.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)66 : A spaynel, ȝif he se geet, kyen, or hors..he wil renne anoon and bygynne to baffe at hem, and bycause of hem þe greihoundes shall renne þerto for to take þe beest þorgh his eggyng, for he wil make al þe ryot and al þe harme.
6.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1308) Plea R.Edw.I in WSAS 73 : John Riot.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 Lordyngis leue (Bod 48)99/451 : Þat riot reyneþ now in londe eueri day more and more.
Note: New sense.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 3.(a).
Note: Add to existent gloss: "also,wicked or unprincipled behavior". (It appears to refer to the general behavior described in the preceding lines of the poem.)--per REL
Note: Editor glosses 'riot' as "'plunder,' used hyperbolically." See MED rīotǒur n., sense (c) = "a ravager, plunderer." The "unprincipled behavior" in the preceding lines of the poem has to do with the beadles and bayliffs who "suff[r]eþ such falsnesse reyne in breþ and ale..And half is stole þat þey take of wreccheþe pouer men"; with the "sely werkman" who "sueteþ..and swynk..Al day fore a peny" but at the end of the day, "half is stole"; and with the bakers and brewers who "fore a litel mercyment" or "a symple gifte, On may fore xii d at a court do xlti schilligwerd shame." The passage describes some of the ways in which the poor are robbed of their money by those with money and power.--per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Note that at least the first quot. (Bevis) in riot(e n., sense 4. may belong under rote n.(2), sense (c). The second quot. (Ayenb.) is problematic, but actually may belong to riot(e n., with long ~ of tales meaning "a large and varied collection of tales" (?or perhaps elsewhere: roit n., with the extended meaning "an aimless movement from tale to tale"; or rǒut(e n.(1), with the meaning "series of tales" or "collection of tales".)--per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450(1438) GLeg.Advent (GiL176) (Eg 876) 976/96 : This marchaunt come to vs for to take riot [L contumeliam] and geue worship, to take dethe and to yeue lyff, for to take pouerte and to yeue glorie.
Note: Glossary: "riot n. 'ill-treatment'."
Note: Editor: "riot: riote P2, contumeliam LgA, 'ill-treatment'. MED gives senses such as 'disorder'; s.w. follows Vignay's rather loose rendering,"
Note: New sense.