Middle English Dictionary Entry
senāt(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | senāt(e n. Also cenate, senaht, senas, (?error) sonas. |
| Etymology | OF senat, senaz & L senātus. The first quot. in sense (a) may represent *senath, var. of ME sinod n.; cp. OE seonoþ & ME sinað (Lay.Brut 1 2645). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The ancient Roman senate; also, the members of the senate; (b) the ruling council of the Jews; (c) the governing body of a city.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12670 : Þis weoren þa sixe þe þat senaht [Otho: Rome-lond] al biwusten.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.2869 : He seide unto the tuelve, Whiche of the Senat weren wise, 'I have deserved the juise.'
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1475 : Þe riche poeple and þe senas [LinI: sonas] Spaken to-gedres of þis cas.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.170 : Shal I clepe it thanne a felonye or a synne that I have desired the savacioun of the ordre of the senat?
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.640 : Scipioun..a consuleer And cheeff bisshop to gouerne ther cite, To al the senat patroun most enteer.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2263 : Whan Marcus doon hadde as þat he was bode, The senat axid hym what was his reed.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)149 : The Romaynes, while thair counsell callid þe senate was gret, gate..the lordshippe off gret partye of the world.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)62 : Whiche terme senate is as moche for to say a companie of aged men assembled togither.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)86/10 : He faught..agayn some of the myghty men of Rome that wolde haue putte vndir the Senatt.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.1.10 : The peple that is in Jerusalem and in Judee, and the senate [vr. cenate; WB(2): elde men; L Senatusque], and Judas, to Aristoble..helthe of soule.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.11.27 : Kyng Antiochus to the senate [WB(2): eldre men; L senatui] of Jewis and to other Jewis, helthe.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.237 : At the cite of Verone..the kyng..caste hym to transporten upon al the ordre of the senat the gilt of his real majeste.