Middle English Dictionary Entry
serving(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | serving(e ger. Also servand, survinge, sourwing, (early) serevunge. |
| Etymology | Cp. serven v.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Serving God or a pagan deity; performing rites, worshipping; a kind of service performed for God; ~ the quer, performing the duties associated with the choir of a church; parishe ~, the obligation of parishioners to attend and support the local parish church; (b) feudal allegiance, homage; (c) the manner of serving at table; ~ bord, a table used for serving food; ~ cloth, a cloth used in serving at table; (d) the tending of plants; (e) making legal delivery.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4038 : Heo þer offreden aððeles madmes & þonkede Appollin his gode..Þa þe seruuinge [Otho: seruise] wes idon.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4046 : Al þat wæl & al þat gold..wes al isomned & [read: at] þere sereuunge.
- a1350 Iesu suete is (Hrl 2253)31 : Iesu..þou ne askesd me non oþer þing bote trewe loue & eke seruyng.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)1 Cor.12.6 : Þer ben dyuerse seruynges, bote it is al on Lord.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.8.15 : Ȝee hafe not tane eft þe spyrite of seruynge in drede; but ȝee hafe tane þe spyryte of adopcyoun of þe childre of god.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.57/18 : Moony stryves were i-meved..vppon þe tithis of corne and heye of half j hide of þe prior þe which was of Henry Bewfiȝt in Thumele, with þe obuencions, offrynges, small tithis, and parishe servyng of þere men þere levyng.
- (1477-9) Rec.St.Mary at Hill80 : Paid to Iohn Modley for servyng the quere for þe termez of Mydsomer & Mighelmasse..for eythir quarter vj s. viij d.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)9/12 : The werkes of the flesche are openly i-knowe, the whiche are these, fornycacion, vnclennes, lecherie, servynge of mawmettis, [etc.].
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)320 : This Erle hath a lampe..þe lampe of hooly scripture, yn þe which he seith knowlyching of þe soule, and vertuys in serving.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2694 : Ȝour satrapaires, ȝour seruant, with seruand [Dub: seruise] obeschen: Sire, we haue wayued to ȝow writtis, [etc.].
c
- c1425(?a1400) Arthur (Lngl 55)52 : He let make þe Rounde table..And alle hadde oo seruyse, For no pryde scholde aryse For any degree of syttynge Oþer for any seruynge.
- (1447) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.14 : Item, for j tabyllcloth, ij towellys, ij Sowrwyngclothys, viij s. ix d.
- (1454) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)354 : Firste, ij Survinge bordes.
- (1482) Doc.Manor in MP 3458 : Solutum Rogero Clement pro factura le dressores et le seruyngbordes in coquina.
d
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.251 : In ver is their seruynge [L Ministrabunt autem vere].
e
- (1465) Paston (EETS)1.313 : As for the writtes of replevyn, they were delyuerd openly be-for the juges to the scheryf, and also other writtes wech Jamys Gresham brought..Richard Calle spake wyth the high scheref for the servyng of hem.