Middle English Dictionary Entry
sō̆rt n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | sō̆rt n.(1) Also sorte, (error) shorte. |
| Etymology | OF sort & L sors, sortis lot, fortune. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Fate, destiny; fortune, chance; (b) a course of events, set of circumstances.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Eph.1.11 : We by sorte [vr. lot; L sorte], or grace, ben clepid, bifore ordeyned vp the purpos of him that worchith alle thingis.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.844 : Were it by auenture or sort [vrr. shorte; sortune, chaunce] or cas..the cut fil to the knyght.
- c1390 RSicily (Vrn)278 : Þeose þreo breþeren made cumfort; Þe angel was broþer mad bi sort.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1802 : What sodeyn sort, what fortune graceles, What chaunce vnhappy..Han putte þi soule out of tranquillite?
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2643 : Ageyn my sort me list not maligne.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3040 : Vlixes..sent..For swiche as wern sotil expositours Of fate or sort.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3247 : Cursid is my woful destine And my fortune..Cursid my sort, cursid myn auenture.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)397 : Be fatal sort, which may not be wiþdrawe..with his swerd his fader shal be slawe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1754 : Now renneth my sort Fully to deye, or han anon comfort.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.1002 : The book of sortis..Of auenture tournid up-so-doun.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)9182 : Partanope..Were hit be dystyny or be sort..To the see went and toke a bote.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.66 : Now suffre..Lest þou..scharp thi sorte wiche þou ne might not chaunge.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)5915 : It fell aftir, be happe and sort, Þe monkys awen shipp come to þe porte.
- a1500(c1445) Lydg.Mir.Edmund (Ashm 46)255 : Doun froom an hyl, of aventure or soort, The tendir mayde ffyl in the riveer.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.450 : A solein tale I rede, Which I schal telle in remembraunce Upon the sort of loves chaunce.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1836 : In compleynyng Vlixes made his mone Vn-to þe kyng..Ceriously þe sort of his passage..Fro point to point..ȝe shal here.
2.
(a) The act or practice of divination by lot, sortilege; also, a riddle; (b) a lot; a choice made by casting or drawing lots; an allotted duty or turn; (c) that which is allotted, an allotted share or place; an inheritance; also, a division of land, a lot; setten in a ~, to place (sth.) in an allotment.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.605 : They..bileeuen on dyuynailes as..by sort, by nygromancye, [etc.].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5984 : Calchas..had experience Specyally of calculacioun, Of sort also and divinacioun.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)648 : I [Sphinx] haue in herte Inly gret disport That fortune haþ broght the to my sort.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4171 : Some prudent man..myght hem most availle Thorgh mystery of his dyvynaylle, By craft of sorte or of profecye.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.76 : Wel wiste he by sort that Troye sholde Destroyed ben.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.116 : I have ek founde it be astronomye, By sort, and by augurye.
- c1450(1438) GLeg.St.Geo.(GiL54)(Eg 876)65/19 : It fell by sorte that the kyngges doughter shulde be yeue to the dragon.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)36 : Ye fonde in youre sorte that ye shulde be deed thourgh hym.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)37 : Theire sorte seyde thei sholde dye for me.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mic.2.5 : There shal not be to thee the sendyng a litil coorde of sort in cumpanye of the Lord.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 1.8 : Sacharie was set in presthod, in the ordre of his sort [WB(2): cours; L vicis] bifore God.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)193 : Sone haf þay her sortes sette and serelych deled, And ay þe..lote vpon laste lymped on Jonas.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3685 : Lif and deth..vpon platly of this tweyne The soort mot falle.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.24.6 : Woo to the citee of blodis, to the pot whos rust is in it..soort [WB(2): lot; L sors], or lot, felle not vpon it.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)3201 : Wher so as her sort was set, The knot never was vnknet.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)5.70 : Thay..Werne of the stoke of Balaam..Wher-fore of sort the hylle they ben ascendyde As fell on hem.
- c1450(1438) GLeg.St.Geo.(GiL54)(Eg 876)65/17 : They hadde yeue hem all her children, bothe sones and doughters, for the sorte spared none.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)35/13 : So they drewe sorte, and the sorte felle vppon Mathye.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)164/27 : He come in-to the office of prestehode by sorte and ȝede in-to þe temple to offre sacrifice.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.109 : In whiche tyme came into this region Engist and Horsus..By sort sent out.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.27.24 : In þe Iubilee forsoþe hit [a field] shal torne aȝeyn to þe raþer lord þat solde hit & hadde in to þe sort [WB(2): eritage] of his possessioun.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.17.17 : Þou ert amoche peple & of greet strengþe; þou shalt not haue o sort [vr. soort; WB(2): lot], bote þou shalt..hewe to þe..spacis to dwelle.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.12.13 : Thou shalt reste aȝein, and shalt stonde in thi sort [WB(2): part], or part, in the eende of days.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 8.21 : Part is not to thee, nethir sort [vr. grace] in this word, for thin herte is not riȝtful bifore God.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)465 : Soortyn, or settyn yn a soorte: Sortior.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)3166 : Þe Cyte of salem in þe sort of byniamyn, Sythen cald ierusalem, þat went þei forto wyn.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)290/26 : Petir Wyuelcote yaf..ij yerdes of mede in Farnhull, in two the first sortis toward the South.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.61.42b : Þou schalt stonde in þi sorte as a prophete at þe laste dai.
3.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.16.16 : Þis ryte he shal doo in þe tabernacle of witnessynge þat is ficchyd bytwyxe hem in þe myddyl of þe sortys [vr. of the sortes; WB(2): of partis; Gloss.: in Ebreu it is 'of filthis'; L sordium] of dwellynge placys off hem.