Middle English Dictionary Entry
stormī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | stormī adj. Also stormẹ̄, sturmi, (early) storemig. |
| Etymology | From storm n., though the word may have existed in OE: cp. OE stor-, glossing L procellōsa. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Characterized by violent weather, stormy; also fig.; (b) of a place: subject to frequent storms; (c) in proverbs and prov. expressions.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)66/15 : Ðonne forme gearesdæig byð..Monendæig, hit byð..windig sumer & storemig & geswyncfull hærfest.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.686 : Wynter, as be weie of kinde Which stormy is..Ferst makth the wyndes forto blowe, And after that withinne a throwe He reyneth.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22691 : Þe dai fourtend sal be ful il..A stormi dai, a stret of au, Bath o frost and hail and snau.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5984 : Þe whiche fire..Shal nat quenche..Þoruȝ noon assaut of stormy wyndes colde.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)455 : Nakid as a worme was she, And if the wedir stormy were, For colde she shulde haue deyd there.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)8 : The stormy reyne off alle theyre hevynesse Were passed away and alle her olde grevaunce.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.254 : Men wonder noght vpon þe storme [vrr. stormy; sterne] wynde Þat maketh þe see so fersly for to flowen, Þat doth þe brinkes bete and overþrowen.
- a1456 Affter þe stormy tyme (Trin-C R.3.20)1 : Affter þe stormy tyme cesing þe rayn, Whane for þabsence of colde þeorþe is fayn..With greuous study annoyed was myn hert.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)366 : Stormy: procellosus.
- a1500 Lydg.Test.(Add 34193)376 : Stormy [Hrl 218: Who may withstonde the sterne sharpe schoures Of dethes powere, where hym list repayre?].
- a1500 O blessed mary (Lamb 306)13 : To the all synners do go, Mercy callyng and besechyng to & fro, Them to dyrect in this stormy se.
- 1558(?a1440) Burgh Praise Lydg.(Add 29729)46 : Writen at thabbey of bylegh chebri place with frosti fingers..when from the high hille, I men ye mownt canace, was sent in to briton the stormy persaunt that made me loke as lede & chaunge semblant.
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.247 : In esy places hier may they [vines] trayle, In lene or hoot, declyue or stormy stedys Let hem be lowe.
c
- (?c1422) Hoccl.ASM (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)294 : The stormy seson folwith dayes merie.
- c1475(?a1440) Burgh Cato(1) (Rwl C.48)279 : Now man is poore and eft richesse releffe; The shynyng morwe hath ofte a stormy eve.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)2913 : Trouthe wil out maugre of fals enuye, Rihtwysnesse may nat ben hid certeyn, As for a tyme it may been ovirleyn; Bi exaumple: as passid the daungeer Of stormy wedris, phebus is most cleer.
2.
(a) Of persons, Fortune, etc.: liable to change, inconstant, fickle, unreliable; (b) characterized by change and inconstancy; (c) strife-ridden; characterized by strife; also, difficult; (d) of God's judgment: bringing punishment.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.995 : O stormy [vrr. storme, sturmy; sterne] peple, vnsad and euere vntrewe! Ay vndiscreet and chaungynge as a vane, Delitynge euere in rumbul that is newe, For lyk the moone ay wexe ye and wane.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4079 : Fortune, gery and vnstable, And redy ay to be chaungable, Whan men most triste in þi stormy face..Þanne is þi Ioye aweye to turne.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.2066 : The geri Romayns, stormy and onstable, Which neuer in oon stille koude abide Ageyn, this prynce..ban[y]shed.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.2164 : The stormy trust off eueri comounte, Ther geri corages & troublid constaunce, In this tragedie men mai beholde & see, Now vp, now doun, as Fortune cast hir chaunce.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)34 : In on estate she neuere doth contyune, Thys stormy quen wych callyd ys Fortune.
b
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.1437 : Who with tirauntis list put hymsilff in pres, To haue ther fauour & stormy aqueyntaunce, He mut..Be double of herte, with feyned contenaunce.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)456 : Vnto thy stormy wilful variaunce, I-meynt with chaunge and gret vnstablesse, Now vp, now doun, so rennyng is thy chaunce, That the to trust may be no sikernesse.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)346 : The variaunt sesoun of this stormy age Abraydeth euere on newefangelnesse, Now frounyng chiere, now fressh of visage.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2245 : Sche stood in a Iupardye of Loue and Schame..For Schame was gret, & Loue ȝit was more, As sche wel knewe..by hir stormy cruel aventure.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2545 : Venus fleteth in a se To schewe þe trowble and aduersite Þat is in Loue, and his stormy lawe, Whiche is beset with many sturdy wawe, Now calm, now rowe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.778 : Love is yet the mooste stormy lyf..that evere was bigonne; For evere som mystrust or nice strif Ther is in love.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Lover's NYG (Add 16165)25 : Þo came gode hope ageyne and gan myn hert adawe, And of myn hevy stormy thought apeese wel þe wawe, And so þe skyes of dispeyre began to wexen clere.
- a1450 Maidstone PPs.(Dgb 18)712 : For þoos causes..God suffride many a grisely wounde, And for man schulde not falle him fro, He suffride many a stormy stounde.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)prol.3 : This boke..with halesome lare drouyd & stormy saules bryngis in til clere & pesful lyf.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)10.7 : He sall rayne on synful in this warld..gast of stormes, that is, a stormy thoght, that is withouten rest in ihu crist and ay is trauaild with the wynd of the deuel.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)205 : Semblably, in kyn[g]damys & Citees, Stormy troublis for to set asyde, Mevid sodeynly among the comountees, At the begynny[n]g in al hast to provide.
d
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)82.14 : Thou sall folow thaim, drifand thaim in till hell in thi storme, that is, in thi dome, that is full stormy till all ill men.