(a) Identical; equal; also, unchanging [quot.: a1450]; the ~; a ~ centre, a common center; that ~ man, the very man; the ~ bok, this book; the ~ (..) with, the same (..) as; (b) one and the ~, o ~, one and the same; that ilke ~, thilke ~, the self ~, the ~ and the self, the very same, selfsame; (c) with sameness defined by a following clause: the ~..that (whiche, as, etc.), the same..that (which, as, etc.); -- also with omitted relative [quots.: a1420, 1463]; (d) introducing a speech or proverb: this ~ word, thise ~ wordes, this, the following.

Referring to something or someone previously mentioned, the aforesaid, above-named, etc.: (a) of a thing (court, land, sickness, words, etc.); -- often with a demonstrative pronoun: that ~, this(e ~; (b) of persons; (c) in expressions of time; (d) in expressions of manner; in the (this) ~ wise, on the ~ wise, the ~ wise, in the ~ manere, in the same way.

As adv.: the ~, repeatedly, again and again; the ~ nexte, the very next.