Middle English Dictionary Entry

sinne n.
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Entry Info

Forms sinne n. Also cinne, (chiefly N or early) sin(e, (chiefly SEM or K) sen(ne, zen(ne, (chiefly WM, SW) sun(ne & (early acc.) sinnæ, sunnæ, (gen.) sinne(n, senne, sunne, (dat.) sinne & (errors) sennne, sum; pl. sinnes, etc. & sinnen, sinnus, (K) zennen & (early) sinna, sinnæ(n, sennen, seonne, sunne(n, sunna(n, sun(n)æn, (gen.) sinna, sinne, sinnæ, sine, sunne(n, sunna, (dat.) sin(n)um, sunnen & (?error) siynnes, (errors) schennen, sennnen. For the forms suynne, syni, syynne, and zynne see LALME 4.252.
Etymology OE syn(n, senne; in 4.(c) the sense is prob. influenced by ON: cp. OI syn denial, pl. synjar need, difficulty.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) Opposition to God's will, moral obliquity; moral evil, understood as offensive to God; bondes of ~; under ~, enslaved by sin; (b) a state of sin, sinfulness; -- also pl.; dwellen (lien, liven, etc.) in ~; fallen in-to ~, of Adam: to lose innocence; haven ~, be sinful; (c) in cpds. & combs.: ~ bende(s; ~ betende, a penitent; ~ bote, penitence, amends for sin, penance; also, confession; ~ craft, ?evil art; ~ doinge; ~ quenchinge, abstersive of sin; ~ thought, sinful thoughts; ~ wod, mad with sin; sinne(s wound.
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2.
(a) An individual act contrary to divine moral law, a sin; (b) coll. sins, the sins of an individual; (c) specif. sexual sin, lechery; to ~ ward, toward sexual sin; (d) aquenchen ~, quenchen sinne(s, etc., to wipe away sin(s, expunge sin(s; assoilen of sinne(s, absolve (sb.) from sin(s; beten sinne(s, bien ~, bien awei sinnes, make atonement for sin(s; taken ~ on (unto), take responsibility for (someone's) sin; (e) don sinne(s, ifremmen sinnes, i)werken sinnes, maken ~; don ~ to, to injure (the soul) by sinning; (f) foryeven sinne(s, to forgive sin(s; also, forgive (sb. his) sin(s; foryeven sinnes to, grant forgiveness of sins to (sb.); (g) in proverbs and prov. expressions.
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3.
(a) A basic vice, root of sin; one of the seven (or eight) deadly sins; seven dedli (hed, hedli) sinnes, dedli) sinnes seven [see also dedli adj.3., hedli adj., hed n.(1) 5b.(b), and seven num.1b.(a)]; (b) a specific named sin; ~ ayen kinde, ~ of sodom, etc.; sinnes of bodies, sexual sins; (c) in phrases describing categories of sin: ~ mortal, dedli (gret, mortal) ~, a serious sin, mortal sin, understood as qualifying the sinner for damnation [see also mortal adj.4.]; ~ of adam (the first man), ~ originale, originale ~, adames (first) ~, etc., original sin [see also originale adj.(1) 1.(b)]; actual ~, a sin committed by one's own act [see also actual adj.2.(b)]; litel (venial) ~, a less serious sin, not damnable.
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4.
(a) An injury, a harm; crime; also, a proclivity to vice, baseness; a)bien ~, to pay the penalty for (a crime); bien sinnes, make recompense for crimes by a money payment; (b) with diminished force: something regrettable, something dishonorable; a shame, pity; (c) for no ~, nought for ~, for love ne for ~, not at all, for no consideration, for no opposition.
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5.
?Error for sinner(e n.; ? = 1.(a).
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Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)165/5 : Galilee spealeð hweol forte learen us þet we of þe worldes turpelnesse & of sunne hweol ofte gan to schrifte.
    • Note: Additional quote(s)
    Note: ?collocation ~ whele
    Note: [Nero:sunne wheole; Cai: sunne hƿeol; L: volubilitate mundi; F: la roe de la destablete du monde]
    Note: This quot. found under sense 4.(b) of MED whel(e n.(1): "the wheel used fig to suggest cyclical recurrence, conrinual motion etc., a regular cycle, an endless repetition, a circular process".
  • c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)138.18 : Ha God, ȝif þou sle þe synȝers, helpe me; ȝe men suiled wyþ sinȝe, bowe fro me.
    • Note: New spelling: sinȝe

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