Middle English Dictionary Entry
sterve n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sterve n. Also (early SWM) steorve, storve, steorfa & (in names) -sterf, -sterne, -strue; pl. (early SWM gen.) steorve. |
| Etymology | OE steorfa |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A plague, pestilence; (b) a pestilent creature, devil; (c) in place names [see Smith PNElem.2.151].
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)13 : Westmes þorð uuele wederas oft and ilome scal for-wurðan; stala and steorfa swiðe cow [read: eow] scal hene.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)43/449 : Iuliene..duste him ruglunge adun riht to þer eorðe &, stondinde o þe steorue, nom hire ahne bondes & bigon to beaten þen belial of helle.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)43/461 : '[S]tew þe steorue [Roy: storue] of helle,' qð þet eadie meiden.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)28/14 : Stute nu, earme steorue, & swic nuðe lanhure, swikele swarte deouel, þet tu ne derue me nawt mare.
- c1225 St.Marg.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)39/10 : 'Cuð me & ken me hwi þe worldes weldent wuneð in þe..& ichulle makien þe war of alle mine wiheles.' 'Stew þe, steorue, ant stille beo!'
- c1225 St.Marg.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)41/20 : Stille beo þu stile, earmest alre steorue; ne schaltu, alde schuke, motin wið me na mare.
c
- (c1220) MSS Penshurst in HMCl.76 : Dicdsterne.
- (1272-3) in Wallenberg Kent.PN207 : Dennstrue.
- (1276) MSS Penshurst in HMCl.120 : Stephen de Dixterne.
- (1279) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)523 : Dikesterwe.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1013 : Ad' de Dyksterf.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10217 : Florencia de Dykesterue.
- (1340) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)523 : Dicksterve.
- (1343) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.7352 : William de Dixterne.