Middle English Dictionary Entry
sinner(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sinner(e n. Also sinnier, sinnour, seiner, sunger(e, (K) zeneȝere & (in surnames) siniere, suniere, cenner; pl. sinneres, etc. & sinȝeres, (error) synmeris. |
| Etymology | From sinnen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One who breaks the divine law, one who offends God, a sinner; sinneres of adam and eve, the whole human race, descendants of Adam and Eve; (b) a non-Christian, heathen; (c) one who commits sexual sins; also, a drunkard [quot.: Spec.Chr.(2)]; ~ of bodi; (d) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)33/5 : Ac sleuþe and uoryetinge blendeþ þe zeneȝeres þet hi ne zyeþ naȝt ine þe boc of hire inwytte.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)113/33 : Be þe riȝte of þe cort of dom, þe zeneȝere ssolde by demd and ycondemned to dyaþe eurelestinde.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.135 : As þai fledden here þe compaignye of synners, so þai shullen fleiȝe þe peynes [Hrl 3913 adds: þat god shal ȝiue to synmeris].
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)1.1 : Blesced be þe man þat..ne stode nouȝt in þe waie of sinȝeres.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)1.6,7 : Ne schal nouȝt þe wicked arise in iugement, ne þe sinniers in þe conseyl of þe ryȝtful, For..þe waye of synners schal perissen.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.65.20 : The synnere of an hundrid ȝer shal be cursid.
- c1390 Form Conf.(1) (Vrn)342 : I crie god Merci..seoinge my sunnes..and not schewyng hem, but be Ioye of hem and of me sungere [vr. sunger].
- c1390 Psalt.Mariae(1) (Vrn)183 : Beryng fruit of whos sauour..Olde Adames sone, þe furste synnour, Þat holden was wrecchedliche.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)20/3 : Cristis stondinge & knockinge at þe dore is þe euerredynesse of his grace to entre in to þe synner.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)338/36 : To hise feeldes I sente sonne and reyn as I do to a riȝtwiis mannys feeld, & oftentymes a synner haþ moore þan a riȝtwiis man.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)576 : Wise is that synner that dothe his lif a-mende.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)35/442 : Þe sunner schal be þrowin down to þe brennyng veir of helle.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)51/4 : The wikkidnes he seith of synneris han ouerpassid here hede.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1017/9 : Who myght be so blyssed that myght se opynly Thy grete mervayles of secretnesse there where no synner may be?
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)27 : Þus was Crist callid a synnar and blasfemer and þe cursidist man in ȝerþe.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)1 : Remembre ye not how the prophetes seiden how that god shulde come in-to erthe for to saue the synners of Adam and Eve?
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)34 : Thou comyn synner that euer contynuse in manyfold synnes, what syn that euer thou has offendid in forsake and fle fro hit.
- a1500 Tundale (Adv 19.3.1)847 : So schall ther sowlys have lasse peyn Wen dethe to grond hathe hom slayn And the seyner from all peyn wende To the blysse with owtten ende.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)114/28 : To do guod to ham þet ous doþ guod..þet deþ þe paen and þe sarasyn and oþre zeneȝeres.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)201/19 : Hit Is not mervell yf god moch done for the oryson and Prayer of a crystyn good man of good Lyfe, whan he did So myche for Pagans and Synnyers.
c
- a1450 *Aelred Inst.(2) (Bod 423)907 : Seest thou not hov mary Magdalen, that blessed synner, wasshith iesus feet with teres.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)470/31 : Som tyme þer was a bisshop þat grawntid a place of beriall in þe kurk vnto a riche man..þat was a synner of his bodie.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)68/28 : Wyl thou not be in feestes of synners, ne in here juncryes that ȝeuen flesch to ete.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)695/17 : Fornatrix: a sinner.
d
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1154 : Edith Siniere.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1229 : Galfr. le Suniere.
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 2154 : Emma le Cenner.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)138.18 : Ha God, ȝif þou sle þe synȝers, helpe me.
Note: New spelling: singular--sinȝer--per MLL
Note: Quot. belongs to sense (a).--per MLL