Middle English Dictionary Entry
smerten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | smerten v. Also smert(e, smart(e(n, (WM, early SW or SWM) smeorte(n, (early SW) smurte; sg.3 smerteth, etc. & smertet, smerth, (early) smeorted; p. smart, smert(e & (early) smeart, (SW) smurte & smerted; pl. smorte(n, smǒurte, smert(e(n & smarted; ppl. smerted. |
| Etymology | OE *smeortan (cp. fȳr-smeortendum & smeortung); p. *smeart, (?A) *smert (cp. OE smeart adj.); pl. *smurton; ppl. *smorten. Cp. MDu. smarten, smerten, MLG smerten, smarten. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To cause (sb. or sth.) physical pain, hardship, etc.; also in fig. context; -- also impers.; also, burn (sb. or sth.) [quot. 1440]; (b) to cause (sb.) to suffer grief, remorse, emotional distress; distress (sb.), disturb; -- also impers.; (c) to cause emotional distress; also, provoke God.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)179 : Hire ne dide noðer ne oc, ne smeart, þo þe hie bar ure louerd ihesu crist.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.Creed (Trin-C B.14.52)21 : Þus bicam ure lafdi Sainte Marie mid childe..þo ðe time cam swo þat hire ne oc ne ne smeart, ne hire maiðhod ne was awemned.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)28/456 : Þine banes akeð þe & ti flesch smeorteð þe.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)168/11 : Beat alswa mid ti tunge schrift þe hund of helle..nis þing i þe world þet smeorteð [Cai: smeorted] him sarre þen deð swuch beatunge.
- a1300 PMor.(Jes-O 29)114 : For so seyþ þat vnhol is, him seolue hwat [?read: wot hwat] him smeorteþ.
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)217 : Ake he criede a-non to ihesu crist þo him smert [Eg: smart] so sore.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)3.155 : Pouere men mowe haue no power to pleyne ȝif hem smerte.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)1704 : I rede we..leue þer fendes euer mare Þat we noght wregh ne falles not jn..For þat wald smart us sare.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)14/13 : When he sailed in þe Swin..Sare it þam smerted þat ferd out of ffrance.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)460 : Smertyn: Uro.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4844 : God hit were to suffre a wo ffor to venge hym of hys fo, Wel y wot & haue in hert Þat hit schal vs boþe smert.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1025 : What man þat xxti iij yeere and more In wryting hath continued..it smerth hym ful sore, In euere veyne and place of his body.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1969 : O deth! þou didest naght harme singuleer In slaghtere of him, but al þis land it smertith.
- c1450 PPl.B (RwlPoet 38)17.323 : Smerteth [Ld: smoke & smolder smyteth his eyen Til he be blere-nyed or blynde].
- a1475(a1400) Man ȝyf þat (Hrl 3954)244 : Mercy..I cry yin ore; Let me scape, me smertyt sore.
b
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)131/588 : Sone, þu best bus þe sot of bismare-word & bet hin siþen þer-mide þad him ginne to smerten.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)133/659 : Þe lonke mon..hauit stoni herte no-þing him ne smerteþ.
- a1300(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Jes-O 29)95/220 : Serewe if þu hauest..By-hud hit on þire heorte, þat þe eft ne smeorte.
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.13 : Hold þou no mon for unsele Oþerwile þey he fele Soum þing þat him smerte.
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)14 : Ȝwane a man fielez in is heorte þat he hauez muche mis-do, And him þare-fore biguynnez to smeorte..he mournez.
- a1350 Iesu suete is (Hrl 2253)60 : Iesu, when..þi suete body to toren y se, hit makeþ heorte to smerte me.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)123/2508 : Swich mourning þan wil þe smerte.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1394 : Now trewely how sore that me smerte [vr. smert]..to Atthenes right now wol I fare.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.230 : Many a man so hard is of his herte, He may not wepe al thogh hym soore smerte.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.534 : God loued he best with al his hoole herte, At alle tymes thogh hym gamed or smerte.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.667 : I love oon best, and that me smerteth sore.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)7430 : Thanne spak Therechebisschope with angry herte wordys ful bolde whiche þat hem Smerte.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)4365 : Þogh I neuer were of hy degree..Ȝit hath þe vice of prodigalite Smerted me sore.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)99 : His feyre chere in halle theym smert That many a lady smote throw the hert.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(LdMisc 559)5988 : Thynke þou evel dede to do..Bethynke the firste in þy herte, That hit þe nought after smerte.
c
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)65.6 : His eghen on genge bihald þai: Þat smert [vr. smarten; L exasperant], noght vphouen al In þam-seluen be þai sal.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1317 : Yhit es happe of welthe to drede mare Þan chaunce of angre, þat smertes sare.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)161/4810 : Alle-tha rosett is y-entirmelle I kepe therin my pouer thought covert, Alle suche as esy arne, not suche as smert.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)454 : That plesith on, an-oþer smertyth sore.
- a1500 With fauoure (Ryl Lat 395)11 : Shee answerd me with wordys shortly þat smarted.
2.
(a) Of a person, part of the body: to be in pain, suffer pain; (b) of a wound, sore spot: to be painful, ache; also fig.; impers. hit smerteth, there is pain, it hurts [quot. a1500]; ppl. smertinge as adj.: painful; (c) to suffer grief, remorse, mental distress; also, suffer hardship.
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 HMaid.(Tit D.18)29/465 : Þine banes akeð þe & ti flesch smerteð.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(LdMisc 108)121 : Þis Maide wende softe aȝen, hire rug smert [Hrl: smurte] ful sore.
- a1325 SLeg.Mich.(Corp-C 145)776 : Wanne he [soul] ssel wiþ þe body deie, þat in strang angwise deþ smerte [Ld: smeorte]..fair chere he makþ.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6580 : Þat water..watte is brech al aboute & euere vpward it stey, So þat is hupes smorte [vr. smourte; B: smerte].
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)30/631 : Þo his bodi be-gan to smerte, He gan plokken vp is hertte.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)83b/b : Smoke..dymmeþ iȝen & makeþ hem smerte.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)101b/b : Whanne venyme is I-take in mete oþir in drinke..he galpiþ & dreueleþ & þe lippis..smarten and tinglen.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)16110 : Ȝyue vnswere..or elles þou smartes sore.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1968 : Lete vs set on to do þe Grekis smerte.
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Arun 507)135 : Þis flie..prikkid him..he felid his forheuid smerte.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1720 : O Cleopes..my spyryte nyl nowt abyde; But nedys yow folw, how sore sum-euery [read: sum-euer y] smert!
- a1450(1419) Loke how Flaundres (Dgb 102)21 : It is worthy he smerte and be wo, Þat of his owen skyn wole kerue a thong.
- a1450 Diseases Women(2) (Sln 2463)110 : On þe morew, yf þe moder smert withynforth of þe sharpnesse of þe cokell, anoynt it with oile of roses.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)133/644 : A senwe wol smerte more þat is but onliche y-pricked or stonyed with a stroke of a ston þen it wol þouȝ it were kyt a two.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)204/1621f : Sir troyell..smotte a stroke..Achelles sore be-ganne to smerte.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.8 : Myn eyne gan to smert for studying.
b
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)83 : Win makeð wunde smerte.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)123/26 : Hwil þe ȝicchunge least hit þuncheð god to gnuddin, ah þrefter me feleð hit bitterliche smeorten.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2647 : Þe dint bigan ful sore to smerte.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3903 : Thogh hise deedly woundes so soore smerte, His mantel ouer his hipes caste he.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5836 : His woundes bledden, his dyntes smerten.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1073 : O rancour rustid of inpacience, Whiche hast of new made festrid soris smerte.
- a1450 Of alle þe ioyus (Cmb Dd.11.89)328 : Thy woundes..smorten and oken sore.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)2.716 : That shulde be..medycyne To all our woundez, when thay ake or smerte.
- a1500 Diseases Women(3) (Yale-M 47)41/239 : If [read: If it] smart with yn forthe for kenesse of þe kockell, a noynt it with oyle roses.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)56/115 : An herbe proved may safely to smertande sores ben layd.
c
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)207 : Ȝif he understant þat he habbe ofte agilt..þenne wile his heorte aken and smerten.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)58 : Yf mon is riche of worldes weole hit makeþ his heorte smerte & ake.
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.10 : Fleses lust..doþ þe soule smerte.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1584 : Hard is þe heorte þat þis hureþ bote he wepe & smerte.
- c1390 Psalt.Mariae(1) (Vrn)1141 : Clanse þe chaunbre of myn herte, Drawyng from þe grounde, ffulþus þe whuche make me smerte.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.2092 : Thyn angre dooth thee al to soore smerte [vr. smarte].
- (c1422) Hoccl.Dial.(Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)650 : Many a throwe Smertith the fool for lak of good auys.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1097 : Ywys, myn herte, So fressh it is, although it sore smerte.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1728 : Drede doth me so to smerte, That with a swerd it stingeth to myn herte.
- a1450(?c1350) Pride Life (ChrC-Dub)63 : Ȝe king hit ne toke not to hert, For hit was a womanis spec, [And y]et hit mad him to smert [W]an him mit help no lec.
- a1500(c1370) Chaucer Comp.L.(Benson-Robinson)20 : The more I love, the more she doth me smerte.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)41 : Many artificers haue be ouer swifte..to fume a-wai theire thrifte..that losse made them to smerte.
- c1500 How GWife(1) (Trin-C R.3.19)207/126 : An enuyous hert Oft doth smert.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)6992 : And þou þinke an yuel dede to do..biþenke þe first in þyn herte, Þat aftir it makeþ the not to smerte.
3.
To suffer from (sth.); pay the penalty for (sth.).
Associated quotations
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7057 : Or ellis he shal in prisoun dye..Or smerten that that he hath do.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)797 : Worldly wyttys..Ȝour louely lyfe amys ȝe spende, And þat schal ȝe sore smert.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)138/4126 : A Wel myn hert..ye wille aby If that ye pursew moche my rakil ey To don vs bothe to smert yowre towchis nyse.
4.
In plant name: smert hole, water pepper (Polygonum hydropiper).
Associated quotations
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)108 : Culrache, smerthole, herbe: Persiccaria.