Middle English Dictionary Entry
saughten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | saughten v. Also saughte, sauȝte(n, sauhten, (N) saȝt, (early) sauchten & seite & (error) safgte; ppl. saghting, (N) saxtend; p.ppl. saught(e, sauȝt(e, saute, saght(e, saict, (SM) sauht(e, (N) sauȝth, seȝt, (chiefly N & NWM) saȝt(e & (early) sai(s)te, (chiefly early M) saht(e, (early SM) sæht(e, sehte, (early SWM) seahte, sæhten & (error) swahte. |
| Etymology | OE sehtan, LOE sæhtan, perh. influenced by ON: cp. OI sætta. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To make peace, be conciliated, be reconciled; ~ with, make peace with (sb.), become reconciled with; also, make peace by means of (tools of peace) [1st quot.]; (b) to conciliate (a land), pacify; reconcile (sb., sb. and sb. else); ~ with, reconcile (sb.) with (sb.); (c) to agree upon (a choice) [ult. derives from an error for senden v.]; (d) ppl. saughting as adj.: agreeable, conciliatory.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)470 : Tubal..Wopen of wigte and tol of grið Wel cuðe egte and safgte wið.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)5604 : Þan schul ȝe acordi, & togider sauȝten wele an hi.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)10/12 : Of þat ilche breche forto sauȝtten wiþ þee, derworþi lorde, ten pater nosters.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)16 : Charles..and roland faȝt; wit sarasynes walde þai noȝt saȝt.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)4.2 : 'Sessiþ,' seide þe king..'Ȝe shuln sauȝte..& serue me boþe.'
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)150 : Of [read: On] þing i wil þe aske, and we schul saughte sone.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3052 : Sende vs some socoure, and saughte with the pople, Or þe cete be sodaynly with assawte wonnen.
b
- a1300 Moder milde flur (Corp-O 59)12 : Min hope is in þe daȝ & nicht þat þu me sauchte wid þine childe.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11008 : Hii broȝte him þer to To makie a porueance, amendement to do..þut lond uor to seyte.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)546 : Al ȝe schulen hire wille done And sauhten [vr. make at oon] Soþ and hire ful sone.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)935 : Jhesu..from heuene to eorþe wolde come To sauȝten his sustren, þat were to-boren.
- c1390 I warne vche (Vrn)38 : Men vnsauȝte, loke þou assay To sauȝten hem þenne at on assent.
c
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1478 : Hij sauȝtten [vr. assentyn; F enuoient] by on assent A riche coroune of rede golde.
d
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3580 : Quen þat [a man] sua bicums ald..þan es eth to mak him wrath; To saxtend be es sumdel lath.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3954 : Iacob send þan for to faand Esau wit saghting saand.
2.
Ppl. saught: (a) in phrases: ben saught, i)worthen saught, to be reconciled; become reconciled; also, be sexually satisfied [quot.: a1475]; also, as pred.adj.: in agreement, in accord, at peace, reconciled; satisfied, content; also, agreeable [last quot.]; (b) as adj. in other constructions: reconciled, at peace; also, compliant [quot.: c1390]; also, of winds: calm [quot.: a1393]; maken saught, to bring (two people) to accord, reconcile; maken saught with, reconcile (sb.) with (sb.); setten saught, set (oneself, sb.) at peace, conciliate; sufferen saught, ?permit (sb. to be) set free; ?permit (sb. to be) kept at peace (in prison).
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1104 : Heræfter wurdon sehte se eorl Rotbert of Normandig & Rotbert de Bælesme.
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1135 : Dauid, king of Scotland, toc to uuerrien him, þa þohuuethere þat here sandes feorden betwyx heom; & hi to gædere comen & wurðe sæhte, þoþ it litel for stode.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5731 : Þe seoffnde seollþess ædiȝleȝȝc Iss griþþ i manness herrte..Swa þatt hiss bodiȝ wiþþ hiss gast Sammtale & sahhte wurrþe.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)15 : Gif þu dest þin uuel on-ȝein his uuel, Swa muchel þa wredða bid þe mare bi-twenen eow..and ec leter ȝe beoð sahte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2142 : Þas breðren iwurðen heom swahte [Otho: sehte] þur sele monne rede.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2550 : Þus iwerað Brennes sæht whit his broðer.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3580 : Þa wile þa heo weoren sæhte [Otho: seahte] & heore men on some, þis lond ferde swiðe wel.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4754 : To-gædere heo comen, and sæhten heo weoren sone.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15660 : He..seide þat he wolde sahtnesse wurche..& makeȝen sehtnesse and grið and beon saht and some swulc heo weoren broðeren.
- a1275 Wolle ye i-heren (Trin-C B.14.39)41/65 : Þes kinges were boþe some & saiste [vr. saite; rime: neitte].
- a1350(1307) Execution Fraser (Hrl 2253)51 : Þe abbot of scon wiþ þe kyng nis nouht saht.
- a1350 In may hit murgeþ (Hrl 2253)48 : Wolde lylie-leor in lyn yhere leuely lores myn, wiþ selþe we weren sahte.
- c1330(?a1300) Rich.(Auch)118/39 : Were þe mariners sauȝt [vrr. blythe, glad, lef] or wroþe, He dede hem rowe & sayly boþe.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)52 : He [Christ] made..Þat heo icuste and sauht weren.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)12/95 : Bi twene hem þer rose no strif; Heo weoren boþe leoue and sauhte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2742 : Toward miself the betre sawht I thenke be whil that I live.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4074 : Wit ioseph ware þai neuer saght [Trin-C: at pees].
- c1425 Evang.(BodAdd C.38)1338 : Herode & pilat were saught And forgaf him wreeche & tene þat longe bifore was hem bituene.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)16250 : Cadwal & Osewy were al saught.
- c1450 How mankinde dooþ (Lamb 853)592 : Al gooþ to wrecke But if god of merci be wiþ me sauȝte.
- a1475 Leve lystynes (Brog 2.1)p.32 : The viij wyffe..seyd, 'seldom am I saȝte.'
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1885 : Whan þey wer seȝt alle yn same, And Florence herde Florentynes name, Sche swor her oþ.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)6549 : Heroud was wrothe with Pilate..tho two neuer saght wer til Ihesu Cristes passion..thenne wex thay frendes for that dede.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)841 : I had leuere sche were sauȝth Þen all þe golde in hys auȝth, And I in armus hade y-lauȝth Þat commely and swete.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)101 : He [Christ] makede sehte þe heuenliche fader wið ma[n]kin and opene[de] togenes hem þe giate of paradis.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)134 : Alle heo schule wyþ engles pleye, some & sauhte in heouene lyhte.
- a1325(?a1300) Interl.CG (Add 23986)58 : Yu salt be my herand-bere, To mac me and yat mayden sayct.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)459 : Pees..to hire fader speek: 'I am þi douȝter sauȝt and some.'
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1149 : The Schipman..Whan that he sih the wyndes saghte, Towardes Tharse his cours he straghte.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)856 : Wiþ þe fende..he faȝt, and wiþ his fader he made vs saȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)52 : A deuely dele in my hert denned, Þaz resoun sette myseluen saȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1201 : To pay þe Prince oþer sete saȝte, Hit is ful eþe to þe god Krystyin.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3898 : He and his lady er at debate..Bot..þai wald..do þaire might..To mak him and hys lady saght.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1548 : I beseke ȝow, sir..Whethire ȝe suffyre them saughte or sone delyuerde..Ȝif ȝe will send þam ouer þe see or kepe þam ȝour selfen.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4042 : I sall neuer soiourne sounde ne sawghte at myne herte..Till he be slayne.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2490 : Wisdam sche [Cordelia] has me ytaught; Wysdam schal make hure wiþ me saught.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)4178 : Eithir hated othir strong..It was ful hard to make hem saght.
- c1475 Falm.Squire (RwlPoet 118)194 : Now, man, of þi myschefe þou þe amende, whyll þou lyuyst bothe sounde & sawte..Or deth drawyth hys dredfull drawte.