Middle English Dictionary Entry
sleuthen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | sleuthen v. Also sleuth, (early K) sleuhþen. |
| Etymology | Fromsleuthe n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To be slothful; be slow (to do sth.); (b) to neglect (sth.), put off (some action); (c) impers. hit sleutheth nought, it will not be tedious (to detail sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1225 PMor.(Dgb 4)st.18 : Ne solde no man don a first ne sleuhþen wel to donne.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)459 : Slewthyn, or sluggon: Torpeo, torpesco.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)64/16 : No man sleuth [SC(1): torpeat] in the way of this lyfe that he lese not the blessede place in..heuen.
b
- (1450) Paston (Gairdner)2.199 : Yn whych mater ye shall do me ryght singler plesyr, and that thys be not slewthed, for taryeng drawth perell.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)108 : That that was redi to make, on the morwe j slewthede it and dide no more ther too..And wel ofte bi me hath be many a good werk slewthed.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.120 : Myn effectis grete, Unto the quhich ye aught..weye, No lyte offens to sleuth is.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)298a/a : Alle his propretes ben declared and y-treted atte fulle, but it slewþeþ [L pigebit] nouȝt to sette here schortliche some of his propretees þat ben y-knowe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1425 Interpol.Rolle Ps.(1) (Trin-C B.5.25) 738/711 : God..doiþ merci to man, suffryng him to amende er he passe fro þis lif. If he accept þe tyme and sleuþe it not þat God suffreþ him to haue, for aftir þis lif is tyme of riȝtwisnes whereinne man shal be iustifyed aftir þe fruytes of his lyuyng in erþe.
- a1425 Interpol.Rolle Ps.(1) (Trin-C B.5.25) 738/714 : For vnfeiþful men accepten not þis tyme of liuynge, doyng penaunce, but sleuþen and terren God to vengeaunce, he pleyneþ him of her vnfeiþfulnes.
- a1425 Interpol.Rolle Ps.(1) (Trin-C B.5.25) 826/391 : Forþi tarye þei not now, for þei haue long slewþed her tyme, but bisili enforce hem to seke þe name of God.
Note: Editor: "sleuþe:...the sense needed here is 'waste, misuse', which MED sleuthen does not recognize."
Note: New sense.