Middle English Dictionary Entry
stīth(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | stīth(e adj. Also steith, (early acc.) stiðne, (early dat.) stiþun & (in names) stid-, stethen; comp. stither, (early) stiðre, stiþran; sup. stithest, (?error) stithes; pl. (early) stiðen, (dat.) stiðum. |
| Etymology | OE stīþ |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a thing: stiff, hard; strong; (b) of a city or house: strongly fortified or built; of lands: rich; of possessions or goods: abundant; also, sup. as noun: the most splendid hall or building.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)49/8 : Þanne is oþer þisse ylcan..wyrt sweart on hiwe & stiþran leaf.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)205/7 : Þeos wyrt..ha[f]a[ð] lange leaf & stiþe.
- ?a1425 SLeg.And.(CmbAdd 3039)57/112 : His men..bande his hende & fete vnto a croice..With styth ropez.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5461 : All þe strands of þe streme stode full of stith reedis.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)5005 : He was taken And in to stithe fettirs schakyn.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1997 : Ne no stithe ropes Ne no sayle..might serue for vnsound wedur.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)897 : Tounes þai ȝold him..And cites stiþe of stan.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4352 : Make we..na stithe hames..Bot duells..in dennes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5265 : Þe kyng..þe castell..entres, Silis in with þat semely in-to a somere-hall, A strenthe, was stiȝtild all of stagis, þe stithest of þe werd.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)727 : She..Storet thee to strenght & þi stythe londes.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12314 : He prayet hom..ffor to graunt hym..To stuffe hom with store of his stith godis And fode for his folke.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)91 : They..turned tit to..Attanus..A stiþ stede and a strong.
2.
(a) Of thunder, a storm, waters, movement, etc.: violent or strong; (b) of sound or noise: loud; (c) of fighting, strife, blows: fierce, strong; (d) of illness: unrelenting, severe; of a medicinal potion, venom: potent, strong.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3266 : Ðhunder and leuene and rein ðor-mong God sente on ðat hird, stið and strong.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)28.9 : Louerd stithstreme in mas to wone.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)45.4 : Stith cominge of streme fained goddes cite.
- c1440 St.Chris.(Thrn)254 : Þe stremys are so styffe & stythe Þat many a mane þer losses þaire lyfe.
- c1475(a1400) Amadace (Tay 9)p.46 : Stithe stormes me ore-drofe, Mi nobulle schippe hit all to-rofe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12505 : Stith was the storme, stird all the shippes.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22527 : All bestes..cri sal wit stiþer steuen þan nu mai do ten or elleuen.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1251 : Sa stithe a steuyn in þe stoure of stedis..As it was semand to siȝt as all þe soyle trymblid.
c
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3073 : He leid on Sarsyns..strokes styþe and sterke.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3461 : Þair strut it was vn-stern stith.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)485 : Þis was a stythe stroke of a knyghte.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2050 : Sa store & stithe was þe stoure..Þat..þe son..Kest away his clerete.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9679 : The store was full stith.
d
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)99/11 : Ȝenim þisse wurte sæd, ȝemencg to stiþun drenche.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)183/8 : Ȝif þa untrumnesse swa stiþ byð, sile ðicȝe[a]n on beore.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)932 : The stremys of stynke & of stythe venum Past out in the place.
3.
(a) Of a person, the body: strong, hardy; of a king, knight, etc.: valiant, stout, noble; of Christ: mighty, powerful; also, as noun: brave or valiant ones; (b) of an animal, esp. a horse, or a serpent: strong, sturdy.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12419 : Arður..cleopede him to..eorles and beornes..wenden in-to ane huse..stiðe men hit wurhten.
- ?a1300 Maximian (Dgb 86)218 : Mi bodi..wes..So stiþ and stod opriȝt.
- a1350 Most i ryden (Hrl 2253)48 : Me were leuere kepe hire come þen beon pope ant ryde in Rome, styþes [?read: styþest] vpon stede.
- c1330 KTars (Auch)59/1092 : Ac euer oȝein a cristen man Ten heþen houndes wer þan Of Sarrazins stout & stiþe.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)696 : Þey waxe wonder wroþe, þys knyȝtes styþ on stoure.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.10 : A stither gom than I, Efter me sal com in hy, That es sa menscful and mihty.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)18180-81 : Þu ert sua lau and hei wid-all..In schap of thral sua stith in stur, Sua stith in sture and king of bliss.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)9 : I will ȝow telle of a knyghte Þat was..hardy..And stythe in ilk a stoure.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)523 : Stiþe men in stiropys striden alofte.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.18 : In mydde the lyste of the lawunde, the lordus doune liȝte; Alle butte the stithest, in steroppus that stode.
- a1500(a1400) Libeaus (Lamb 306)1808 : They fownden hem sette in fere And talkynge..Of knyghtis stoute and stythe.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)54/96 : To men of erth thou must be stythe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)21 : Olde stories of stithe þat astate helde May be solas to sum þat it segh neuer.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)988 : Þai..Stale from þe styth kyng stylle by night.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1303 : On stedes..stiþe & strong Þai riden to-gider.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2614 : Sone þanne were þes barouns diȝt in..aketouns, helmes..& on styþe stedes.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.912 : A staloun asse..brawny..large ylimed, stronge, & steyth..it [vr. is] to been hadde.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)367 : The boye was neuer so blythe Als when he herde þe name kythe Of þe stode-mere stythe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4838 : A Basilisk in a browe breis þaim vn-faire, A straȝtill & a stithe worme stinkand of elde.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38)842 : Who schall vs now geue londys..howndys, or stedys stythe?
4.
(a) Stubborn, inflexible; ?strong-willed or single-minded [1st quot.]; also, as noun: the steadfast one; (b) harsh, stern; cruel; also, comp. as noun: stricter abstinence.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5028 : Coil..wes ræh..strong..stið an þonke.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1591 : He maked him stið & strong, For he beð mengt ðat kin among.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)281 : Þe child he set to lore..In bok..He stodieþ euer, þat stiþe.
- c1390 NHom.Theoph.(Vrn)39 : Þe fend..his herte made hard and stiþe.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.194 : His sonnes strong & stith, þer wille wille not be went.
b
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)106/4 : Oft hwonlice gelefðe mænn..smegeð..hwy se Ælmihtige God æfre geðafigen wolde þæt þa hæðene his halgen mid stiðen tyntregen acwellen mosten.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)118/30 : Þa þa heo axoden hwu he mihte swa stearca forhæfdnysse forberen, he andswerede, 'Stiðre & wyrse ic geseh.'
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)32/8 : Ðe laford..læt hine bitæcen þam stiðum witnerum.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.Pentec.(Lamb 487)95 : He demað stiðne dom þam forsunegede on his efter to-come.
- c1400 *PPl.C (Trin-C R.3.14)[22.463] f.68b : I halde it riȝt..of my reue to take Al þat myn auditour or my stiþ steward Counseiliþ me be here acounte.
5.
In surnames and place name [see Smith PNElem.2. 153].
Associated quotations
- (1230) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)138 : Stitheneche.
- (1293) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)138 : Stethenhach.
- (1313) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames333 : John Stithulf; Richard Stidolf.