Middle English Dictionary Entry
rīte n.
Entry Info
| Forms | rīte n. Also rī̆t, riht, righte, riȝt & (error) rygh. |
| Etymology | L rītus; for possible confusion with ME right n., cp. right n.10. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A formal religious act or service, ritual, ceremony; a religious procedure or observance; -- usu. pl.; paganisme rites, pagan religion; don rite(s, observen rites, to perform (one's) religious observances; (b) the service of God; also, the ceremonies pertaining to the sanctuary; after ~, according to the customary religious practice of a people; according to the ritual of God.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)49/1362 : Ine þe elde temple..Þo certeyne men lyȝte þat lyȝt, Ase þe laȝe ȝef þe rytes So brode.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Ezek.43.18 : These ben the rytis, or obseruaunces [WB(2): customs; L ritus], of the auter, in what euer day it shal be forgid, that brent sacrifice be offrid thervpon and bloode be shed out.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1902 : For to doon his ryte [vr. ryht] and sacrifise, He..hath vpon the gate aboue..Doon make an auter.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2370 : Arcite vnto the temple walked is Of fierse Mars to doon his sacrifise With alle the rytes [vrr. ryhtes, rygh] of his payen wise.
- (1395) Wycl.12 Concl.(Th 17)296 : Þe presthod of Rome is mad with signis, rytis, and bisschopis blissingis, and þat is of litil uertu.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)76/22 : Þei breken Godis hestis, charginge more findinges up of men, as beckinges and loutinges, rites and mytes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2399 : Duely oure rytis to obserue..I and my feris..Cast vs fully..In þe forest to pley vs.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5521 : Þat [idol] is no þing pleynly but liknes Made after man..Vn-to whiche paynymys..Be-gonne first þis ryt for drede of man.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5991 : He entrid is in þe oratorie, Doyng his ritys & his obseruaunces.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.7004 : Þe goddes of paganysme rytes..Be made of gold, of siluer, and of stoon.
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)345 : Þes newe ordris changen in cloþis, in beckis, wiþ oþer ritis.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.FCLife (Corp-C 296)193 : Þe iewis in þe olde lawe haden not so manye seremonyes of sacrifices ordeyned bi god as prestis han now riȝttis & reulis maade of synful men.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.561 : He gan susteene & folwe certeyn rihtis..Of a sect callid Monachelites.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)367 : I kan in no wyse remembre me..What rytys were vsyd & what royalte In namys yeuyng.
- ?a1450 Sel.Rosarium Theol.(Cai 354/581)75/28 : In þe new testament be putte to sacramentale customez or riȝtez and þe wittes of þe law þat awȝt noȝt for to be opned in þe olde law.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.477 : For happely som folk myght thanne be the wers To heere swiche maumentrye and suche-maner ryghtes [vr. rytes].
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)3250 : He hadde gret talent To etyn fflesshe..ffor to dyfface the old lawe, And the Ryytys ther-off with-drawe.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)14/22 : Euery secte..of..mannys lyf schulde alle-wey..reuerencyne godheed..& worschipyne hit wt sum righte or synguler cerymonye.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apost.(Dub 245)433 : So þise new sects shulden kepe mor Cristis religion ȝif þei leften her rytis.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Kings 18.28 : Þanne þei criedyn with a gret voice & þei kuttyn þemselue aftir þer riyt [alt. from: ruyt; WB(2): custom; L ritum] with scheris & litil lawncis.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Par.23.13 : Þei brennen encens to þe lord after his rijt.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Par.23.32 : Kepe þei þe obseruauncys of þe tabernacle of þe pes-couenaunt & þe rijt of þe seyntuarie.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Par.24.19 : Þese þe whiles of hem after þer seruyse, þat þei gon in þe hous of þe lord, & aftir þer rijt vndir þe hond of Aaron, þer fadir, as þe lord god of israel comaundide.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Esd.7.23 : Al þat to þe rijt of god of heuene perteneþ, be it ȝyuyn besily in þe hous of god of heuene.
2.
(a) Custom, common practice; also, a custom; mannes ~, mankind's custom, i.e., evil custom [last quot.]; (b) a formal rule of procedure governing an event or enterprise; (c) a method, an observance; (d) the employment or using of something.
Associated quotations
a
- (1467) Ordin.Wor.383 : It ys vsed and accustumed grete cloth-makynge to be hadd wtyn the seid cite..and so occupied by grete parte of the people..as now late rite and practyk hath be vsed.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.401 : Of the rytes of the inhabitatores of hit [Wales]: The vse of that cuntre differrethe from the rite [L ritu] of Englonde in clothenge, in fyndenge, and in mony other thynges.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.325 : The firste men were callede Pharisei..in that thei were diuidede in conuersacion and habite from the rite and consuetude of other peple.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)198/109 : For reprefe vnto mans rytt [rime: wytt] The law I will fulfyll right here.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1440 : As þe Rytys pleynly make mynde, What euer falle, I [Jason] schal hem vnderfonge.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.924 : Þus þe ryyt [of] tragedies olde, Priamus þe worþi kyng began.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4010 : In þis wyse Pirrus was made knyȝt..With gret honour and due reuerence, Like þe custom of þe Grekis lawes And þe rytis vsede in þo dawes.
c
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.4.64 : These ben observaunces of judicial matere and rytes [vr. riȝtes] of payens, in whiche my spirit hath no feith, ne knowing of her horoscopum.
d
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Col.2.22 : Þise thyngus touche ȝee not, nor taaste ȝee not, nor treste ȝee þem not, þe whiche alle ben ledande in to þe deaþ in þat vse, or ryte, after þe..techyngus of man.