Middle English Dictionary Entry
skippen v.
Entry Info
Forms | skippen v. Also skip(pe, skippine, sckippe, scip(pe, schippe, (N) scep; p. skipped(e, etc. & skipt(e, scippit; pl. skippeden, etc. & skipt(e(n, scipten, sckepedin. |
Etymology | ?ON: cp. OSwed. skuppa, Swed. dial. skimpa. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. scopen v.(1).
1.
(a) To jump, leap, spring; skip or jump in play, caper; also, jump from writhing [quot.: ?c1425]; ?also, cause (sb.) to jump from beating [quot.: a1450 Yk.Pl.]; (b) ~ oute, to spring forth, spring out [glossary quots.]; also, fig. burst forth [1st quot.]; spring out of (a chair, cart, etc.); also fig. [quot.: a1500(a1460)]; (c) to leap or jump up; ~ forth (up); ~ in-to, leap into (a saddle); ~ on, leap onto (a horse); ~ on heigh, jump up to a high place, leap into a pulpit; also fig.; (d) ~ bak (bihinden), ?to jump down; ~ doun (adoun), jump or leap down; ~ in-to, jump into (the water, a pit, etc.); (e) ~ over, to jump over (a table, ditch, etc.).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3259 : Therto she koude skippe and make game As any kyde or calf folwynge his dame.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.345 : It is lik a Got skippende.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19080 : Þe propheci was þan fild sua þat said þat halt suld scep as ra.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)1392 : For ioye he auȝht skyppe and synge [Auch: sing and lepe].
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)388/5-6 : Bynde ham [serpents] toward þe hede and þe tayle And late it skippe [L volutari] fro the erthe, and þe more þat þay skippe and þat ther go oute of the blood so moche it schal be þe bettre.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)476 : Styrtyn, or skyppyn [Win: skyppyne]: Salto.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11365 : Somme iusted..Somme skipte & keste þe ston.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)481/41 : Þei skippid and scourged hym, he skapid not with scornes.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)237/22 : Þe feendys skyppedyn a-forn hem in lyknes of wommen.
- ?c1450 Trivet Constance (Harv Eng.938)234 : For cause that the dethe wente nere hys herte then to any other body, he skypped aboute the house as a woodman.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)286/442 : Jhesus þi bonys we xal not breke, but we xal make þe to skyppe.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)561 : For joy I sprynge, I sckyppe.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.297 : Al þe peple of Israel..daunsedyn & sckepedyn for ioye.
- a1500 Let.Alex.(Wor F.172)335 : Trippyng Oliphauntis to tarie bien turned as many as taken..lepyng or skippyng with blowynges of men and crienges.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.655 : Debonairetee withdraweth and refreyneth the stirynges and the moeuynges of mannes corage in his herte in swich manere that they ne skippe [vr. skipt] nat out by angre ne by ire.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Esth.15.11 : The kyng..skippyde out of the seete.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)26a/a : Exilio: to skyp out [Pepys: lepe ovte].
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.52/2 : He skippid owte of the Carte and enteryd the chirche.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)795/29 : This fayre lady Elayne skypped oute of her bedde all naked.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)346/207 : Goddis son she held and dight and cled hym in manhede..when he had termynd that fight, he skypt outt of his wede.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)8 : Prosiluit: skyppid-owte.
c
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)767 : Kyng, þou hast a colt sauage; Who so may þere-on skippe..He shall of Corinthe toun After þee bere coroun.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.103 : Scripture..skipte an heigh & preched.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Mark 10.50 : He castide awei his cloth and skippide [WB(1): sturtinge; L exsiliens] and cam to hym.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.36/14 : Her membrys with a grete myght she strecchid owt Anoon, ioyfull skippyng forth.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.61/23 : He fownde and skippid one hym [horse].
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)533 : He caught the horse..and badde hym skippe vp lightly.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)552 : Gaheries..made hym skippe in to the sadell.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)6340 : It makeþ his herte skippe an hye.
d
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1159 : Into þe water scippe he wille.
- (c1390) Chart.Abbey HG (LdMisc 210)354 : Þe fend..sette hym on þe pynacle of þe temple..& seyde: 'Ȝif þou be goddis sonne, skippe adoun & take no sor.'
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1402 : She took hir children alle and skipte adoun In to the fyr and chees..to dye.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)20b/b : Desulto: skyppe by hynde [Pepys: Dessulto: to Skyppe Bak].
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)162/20 : Whan þe Frenschmen felt þe gret hurt of arowes, many were ded, and many scippid into þe se.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)152/17 : Fro my stede I skyppe down in hast.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)387 : The dedman sterte vp, and toke the horse by the brydill, and the Iurrour was a-ferde, that he durste not skyppe downe.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)34 : She..saide that but if he opened the doore she wold skippe in to the pitte..and so end hir lif.
e
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Kings 18.26 : Þei skipten ouer þe auter þat þei madyn.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1106 : Kyng Philippe Ouer þe table gan to skippe.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)290 : Lawnchyn, or skyppyn ouer a dyke, or oþer thyngys lyke: Perconto, persalto.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)408 : An ape..skipped ouer the fourme, and made many Iapes.
2.
(a) To run, go, travel; hasten, hurry, rush; also, flee; also, run around busily [quot.: c1425 Mirror LM&W]; of lightning: dart, shoot; ~ bihinden, move into position behind someone; ~ forth, flee, escape; ~ oute, go out, rush out; also, flee; ~ over, go (into the assembly); also, forge ahead [quot.: WBible(2) Prov.]; (b) ?to attack; (c) ~ oute, of a bird: to hop out of a cage; skippinge oute, hopping out (of a cage); (d) to bounce; (e) of the spirit of the Lord: to enter (into sb.), descend (upon sb.); of strife: break out, arise; of venial sin: change (into deadly sin); ~ up, of the soul: ascend (into heaven); (f) to pass over or omit material in reading, or in the telling of a narrative; ~ over.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Horn (Hrl 2253)76/1361 : Þe knyht to horn gan skippe & in his armes clippe.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 14.13 : Thei scipten out into the cumpanyes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2110 : In liknesse of an Eddre he slipte Out of his hond, and forth he skipte.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.181 : He dred an oste mot skip Behind, & stop his way bituex him & Philip.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.255 : Kyng Philip..To Paris gan..skip & held his parlement.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2957 : We shullen don þee of londe skyppe, And so we deden þi fader Philippe.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4934 : Anoþer folk þere is next, as hogges crepeþ -- After crabben and acren hij skippen and lepeþ.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Judith 14.15 : He skippide out to the puple.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Prov.14.16 : A wijs man dredith and boweth awei fro yuel; a fool skippith [Gloss.: rennyng liȝtly fro synne in to synne] ouer, and tristith.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Wisd.5.22 : Streiȝte sendyngis out of leytis schulen go..and thei schulen skippe in to a certeyn place.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ecclus.38.37 : Thei schulen not skippe ouer in to the chirche [Gloss.: that is, the cleping togidere of wise men, for thei ben not able therto].
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Dan.13.39 : Whanne he hadde opened the doris, he skippide out.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)2127 : With-oute leue a-way he stale, As faste as he myȝth skippe.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)2920 : Eche man than with his god schippes And alle here good thedur skippes.
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)110/10 : A shipman is euere redy at nede to renne & skippe wiþoute reste in gouernyng of þe schip.
- a1450(1419) Loke how Flaundres (Dgb 102)101 : Þat freek may wel be holden a fool, Þat wayueþ wit..And skippe into sclaundre scol.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7186 : His monkes nane ne some..Be cause of women felawschip Suld fra gude leuyng skypp.
b
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.287 : Kyng Philip & his duze pers..with wrong wild skip & reue him þo maners þat þe kyng..gaf Sir Beduers.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.2.30 : Thilke bryd skippynge out of hir streyte cage seith the agreable schadwes of the wodes.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.135 : If he [caged bird] may ones skyþ out and be fre..to þe wode ful faste sekiþ he.
d
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)50/8 : A place þat is cleped Aput Aquas Saluias..for Poules hed scippid thries aftir it was fro þe body, and at euery scip þere sprang a welle.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)83/1 : Þe hed of Seint Paule scippit thries aftir it was of, [etc.].
e
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.361 : In this wise skippeth venial in to dedly synne.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1672 : Thanne shal youre soule vp to heuene skippe Swifter than dooth an arwe out of a bowe.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.285 : Com afterward oþer messengers Tille our kyng Edward..þat contek suld not skip eft..Bituex him & Filip for þe lond of Gascon.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)1 Kings 10.6 : The Spirit of the Lord schal skippe in to thee.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)1 Kings 10.10 : The Spirit of the Lord scippide [WB(1): leepe yn; L insiluit] on hym, and he propheciede in the myddis of hem.
f
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4417 : Late him be with sorwe, And skippeth ouer wher ȝe list nat rede.
- a1425 Mannyng HS (Dlw 24)416 marg. : Hic deficit: Scip to þis signe.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)622 : Forthy to th'effect thanne wol I skyppe, And al the remenaunt, I wol lete it slippe.
3.
In place names.
Associated quotations
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)50/7 : A place þat is cleped Aput Aquas Saluias, At þe Scipping Wateres.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)82/31 : He restored þe cherch of Seint Anastace at þe Scipping Wateris.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1400 Wycl.CGosp.Matthew (Add 28026:Hudson)7/72 : We stereden ȝou þat at oure song ȝe schulden do goode werkes, and schippe at oure pipe, as Dauiþ lippede byfore þe ark of þe Lord.
Note: Probably belongs under 2.(a) 'to leap into action,' but likely with reference to sense 1.(a) 'to cavort, to dance,' as the mention of the musical 'pipe' suggests, the context being an allegorical reading of David's 'leaping' before the Ark.