Middle English Dictionary Entry
significāciǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | significāciǒun n. Also signifficacioun, significacione, significacoune, significasion, signeficacioun, singnificac(i)oun, (errors) signicacion, significion, sygnificion, fygnificacion. |
| Etymology | OF seneficacïon, significatïon, AF significatïun, signeficacïun & L significātio, -iōnis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A symbol; in ~, as a symbol, symbolizing; (b) symbolic meaning; also, interpretation [quots.: Lydg.Pilgr.]; (c) symbolization, representation; a gret ~, an important significance; thurgh ~, ?for symbolic purposes.
Associated quotations
a
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)339 : Upon his creste a rede hounde, The tayle henge to the grounde; That was sygnyfycacyoun [vr. in sygnyfycacyoun] The hethen folke to brynge downe.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5714 : On his crest a douve whyte, Sygnificacyoun [vr. Jn sygnyfycacoune] off þe Holy Speryte.
b
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)154/29 : Tho thinges han dyuerse significaciouns..the puttynge of the lityll fynger in the ere betokeneth..þat none of hem ne schall not here speke no contrarious thing to the Emperour.
- c1450 Rich.(Add 31042)281 : Singnyficacioun [Brunner: Sygnyfyaunce of the bell, With holy chyrche for to dwell].
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)2789 : Lo, her the sygnyfycacion And trewe demonstracion Off swerd & keyes.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)22234 : I..The thynges that I dyde se Prayed hir..That sche wolde anoon devyse There-off by exposicyoun A cleer sygnyffycacyoun.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)182 : Thre myghtys euery Cresten sowll has, Wyche bethe applyede to þe Trinyte..Mynde, Wyll, Ande Vndyrstondynge..Ȝe thre, declare þan thys, Yowr syngnyfycacyon and yowr propyrte.
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3380 : Þe mikel luue o rebecca þan feld þe soru o dame sarra, Suilk er in þis liue ful thikc Forgetes þe deid for þe quick; Bot þai it did for sum reson And thoru significacion [Bedf:Horrall: singnificacion].
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)96/10 : Þis think me ane of þe grettest meruailes þat I hafe sene..þat fischez..schall..profre þam self to þe deed..it es noȝt done withouten a grete significacion and a grete cause.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.1506 : Soo arn these thyngis tooknes of goddis oure To whom we ȝeue with herte grete honore, Not for her cause but for signifycacion Of the worthy whom thei represent.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)16/30 : Crist was noȝt circumcised for eny nede but for signyficacion..he..wolde vs to be circumcised fleschely and spiritually.
2.
(a) A sign, portent; (b) the meaning of an omen, a dream, etc.; palm. what is indicated by a line of the hand; physiog. what is indicated by a person's physical characteristics; (c) foretelling; theol. prefiguration.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4169 : Dremes ben significaciouns As wel of ioye as of tribulaciouns That folk enduren in this lyf present.
- a1450 Lydg.TB (Dgb 232)4.5998 : Signeficacioun [Aug: Þe fleynge of þis foule..was..signeficaunce Þat grace..myȝt nat contvne].
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)717/16 : The beste glatysaunte..was..a grete sygnyfycasion, for Merlyon prophesyed muche of that byeste.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)65/12 : Ye may not endur oon of you with anothir..By suche significacions ye may knowe that the hande of God [is] ouir you.
b
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)2929 : Thou behyhgtest forto tellen me here the signefycaciown [F senefiance] of the dragowns tweyne.
- c1450 Metham Palm.(Gar 141)90/1,4 : This owyth to be notyd that off euery lyne be-syde the foure princypalle lynys: Yff the colour be red, the sygnyfycacion ys for to come; and yff yt be pale..owdyr the sygnyfycacion ys pasyd or yt stondyth to none effecte.
- ?c1450 Chaucer HF (Pep 2006)17 : I..neuer thenke..To know of here significacions The gendres..ne þe causes [of dreams].
- c1475 Bk.Physiog.(Cmb Ll.4.14)222 : It is to knowe þat diuers singnificacouns of lymys beth ofte cordinge to gedir..þe singnificacouns of þe principall lymes..ffordemeþ all þe oþer.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)38 : These dragons..will fighten strongely..the bataile..hath grete singnificacion.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)39 : It was the tokenynge of thinges that were don and also of thinges that were to come..I will telle the significacion.
- ?a1500 Othea (Hrl 838)118/7 : Þerfor seyth prudence to þe good knyght þat he be not discomfort for no dreeme, wherof no man can tell þe significacioun proprely ne werto þei schal turne.
c
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.209 : The creaciones of wondres be causede otherwhile to the significacion of thynges to comme.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.219 : Also þer is fenyynge of signyficacion, & so Iacob as be mannys doom fenyyd hym to ben Esau..in Goddis doom it was..figure schewid be þe holy gost þat spac in hym.
3.
(a) A piece of evidence, an indication; also, a representation; in ~ of, as a representation of (sth.); (b) med. & surg. an indication, a symptom; also, a theoretical view of a set of symptoms [1st quot.]; (c) the physiognomical significance of a physical characteristic.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400 *Chaucer Astr.(Brussels 4869)[2.31] 92b : Now is thyn oiizont [read: orizont] departed in 24 parties by thyn azimutz in significacioun of 24 parties of the world.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)7.122 : In this mone is ek castracion Of hyues ronke of hony fild, the summe Wherof is this significacion, Al subtilly and smale yf that they summe, Al hugely..yf that they humme.
- ?c1450(a1388) Wallingford Exafrenon (Dgb 67)239 : Yofe all the planetis that are moyste came togedir in a moyste signe, in a moyste quarter of the yere, as in wynter, with a litil signification of humore, it sal be grete plente of rayne.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)70/29 : I had no signe nor apparence of thy [Hope's] comyng; For the maners of man nor the state of thinges present shewid me no manere significacion of þe.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)51a/b : Of disposicioun is y-take indicacioun; Of cause primitiue, as of not beyng, and tyme, significacion [vr. fygnificacion; L significatio].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)154a/a : Maister Arnold..treted beste al significacionz þat graunteþ & denyeþ fleobotomye by consideracioun of þingez natural & nouȝt naturale.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)147a/b : Þe singnyficacioun þat it [medicine] is stronger þen it owe to ben, it is þis: þe vlcus eche daie wexeþ more holowe.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)155b/a : Þe boþumme of a wounde is compound..seche wele wheþir þe signyficaciouns ben one oþer contrarie..ȝif þe tokens be contrarie, consider hem.
c
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)92/8 : Of heres and thaire significacions.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)96/26 : Eyen therfor full holow generaly as by rule have þe worst significacion.
4.
(a) The meaning or sense of a word, sentence, etc.; also, the significance of a fable, legend, etc.; also, the content of a message; (b) a name; (c) gram. a referent; the class of proper referents of a class of words; (d) gram. the capacity of a class of words to refer to something other than themselves; also, the way in which a class of words does so [1st quot.]; (e) gram. the voice of a participle; (f) numerical significance of a numerical figure.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)250a/a : Tabula is in oon significacioun a mete bord.
- c1405 Chaucer CT.Pars.(Elsm)I.608 : Lesynges..is fals signyficacion of word in entente to deceyuen his euene cristene.
- c1425 Wycl.Concord.in Spec.43 (Roy 17.B.1)272 : In Englisch also as in Latyn ben wordis equiuouse, þat is, whanne oon word haþ manye signyficaciouns or bitokenyngis.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)400 : Þouȝ a man purposing..him silf to preie..in langage which he vndirstondiþ not in þe propre significaciouns of þe wordis, [etc.].
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)389 : This word 'meede' or 'reward' mai be take propirli in his dewist and verriest maner of significacioun and bitokenyng.
- c1450 Peniarth Accedence(1) (Pen 356B)5/206 : A uerbe comyn..has þe letter of þe passyue and þe significion [read: significacion] of þe actyue.
- c1450 Peniarth Accedence(1) (Pen 356B)6/228 : Aduerbe: A party of spech þat ys vndeclynyt, þe wych ys cast to a verbe to declare and fulfyll þe sygnificion [read: sygnificacion] of þe verbe.
- c1450 Peniarth Accedence(2) (Pen 356B)16/312 : When þe genetyf case is not taker of þe signicacion [read: significacion] of þe superlatyf degre he shall acorde only wt þe substantyf.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)6/38 : For whan thou hast vndirstond the sothe of the significacions of the wordis..than shalt thou haue..that thou desirist.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)66/24 : Which is þe trewe and verri litteral vndirstonding of hooli scripture, doom of resoun muste trie..takyng euydencis from þe significacioun of þe wordis.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.109 : That the water of Mersee was somme tyme the terme..of the marches..may be schewede..by the significacion of the name, for Mersee in Englische sowndethe as a see terminatiue.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.371 : Fables were ordeinede to..vertuous exercise, that thauȝhe thynges be feynede, the significacion of theyme is profitable, as in Oratius of the mowse and wesylle.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.155 : His Goddes..deceyuede hym by a worde equiuocate, Alis, hauenge diuerse significaciones.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)85/29 : Thou askest..what maner..penaunce þou oweþ for to enioyne to syche..we answere and commaunden to execute the significacion of oure present lettres.
- a1500 Add.37075 Accedence (Add 37075)48/156 : How know ye a uerbe comyn? For he endith in -r and hath the significacion of the actyff and passiff both.
- a1500 Hatton Informacio (Hat 58)113/106 : All þe adiectiuis þat hathe þe significacion of a participull of a verbe passiue may be construyd wt a genityff case and a ablatyff case.
b
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)329/27 : Þerefore [þe] bylouede sone of þe fadere is takene & vnderstande in þat-manere significacione of wisdam custumablye.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)13 : Forasmoche as wysdom ys propyrly Applyede to þe Sune by resune..Therfor þe belowyde Sone hathe þis sygnyficacyon Custummaly, Wysdom.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)9b/a : Þe novnes ben I-clepid mene þat haueþ þe manere & fourme and significacioun of abstractis but þe vse & offys and witnesse of concretis, as lumen, sapiencia, and oþir swiche.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.1.42 : I deme al outrely that hap nis, ne duelleth but a voys, as who seith, but an idel word, withouten any significacioun [F significacion] of thing summitted to that voys.
- (c1434) Drury Wks.(CmbAdd 2830)81/89 : With what case construit þe posityf degre?..be cause of his significacion he may be construid with alle heme.
d
- c1450 Trin-C.Accedence (Trin-C O.5.4)40/383,385 : And [read: An] aduerbe..declareth the significacion of the verbe..The significacions of the aduerbe be diuerse, for summe be aduerbes of place and summe of tyme.
- c1450 Trin-C.Accedence (Trin-C O.5.4)43/533 : How many spyces hath the sygnificacion of interieccion? Foure: myrthe, as 'to gooderhele', as 'euax'; sorwe, as 'heu'; drede, as 'haa', id est 'metum'; wondryng, as 'pape', id est 'miror', et cetera.
e
- c1450 StJ-C Accedence (StJ-C F.26)28/494 : A participyl..takyth part of nown, part of verbe..of nown Gendyr and case..of þe verbe, Tyme and significacyon.
- c1450 Trin-C.Accedence (Trin-C O.5.4)41/443 : How many thingis falleth to a participle? Sexe: case, gendre, noumbre, figure, tyme, an sygnificacion.
- c1450 Trin-C.Accedence (Trin-C O.5.4)41/472 : How many significaciones haste in the participle? Fyue: actyf, passyf, neuter, comyn, and deponent, as hyt declareth in the verbes.
f
- ?c1425 Craft Number.(Eg 2622)3/22 : In þis craft ben vsid teen figurys, as..1..In þis verse is notifide þe significacion of þese figuris..Þe first signifiyth one.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. signification.