Middle English Dictionary Entry
sinnelē̆s adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | sinnelē̆s adj. Also sinles, sunneles, (K) senneles & (early) sinnelæs, (SEM) senneleas. |
| Etymology | OE synlēas |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Free from sin, without sin; never having sinned; (b) ?as adv.: blamelessly, innocently, without reproach.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5742 : He ne maȝȝ nohht sinnelæs Beon bliþe off aniȝ sinne.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6194 : Þa narrt tu nohht all sinnelæs Off-þat ȝho liþ i sinne.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11020 : Þatt iss min Sune, Allmahhtiȝ Godd..Soþ mann, all þweortt ut sinnelæs Off bodiȝ & off sawle.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)139/22 : Ðies mihte hie makeð þanne mann ðe hire wile folȝin senne-leas and scameleas to-foren godd and to-foren manne of ates and of drenches.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)3/62 : Ȝet senne-les ne may he nauȝt be, Ac a deyþe, and he not wanne.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)913 : O man sinles þan mad i þe.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)15.41 : That seeþ hym-self synneles cesse nat, ich hote, To stryke with stoon oþer with staf this strompett to deþe.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)2293 : Ihesu, þat synneles wasse, wit þat merk wold merket be.
b
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)7.214 : Miȝte I synneles [vrr. sunneles, senneles; B: synnelees] do as þou seist?
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)679/27 : Trystram..may love youre quene synles, because she is called one of the fayryst ladyes of the worlde.