Middle English Dictionary Entry
rū̆mǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | rū̆mǒur n. Also rumor(e, rumur, rumer, reumour, romour(e, romore, romur, remour, rimour, (error) rumber. |
| Etymology | OF rumor, rumour, remour, rimour & L rūmor. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An unsubstantiated report; rumor, gossip, hearsay; (b) a report; tidings, news; something well-known; his ~, tidings concerning him; (c) loud shouting, noise, din; (d) outcry of protest or disapproval; (e) a disturbance, stir, tumult.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.5.5 : When fals rumour, or tithing, wente out..Jason sodeynly assailide the citee.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1840 : Damages..forȝete..By fals report of rumour fresche and grene Renewed ben.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.7.133 : Ye..konne doon no thyng aryght, but yif it be for..idel rumours [L rumores; F nouvelles].
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.6.17 : The conscience of wise folk..mesuren hir good, nat by the rumour of the peple, but by the sothfastnesse of conscience.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)34/13 : All the comoun rymour & speche is..þat þei ben the Garneres of Joseph.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.43 : What rumours thise folk will of me fynde..It lothes me to thenkyn in my mynde.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)358/26 : Þanne was þere a Rumore yn London and a strong noyse þat King Richarde was come to Westmynstre.
- ?a1475 Banester Guiscardo (Add 12524)544 : Thys erroure..was secrete and now ys rumoure.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.OFools (LdMisc 683)98 : He is a ffooll that also yeveth credence To newe rumours and euery foltyssh ffable.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)103b : A Revmour..Rumor.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.37 : Þere God for hym wrouȝte meny myracles and grete..By þat rumour sche þat slouȝ hym was i-meoved.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4274 : Þe whiche [read: wikke] fame & rumor is y-ronne With swyfte Wynges, of al þat þei han wrouȝt.
- (1428) Doc.in Sur.Soc.851 : Grete rumour sprang in the people, yat yar was in cite of York now makers and utterers of fals osmundes.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)220/35 : Þer is a ranke swayne Who rule is noȝt right, For thurgh his romour in þis reme Hath raysede mekill reke.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4433 : Þus þe strif amonge þe Grekis gan With grete rumour and altercacioun.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)65/7 : So þis Constancius come agayn & fand his kyste breken, & with a grete rumor & a cry he come vnto the pope & bad hym giff hym his xij d. agayn.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.1255 : Now is the Citee for to see this mayde Gadered in-feere with noyse and rumor.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)21 : Whene the traitours hard the noise and romore of those comones, thay with all hast possibill fled.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)393 : Whan these com on, ther was so grete toile and romour of noyse that wonder it was to heere.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)652 : Than was all the court trouble and full of romur, ffor the Emperour cried, 'Take hem.'
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)168/77 : Peasse haue I prayd..Bot romoure is rasyd so that boldly thay brade Emangis thame..thay seasse not sich chateryng.
d
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3267 : Her harmys grete, in murmur & in rage, Þe losse, þe costis..Þis was þe noyse & rumur eke þat ran Þoruȝ-oute þe hoste.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6575 : Agamenoun nor kyng Menelay Ne durste a worde for her parti meve..Ageyns hem þer was so gret rumour.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)152/20 : Þan was þer mech remowr a-mong þe pepil, for many men & many women..wer ryth heuy & sorweful for he spak so meche a-geyn hir as he dede.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)81b : Ȝif þou chaunge in þat tyme eny companye from oo place to anoþer, þan riseþ rumour and noyse and grucchinge amonge þi puple.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)1377 : All his pepill wold say he did hym wrong..And to eschew the Rumber [read: Rumer] and the crye his purpose thanne he chaungyd.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2668 : Þe pepull made..Myche Rumur & rud speche at his red sonne.
e
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5516 : Þer was herde..A gret tumulte..Vlixes and eke Diomede..fillen in a drede..Þat som rumour was fallen..Amonge þe peple..Of hasty rancour.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.53 : He hadde..a manere drede, Lest that Criseyde, in rumour of this fare, Sholde han ben slayn.
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Cl.(Petw 7)E.997 : O sterne puple..Delitinge euere in Rumour [Heng: rumbel] þat is newe.
- c1425 Siege Jerus.(1) (Hnt HM 128)277 : Rumer [Ld: Þan was rotlyng in Rome, robbyng of brynnyes].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.4284 : She [Avarice]..Caused..Gruchchyng of comouns..Rumour in rewmys, unwar subuersiouns.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)56a : Suche rumour and diuisioun..may noon oþerweyes be sesud..bot by Iugement or doom of þe swerd.
- (1462) Paston (EETS)1.279 : I suppose swyche talkyng comyth of false schrewys þat wold mak a rwmor in þis contre.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)22478 : Flaterers..hem counsayle To dispoyle the porayle..Whiche..causith..Greete rwmours and rysynges.
- a1500(a1470) Brut-1461(1) (Add 10099)516/4 : All þe commones of England wer in A gret rumor, what for deliueraunce of Anges & Maign, & after losing of al Normandie.