Middle English Dictionary Entry
strēken v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | strēken v.(1) Also streke, strek(ke, strecken, streiken, striken & (error) sterck; p. streked(e, strecked, straikede; ppl. streked, strekit. |
| Etymology | ?From nongeminate forms of OE streccan; cp. ME strecchen v., MnE dial. streek, & Scot. striek, streek. Some quots. in sense 4 could be construed as strīken v. 11. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To lie stretched out, be extended; refl. to extend over a given area; (b) to stretch out (one's limbs) in a recumbent position; ppl. streked, prostrate, prone; (c) to fall prostrate; (d) to lay out (a corpse) for burial.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Alle his frendes (Hrl 7322)13 : His þrote shal Rotelen & his feet shullen streken & his herte shal breken.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(LdMisc 559)5232 : Now is þe erthe grete and smale and wyde strykeþ [Lnsd: strecchiþ] hym withhalle.
b
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12703 : Gapyng he lay at erþe al streked, Als he was wyþ þe launce cheked.
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(1) (Sln 1853)p.30 : Myn herte for wo begynneth to breke; For stark, my lemys I may not streke.
- c1500 Be cause that (SeldArch B.24)129 : I wepe, I wale, with hew full paile and grene; Strekit on ground, almost confound I lye.
c
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)481 : Lamech droge is arwe ner And letet flegen..Caim unwarde it under-feng, Grusnede and strekede and starf wið-ðan.
d
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)944 : Þe caytefe lay and myȝt nat speke; Furþ, for ded, men gan hym streke.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.968 : This man lay stille and might not spekke..forth for dede men gan hym strekke.
2.
(a) To reach out; stretch out (one's hand, arm, etc.), extend; also fig.; of an animal or a bird: stretch out (its neck); ~ oute (forth); ~ doun, force down (the stiffened arms of a corpse); (b) to stretch (sth.), extend, lay out at length; also fig.; also, pitch (a tent).
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5817 : I bidd þe strek þi hand þe fra.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18291 : Wit þis he strecked for [Göt: streked forth] his hand.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Hrl 1770)54.22 : He streked [Vsp: Tospred] his hand in foryhelding.
- c1400(a1349) Rolle MPass.(1) (Cmb Ll.1.8:Horst.)91 : Þei toke of þe rode þi blessyd body; þei ryȝttyd owt þine armys þat were bycome starke and strekyd hem doun after þi sydes.
- c1400 PLove (Hrl 2254)46/8 : Ȝif any þouȝte wolde streke out hand to þe tre for-boden..he kittith hit a-wey.
- c1400 PLove (Hrl 2254)104/12 : He streckiþ out his hondis & his lymmes as to helpe his brodir.
- a1425(c1340) Rolle Psalter (LdMisc 286)137.8 : On the wrath on myn enemys thou strekyd [L extendisti] thi hand.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)9/1 : Þe horse strekede oute his nekke als ferre als he myghte and likked Alexander hand.
- a1450 Dur-CRO.Bk.Hawking (Dur-CRO Roll D/X/76/7)28/117 : This hawke toileth, þat is when scho sethe a fowle and strekis owt þe nek and buskys þedirward.
- c1450 Bk.GGrace (Eg 2006)411/18 : I straykede owte myne aarmes and myne handdys to be naylede with herde nayles.
- c1450 Bk.GGrace (Eg 2006)496/11 : This holy maydene..saw owre lorde Ihesu stondynge on þe awter strekynge owte his handdys ande schewede his holye woundys.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)54.22 : Extendit manum suam in retribuendo..he strekis his hand in ȝeldand.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)124.3 : The lord sall noght lefe the wand of synful abouen the kut of rightwis, that the rightwis streke noght til wickidnes thaire hend.
- c1590(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64(2))59.9 : J sall streke, prechand the passyon of Jhu christ, til men that are luffers of the erth.
b
- a1400 NVPsalter (Eg 614)139.6 : Þai streked [Vsp: Strenges in snare þai set to be].
- a1425(c1340) Rolle Psalter (LdMisc 286)59.9 : Streke [UC 64(2): In ydumeam extendam calceamentum meum..In til ydumy J sall strike my schoyng].
- a1425(c1340) Rolle Psalter (LdMisc 286)103.3 : Extendens celum sicut pellem..Strekand heuen as a skyn..That is..god strekis thaim as a skyn, that is, he makes thaim large in perfitnes.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)479 : Streykyn owte: Protendo, extendo.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1229 : The kyng..strekez his tentis One a strenghe by a streme.
- a1450 Dur-CRO.Bk.Hawking (Dur-CRO Roll D/X/76/7)24/62 : Tak þi thombe and strek þe skyn fro þe neke, and pull þe nek fro þe body..qwyll þi hawke plumes on þe partrik.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)79.12 : Sho strekis ere brawnchis til the see and til the flode hire kyndis; Brawnchis ere apostils..and the kyndis, that is, the folouers of apostils, strekis ensaumpil of perfeccioun til the flode, that is, til thaim that flowis in vnstabilnes.
3.
(a) To extend in a certain direction, stretch [2nd quot. may belong to sense 4.(b)]; also fig.; (b) fig. to extend (one's wrath).
Associated quotations
a
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5063 : Betwene þa styes in a stound þat strekis þurȝe þe mountis He mas twa pylars doun to pynche all of playn marble.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)6706 : Deires at humbyr flode begynnes..Whare it begynnes at tese or tyne, how it strekys, kan I noȝt deuyne.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)61 : Boþ of lawe of kind and of law writun and law of grace, he is þe first begining..he is endfully consuming and keping, and to wam al laws strekyn.
b
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)84.5 : Wher þou salt..streke þi wreth fro strende in strende?
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)84.5 : Numquid..extendes iram tuam a generacione in generacionem: Whether..thou sall streke thi wreth fra generacioun in generacioun, That is..thou sall contynu thi wreth til the warldis end.
4.
(a) To go quickly, proceed rapidly, rush; refl. betake oneself; ~ forth; (b) of a river: to flow, run [quot. may belong to sense 3.(a)].
Associated quotations
a
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1265 : Doun in the pyt sche strekes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22201 : Sa sal he sterck [read: streck] Ouer hogh to lepe his hals to brek.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2085 : Thane strekez the steryn and streynys his brydyll.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3659 : Þay..Strekyn ouer þe streme, thare stryvynge begynnes.
- c1450 Siege Jerus.(1) (Add 31042)761 : Strekis [Ld: He strideþ on a stif stede & strikeþ ouer þe bente].
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.85.58a : I schal forȝieten alle worldi þinges..and i schal strecken me forward to endeles þinges.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1953 : Alexander..had his ost loygid A-pon þe streme of Struma þat strekis þurȝe his landis.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(LdMisc 559)3873 : So [?Read, with Lnsd: To] fer forthe a man hym strekes To answhere hym þat foly spekes.