Middle English Dictionary Entry
bāthen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | bāthen v. Also baðien, beaðien. Ppl. bathed, (rare) bathen. |
| Etymology | OE baþian |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) To take a bath; ben bathed, take a bath; bathen bath; -- refl. or intr.; (b) to bathe or wash (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17028 : Þe wælle he lufode & ofte hine þer inne baðede.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17286 : We scullen us ær baðien.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)63/680 : As þah hit were a wlech beað..in for te beaðien [Roy: baðien].
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)304 : Manie sike men þat þare come and wuschschen heore fiet þaron..oþur baþeden, Al helþe huy hadden a-non.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)423/97 : A preost..dude him baþie..In one stude priueliche.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3075 : Vor to baþie [B: baþiȝe, baþi hem], wanne hii sike were.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)2806 : A virgine..Hadde bathede [vr. had ben bathed] þer in.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.25 : In þat pond men wascheþ and baþeth wel ofte.
- c1390 Talking LGod (Vrn)28/8 : Al þat pyninde pich þat þei wallen Inne ne wolde hem þinke bote a softe baþ baþinge.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.364 : He syh a welle..In which Diana naked stod, To bathe and pleie hire in the flod.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)28b/a : Þey þat baþeþ hem temperatliche in hote watir, þey haue strong puls.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1261 : Whan she was baþed, she..bade here brynge here cloþys.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)1513 : Thou mays baathe on a brooke.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)384/24 : When sho was bathid, sodanlie sho sterte oute of hur bathe.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)173 : J entrede in and bathed me and wesh me.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)37/14 : All hor blod schuld haue be done yn a vessell, and þe Emperour be bathyd þeryn.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)140/3 : Thys Iamys was soo holy..þat..he vset neuer forto be bawmet wyth oyle..he was neuer baþuþ.
b
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)30/139 : [Martha] hine baðede and beðede and smerede.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)11/8 : Man machiæ stufbæþ and baþeȝe hine þaron.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3567 : Makie him god baid, & ofte hine baðie & him blod lete lutlen and ofte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6557 : Þe king..lette hine baðien [Otho: baþie] and beddien feire.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13207 : He hæfde in ane bure Costanz..wel ibadðed & iscrud.
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(LdMisc 108)6 : Þat child..Ase it was in ane mele i-baþed, al one upriȝt it stod.
- c1390 Þe mon þat is (Vrn)165 : Heore bodies þat weoren so softe I-baþen And I-brouȝt forþ wiþ Mete and drynk.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)1214 : His moder him bathed verament In þe water of enchauntement.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2542 : Vn-to a watere he wendis..his cors for to bathe [Dub: to be bathyd].
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)8 : He wesh me..he bathed me, and thryes he ploungede me ther inne.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)45/7 : Loke..þat sche..be well bathid aforn.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)945 : He shal the wasshe, he shal the bathe.
1b.
To be immersed or wallow (in the mire, in pitch, etc.).
Associated quotations
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)245 : Þer is bernunde pich, hore saule to baþien inne.
- c1275 Þene latemeste dai (Clg A.9)105 : In ful a bitter bað baþien ich schal naked, Of pisch & of brimeston.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4457 : Faire in the sond to bathe hire myrily Lith Pertelote.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)7022 : R. þe syre þree þousand drof into þe myre. Þoo myȝte men se þe heþene men..baþen hem in þe fen.
2.
(a) bathen in blod, to drench (sth.) in or with blood, bathe in blood; (b) ~ with teres, to moisten or drench with tears; (c) to soak, suffuse.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26305 : Sweordes ibaðede i blode þan rede.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)9917 : vii of þe table rounde, Þat dede..her swerd baþen In bodi & blod of þe haþen.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2308 : Roland him folghede..with is swerd a-drawe, þat þo al baþid was on blod.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2006 : His herte blood hath bathed al his heer.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.312 : The child lay bathende in hire blod, Out rolled fro the moder barm.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6077 : Many banere good, Wasshen and baþed in rede blood.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1248 : Þay..Baþed barnes in blod and her brayn spylled.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.8526 : His scharp swerd he baþid in his blood.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.1404 : Hector..stood, Amonge Grekis, al baþed in her blood.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Say.Nightingale (Trin-C R.3.20)136 : Baaþed in blood.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)14.37 : His Ax he bathede In Mennes blood From the point to the hylt.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.1085 : Lyk a moder, with hir salte teres She bathed bothe hir visage and hir heres.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1086 : With his salte teris gan he bathe The ruby in his signet.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.815 : With hire salte teris Hire brest, hire face, ybathed was ful wete.
c
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.3 : Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote..hath..bathed euery veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1361 : Vpon a felle..fede þay þayr houndes Wyth þe lyuer..& bred baþed in blod.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)181b/b : Laye þere aboue towe bathed in wyne.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.344 : For wormes, bathe her roote in oxes galle.
3.
(a) To plunge or dip (sb. into water, etc.); ~ oute, throw overboard; (b) to plunge (a spear into sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)290/116 : Of Bedde he was tan And Duppet eft in fflum Jordan..þries in þat niht he was baþed.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)11899 : Þar-in þai hang him bi þe fete And baþed [Vsp: drund; Frf: drouned] him in pic and terr.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)211 : I haf greued my god..For-þy berez me to þe borde & baþeþes [read: baþes] me þer-oute.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)6814 : Þurch mani bodi haþen Her launces þai dede baþen.
- c1450(a1400) Chev.Assigne (Clg A.2)263 : She..badde hyme bathe his spere in þe boyes herte.
4.
(a) To bathe (oneself, someone) in a medicinal or curative bath; (b) to lave or swab (a wound, etc.), foment.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3206 : Thei upon this medicine Apointen hem..That..Thei wolde him bathe in childes blod.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.94 : May no medcyn on molde þe man to hele brynge..With-out þe blode of a barn borne of a mayde. And be he bathed in þat blode, baptised, as it were.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)1781 : There did Guy Heraude in herbes bathy, And with good metes him comforte hertly.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17189 : Þa men þe beoð unhal..heo wasceð þene stan & þer mide baðieð heore ban.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)178a/a : Þat þe membre be fomentede, when it is stewed & wel baþed, with þe decoccioun of þe forsaide remollitifes.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)181b/b : Þe wounde be bathed [*Ch.(1): fomented; L fomentetur] wiþ warme rede wyne.
5.
(a) To bask (in joy, wealth, etc.); (b) to immerse (oneself, someone) spiritually; to absorb (sb.) mystically [quot.: a1438]; ppl. bathed, immersed (in malign influence), soaked.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.1253 : For ioye he hente hire in his armes two, His herte bathed in a bath of blisse.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.22 : Ye loveres, that bathen in gladnesse.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.849 : Whom shulde I thanken but yow..Of al this blisse, in which to bathe I gynne?
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.208 : Criseyde..Shal now no lenger in hire blisse bathe.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)906 : Þou þat yclomben art in hy honoures..And bathist now in youthes lusty floures.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2729 : Þe lond may bathen in prosperite.
- a1500 Yit wulde I (Cmb Ff.1.6)8 : Ye that bathe in myrthe and plesaunce.
b
- a1425(a1349) Rolle MPass.(2) (Upps C.494)57/15 : O good Ihesu..baþe me in þi blood, so þat I forȝete al worldly wele.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)214/2 : Dowtyr, I thanke þe for as many tymys as þu hast bathyd me in þi sowle at hom in þi chambre, as þow I [Christ] had be þer present in my Manhod.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)39.255 : In that flood schal I bathen Me.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)65/17 : Your hertis be .. bathid and inprynted with murmours and pryve discordis.
6.
Miscell. uses: (a) of a fish: to swim; (b) of the sun: to bathe (its rays in the sea).
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)167 : Ase þe viss þet ine þe trauailinde wetere him baþeþ and norisseþ.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.129 : Phebus..made his stedis drawe His rosen chariet lowe vnder the wawe, To bathe his bemys in the wawy see.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4258 : Phebus..fro the south westward gan hym drawe, his gylte tressys to bathen in the wawe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)316 : With repleet spirit wente I to my bed And bathid ther in superfluitee.
Note: Additional example, sense 5.(a), 'to bask, luxuriate'.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)814 : Of his grounden gras þe wus can hee take; Þeron hee brynges þe brid and bathes his pilus.
Note: Clearly belongs to sense 4.(a), which should be modified to allow 'bodily part' (plumage in this case) among the objects.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475(c1450) ?Scrope Mirror World (Bod 283) 9725 : A man is stronge..liche as the fisshe þat baigneth and norisshith hym in wateres.
Note: ?New form (F spelling)
Note: Postdates sense 6.(a)