Middle English Dictionary Entry

soverain adj.
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Entry Info

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

Note: For other forms see soverain n.
1.
(a) Of a person: outstanding in some respect, excellent; distinguished, renowned, worthy; ben ~, to be preeminent; ben ~ to his plesaunce, be very pleasing to him; (b) of something, a quality, virtue, an act, office, etc.: principal, paramount, supreme, chief; highest, greatest, most notable, foremost of its kind; excellent; ~ cite (se), a capital city, chief center; ~ pes, a state of complete peace; ~ place, the most prominent place, place of honor; ~ pris, a sterling reputation; ~ stile, noble style; haven in ~ worshipe, to hold (sb.) in the highest regard; (c) ~ god, god most ~, soverainest god, the greatest good, summum bonum; bok of soverainest god, the Sententiae of Isidore of Seville, also known by the title De Summo Bono; (d) of a remedy, medicinal preparation, an herb, etc.: efficacious, very potent; of food: nourishing, tasty; also fig.; of fish bait: good, effective; for a ~ help to him-self, for his own part, as far as he is concerned; (e) ?as a general intensifier: great, severe, grievous.
2.
(a) Having superior or supreme power or rank; -- often used in honorific title for or address to a royal personage: your ~ noblenesse (sire), etc.; also, sup. soverainest as noun: the most powerful man; demen ~ to other, to deem (sb.) superior to (another); maken ~ on, put (a governor) in charge over (a people); (b) of God, Christ, the Virgin Mary: all-powerful, supreme; -- freq. in epithet or direct address with ref. to one or another aspect or function of God, Christ, Mary, or a pagan deity: ~ being (juge, leche, techere, etc.); ~ fader (lord, sire, etc.); oure ~ ladie; also, sup. soverainest as noun: the highest order of angels; (c) of a cleric, religious superior, etc.: highest, supreme; also in polite address to a cleric: ~ lord (sire); ~ pope; (d) as an epithet for or in address to one's liege lady: ~ ladie, ladie ~; sup. most soverainest as noun: the most sovereign lady.
3.
(a) Lofty; in-to the ~ dai, into the upper daylight; (b) celestial, heavenly; astron. & astrol. ~ centre (pointe), the fixed center about which circles or spheres revolve; ~ pole, the northern or southern pole of the celestial sphere; ~ signes, the signs of right ascension, Cancer through Sagittarius, each supposed to dominate the sign diametrically opposite it.
4.
As adv.: greatly, to a great degree, highly; very much; also, translating L super- in combs.: ~ clerest, that which is supremely bright; ~ shininge, supremely shining; ~ substancial, surpassing substance, transcendent; ~ substancialli, so as to transcend substance; ~ unknouen, exceeding all knowledge.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1500 ?Scrope Ribot First Monks (Lamb 192)145/26 : Qwo-som-euer of ȝow wil be souereynmost of degree, he schal ben as mynester.
  • Note: ?New form (superlative).
    Note: Ed.: "'souereynmost' adj. super. highest, greatest."