Middle English Dictionary Entry
sittē̆r(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sittē̆r(e n. |
| Etymology | From sitten v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One who sits; (b) a rider; ~ of (on) hors; (c) one who sits to eat, a partaker of a meal; ~ at mete; wine ~, a frequenter of taverns; (d) a name for a hare; fern ~, fold ~, q.v.; (e) one who is present in a company; ~ abouten, a bystander; (f) one who occupies a special or pre-eminent seat; ~ bisiden, an associate; ~ in se, a successor to a throne; chef ~, a ruler; (g) one who occupies property as a tenant.
Associated quotations
a
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)457 : Syttare: Sessor, sestrix.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)131.481 (v.2:p.352) : At the nether ende of these leddrys .. was set a chayer and oon sat theron with hys face curyd, and anoon forthwith Ihesu and his modyr pullyddyn vp the leddere by the stauys therof, tyl the chayer and the syttere wern entrid into heuene.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.22.25 : Þe angel stood in þe narwnessys of two stonyn wallys..whom seeyinge, þe asse Iunede hym self to þe wal & brysede þe foot of þe sittere [L sedentis].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.3.25 : Forsothe sum hors apeeride to hem, hauynge a dreedful sitter [L sessorem], ournyd with best hillyngus.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)31 : Now of þe hors þat stant at laterane and of þe sitter þat is up on him schal..be our processe, for summe men sey þat it was mad in worchip of grete constantine, but it is not soo.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)141.245 (v.2:p.401) : Sodeynly cam to hym a terrible and a ferful hors, but a more terrible and a more ferful sittere thervpon.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.105 : Hit is redde in the secunde boke of the Machabees that a ferefulle sitter of an hors apperede and caste hym downe.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)32.17 : The sittere on that hors sall noght be safe in habundaunce of his vertu.
c
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)22 : Ȝe wyn & ale sitteris..spenden þe halyday in gloteny & in waaste..& alleso wastith ȝowre good & oþer mennes to.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)457 : Syttare, at mete: Conviva.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)5656 : Soon aftyr þis at a super In symoundys hous whan Ihesu was, And oon of þe sytters was seyd Lazer..Marye..wyth a ful precyous oynement Crystys feet to a-noynte deuouthly went.
d
- ?a1300 Names Hare (Dgb 86)350/36-8 : Þe sittere, þe gras-hoppere, Þe ffitelfot, þe foldsittere, Þe liȝtt-fot, þe fernsittere.
e
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)1 Cor.14.30 : But if ony thing be schewid to a sittere, the formere be stille.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9140 : When the hond of þat hend to þe hede yode, Hit semyt by sight of sitters aboute, As the moron mylde meltid aboue.
f
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.56 : A grete semble..of al manere of Men..crieden wiþ heiȝe voice, 'helþe to oure god, þat sitter vpon þe throne.'
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.171 : He seiȝ þe sitters [F seanz] on her seges.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Kings 1.48 : Blessed þe lord god of israel þat ȝaf to dai a sittere in my see seeynge myn eȝyn.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.41.21 : Shame ȝee..fro þe cheef sittere [L præsidente] & of þe myȝti, of lesing.
- a1400 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Pep 2498)p.29 : He was rauysscht vp in to heuene and seiȝ a sege sett in heuene and on þe sege a sytter.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Apoc.5.1 : Y say in the riȝthond of the sittere on the trone a book writun with ynne and with out.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)49.5 : He cumand to deme sall call heuen, that is all perfite men, to be siters with him and deme.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)139/38 : Than anone scholde stonde afor al the folke one of his consaillours that wer y-callide amonge ham costeers, that is to say, sitteres bysydde.
g
- (1405) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.33 : The forsaide Baillies, Burgeis, and Comuners shul graunte, for hem and for her heires..and in speciall to Piers Helmeth of Bliburgh, sitter [vr. sitture] on the fee of forsaide sir Roger on the place, that was sumtyme Robertes of Bacham..þat thei shul bene quyte of al maner of Custumez.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Dc.45 Artist.Recipes (Dc 45) 149/12 : An ymage syttynge ys ycallyd a 'sytter', and an ymage stondynge ys ycllyd a 'stonder'.
Note: Glossary: "sytter n. 'seated sculpture'."
Note: New sense, or ?poss. modify sense (a).