Middle English Dictionary Entry
beautẹ̄ n.
Entry Info
| Forms | beautẹ̄ n. Also bea(u)lte, beute, beuete, -tie, beuaute, buute, boutte. |
| Etymology | OF biaute, bealte. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Physical attractiveness, beauty (of persons or things); -- also as pers. name; (b) personification of beauty, goddess of beauty.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)48 : Heo is cristal of clannesse ant baner of bealte.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)600 : That maide..hath so muche of beaute.
- (1346) Feudal Aids 340 : Thomas Beaute.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4074 : Þat burde was of beuaute briȝtest in erþe.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1118 : The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly Of hire that rometh in the yonder place.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.839 : Ful ofte in herte he rolleth vp and doun The beautee of thise floryns newe and brighte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1837 : Nevere hierafter schal be lassed Mi beaute.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.49 : Þe bewte of hir body in badnesse she dispended.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.154 : To rekne his [Jason's] schap..His strenthe, his bewte..I am not able.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.5.60 : The beaute of feeldes, deliteth it nat mochel unto yow?
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)177 : Half hire beaute shulde men nat fynde In creature that formed ys by kynde.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.3069 : He sholde hir beute nat maistrie.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)8/21 : Þe kyng saw þe bewtee of this horse.
- (1442) Let.Bekynton in RS 56.2184 : Ye see their stature and their beaulte and color of skynne.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)232 : Natural good is ech þing..as is helþe, strengþe, bewte.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)8010 : So feire a creature neuer saw he..nor of such beutie.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2026 : Þe kyng..couetyth þe shappe & to se also þi fayre bewete.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)324 : Yt excellyde off bewte All other.
- a1475 As y gan wandre (Brog 2.1)46 : Where be-commyȝt..Owre Iollytte and fayre bovtte [vr. bewte].
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)31 : A Bewetye: euprepia.
- a1500(c1380) Chaucer Rosem.(Benson-Robinson)1 : Madame, ye ben of al beaute shryne.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)23/20 : He thoght hymself as worthi..In brightnes, in bewty.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1926 : In the temple of Venus maystow se..Beautee [vr. beute] and youthe, baudrye, richesse.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1006 : This lady called was Beaute.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)225 : I saw Beute withouten any atyr, And Youthe, ful of game and jolyte.
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer Pity (Benson-Robinson)70 : Crueltee..hath depryved yow now of your place That hyghte 'Beaute apertenant to Grace'.
2.
(a) A beautiful feature, an attractive characteristic; -- also pl.; (b) a beautiful place; (c) a beautiful woman.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)902 : Þare es no man olive Þat kowth hir bewtese wele descrive.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.5.43 : The schynynge of gemmes..draweth it nat the eighen of folk to hemward (that is to seyn, for the beautes)?
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)24/9 : Þai er blakk of colour, and þat Þai hald a grete bewtee.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)26.15 : And to these bewtes, sche hadde bownte, Corteys and gentil In Alle Maner degre.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)254 : Hyde ye youre beautes, Ysoude and Eleyne.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)8 : Þis Ile hathe þe best geet, wherof..if þou aske þe beawte, hit is blakkere þane any gemme.
b
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)8/332 : And in great bewtes have I bene, And fosterd furth full tendirly.
c
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.346 : Wo worth that beaute that is routheeles!
3.
(a) Moral or spiritual attractiveness, goodness; (b) courtesy, kindness; a courteous or kindly act; (c) glory, honor; (d) elegance of language.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)275/71 : Monnes soule..he maad hit of Beute To his liknesse.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.211 : A doghter hadde he fair ynogh to sighte..But for to speke of vertuous beautee, Thanne was she oon the faireste vnder sonne.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14115 : O mani thing sco tok til an, Wit-vten quam es beute [Göt: buute; Trin-C: godenes] nan.
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)126/32 : Ther-bie maiste thou knowe his rightwisnes & his vnrightwisenes, his beaute or his malice.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)130 : Þe haly trinite..all has wroght wit his beute [other MSS: bounte].
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3075 : Þare fand he no man him to call; No bewtese wald þai to him bede.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2739 : Þou vp-braydis me for þe beute [Dub: bewte] þat I þi blod schewid, As to þi modire..& to þi mery childir.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2919 : Þis..berne grete beute [Dub: bewte] me schewys, þat here þus hyndly be þe hand ledis to his Innes.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.4.47 : And for as moche as honours of peple ne mai nat maken folk digne of honour, it is wel seyn cleerly that thei ne han no propre beaute of dignyte.
- ?a1430 ?Hoccl.Poems PS Compl.Virg.(Hnt HM 111)188 : Þat 'I', which was the beautee Of my name, this day bynome is me.
d
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)255 : Men weren woned..to speke and write tho wordis in sum gaynes and bewte or in sum deliciosite.