Middle English Dictionary Entry
bēst(e)lī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | bēst(e)lī adj. Also -lich(e. |
| Etymology | From bēst(e n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of an animal, pertaining to one of the lower animals; beast-like.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.3025 : He [Nebuchadnezzar] gan up with his feet areche, And wailende in his bestly stevene, He made his pleignte.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)159b/b : Þai [labouryng men] haue complexione wilde & bestly [L brutales] and barbaryne i. stronge..which escapeþ of strong sikenez wiþoute leche & wiþout medicyne.
2.
(a) Pertaining to the 'animal' functions of man (i.e. movement, perception, thought); ~ kind, the animal nature or aspect of man; ~ vertu, the force or principle governing man's 'animal' functions (virtus animalis); ~ wit, the mental capacity (shared with the lower animals) for movement, etc.; (b) physical (as opposed to spiritual); ~ bodi, the natural or physical body; ~ mete, bodily food; (c) unspiritual; ~ man, man in the natural state not guided by divine revelation.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)124a/a : Þay haue turnede into maddenesse wiþ a grete bataylle of beestly vertue [L pugna virtutis animalis & naturalis] and by consequent into dethe.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.320 : Thow hast of erthe noght but þy bestly kynde.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)51/79 : Beestly wit shulde ben subject to reson.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.15.44,46 : If there is a beestly body [L corpus animale], there is and a spiritual body [L spiritale]..But not first that that is spiritual, but that that is beestlich.
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Arun 507)150 : I life with bestli mete, as oþer bestis dose þat na skill has of kynde, & I goddis skilful creature..þat suld..hafe bien fed with heuenli fode.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Christina Mirab.(Dc 114)131/18 : In þe laste ȝeere of hir lyfe, þe spirite hadde goten þe beestly body welnye in alle partyes.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.2.14 : A beestli man [L Animalis..homo] perseyueth not tho thingis that ben of the spirit of God.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)136/6 : Ner þe bestly man knowiþ not þe liberte of þe inwarde man.
3.
(a) Brutish, debased, sensual, wicked; (b) ignorant, crude.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)10/110 : Þi feader he cleopeð..þet ilke unhende flesches brune..biuore þet wleatewile werc, þet bestelich [Tit: beasteliche] gederunge.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)22/356 : Hwet makeð hit iluuet bituhhe beasteliche [Tit: beastliche] men?
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)25/20 : Best is þe bestliche [Pep: beestlich] mon þet ne þencheþ nout of god.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)87/9 : What beestly herte [cp. Heb.12.20; Exod.19.13] þat presumiþ for to touche þe hiȝe mounte of þis werke, it schal be betyn awey with stones.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)119/10 : Oure leuyng schal be more beestly & fleschly þen ouþer manly or goostly.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)10/29 : Leve bestly desires and flesshely, for they ben corruptible.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Pseudo-F.(Dub 245)304 : Rewle or wisdom of þise ordris is worldliche, beestliche, and fendliche.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)2a/b : Afterward is founden Jamerius which made or shewed a maner bestely [L brutalem] cirurgie, in which he nemned many fond or folish þinges.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)327/43 : Þe secounde manere of lerenynge and techynge holyewrit is bestelye, & þat is in hem þat..beþ necligente and slowe.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Christina Mirab.(Dc 114)124/40 : Religious men..dredynge lest þat houge wonderynge of mer[u]eylles shulde passe mannys witte & turne beestly myndes of men in to wikkyd wirkynge.