Middle English Dictionary Entry
straunǧer(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | straunǧer(e n. Also straungier, -eor, stranger(e, -ier, strangher, strainger, -eare, -our, stronger(e. |
| Etymology | From OF estrangier, estraignier, AF estrangere n.; some combs. could also be construed as ME straunǧer adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A foreigner, an alien; ~ alien; enemi (marchaundise, ravinour, alien comere) ~; marchaunt ~ [see also marchaunt n. 1.(c)]; (b) an unknown or unfamiliar person, a stranger [sometimes difficult to distinguish from (d) and (e)]; (c) an outsider; not a citizen of a town; not a member of a craft, religious group, household, etc.; ~ vitailer, vitailer ~, a food seller from outside the city; (d) a person not related by blood; not a member of a family; (e) another person, someone else; (f) a traveler, transient, or sojourner; a guest, visitor; also fig.; (g) ~ from (of), a stranger to (sb. or sth.), one unfamiliar with; (h) an unusual verse form.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Par.6.32 : A straunger also þat is not of þi puple israel; if he coome fro a fer lond for þi grete name, [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)72a/b : Oþir seruantis hatte empticij and beþ I-take wiþ straungeres aliens [L a barbaris] and wiþ enemyes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3903 : Eleyne..gan ful rewfully compleyne Hir vnkouþe lyf, to dwelle with straungers.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.3.61 : Thou ne hast noght knowen..the enpoisnynge of Socrates ne the turmentz of Zeno, for they weren straungiers.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)44 : Forto remembre off other alyens First Ieneweys, though they were straungers, Florentyns and the Venycyens..Passed the subbarbes to mete with the kyng.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1121 : Allas..euene as a straunger And as vnknowyn also in this cuntre Ineuytabylly I must deyin her.
- (1449) RParl.5.144b : That every Venician, Italian..and all other Merchants straungiers..paye to you, oure Soveraigne Lord, a Subsidie.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)343/5 : Þese Iustes..were holden at London in Smithfelde for alle maner of strayngers of what londe & cunctre þei were.
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Cleo.(Cleo C.4)146 : All marchandise straungeris schuld goo to Ost with Englisshmen.
- (1451) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)336 : That no manere persone..except oonly the straungiers aliens that nowe been enfrauncheised..sett..eny persone being straungier alien born out of this land, not enfrauncheised in this Citee, on werk.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)1109-10 : Take hede he must to aliene commers straungeres, and to straungers of þis land resi[d]ent dwelleres.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)115 : The said kynge is compellid to make his armeys and retenues for the defence of his lande of straungers, as Scottes, Spaynardes, [etc.].
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)233/5 : Wee see the straungers allied to oure reame passen the fortunes of the see for to come to oure socours.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)127 : The for sayde soudyers and strongers..wyllyng for to departynne, oure lorde the kyng shalle ordaynne and make a sykyr and saffe condyte.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)121b : A Strayngeare: Aduena, alienigena.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.32.78b : The straunger wil flee, ffor he hath no more to care for with in þat contre but his owne persone.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)13/21 : The naturall lordis haue lasse power ouir their livelode thanne the ravinours straungiers, of whome the londe is sowen as it war full of langustes.
- a1500 Proc.Chanc.in Archaeol.ser.2.610 : Your besecher, beyng a merchaunt strawnger and born beyond the see..shall be condempnyd.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lam.5.2 : Oure eritage turned is to alienes, oure housis to straungeris.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.289 : Þe men of Flaundres beeþ..pesible to hir neighebores, trewe to straungeres [Higd.(2): straungeors], [etc.].
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1075 : For he was a straunger, somwhat she Likede hym the bet, as..ofte newe thyng is sote.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)41/27 : Þe bemys of his [love's] gudenes not only to frendis & neghburs bot also to enmys & straungers it spredys.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)15.46 : Here Enemyes scholen hem slo, And here londis ȝeven wile I In-to the hondes of strawngeris.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)228/10 : He..dischargid þaim þe company & spekyng with of any strangiers.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.216 : Crist..was to hem inward as a stranger & a pylgrym passynge, for þey knewyn hym nout ne leuedyn nout in hym.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)80/5 : Þat he love bothe his negburghes and strangers.
c
- (1384) Procl.Brembre in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk H)33/18 : That no man..greue..no maner straunge vitailler..wher-by eny swych vitailler straunger be destourbed that he ne mowe nought selle his fissh.
- (1386) RParl.FM (C&D)34/27 : He did carye grete quantitee of Armure to the Guyldehalle, with which as wel straungers of the contree as othere of with-jnne were armed.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.76 : No brother no sister ne shalle discuse þe counseil of þis fraternite to no straungere.
- (1428) Doc.in Sur.Soc.854 : Ye said John Lyllyng..suld noght occupy in bying nor in sellyng als a concitezin, bot als a straunger.
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)205 : There was a vse in þat cherch þat tyme If ony straungere cam of worthi degre The deen..profir to him þann mad..To synge þe masse.
- (1452) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1275 : No hagards man dwellyng whitin the cite shulde no sell no maner of corne outewardes to no straungeris, but onely to harr neghteboris within the cite.
- (1467) Ordin.Wor.392 : Be he citezen or straunger that hyreth eny chambour..put no foreyn good but his owne in the same.
- (1472) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8523 : Roger, ye Merciallse man, maid asalt of strangher, & fraid ye neghboures.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)18 : He ordeyned iiii marshalls, to kepe the honour of his halle in recevyng and dyrecting straungers as well as of his householdmen in theyre sitting.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.181 : Ȝif þe curat wil nout suffryn a stranger ben beryyd in a chirche ȝerd of religyous withynnyn his parych but for certeyn monye, he doth symonye.
- a1525(?1421) Cov.Leet Bk.29 : We command that no maner of Straunger vitaler..bryngithe See fische..to this cite..till hit be ix of the cloke.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2879 : To the tempull..toke he þe gate..On a side he hym set, as semyt for a straungior.
d
- a1400 MPPsalter (Dub 69)48.10 : Strangers [Add: hij shal laten her riches vn-to stranges].
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)30/14 : Þe kynges of erþe, of whom fangeþ þei tribute, of þe sones oþer of straungers?
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)302 : Ȝowre tresoure, plente, & largesse From other hit came & shal vn-to straungeres.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.292 : Tac hede to nhyed [read: nyhed] of blood & of affinite, for be wey of kende þey must ben holpyn raþere þan strangeris ȝif þe nede of boþin be euene.
e
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.27.2 : Preyse þee an alien & not þi mouþ, a straunger & not þi lippis.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)52/27 : Hit is more profitable be y-schryue to þe curatour þan to a straunger.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)25/19 : A woman..dede ansuere her husbonde afore straungeres like a rampe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)37/21 : That [reward] shall cause straungers to be of bettir wyll to do you servyse at nede; Also ye be able to rewarde youre owne knyghtes.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)71/14 : The good prynce..shall drawe to him as well the courages of his owyn people as of straungers.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)155/32 : Melaades..had but x Ml. of his owyn men and a thousand of straungers.
f
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1039 : Lyche a kyng..he can hym quite Vn-to straungerys þat entren in his Ile..for a litel while Hem to refresche.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)27/24 : Haue mynde þou art here a straunger & hast fer to go.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.5.20 : No gest ne straunger [L hospes] ne karf yit the heye see.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)24/18 : Before the soudan cometh no strangier but ȝif he be clothed in cloth of gold.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)94/5 : Þe desier of soulis in blis is to se..my worschip fulfillid in ȝou þat ȝit..ben straungers and pilgrymes goynge faste into þe eende of deeþ.
- a1450 Aelred Inst.(2) (Bod 423)7/268 : Thou art but a straunger and a pilgrime in this wrecched worlde.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)350/12 : Þere were serued..riall metis and drynkis plenteuously, to alle maner of strayngourez.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)369 : Of strangers also þat comen to court, Þo porter schalle warne ser at a worde.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)801 : In almesdysshe he layes yche dele Þat he is with serued at þo mele But he sende hit to ony strongere, A pese þat is hym leue and dere.
- a1475 Ordin.Househ.Grossetest (Sln 1986)217 : Commaunde ye the officers that they admitte youre knowlechyd men, familiers frendys, and strangers with mery chere.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.263 : In þat day þu schalt don non seruyle wark, neyþir þu ne þin sone ne þyn douȝtir..ne þe straunger þat is withynne þi ȝate.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)6018 : Gaffray..was..At ioyous disport..At lusignen castell with strangers many.
- -?-(1474) Ordin.Househ.Pr.Edw.29* : We wyll that the hall be ordynately served, and strangers served and cherished accordinge to their haveures.
g
- c1400 Bk.Mother (LdMisc 210:Everett)24/8 : Lord..I knoweleche me a strangere fro þe..and pilgryme as alle my faders weren.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)4/111 : Also have I leve of the noble husbande Boece, al-though I be a straunger of conninge, to come after his doctrine..and glene my handfuls.
h
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)86 : If it were made in ryme couwee, or in strangere or enterlace..som suld haf ben fordon, so þat fele men þat it herde suld not witte how þat it ferde.