Middle English Dictionary Entry
skī(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | skī(e n. Also scki, sci, skei, skige, skiȝe, schi(e & (error) skythe. |
| Etymology | ON: cp. OI skȳ; ult. same etymon as for ME skeu n.(1) but with loss of -w in nom. or from oblique case. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The sky, heavens, firmament; -- often pl.; also fig.; ~ of night, darkness, night; al the wateres under the ~, all the rivers, etc. in the world; bi o side of the ~, in the same quadrant of the sky; (b) astron. a sphere of the celestial realm; (c) astrol. a certain configuration of the heavens.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1289 Ancr.(Cleo C.6)226/7 : Skies [?c1225 (Cleo): Wið uten us, al þe world leitinde on swart lei up into þe skiwes].
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7954 : On boþe halue was swiche a cri, Men miȝt it here into þe sky.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.948 : The Planetes..stonde upon the Sky.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.503 : I nyste nat what was aduersitee Til I koude fle ful hye vnder the sky.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2742 : Þe smike it reches to þe scki.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23003 : Vp in þe ski [Phys-E: schi; Frf: skew] þe dome sal be.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)375 : Þe firmament, þat is to say The sky [Frf: lift], wiþ sterres grete & smale.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)480 : Neptenabus Made so stronge sorcery, And adressed it by þe sky, Þat it com to þe pauyloun Þere þat lijþ kyng Philippoun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1665 : Þe myst & euery cloudy skye Of fals tresoun and conspiracie Were tried oute.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2516 : It was weder, wele we knaw, Als fayre als any of scy might blaw.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)9543 : She dede magnyfye Alle hyr kynrede..wyth myraclys bryhter þan þe skye.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)633 : Sone as þe rede day rosen [read: ros on] þe schye, Bemes blowen anon.
- ?a1450 MLChrist (Add 39996)116 : Euer þe day helde his lyght Wiþout any skye of nyght.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)2708 : Of these foure stremes certainly Cometh alle the watres vndir the sky.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.59.40a : If he steiȝe in to heuene wiþ risinge of his herte and his heued touche þe skyes, atte laste ende he is kest out as a dounghep.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)75/99 : To þe I haue myn eyn sette þat dwellys above þe skyes in hefne.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)924 : Har dentes ferþe as þonder Þat comeþ out of þe skye [Lamb: skey].
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)27 : The seid hill was..as hygh..as fro the erthe to the skye.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5850 : Whanne þe mone is newe right, She is derke wiþ-oute light, And þat time þe sunne and she By oo side of þe sky shal be.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5893 : Þere ben heuenes þre, Wher-of one is þat we see Tornyng aboute and is þe sky.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6016 : The day was done, dymmet the skyes.
b
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)50 : Ðer ouer he flegeð & up he teð, til ðat he ðe heuene seð, ðurg skies sexe & seuene til he cumeð to heuene.
c
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1574,1583 : 'We seiȝen..Ouer ous a sky houe Þat ous schewed þe biȝate Of swi[che] a þing on erþe late Þurth was blod þe castel Schuld stond fair and wel'..'Þe sky þat ȝou schewed þat, It was þe fader þat me biȝat.'
2.
(a) A cloud; a nimbus of mist or vapor; a mist, fog; also fig.; (b) physiol. a smoky residue, cloudiness.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3255 : Bi-foren hem fleg an skige brigt.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3848 : Folgede hem ðat skie scir.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.116 : I seiȝ a white sky & vpon þat cloude satt þe maydens son Marie.
- 1372 Als a se (Adv 18.7.21)p.18 : Gloria mundi est Als a se flouwende, Als a skiȝe pasende.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1436 : With that word al sodeinly Sche passeth, as it were a Sky, Al clene out of this ladi sihte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.886 : Venus gan..hym schroude Vnder a skye and a mysty cloude.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5506 : Þis holy writ..was recorded first of Isaie, How þat oure lorde on an esy skye Ascende schulde.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2710 : A skie or an ougli cloude..ascendith lowe out of the se.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.1836 : To-morwe ther komth a sodeyn skie, Shewyng ther is a ful feynt surete Of them that doon for any comounte.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)41/30 : Juno..descended from heuyn in a skye for to take hire housbonde with the deede.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1600 : A certeyn wynd..lefte not a skye In alle the welken long and brod.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)3.1443 : O Iewes, blynde with the skye Of ignoraunce and malice indurate.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)3.1525 : Hym thought he sawe vpon a nyght..A sonne of man comyng with a skye.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)5.573 : Þus good feith is turnede vp syde dovne, And trwe menyng darkyd with a skye That we in Englisshe calle flaterye.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)11032 : Aryse two fful vnkouth skyes, Wonder blak off ther colours.
- a1500(a1400) Libeaus (Lamb 306)1189 : So watyr dothe of the skythe [?read: skyȝe], Off hym ranne the bloode.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.319 : Þer ben non skyys ne cloudys to lettyn our lyȝt but alwey mery somer and alwey bryȝt day.
b
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)328/4772 : Fumositeis of malancolie..draw þam upward to þe over party of þe uryn & þare causes a maner of dymhed, And þat is called a sky of [read: or] a clowd in þe uryn.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)396/386 : Sky in þe uryn is a fumosite or ellys eyrysshed caused & suptyled of gros mater throgh wyrkynge of strange & berys up to þe ovyr party of þe uryn & þare haldys þam, sumwhat toward oylysshed in color, umbrynge & dymhede in þe uryn principaly aboven.
3.
?A star [cp. Matt.2.2].
Associated quotations
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)147/39 : Balaam spak in prophecie: out of jacob xuld shyne a skye; many ffolke he xulde bye with his bryght blood.
4.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1207) CRR(2) 528 : Alexander Skie.
- (1265) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.98 : John Skiberd.
- (1412) Cart.St.John in OHS 69258 : Rogerus Skybowe.
- (1428) Cart.Oseney in OHS 91231 : Per Rogerum Skybowe.