Middle English Dictionary Entry
scī̆ence n.
Entry Info
| Forms | scī̆ence n. Also sciens(e, sience, siens(e; pl. sciences, etc. & ciences & science, s(c)iens, scians, sienz. |
| Etymology | OF science, sienche, ciencie, ciance & L scientia, ML sciencia. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) What is known, knowledge; information; -- also pl.; ?also, self-knowledge [quot.: a1475]; (b) accurate knowledge, certain knowledge; (c) experiential or empathic knowledge; (d) the knowledge in someone's mind or memory.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.134 : Þat þe seuenþe aungel shad his phiole in þe ayre bitokneþ þe dampnacioun of þe fendes in þe air þere þai wonen & for þat þai ben of svtile science.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 2.3 : Gon þer awei olde thyngis fro ȝoure mouth, for þe god of sciencis [WB(2): kunnyngis; L scientiarum] lord is.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 1.77 : For to ȝyue the science of helthe to his peple, in to remiscioun of her synnes.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)61/1194 : Heer nis no verrey science Ne no verrey knowyng..Aboue is verrey knowyng of soþnes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2596 : The apostle seith that the sciences and the iugementz of oure lord god almyghty been ful depe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)326b/a : Þe nombre of fyue..bitokneþ hem þat putteth somwhat to þe science and lore of þe feiþ of þe trinite.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1289 : Wyth slyȝt of his ciences, his Soverayn to love, Þe hous and þe anornementes he [Solomon] hyȝtled togedere.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6717 : If a man..of no craft hath science..Thanne may he go abegging yerne.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.3124 : Thei ouhte..To haue science off philosophie, And knowe ther textis off canoun & cyuyle.
- a1450(c1405) Purvey Determ.(Trin-C B.14.50)170/10 : For þei [children] ben not tauȝt þus..þei..ben vnabel to conseyue þe sotil sciense of trewþe.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)94/9 : Þe herte of þis tree was þe holy soule in whom was þe precious tydynge of þe science of God.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)14 : Bifore þe synne wiste man boþe good & yuel, good bi experience & yuel bi science.
- a1475 I knowlech to god (Rwl B.408)73 : Now light me, holygost..And ȝeue grace my lyfe to amende, With drede and pyte and trew science.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)p.500 : Ald thyngis depart fra ȝowre mouth; for god of sciens [L scienciarum] is lord.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)96/5 : First þou begynne at þe knawynge of þyn owen sawle, þat is nest to þe, and after to haue þe science of oþer þinges.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)60/25 : Ete noȝt of the tre of science of the good and the evel.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)115/8 : His invariable rightwisenesse and His infallible science shall not faile to do His disposicion.
b
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.3.115 : Yif that any wyghte wene a thing to ben oothir weyes than it is, it nis nat oonly unscience, but it is desceyvable opynioun, ful divers and fer fro the sothe of science.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)48/25 : Þe þing or þe treuþ which is in þis wise kunnen is kunnen in sure certeynte or in oonli suspicioun and gesse..If it be kunnyd in sure certeynte, þanne it is to be clepid 'science'.
- a1475(c1450) Shirley SSecr.(Add 5467)295/3 : Dere Kynge Alexandre, I teche the, and yit I shall teche the, many thynges that thou shalt kepe in thyne herte for ferme science and trewe disciplyne.
c
- a1450(a1401) Chastising GC (Bod 505)95/19 : I fele mysilf vnworthi to haue that goostli science wherebi I shuld knowe or haue inwarde felinge what doctours wolden mene in her hooli writynges.
d
- c1425 Wycl.Concord.in Spec.43 (Roy 17.B.1)270 : Mannes mynde þat is ofte robbid of þe tresour of kunnyng bi þe enemye of science, þat is forȝetyng, is greetly releeued bi tablis maad bi lettre aftir þe ordre of þe a, b, c.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.62 : Þat þou be hire [Fortune] ne haddest nothing faire..þow scholdest knowe..But..wiþouten gret trauaile I schal reuoken þis to thy science [L tibi haec in memoriam reuocare].
1b.
(a) The power of knowing, ability to know; discernment; (b) wisdom; (c) comprehension or understanding of something; (d) assurance of knowledge, certitude, certainty.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 As I wandrede (Vrn)85 : Þe Fader haþ ȝiuen me a miht, Þe sone a science and a siht, And wit to welde me worschupely.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)259a/b : In vnresonable bestes is wonder redynesse of witte, but in hem is no science propurliche to speken of science.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.15 : Lat us considere thanne what is eternite..that schal schewen us togidre the devyne nature and the devyne science.
- a1450 Who þat liste loke (Stw 951)41/43 : To the soule, god hath yheuen science Of gode and ill.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)7 : So moche science is in aungels þat hem needen no names.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2929 : Now se we wel that the science and the konnynge of Salomon is ful trewe, for he seith that swete wordes multiplien and encressen freendes.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1454 : Salamon sete him s[eve]n ȝere..Wyth alle þe syence þat hym sende þe soverayn Lorde, For to compas and kest to haf hem clene wroȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1599 : His sawle is ful of sycnce saȝes to schawe, To open uch a hide þyng of aunteres uncowþe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5705 : Þis cite dide honour Miȝty Pallas, goddesse of science.
- a1425 Adam & E.(4) (Bod 596)349/26 : For thi hert is made lofynge science and godenesse, for that thow schalt not be doon awey fro thy connynge.
- c1450 Wo hath þt (Rwl D.82)3 : Ther ys no creature, I trow, þat hath þat science To know his ffrende.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)100/9 : Knoleche is on of the membris of science.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)2354 : With her[t]ly sobbyng & profound science deepe Toward heuen meekely he cast his siht.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.128 : Yif thou wolt thanne thinken..the prescience by which it knoweth alle thinges..thou schalt demen..that it is science of presence or of instaunce that nevere ne faileth.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.8 : In the foure and threttith chapitle is of the haly gayst sendyng, And sciens of all tonges to crist disciples bringyng.
d
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.70 : By þe soune of her wenges is bitokned þe grete pride þat hij han of her science [F qu'il unt de la surte].
2.
(a) Learning; book-learning; an heigh ~, an important kind of knowledge; (b) the learning acquired by a particular person.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.11 : Þe ordre of monkes was þrifty þat tyme, for it hadde religious rulers, cleer of sciens and of clergy [L scientia claros].
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.699 : Mercurie loueth wysdam and science, And Venus loueth riot and dispence.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.134-5 : Lyueres to-forn vs vseden to marke Þe selkouthes þat þei seighen her sones for to teche And helden it an heighe science her wittes to knowe, Ac þorugh her science sothely was neuere no soule ysaued, Ne brouȝte by her bokes to blisse ne to ioye.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.162 : For ner writers, al wer out of mynde..The trewe knowyng schulde haue gon to wrak, And from science oure wittes put a-bak.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)11/18 : Aristotele & Ypocras, men of gret sciens, were of smale townes.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)25 : Out of olde bokes..Cometh al this newe science that men lere.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)122/6 : Many men seke science, and few men seke conscience.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)1/10 : Þouȝ I..be a man sumwhat endewid in lettirur, ȝet dar I not take up-on me for to be dettour on-to hem þat be endewid in sciens mor þan I.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Horns (LdMisc 683)69 : Was neuer clerk, by rethoryk nor scyence, Koude alle hir vertues reherse on-to this day.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)61/31 : Euery of his subgectis sholde do their officys..the clergie attende to their science and diuyne servyce.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)51/34 : But clerkis which that haue science, witte, or grette experience..if thei..will nat kepe humble pacience nor continence in religion..their trespas is the more.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4493 : A buerne wise, Calcas..was..A Sad man of siens.
- a1550(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Sln 1873)2564 : Life is shorte & science is full longe.
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.316 : Iustice he was ful often in assise..For his science and for his heigh renoun.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)222/15 : Noþur personell auctorite, science, oþur naturall sotelte..shuld cause anny man to presume ouerfarre of Goddes priuete.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)4/22 : Hit is a noble..thinge for a man or a woman to see..hem-self in the mirrour of auncient stories..And therfor a parti, after my science, whiche is not..gret, y will shew you.
- a1456 Marmaduke SSecr.(Ashm 59)211/19 : Þou shalt have þy charite haboundantly, suffisaunt scyence for governe þee al þy lyve.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)738 : What seruit it your sciense of þe seuon artes That þou sogh not your sorow þat thee suet after?
3.
(a) A branch of knowledge or of learning; also, a treatise on a branch of knowledge; (b) the seven sciences, the seven liberal sciences, the seven sciences liberal, the) sciences seven, = the seven (liberal) artes [s. v. art n.(1) 1. (a)]; (c) the proficiency in a branch of knowledge acquired by a particular person.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.205 : Þis Caton made a grete sciens of vertues and of þewes [Higd.(2): science moralle; L scientiam moralem] þat is i-cleped Ethica Catonis.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1643 : The ferste, which is Theorique, And the secounde Rethorique, Sciences of Philosophie, I have hem told.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1139 : Ther be sciences By whiche men make diuerse apparences.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)328b/b : Gemetri is a science of mesurynge and metynge.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)15/17 : If he haue þe science of knowynge of vertues, þe science of spiritis schal nouȝt be hid fro him.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)172/17 : Of þe galle we makiþ noon anothamie, for al oure science makiþ noon mencioun of a wounde in þe galle.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.146 : In oþer science it seiþ, I saiȝ it in catoun, Qui similat verbis..Ac theologie techiþ vs not so.
- (1421) RParl.4.158a : Man hath thre things to governe..the whiche ought..ben principaly reweled by thre Sciences, that ben Divinite, Fisyk, and Lawe.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)0b/a : Þer is double Cirurgie, s. teching, which is apropred by þe name of science [L scientie], which som man may haue þof al he wirke neuer, And vsing, which is apropried by þe name of crafte [L artis].
- (c1426) Paston2.511 : Othir meyntenours of the same science [law] nowe in the Kynges tendre age.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)77/1 : Vppon þis fable may be taken manye vnderstandinges, and namely vppon þe science of astronomye.
- (1447) RParl.5.137a : That thei..may ordeyne..a persone sufficiantly lerned in gramer, to hold..a Scole in the same science of gramer.
- a1450 Chauliac(4) (Cai 336/725)14/3 : He was þe grettiste forsoþe in science demonstratif.
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)150/14 : Some other wisemen..mokked hem..saing þat suche science as gramer, retorique, & poetrie were not behovinge to gete no grete wisdome.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)24 : Cesar..caused þat þe romanes sent oute wise men gretly lerned in secular sciens to mesur all þe world.
- c1450 Metham Palm.(Gar 141)84/3 : Thales Mylesyes..fyrst dyd wryte the syens off cyromancy.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)8/16 : Thus lerned he þe smale scienses, as spellyng, reding, and constrewyng in his ȝong age.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)49/23 : Speculatijf science is departid and braunchid forþ into methaphisik..natural philosophie..medicinal philosophie and..astronomye, geometrie, arsmetrie, and musik.
- a1475(c1450) Shirley SSecr.(Add 5467)255/13 : He..put hym-self to studying..vpon the science spiritualle and contemplatives and charitablez [F les sciences espirituelles et contemplatiues et charitiues].
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)133/18 : All thyng in whiche good mesur and reules ought to be kepte may well be called a science.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)428 : Manye sciensis ben vsid in scole þat profiten not to goddis lawe.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1683, 1685-7 : Science perspectyfe gevith grete euydence..And so doon othir sciencis many mo, And specially the science de pleno & vacuo. But the chief mastres a-monge sciencis all For helpe of this arte is magyke naturall.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)58/26 : Mydrydates..comprised so many sciences that he spake xxij langages.
b
- a1400 Alle-mighty god in trinitie (Roy 17.B.17)38/206 : Alle..maisters of alle þo science seuen, þo ioye þat þere is & þo mede mighten not think.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)36,48 : Þe tale vs telles, who to it tentes, Þat þai kowth al þe seuyn sienz..þe Emperoure..said..'My son I wil ȝe haue..And I wil þat ȝe teche him..Þe sutelte of sience seuyn.'
- ?a1425 Const.Masonry(1) (Roy 17.A.1)556 : He commensed yn the syens seven; Gramatica ys the furste syens..Dialetica the secunde, [etc].
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)234 : The lady callyd Dame Sapience To-fore whos fface..Wern the sevyn sciences called lyberall..First ther was Gramer..Logyk..Rethoryk..Musyk..Arsmetryk..Gemetrye, And alderhyhest stode Astronomye.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)148 : They lete reren a halle..The sevene sciens payent therin.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)9893 : Þe suteltes of science seuyn þor ware to red on raw full ryȝt.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)306/19 : He..lernyd þe vij scians liberall.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2667 : He can al langagis..And the vij sciencis, & eke lawe of Armys.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)141/12 : Soffyr and comaunde to þi sogettys to do lern her chyldyr in alle honest syens, and in specyal in þe seuyn lyberal syens.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)501,506 : The vij science to lerne and can Shuld noon but only a noble man..wherfore olde sagis dide theym calle The vij sciencis liberalle.
- a1500 Consideryng effectually (Cmb Hh.4.12)35 : My frendes me told it is thy furtheraunce To lerne the vij science replenyschyd with delite.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.896 : They..seyn if that they espied were Men wolde hem slee by cause of hir science.
- ?c1400 Sloane SSecr.(Sln 213)10/22 : Wher-to asked ȝe þis of me to assay my science?
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)608 : Off this Mede..Sumwhat of here wol I say..Off here science & of here kunnyng.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)5990 : My shame..hath byn hydde..Thurgh my Connyng and my science, Which ys now lost thorow youre negligence.
- a1500 15c.Serm.Cycle(Hrl 2247:Powell)105/92 : If þer myght be founde such a kunnyng leche or crafty man þat cowde and wolde bi his science and helefull medicyns recure sike men sodenly..he be callid a maister.
4.
(a) A skill, handicraft; a trade; (b) skillfulness, cleverness; also, craftiness.
Associated quotations
a
- c1485(?a1400) Child Bristow (Hrl 2382)71 : Hit hath euer be myn avise To lede my lyf by marchandise..Here at Bristow dwellith on..His prentys wille y be vii yere, His science truly for to lere.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)157/22 : Ych man haþe by ȝyft of þe Holy Gost grace forto lerne a science by þe wheche he may gete his lyfolde [read: lyflode] wyth trewþe.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)32a/1 : For eueriche syence þat is wroght with handis is best to cune with experyence and sight of Assay.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1459 : Uluxes..broght hem [Calypso and Circe] into such a rote That upon him thei bothe assote; And thurgh the science of his art..he begat Circes with childe. He kepte him sobre and made hem wilde.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)11.207 : Shal neuere good appel Þorw no sotel science on sour stock growe.
5.
?A learned man; -- ?error for scient adj. as noun.
Associated quotations
- a1456 Marmaduke SSecr.(Ashm 59)221/19 : Leorne of þe noblest sciences to enriche þy reaumes by þeire conninge, and beo to hem þeire prerogatyff and support..give hem of þi gode, to-fore oþer scoliers.