Middle English Dictionary Entry
sixtẹ̄n(e num.
Entry Info
| Forms | sixtẹ̄n(e num. Also sixetene, sexten(e, -tiene, cextene. |
| Etymology | OE sixtīne, -tēn(e, sextēne. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Cardinal number as adj.: sixteen; ~ sithe; (b) cardinal number as noun: sixteen persons, parts, years; also, the abstract number sixteen; (c) in compound numbers: ~ hundred, five score and ~, nin hundred sixti and ~, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)26/24 : He..betæhte hine on þan hæfte sixtene cæmpen to healdene.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)572 : Eleazar Sextene suness haffde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)554 : Sixtene siðe tuenti scipen tuhten from hauene.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)156/5 : Deale we nu þis lim o sixtene stucchen.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)304 : Sire henri..was at his sacringue, And sixtene bischopus al-so.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1907 : For sextene ger ioseph was old, Quane he was in-to egipte sold.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.15.41 : Þis is þe possession of þe lynage of þe sonys of Iuda..citees sixetene [vr. sexteen] & þe tounys of hem.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1055 : He hath..unto his retienance Sextiene sterres.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9172 : Sexten yeir regnand was he þan.
- c1410 Chaucer CT.Mch.(Cmb Dd.4.24)E.1417 : I wol noon old wyf haue in no manere; She shal not passe sextene [Heng: xx; vr. xvj] ȝer certeyn.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)199a : Sixtene ounces makyn a pounde.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)67 : Cextene: Sedecim.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)7526 : Þer comen sexten schipe to londe.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)332 : Sexten sythe: sedecies.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)1239 : There theuys to me [read: theuys come] syxtene [rime: kene].
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)565 : Eȝȝþerr hird..Todæledd wass þohhwheþþre; Onn hirdess rihht sextene.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3938 : xxx þousand forsoþe y wene Fouȝten þer oȝain sextene.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)327a/a : Þe haluendel of foure and sixty is two and þritty and half þer of is sixtene.
- ?c1425 Craft Number.(Eg 2622)6/9 : Compositys ben nomburs þat bene componyt of a digyt & of an articulle as..fyftene, sextene.
- ?a1425 My dere sone wher (Lamb 491)40 : Whan four in his top bene, Þan shal ȝe call hym sowmet an hert of sixtene.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13305 : Arður þider hafde isend sixtene þusund baldere Brutten.
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)41 : Sixtene hundred of horsmen hede þer here fyn.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.31.40 : Of þe soulys of men sixtene þousont fellyn into þe part of þe lord two & þritty soulys.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.37 : Þe date was nien hundreth sexti & sextene.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3348 : Six hundrid þousand seuenti & sixtene Were slayn þere.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3821 : Him folowed a thousand, Of sithid chariotis & soo & sextene hundreth..camels and mules.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15151 : Gold and syluer..five score and sixteen unces.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)823 : Ther wern indeede..Bi cristis lawe turnyd bi myracle To the noumbre thousandis ful sixtene To the chirche of Crist.
2.
Ordinal number: (a) as adj.: sixteenth; (b) as noun: the sixteenth chapter, thing, year.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3338 : Tytan in þe zodyak spere..had take his se, Of þe Bole in þe sixtene degre.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)5/11 : Þe sixtene chapitre.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)39b/b : Þe sinewes semen enplanted to þe teþe, as galien seide in þe sextene boke afore nemnede.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10639 : The sextene day sothely..The boldmen to bent bounet full þicke.
b
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.58/22 : The yeir of incarnacioun of oure Lord mc and Lti and nyne, of the reigne of kynge Richard the secunde the sixtene.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)57/22 : The sixtene is þat al..soules maken here willes euer acorde to þe will of god.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)116/11 : The syxtene is of chastyte þat longyth to a kynge or a prince.
3.
Sixtieth; sixty; containing sixty; -- prob. ult. based on an erroneous reading or interpretation.
Associated quotations
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)332 : Sexten..sexagesimus, sexagenus, sexagenarius.