Middle English Dictionary Entry
sā̆dnes(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sā̆dnes(se n. Also (error) sanes. |
| Etymology | From sā̆d adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Solidness, firmness of bond; (b) hardness; density; thickness, toughness; also fig.; (c) anat. firmness, solidity, hardness; also, thickness or toughness [quot.: a1398]; (d) something that strengthens or supports, the solid part; also fig.; (e) permanence, continuance.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)15b/b : Compassioun & sadnesse [L compactio] of setis is þe riȝtfulnes of domes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)156b/a : By more stronge rennynge he [water] passeþ his priuee holownesse and brymmes and clyfs, þe more perilouselich he destroieþ and wasteþ þe sadnesse þere of.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)6.152 : Chese..When hit is wel confourmed to sadnesse, On fleykes logge hem.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)24a/a : Þe fifte is sadnes & þicnes [L soliditas seu densitas] of þe þing þat is seen, for ȝif it is al clere & wiþoute þiknes as þe aier is, þanne it is noȝt I-seye.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)195a/a : Þerfore druynesse, ouercomynge alle moysture, suffreþ noȝt erthe turne in to sadnes of stoone.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)206a/b : Tyn haþ þe colour of siluer but nouȝt þe sadnesse þer of.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.192 : The kyndly moysture..Wiþynne forth all-wey..doth abyde, Ageyn þe wedres hard it-self to hyde, Wiþouten hath it sadnesse [vr. sanes] of þe tree.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)33/2 : Thow art Peter, scilicet, sadde as stone; therfore vpon thy sadnes I shall bylde my chirche.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)67a/a : Heer falliþ nouȝt by hynde atte polle, and þat is for sadnes & þicnes of skyn & of poores.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)90/14 : Þou schalt knowe bi reednes & sadnesse of fleisch þat is wiþinne þe festre al aboute.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)70a/a : Þe secounde skille is for þat þe vrine schulde be þe better þoruȝ coyled and constreined passinge þoruȝ oute þe solidite oþer þe sadnesse of þe Reynes.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)181a/a : Þerfore sucche humours..be resoun of..þe saddenesse of þe sinewes neden mollificatiue medicines.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)9b : Þey hauen þese tokenes..feet not coumbred wiþ flesch, but wel hardid & knyt to gidre wiþ sadnesse of synewes.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)11b/b : Of þese foure aforseid membris or superfluytees is maad al þe body of embrion & þe sadnesse þat is in him.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)42b/b : Kideneyren..ben hardere þan ony oþere membris fleischi..for þe pisse þat passiþ by hem myȝte be þe better alterat & clensid þoruȝ her silidite or sadnesse.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)62b/b : Þe bones ben þe sadnes [L solidamenta] of þe body.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.61 : The lord is sadnesse [vr. a sadnesse; L Firmamentum] to men þat dreden him.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)106b : Sadnes [Monson: a Sadnes]: Solidamen.
e
- (1430) Doc.Merchant York in Sur.Soc.12934 : God..send sadnesse and substance of lyflode to oure newe fraternitie.
2.
(a) Steadfastness, constancy; firmness of mind; a state of constancy; (b) seriousness, gravity; discretion, prudence; maturity; sobriety, sanity; ~ of mannes yeres, maturity; (c) trust, firm faith.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Col.2.5 : By spirit I am with ȝou, ioyinge and seinge ȝoure ordre and the sadnesse of that ȝoure bileue that is in Crist.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.6.17 : God, willinge for to schewe..the vnmouablenesse, or sadnesse, of his conseil, put bitwixe an oth.
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)310/106 : He hem cumforteþ more and more In sadnesse of bileeue þerfore.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.452 : This markys..longeth so To tempte his wyf, hir sadnesse for to knowe.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)105/19 : Þanne schullen riȝtful men stonde in gret sadnes aȝenus wickede men þat greuede hem.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.1.66 : That schullen cesen thi pleyntis and strengthen the with stedfast sadnesse [L soliditate].
- ?c1430 Wycl.PN(1) (Corp-C 296)198 : In þis word we axen deuoutly sadnesse of feiþ.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)252/17 : Where is be-com þe sadenes of Sent Petre?
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)14662 : He..sent þe sekenes sad and sore þi pacience so to proue and þi sadnese assay, wheder þou wyll last in loue or fayle for lytyll affray.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)11177 : No man sholde ha gouernaunce..But yiff he hadde ffeet off led In gret sadnesse to endure.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.39.24b : He..lediþ hem in to a sadnes of good vertuose lifinge.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.305 : The styropys of þis sadil schul ben lownesse and sadnesse, lownesse aȝenys pryde, sadnesse aȝenys þe world & þe flech.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)10378 : Lightnesse of þe brayn makeþ this, Þere no sadnesse ynne ne is; Lesse þei ben þan man of witt, Þerfore her þoght wole lightly flitt.
b
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)51/1428 : For ȝeres Ne makeþ so nauȝt þane prest ald, Ac sadnesse of maneres.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1591 : For hir sadnesse and hir benygnytee..of the peple grettest voys hath she.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3527 : Ful glad and liȝt Medea doun descendeth From hir chambre & outwarde pretendeth Sadnes of chere.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4940 : Delit..of nought elles taketh hede But oonly folkes for to lede Into disport and wyldenesse, So is [she] froward from sadnesse.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.24/18 : Rayer Ioynyd to hym a certeyne olde mane..to whome was sadde Age and sadnes of Age with experience of longe tyme.
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)180 : There he was wone to singe & be ful glad; Now are his corage, his wordes, & his chere Turned onto sadnesse.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)348/15 : Þou..art passede childescondicione þat haþ nede to be fedde with milke & art come nowe to saddenesse of mannus ȝeres.
- c1450 Siege Troy(2) (Rwl D.82)277 : For sorowe of which..he toke suche an hevinesse that longe tyme he was oute of him self; But by prosses of tyme, wt confort of frendes, he was drawen to sadnesse ayen.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)20/5 : He fonde hem sittyng in a hous and be-for hem a bord on whech þei vsed to pleye certeyn games to refresch with þe sadnesse of her study.
- ?c1450 in Aungier Syon Mon.287 : The priores, withe the counsel and assente of eghte sustres, elder and holer in sadnes, chosen by the seyd priores..schal depute a sadde suster experte in temporal rewle, [etc.].
- (1455) RParl.5.285b : All the Lordes Spirituelx and Temporelx..considered the grete noblenesse, sadnesse, and wysdome of the Duc of York.
- (1466) Stonor1.93 : Brother, I dowte not ye shall have worship of her grete sadnesse and þe vertuous disposicion þat she is of, & c.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)98/7 : Þat we þerbi be euer in sadnes and sobirnes and avisidnes, and we be sett aside from liȝtnes and gladnes of þe worlde and of þe fleische.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.227 : In cloþinge þey schuldyn schewyn sadnesse, honeste, & lownesse as nyhȝ folwerys and witnessys of Crist þat tauȝte sadnesse aȝenys vanyte.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)1346 : For he was wild in all his demening Vnto the tyme he drew to more sadnesse.
- a1500(a1471) Ashby APP (Cmb Mm.4.42)675 : I wold fain ye wolde..be right wele aduised by goode sadnesse, By discrete prudence, & feithful constance Er ye begynne werre for..any richesse, Or of fantesie or of symplenesse.
c
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)7.150 : Catoun and canonistres conseilleth vs to leue To sette sadnesse in songewarie, for sompnia ne cures.
3.
(a) ?Debasing influence; (b) ?misery; ?sadness.
Associated quotations
a
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)95/23 : He which was wellpurweyed in lecture and had but fewe good maners chastisid not his vices by his sciens but peruertid his connyng and þe sadnes [F a l'agrauement] of his evill lyfe.
b
- c1400 *Aelred Inst.(1) (Vrn)1541 : Deeþ put awey heuynesse of þys lyf and makeþ an ende of saadnesse of þis wordle.