Middle English Dictionary Entry
shreue n.
Entry Info
| Forms | shreue n. Also shreu, shroue, screu(e, scroue, shereu(e, chereue, (K) shreaue, (SW) ssreue, (early) sreue & (errors) schorwe, swerwe, schre; pl. shreues, etc. & shreuen(e, screuen, chreuen, shereuen, (SW) ssreuen(e & (errors) scherwrs, schewys. |
| Etymology | Prob. OE scrēawa shrewmouse; cp. MHG schröuwel, schrowel, schrewel devil. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A rascal, rogue; a wicked person, an evildoer; also, an unruly or ill-disciplined child; also iron. [quot.: Idley]; maister ~, the greatest rogue; (b) cursed (ebere, fals, mansed, olde, etc.) ~; gret (muche, more, most) ~; (c) in proverbs and prov. expressions; (d) as a term of abuse: rascal, rogue, villain; (e) as adj.: wicked, evil.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)287 : Ne lust me wit þe screwen chide.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)5/56 : Þe king hadde al to fewe Toȝenes so vele schrewe [vr. srewe].
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)27/47 : It was a schenful dede Þat þe schrewene [Corp-C: ssrewene] neren a-schamede nouȝt.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)321 : Þe shrewen þer-afterward þe Martyrs lete aquelle.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3020 : Þe ssrewen dude seþþe to þis lond suiþe moche wo.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)18/403 : Sixte þe scherewe, ho be itte?
- a1350(a1325) SLeg.Cec.(Ashm 43)182 : Hou geþ þis? beþ þer ȝut screwen mo? Artou valerianes wif?
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1828 : Be Mohoun þan swer þe schrewe þat he nolde ete no bred.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.5 : Mempricius..forsook his wyf..and vsede sodomye, as a schrewe schulde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.959 : He [Vulcan] was a schrewe in al his youthe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14825 : Þan come þai to þe phariseus, Of all þai war þe maister schreus.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)4.67 : Consience & þe king..wisten wel þat wrong was a shrewe [vr. cherewe] euere.
- c1400 Life Soul (LdMisc 210)2/4 : Þe first lif is þe lif of þe body and þis lif han boþe goode men and schrewis.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.2.138 : Goode folk moten be myghty, and schrewes feble and unmyghti.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)34/27 : Ȝe, als schrewes and euyll men, euer mare trowez ill.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)151/169 : To Bedlehem bus ȝe wende That schorwe [read: schrowe] with schame to schende.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4457 : We schole neuere blynne For to ffyȝte wiþ Crystene schrewe.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.4 : Þere is none more parelouse pestilence Þan hyhe estates gyffen vnto schrewes.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)15904 : Asmody..has power swylke scherwrs [vr. shrews] to shende.
- c1470(?1458) Wey Prevision (Bod 565)7 : Be not to moche byfore, nether to fer byhynde yowre felowys, for drede of screwys.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)695/31 : That knyght semyth a shrewe.
- a1475 Friar & B.(Brog 2.1)p.53 : We have a boy that with us wonys; He is a schrewe for the nonys.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.1333 : If he woll fight, ye calle hym a fyne shrewe, And like to be a man if he swere grete othis.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)108 : Þou xall fynde ws schewys [read: schrewys] at all assays.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)113b : A Schrowe: Malifactor.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1106 : Twenty men were full fewe To take þe knyght, he ys soche a schrewe.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.319 : Þer schal no schrewe, no brygour, no lechour, no wyckyd lyuer entryn into þis cite.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1917 : Þe foure þat mest schrewes weren bi-þouȝten hem of guyle.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1877 : He was as luþer as is fader, gret ssrewe inou.
- c1390 Chart.Abbey HG (Vrn)358 : Þenne comen mony false schrewen and maden playnt on Crist.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)13662 : Herde ȝe þis lurdan..How he wolde lere vs of oure lay, Þat ebber shrewe in synne gete?
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3206 : Many baroun wel ful of þewe, Many ledron, many foule shrewe..Þe ost was tuelue mylen long.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)4.160 : Alle riȝtful..leten mekenesse a maistre and Mede a mansed schrewe.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)6.162 : Pieres..pleyned hym to þe knyȝte To kepe hym..fram cursed shrewes.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)77 : He telles me þose traytoures arn typped schrewes.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)133/4 : Þe modur..swaþeþ hit wiþ a cursede swaþe bond of alle maner synnes..forte hit be an olde scherewe.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)230 : Whil þou were a ȝong boy, a moche schrewe þou were.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.5.193 : Every wikkid schrewe..is the more gredy aftir othir folkes rychesses.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.4.31 : He hadde wikkid corage of a likerous schrewe and of an accusour.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)57/23 : In schort tyme..comyth an-oþer fals schrewe, an elde man, to þe same preste.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.1662 : It is contrarie to alle goode thewes..Hatful to alle sauff to cursid shrewes.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)592 : All if þe Sowdane thus be dede, Thay will haue anoþer newe, A more schrewe þan was the toþer.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)665/24 : The olde shrew sir Launcelot smote me downe.
- (1473) Paston (EETS)1.458 : Herry Halman hathe pleyed the false shrowe and fellyd my woode.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)1912 : Maboun, þat more schrewe, To-karf þat sworde of Lybeawe.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)387 : He was the most schrew in alle paynym.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Pilate (Hrl 2277)99 : Tuei schrewen wolleþ freond beo, þeȝ no mo men nere.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)242/24 : Tweie ssrewen acordeþ sone.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)270 : O shrewe in a court many man may shende.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2388 : Dauid seith, Blisful is that man that hath nat folwed the conseilyng of shrewes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.44 : Practique..techeth..To fle the compaignie of schrewes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.746 : Vn to shrewes ioye it is and ese To haue hir felawes in peyne and disese.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.995 : Of euery ordre som shrewe is.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3060 : Ful selde ys synger gode yn thew, But þat yn sum poynt he ys a shrew.
- c1425 Siege Jerus.(1) (Hnt HM 128)866 : It is good wurche be auys who schal dele with schrewys.
- a1450 Bot witt pas (Add 37049)145 : Who so is copyld with a schrewe Wyrk wysely & say bot fewe.
- c1450(c1398) Paris St.Christina (Arun 168)20 : It was of hyme as of moo is: A sherew may gete a childe righte goode.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.57 : Thre freris and thre fox maken thre shrewys.
- c1450 Ryl.Prov.& R.(Ryl Lat 394)104 : For defaute of a good man, me settes a shrew on benche.
- c1450 Ryl.Prov.& R.(Ryl Lat 394)109 : Two frereus and a fox maken þre shrewes.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.325 : It is betere..to han on good child þan a þousant childryn schrewys.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)272 : Whenne she [wolf] is syke, she wold haue ben a lambe, But when she is Recoueryd, she is a shrewe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12547 : All a company is cumbrit for a cursed shrewe.
d
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1204 : Foule schrewe, fram ous go.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)109/2258 : He was wroþ..And cleped him sschrewe faderles.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.291 : Folk of wyues maken noon assay Til they be wedded; olde dotard shrewe!
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.365 : O leeue sire shrewe, Iesu shorte thy lyf!
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)7.142 : He..bad hym go pisse wiþ his plouȝ, 'pilide shrewe [vrr. sherewe, screwe, schre, swerwe]!'
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)2035 : Not þou þiselue, dotard, balled schrewe, Art þou a maystir?
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2779 : Thow wenes for to flay vs, floke-mowthede schrewe!
- a1450(?c1350) Pride Life (ChrC-Dub)421 : Þou lisst, screu, bolhed.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)123/221 : Shrew, Iape! Thus late as thou goys, what wyll men suppos?
e
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)200 : A schrewe lauedi heo was i-novȝ, and wicke þoruȝ alle þing.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2091 : So þei ssrewe robeours abbe hor wille.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)18/398 : Go hom, truant!..Scherewe houre sone.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)449 : Schrewe: Pravus.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)6511 : Pilate was schrew and slegh.
2.
(a) A devil; also, Satan; with ref. to devils: an evil creature; cursed (fals, malicious) ~; maister ~, a chief devil; (b) an evil or injurious creature; (c) a malignant planet; (d) a vice, bad quality; (e) a wicked trick; a bad idea, bad thing; (f) as adj.: unpleasant, nasty; ?also, of a tree: rotten.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Jas.(LdMisc 108)347 : A-ȝein þe deuel he cam a-doun and bad þane schrewe a-bide.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)280 : Ore louerd after is deþe..teide þane schrewe faste Inovȝ.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)142/373 : Þer-fore þer hys a mastrye [read: maystre] schreawe..For he hys heaued of schrewednesse.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)143/380 : Hou mytte schreaudnesse by, Bote scherewen were by [read: hy] Þat hy ferst þouȝte?
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)10.209 : Þei don vuele and þe deuel plesen, And aftur heore deþ day schul dwelle wiþ þe schrewe.
- (c1390) Chart.Abbey HG (LdMisc 210)341 : Þanne seyde þat false schrewe to Eue, 'Cur precepit vobis deus?'
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.917 : Thogh that the feend noght in oure sighte hym shewe, I trowe he with vs be, that ilke shrewe.
- (c1422) Hoccl.JWife (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)497 : What! the feend is a shrewe!
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)39.64 : He..sawh hire chonge..hire forme Into A schrewes liknesse, lik as sche was..A fowl fend.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)155 : This cursed schrewe..slowgh his bestes alle thus sone.
- a1450 SLeg.Suppl.Bod.(Bod 779)417/51 : We ne dood sacrefise to deuelin neuer-mo, for chreuin þey beþ alle.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)218/29 : Be þis eddur..is vndirstond þe dewell of hell, þe wiche is a maliciouse shrewe.
- a1500(?a1425) Chester Pl.Antichr.(Pen 399)500/266 : Gyve us, lorde, might and mayn, err we of this shrewe be slayne.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1567 : Þis gidie wrecche louede þis foule best [frog]..& let hit rere a noble court..to norssi þe ssrewe þer inne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.798 : This briddes name was..Corvus..And he, that schrewe, al that he can Of his ladi to Phebus seide.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1896 : As he sprent ouer a spenne, to spye þe schrewe..Renaud com richchande þurȝ a roȝe greue.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4854 : Þe screwe in þe schewere his schadow be-haldis.
- c1475 Five Puzzles (Brm)12 : Take iij schrewys: A waspe, A wesill, A woman.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)341 : Tho myȝt men se fyȝt wyth rape Betwene þe knyȝt & þe ape..Bot as þe schrewe began to gape, Hys swerd haþ pyȝt Into þe mouþ.
c
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.4.57 : That he be not retrograd, ne combust, ne joyned with no shrewe in the same signe.
- a1550(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Sln 1873)2948 : Fortune your ascendent with his lorde allso, Kepynge aspectis of shrewys them fro.
d
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)102 : Nu i wole nempne þe wicke þewes, Þat beþ noht gode, ac muche shrewes.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)106/207 : Ase god dyst [read: dyȝt] þeawes In alle gode men, Þe feend a-rayeþ þe schreawes In wykken þer a-ȝen.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.554 : In this forseyde deueles fourneys ther forgen thre shrewes: Pride..Enuye..contumelie.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)7350 : On seuene maners shal y shewe How lecherye þan ys a shrewe.
e
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)77/1644 : O, þouȝte he, her was a sscherewe!
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)629/2 : His yifte shold not fro that tyme be reuoked by ony machynacion or shrew.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)194/29 : If he [Christ] be goddys sone, he wyl brede a shrewe and werke us mech wrake.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)568 : Than seide Dodinell the sauage that it were a shrewe to go, for in this foreste is noon rescettes.
- c1500 PFulham (Rwl C.86)291 : Long absence is a sherew.
f
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)154/196 : Iseo ȝe quaþ on þis olde sticke þat ne ssel neuere iþeo, For it is formowed & forolded of a ssrewe [Hrl: aschene; Ashm: an scene] treo.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6718 : Nas þis of þis godwine a ssrewe & luþer dom!
- a1500 Galawnt pride (RwlPoet 34)31 : A schrewe syȝtt ytt ys to se -- Huff, a galawnt!
3.
(a) An overbearing woman; a malicious wife, scold; (b) a malicious blabbermouth.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Lord þat lenest (Hrl 2253)13 : In prude vch a screwe wol hire shrude.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2428 : I haue a wyf..of hir tonge a labbyng shrewe is she.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1896 : Þere þe wyfe ys a shrewe, þer ys wykked.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4366 : Þouȝ he shewe Þat som oon whilom was a shrewe, Þei þat be gode take shal noon hede.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)59 : Wymmenes speche that ben schrewes, Turne ofte a-way gode thewes.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)326/4 : Þou may happen wed a shrew at will be þi maister.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1282 : I have a Stepmodir: They been shrewis som.
- a1475 Mourn.Hare (Brog 2.1)51 : As a scrowe sche wyll me þret, And euer sche cryit, 'go, dooge, gooe!'
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)184 : The shrewe wepte, siȝid, & saide, 'Þou trowest not me.'
b
- c1390 Þe wyse mon in (Vrn)380 : He þat his tonge con not holde, In cumpaygnye a schrewe is tolde.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)246 : To any wyȝt þy counselle yf þou schewe, Be war þat he be not a schrewe, Lest he disclaundyr þe.
4.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1259) Close R.Hen.III436 : Rogerus le Shrewe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1475 Leve lystynes (Brog 2.1)p.30 : Hys pentyll…growethe all with-in þe here…ȝett the schrewe is hodles And of all thynge goodles!
Note: Definitely a unique use of this term (to describe a "pentyll"). Perhaps belongs to sense 1.(a) as figurative (fig.).--per MLL