Middle English Dictionary Entry
bēring ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | bēring ger. Also barine. |
| Etymology | From bēren v.(1) and (2). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The action of carrying; also, carrying off, pilfering; ~ awei, removal; (b) a carrier, vehicle; (c) sending, bringing.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)2711 : He was wery of his gate ffro bereyng of þe heuy tre.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)332a/a : Þe perche hatte pertica and haþ þat name of portando, berynge.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)9.198 : In daubyng and deluyng, in donge a-feld berynge.
- (1420) Acc.St.Michael Bath in SANHS 2326 : Item, pro baggyng et beryng de eodem viij d.
- (1424) *Mun.B.Bridgewaterno.1427 : Item for barine of ladderus, iiij d...Item, for barine of lime & sonde, iiij d.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.111 : Men perseyveden not þe heyng of Crist to þe pynacle, ne berynge of him over þe citee.
- (1429) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7822 : For..bering of the banners, x d.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)32 : Berynge a-way: Asportacio, ablacio. Berynge yn: Illacio.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.989 : Thy thresshyng floor be not to fer away, ffor beryng and for stelyng, as the gise is Of seruauntis.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15158 : Item, for beryng of the banners yn the Rogacion Dayes.
- (1456) Acc.St.Margaret Southwark in BMag.32493 : Payed for ij c tyle, xij d., iij sakks lyme, vj d., beryng of Alre, xxij d.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum15 : It' in bearyng owte of a scaffold owte of the churche ij d.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)25a : And þat wyll make hir reclemyd And preuy with mych beryng Among þe pepyll.
- (1478-80) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.3236 : Payde..for beryng awey of erth that fell owte of the next grave, ij d.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)29 : A Berynge: vectura.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)76a/b : Mel forsoþ is of þe comyng agayne of þe organez, & it is as cariage or beryng [L vehiculum] of defendyng wiþ it in som maner.
c
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.9.4 : Þe whylke ben ysraelites, of whom is..þe beryng of þe lagh [L legislacio].
2.
(a) Act of supporting, holding up; (b) aid, support; (c) ~ up, flattery.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)104a/b : Þe hynder forsoþ he cureþ with streching & suspension or beryng [L deportatione] of som weight.
b
- a1450 Lydg.ST (Bod 776)269 : [Ne were the porayle her] beryng [vp and Supportacioun, Farwel lordshyp]!
- a1500 12 PTrib.(2) (Rwl C.894)402 : Suffer þe berynge-vp [L sustentaciones] of [vr. or] þe helpis of god to ioyne þe to god.
c
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)115 : Whan j heere swiche beringes up and swich avauntinge blastes, myn herte hoppeth for ioye.
3.
Pushing, thrusting; ~ doun, conquest.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.359 : Þe berynge doun of Diomede, þe kyng of Thracia.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)76 : Ȝe may know a greet hert by þe beryng þe woode [OF le boys porter], for whan a greet hert haþ an hie hede..and goþ þorow a þik wode..þan he brekeþ þe wode aside.
4.
Suffering, enduring.
Associated quotations
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)57/19 : It is forto kepe..þe doom of resoun in taking and bering and continuyng excellent labouris and excellent peynful dedis.
5.
(a) Childbearing, being born, birth, nativity; also, creation, origin; (b) church feast of the natal day of a saint; (c) the bearing of fruit, trees, etc.; bringing forth, producing; (d) ?income from property or an office.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)214/7 : Si sterre was seauinge of his beringe.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1414 : Al he teld..Of his biȝete, of his bereing.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.37.3 : Ther camen sones to the berthe, and vertue was not of bering [L pariendi; WB(2): childberyng].
- (c1390) Chart.Abbey HG (LdMisc 210)344 : Wymmen schulden neuere han hadde no manere of peyne in berynge of child.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)638 : Jn his beryng [LinI: beoryng] fel straunge cas.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)1149 : Þan was fulfyllyd þe prophecy Of crystys beryng.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.25.24 : Now tyme of beryng was comen, and loo! twynlingis in the wombe of hir weren foundun.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)46a/b : Origo: burþ or berynge or bygynnynge.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)115/98 : A starne to be schynyng a space at his bering.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)246/4 : Saynt Anne was ȝeesyt..yn beryng of hur doghtyr.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)147/222 : This starne berith witnes, wytterly, Of his beryng.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)213 : Ine zuyche festes ase at cristesmesse, his beringe, hou he wes ybore of þe mayde.
- c1400(?c1308) Davy Dreams (LdMisc 622)15/135 : Þe þursday next þe beryng of oure lefdy, Me þouȝth an Aungel com.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)105a/a : No lasse wondir is..of þe erþe in beringe and bringinge forþ of herbes, treen & floures & of fruyt.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.27 : Yf hit neuere slake In yeris foure of beryng forth expresse, That is a preef of graffis gentylnesse.
d
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)27 : These lordes rewarde..chapleyns with officyalshippes..and for the seculer men, stewardshippes..beryngs of yeres, gifts, wards.
6.
(a) Behavior, conduct, manners; outre ~, outward actions, demeanor; (b) deed, action.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2178 : Ic wot ge spies ben, for bi gure bering men mai it sen.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)259 : Ech loki guode mesure ine his contenonce and ine his beringe.
- c1350 How GWife(1) (Em 106)16 : Be of god beringge and of god tunge.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)123 : Þorȝ out þe werld, of is beryng spryngeþ los & fame.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.171 : In berynge [L in gestu] þey beeþ menstralles and heraudes.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)45/18 : Þei schul be of good loos, condicions, & beryng.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2022 : Al it was thurgh goddes gras And thurgh his fair berynge.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1604 : He purtreyde in his herte..Hir wommanly beryng and hir sadnesse.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)10641 : By hys..feyre beryng, Hym semed weyl to be a lordyng.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.236 : We salle..telle ȝow..of Leulyn of Wales & his beryng hie.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3379 : He wol meke aftir in his beryng Been.
- a1425 Christ.Belief (LoC 4)14/536 : Man .. augh to luue Ihesu Crist and haue reuth and pite of his ded, and þat shewe in vttre beryng, for non oither .. enchesun tholed Crist ded on þe rode bot for man one.
- (1431) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)202/11 : And yet he hathe hit not but by condysioun þat is vppon his beryng.
- (1439) RParl.5.17a : Tille the tyme that everyche of hem..finde sufficeant suerte..of his good berynge.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)300 : No man may make eny such outward bering..but if he haue bifore a lijk inward bering.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1225 : Hurre mekenes & lowe berynge.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)31 : Tweyne ladyes of fair beringe..j sigh.
- (1452) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.4201 : That they kepe them in warde unto the tyme they have founde suerte of ther gode beringe.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)92/6 : Þe forsakyng..of al hiȝ beryng of a man toward eny oþir man.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)141/14 : Hit appendyth to a kynge that he be of demure berrynge and fayre.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.27 : Þis cronicle conteyneþ berynges and dedes [L gesta] of meny tyme.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)218 : He by hise good gouernauncis and good beryngis anentis þe kyng..maade amendis.
7.
Associated quotations
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.89 : Of chydynge and of chalangynge was his chief lyflode, With bakbitynge and bismer and beryng of fals witnesse.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.186 : Ther may no gome..gette þer-of..But..for bostynge and beringe vppon oilles.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)577 : No brother of lower degree then the provincialle may assoyle any brodre..of berying fals witnes.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1399) in Salzman Building in Engl.353 : 10 beringberwes and 2 whelebarwes.
- (1445) MSS Beverley in HMC130 : iij pikkis et j veterem pik fractum, j rastrum cum viij dentibus ferri, j gavelote ferri, et iij schovyls, j beryngbarow, ij trowys ligata, j colrake ferri, ij whelebarows, et j veterem schovyl.
Note: New combination bering barwe, presumably under sense 1.. Salzman regards a bearing barrow and a hand barrow [see honde n. sense 8.(a)] as synonymous, 'a form of stretcher with projecting handles carried by two or more men.'
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)72/13 : Watir haþ no sustentacioun or berynge vp, therfore by þat wey no man may passe ouer þat flood..but needis he moste be drenchid.
Note: Supplemental material, sense 2.(a), phrase ~ up, 'The quality of being able to hold up or support someone or something physically.'