Middle English Dictionary Entry
Robin n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Robin n. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The personal name Robin, a familiar form of Robert: (a) as a designation for a robber, vagabond, or lowly person; (b) in phrase: joli ~, a designation for a carefree man.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)5.178 : Robyn þe ropere was red to arisen.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)7.65 : I shal fynde hem foode..Saue Iakke þe Iugelour..And robyn [vr. Robert] þe ribaudour.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6337 : Now am I Robert, now Robyn; Now Frere Menour, now Jacobyn.
- a1500 PPl.A(1) (Eaton)5.233 : Robyn [Trin-C: Robert þe robbour on reddite lokide].
- a1500 PPl.A(1) (Eaton)5.241 : Robyn..no rede hath.
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1174 : From haselwode, there joly Robyn pleyde, Shal come al that that thow abidest heere.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)124 : My name..is Ioly Robyn.
- 1532(?a1400) RRose (Thynne)7453 : He, that whilom was so gay, And of the daunce joly Robyn [F li biaus Robins], Was tho become a Jacobyn.
2.
(a) ~ hode, Robin Hood, the name of an outlaw famous in popular literature; also, the part of Robin Hood in a play; rime (romaunce, song, tale) of ~ hode, a popular poem or tale about Robin Hood; (b) in proverb.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.402 : I can nouȝte perfitly my pater-noster..But I can rymes [vr. Romaunces] of Robyn hood and Randolf erle of Chestre.
- (1439) RParl.5.16b : Piers Venables..with many other unknowyn..in manere of Insurrection, wente into the wodes in that Contre, like as it hadde be Robynhode and his meyne.
- (1473) Paston (EETS)1.461 : I haue kepyd hym thys iij yere to pleye Seynt Jorge and Robynhod and the shryff off Notyngham.
- ?a1475 RHood & K.(Fenn)2 : Syr Sheryffe, for thy sake Robyn Hode wull Y take.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.189 : Þey han..leuer to heryn a tale or a song of Robyn Hood or of som rybaudye þan to heryn messe.
- a1500 RHood & M.(Cmb Ff.5.48)st.23 : Þis traytur name is Robyn Hode.
- a1500 Sum be mery (Lamb 306)p.268 : He that made this songe full good, Came of the north and of the sothern blode, And somewhat kyne to Robyn Hode.
- a1500 The mone in (Adv 19.3.1)p.84 : Kene men of combur comen belyve, For to mote of mychewhat more then a lytull, How Reynall and Robyn-Hod runnon at the gleyve.
- a1525 RHood & P.(Cmb Ee.4.35)st.2 : On of the best þat yeuer bare bowe, Hes name was Roben Hode.
b
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.59 : On old Englis it is said, unkissid is unknowun, and many men speken of Robyn Hood, and shotte nevere in his bowe.
- ?a1425 Chaucer TC (Hnt HM 114)2.861 gloss : [Rob.: swiche manere folk..Defamen Love..Thei speken, but thei benten nevere his bowe] of Robyn hood.
- a1450(c1400-25) Legat Serm.PD (Wor F.10)8/47 : Mani, manime seith, spekith of Robyn Hood þat schotte neuer in his bowe.
- c1450 Chaucer TC (Hrl 2392)2.861 : Thei spekyn of robynhod but thei bente never his bowe.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)59b : Many A man spekith of wondering Of Robyne hood and his bowe whiche never shott therin, I trowe.