Middle English Dictionary Entry
berwen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | berwen v. Also ber(e)gen, berȝe(n, bur(e)we(n, buruwen, burege(n, burȝen, burhe(n. Forms: sg. 3 bereweþ, berged, birgeð, berhð; p. bargh, barg, barw & bargt, beryhed; ppl. borwen, bor(e)gen & beryhed, beried. |
| Etymology | OE be(o)rgan, sg. 3 byrhþ, *bergeþ; p. be(a)rh; pl. burgon; ppl. borgen. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To protect (sth.), defend, preserve, rescue, save; ben borwen, be saved, attain salvation; ~ lif, save (one's) life, escape alive; (b) refl. to protect oneself, save oneself, escape; take refuge (in philosophy); ~ with, protect oneself against.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)102/13 : Þe englæs..cumæð..þam sawle to hælpe & to burȝene.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5403 : He shall ben þurrh Godess name borrȝhenn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7561 : Whase wile borrȝenn beon.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14578 : Drihhtin barrh þa fowwre menn.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)171 : Hie shule ben unneað boregen.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)197 : Hie..þus atbresteð hire fo and berged hire liue.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8715 : Cassibellaune wurhte ful swiðe to burȝen his liue.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)101/29 : Hie crepþ in to hire hole, and swo hie berhð hire lif.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)99a : His luue..underueng se heui dunt, us forte burhen [Nero: beruwen] from þe deofles botte.
- a1250 Lofsong Louerde (Nero A.14)211 : Þine pinen buruwen me from þe pinen of helle.
- c1250 Maidin and moder þat (Cleo B.6)4 : Godis sone..bargh ure kinde þat þe nedre bysuak.
- ?a1300(a1250) Harrow.H.(Dgb 86)185 : More þe bereweþ þi riȝtwisnese þene þe doþ þi sibnesse.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)72 : Vre Louerd..berewe þe from care.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)697 : Betere us is of londe to fle And berwen boþen ure liues.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2678 : Huwe rauen..drow him [Vbbe] fro godrich awey And barw him.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2870 : Grimes douther..with me fledde, Me for to burwe fro mi ded.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)886 : Borwen ne ben wel of dat figt.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)898 : Godes migt..bargt abram.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2686 : Summe flen Into saba to borgen ben.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3477 : Ðe tre ðe Noe barg.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)168 : Huo þet blefþ al to þe ende, he ssel by borȝe [Vices & V.(2): saued].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23512 : Haf gret ioi, þat þou ert boru [rime: soruu; Frf: borou, Phys-E: boruen].
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)27.12 : Beryhed [vr. beried; L saluum] make þou, lauerd, to be Folke þine.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)32.17 : Swikel hors at hele..of his might noghte beryhed es [L salvabitur].
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)43.4 : Ne þar arme beryhed [L salvavit] þam.
b
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)5/13 : Heo wulleþ..Bletsien ham ȝeorne to burewen ham wiþ þe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5045 : Ȝiff þatt tu willt te berrȝhenn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14546 : He wiþþ hise suness þre..þærinne mihhtenn berrȝhenn hemm.
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)191 : Alle þo..godes wapne bereð and hem burege cunnen.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)195 : Ðe man noteð wel his ȝiepshipe, þe birgeð him seluen.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)209 : Ute we berȝen us.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)81/10 : Ðu miht mid godes fultume ðe seluen berȝen.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)23/219 : Þu maht, ȝef þu wult, burhe [Roy: burhen] þe seolfen.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)8 : Ðe leun..driueð dun to his den, ðar he him bergen wille.
- a1350 Middelerd for mon (Hrl 2253)37 : He shal him burewen, þah he hire belde.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)251 : He þet him wille berȝe.
- c1450 Walton Boeth.(Cmb Gg.4.18)p.7 : Berwyng [Lin-C: Briuen hym-self in philosophie, He wrot þis book].