Middle English Dictionary Entry
steven(e n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | steven(e n.(2) Also stevin(e, stewin, (late) stevein, steavin & stempne, (?error) stepinne; pl. stevenes & stem(p)nes. |
| Etymology | OE stefn summons, citation & stefn, stemn turn, time; cp. OI stefna appointed time, summons. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A command, an order; stonden at (to) ~, to obey the command (of sb.); stonden ayenes (withstonden) ~, fail to obey the command (of sb.).
Associated quotations
- c1350 Isumb.(GrI 20)288 : She shal be qwene..And alle men bowe to here honde, No man wiþstond here steuen.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)463 : Þe raven..Fallez on þe foule flesch and fyllez his wombe, And sone ȝederly forȝete ȝisterday steven.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)162 : To þi steuin we stand.
- a1425(?a1400) Penny (Glb E.9)104 : All es als he will cumand; oganis his steuyn dar no man stand.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)45/6 : Thre semely sonnes and a worthy wiffe I haue euer at my steven to stande.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)16976 : All oþer kynges and lordes wore full stably at his steuyn to stand.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)17151 : We wott wele þou..all may gouern gud and yll; Agayn þi steuyn may no thyng stand.
2.
(a) A designated or an appointed time; the time of day, the hour [quot. c1400, 3rd]; also, an appointment, a meeting, tryst; at set ~, at an appointed time; at unset ~, unexpectedly, by chance; setten ~, to set a time; arrange an assignation; (b) a period of time; bi stevenes, by turns; on o ~, ?on one occasion; ? = (f); withouten long ~, without a long delay, soon; chaungen stevenes, to take turns; (c) a moment, an instant; (d) ?the condition characteristic of a human being, mutability; (e) an agreement; (f) in phrase: on a ~, ?in a group.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1524 : It is ful fair a man to bere hym euene, For al day meeten men at vnset steuene.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)34/549 : Þulke were frendes of long tyme met, Þeos weoren vnknowen, and no steuene set.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Co.(Manly-Rickert)A.4383 : They setten steuene for to meete To pleyen at the dys.
- a1400 Prov.Wisd.(Bod 9)8 : At vnset steven men may meten.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)706 : At a stylle stollen steven..Luf-lowe hem bytwene lasched so hote Þat alle þe meschefez on mold moȝt hit not sleke.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1060 : Þer watz stabled bi statut a steuen vs by-twene To mete þat mon at þat mere.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2008 : Þe leude lystened ful wel..Bi vch kok þat crue he knwe wel þe steuen.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2165 : Þis contek..Iuparted was betwixe Loue and Schame, Metyng to-gidre þer at vn-set stevene.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)1310 : It es sothe sayd, by God of heuen, Þat ofte metis men at vnsett steuyn.
- c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson)52 : By her bothe assent was set a stevene, That Mars shal entre..Into hir nexte paleys.
- c1460 Awake lordes (Dub 432)40 : A cristmas gestenyng, as clerkis rede, At on set stevyn is quyt.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)394/4 : That same nyght that the steavyn was sette betwyxte Segwarydes wyff and sir Trystrames, so kynge Marke armed and made hym redy.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.860 : Now men make her metyng and sette steveyn Specially on the holiday.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)342/126 : Mi dere fader of heuen that..ffrom ded to lif at set stevyn rasid me..this mette thou blis thrugh me.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)5/39 : Ant efter lutle stomde [?read: stunde] wið ute long steuene wes him seolf sonde to affrican.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.439 : He deled þe tymes and the stempnes [L vices] of þe myȝtes [read: nyȝtes] among companyes of strompettes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.29 : Þey tweyne regnede by stempnes [vr. stemnes; L vicissim], eiþer after oþer.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)86a/b : Suche stenche is continual and comeþ nouȝt by stemnes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)109b/b : A weþir in ligginge vppon on side turneþ & chaungiþ by euen stemnes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)141a/b : Þey ordeyne wacchis and in wakynge chaungen stempnes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)324a/b : Þe male and female sitteþ þeron on broode by steuenes, now þe male and now þe female.
- a1450 Forest Laws (Dc 335)242 : If ther be ony man that felleth in his owne wode..Also many trees that he may stond on o stempne and telle [?read: felle] v aboute him making that wast, ye shal do vs to wite the name of that wode.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3181 : Achilles..Hent oute a swerde in þe silve steuene.
d
- c1390 Psalt.Mariae(1) (Vrn)420 : Heil whos sone glorious..þat confermed [read: Haþ conformed] him to us I-maad of dedly steuene [L factus est mortalis].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)342/125 : Mi dere fader of heuen..maide me borne to be Of a madyn withoutten steven.
e
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)190/5674 : To eft we mete now good this stevyne plight, As take myn hert and lete yowre bide with me.
f
- c1450 When the son (Frf 16)28 : Cedres were of lyban and of Inde, With virres clymbyng vp yn to hevene fful of shadowe a thousand on a stepinne [?read: stempne].
3.
In comb.: ~ fre, an exemption of some kind in using a mill.
Associated quotations
- 1316 *Covenant at Bishop's Castle Salop [OD col.] (Add Charter 40846) : Concessit etiam dictus Rogerus..predicto Philippo..Steuenefreo in dicto molendino suo.
- (1477) Doc.PRIreland in Dep.Rep.24107 : [Lessors..grant to John Kenane..the] Polmyll [without the walls of Dublin and appoint him miller thereof for life at a stipend of the sixth measure of malt..grantors to be] Stewynfre [and] tolfre [of moltures and all grains ground at the mill].