Middle English Dictionary Entry
statūre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | statūre n. Also statur, statour(e, statire & (error) statuture. |
| Etymology | From OF estature, stature & L statūra. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. estature n.
1.
(a) The height of a human body, an animal body, or an idol when standing upright, tallness [sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense (b)]; (b) the size of a body or bodily part, physical dimensions of a person or thing; (c) the physical shape or form of a body; also, physical appearance; (d) a body; haven ~, to exist, be; (e) posture, manner of carrying the body; (f) physical constitution, physical substance.
Associated quotations
a
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)orig. draft 550 : Fyrumbras..was a man of gret stature; Wel brode were his sholdres & long was his forchure.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Bar.3.26 : Ther weren named gyauntis, tho that fro the bigynnynge weren in [WB(2): of] grete stature.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 19.3 : He souȝte to see Jhesu..and he myȝte not for the cumpany, for he was litel in stature.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.179 : Plinius..seiþ þat þe stature and þe mesure of a childe whan he is þre ȝere olde is euen half mesure of his stature þat he schal haue whan he is of age.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.83 : Of his stature [vr. statuture] he was of euene lengthe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)282a/a : Dromedus is a manere kynde of Camel and lasse in stature [L minoris stature] þan a camel.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22321 : O grece he sal be sire, A mikel man, o statur hei.
- a1400 ?Chaucer Astr.Suppl.(StJ-C E.2:Benson-Robinson)43 : At the altitude of thy conclusioun, adde the stature of thyn heyghte to thyn eye.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)150 : Alle þe barons wele he knewe; he tellis þer stature & þer hewe, long or schorte, whyte or blak.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4542 : Menelay of stature was but mene, Proporcioned atwixe schort and longe.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20935 : Follon was knight of large statour, Hardie in fight and lang to dour.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)86/16 : Þase ymagez er ilk ane of þe stature of twa men at þe leste.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)472 : Stature of heythe: Statura.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)53/15 : Somtyme heyþe or lengþe of stature was hiȝliche of souȝt in kniȝtes..in so myche þat..þey schulde be sixe feet of lengþe.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)107/26 : The men that wonyn therin arn meche of stature of body as thei were ieauntis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1702 : Darius..Askis þam of sir Alexander all at he cuthe, Bathe of his statoure & his strenth.
- c1475 Bk.Physiog.(Cmb Ll.4.14)221 : The signe of Sol..beth þese: mene stature, a round fforhed, smale browis, rounde eyne, [etc.].
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)77/7 : Dispise not litell stature in man.
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)31 : She is a woman of long stature.
- a1500 Let.Alex.(Wor F.172)435 : Oon more hier of stature þan x feete..to vs appiered.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3776 : Aiax oelius was outrage grete..A large man of lyms, lengest of stature.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.981 : The ferste [sign of the zodiac]..is cleped Aries, Which lich a wether of stature Resembled is in his figure.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.257 : Of hir clothyng took he the mesure Of a mayde lyk to hir stature.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)21a/b : Þe vertu þat hatte Augmentiua makeþ þe body wexe and growe & bringe hym to dewe stature & quantite [L quantitate].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.300 : He moste also endure With a serpent of huge and gret stature..pleynly haue a-do.
- c1450 Myght wisdom (Add 31042)97 : Blissede ben thi scholdours, sobour of stature, Noghte boulky, ruyde, crokede, but euenly mete.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)9624 : Þe planetes of more might wore In þe time here bifore..men þan were Of gretter might þan þei now ere, And euere þe lenger þe world be stonding, Þe lesse of stature shal be al manere þing.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2166 : Children..thei hadde..That weren yonge and tendre of age, And of stature and of visage Riht faire.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)209a/a : A stok..is y-likened to þe stature of þe body of a beste þat bereþ all þe lymes and membres.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)73 : God..man last made Til hys lyknes and semely stature.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4980 : Alle men sal þan tite up-ryse In þe same stature and þe same bodyse Þat þai had here in þair lifedays.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2446 : Of Athenes duk and lord was he..And lyk his fader of face and of stature.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)73/9 : Þer was a giaunt of a foul stature þat loued hir.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)53 : Thynkyng hath grave with deep impressioun Ech othris fourme, stature, and visage.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)667 : I am sary..my son, at þi fourme Is lickenand on na lym ne like to my selfe; Oft storbis me þi statour..Þat þi personale proporcion sa party is to myne.
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)44/23 : I sawe hir [Mary] gastelye in bodilye lyekenes..ȝonge of age in the stature that scho was when scho conceyvede.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)50/16 : Ther bodyes schul be..of so semly stature that it es impossible to fynde in hem ony foul thynges or vnhoneste.
- ?a1475 Com.Proph.M.(PennSt-U PS V-3)83 : King Cadwall..was beried in a brasen ymage made aftir his ovne stature.
- c1475 Exemple sendynge (Vsp D.9)5 : To you, dyere hert..As þe muste profondyd in womanly stature.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)5149 : xviij yere she wes of age, Semely of stature, borne of hye parage.
d
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)366 : Of foules every kynde That in this world han fetheres and stature Men myghten in that place assembled fynde.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)7211 : Slaghter for-doth þat stature Þat God made after his figure.
e
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)259b/a : Oonliche to mankynde ordeigneþ and eseþ vpright stature [L statura].
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)114/21 : Oon euenn creature..þe body of right and euen stature.
f
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.469 : Þe stature of þe body of mankynde is made of þe elementes i-medled to gidres.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)35.247 : A maiden they fownden me, and a feble persone of Stature.
- a1450 I wole be mendid (Dgb 102)91 : Þouȝ þe prest þe sacrament clyue In a þowsand peces and þre, Þe state ne stature ne myȝt doþ myue Ne leseþ ne lasseþ of his pouste.
2.
= statue n. (a).
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1524 : Him thoghte he syh a stature evene, Which brihtere than the sonne schon.
- c1410 Chaucer CT.Kn.(Cmb Dd.4.24)A.2079 : This goddesse on an hert ful heye sette..In gaude grene hire stature [vrr. statire; statue] clothed was.
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Mk.(Lnsd 851)B.3349 : This proude kinge lete make a stature [vr. statur; Heng: Statue] of golde..To whiche ymage boþe ȝonge & olde Commanded he to loute.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11654 : The lett, þat vs long taries, Is a statur full strong of a stith god [Palladium].
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11698 : I haue comynt with the keper, & cumpast aboute, The stature to steile stithly by night.
3.
(a) An agreement, obligation; a rule, an ordinance; (b) a state, condition.
Associated quotations
a
- c1485 Chaucer CT.WB.(Add 5140)D.198 : Stature [Heng: Vnnethe myghte they the Statut holde In which that they were bounden vn-to me].
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)93/36 : Þe names of right er relatyf, or aȝeynledynge to some þinges sayd..amendyng of wronge, and adressynge of stature [L rectitudo stature], & shape of mesure.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)129 : He..Made Britouns to be tributarye To the Romaynes, bi stature & bi bond.
- a1500 Chaucer PF (StJ-O 57)387 : Yee knowe wele howe seynt Valentynys day Be my [Nature's] statur [vr. statute] and þurhe my governaunce Yee com for to chese..yeur makis.
b
- 1600(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2013)5/107 : I have forbyd that ye neare shoulde but keepe you well in that stature.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. stature.