Middle English Dictionary Entry
stellifīen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | stellifīen v. Also stellifie, stellefie; p.ppl. stellified(e, istellified, stellifiit, i)stellefied, stelleffied. |
| Etymology | Prob. OF: cp. (late 15th cent.) stellifier; also cp. ML stellificāre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To transform (sb. or sth.) into a star or constellation; ppl. stellified, made into a star; (b) to glorify (someone's name); (c) ppl. stellified, set among the stars, glorified; deified; (d) ppl. stellified, of man: featured or marked with lines in the hand and face as the stars in the firmament.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.701 : Calixtone and Archadius..wern y-stellefied In þe heuene.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4486 : Þe goddis han hem deified Hiȝe in heuene and y-stellyfied.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5641 : Whan he was stellified, Þis Iubiter was moste magnified Of hem of Crete.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)586 : Wher Joves wol me stellyfye, Or what thing may this sygnifye?
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1002 : Thou redest poetrie How goddes gonne stellifye Bridd, fissh, best, or him or here.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)3.119 (v.1:p.22) : Iuba .. poetis .. did her busy cure To make his fame longe to endure, Dyvulgyng abouten that he was stellified And in the courte of goddis worthily deyfied.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.52 : O Venus clere, of goddis stellifyit! To quhom I yelde homage.
b
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.1835 : A prince stant in the peeplis grace, Lik as thei wolde his name deifie Aboue the sterris..With Mars & Phebus his name to stellefie.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5916 : Þe prestis..gan to kyndle þe coles..To offren vp þe bestis..To Appollo stellefied in heuene.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.4204 : He was rapt in a cloude, Hih up in heuene to be stellefied, With othre goddis estatli deified.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.3682 : Funeral fyr his bodi hath deffied, For hih prowesse his soule stellefied.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6454 : Bounte..ys preferred of renoun In euery maner Region: Gretly in erthe magnefied, And in the hevene stellefyed.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)3.1116 : Romaynes made hym [Romulus] stellifiede.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)18835 : Cypryan..Suffred..Martirdam and..is in heuene stelleffyed.
d
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)21174 : Thys lasse world ys stellefyed Lych hevene..Vnderstonde by bothe two, The vysage and the hand also..Men may yive a doom A-ryht.