Middle English Dictionary Entry
strengen v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | strengen v.(1) Also streng(e, strengh(e(n, stringhen, strenken, (early) strengæn & ? strenǧ(e(n. Forms: sg.3 strengeth, etc. & strength(e, strenghit, strenght, strenghth; pl. (early) strengeð & (error) strenged; p.pl. strenghed, (early) streng(e)den; ppl. strenged, strenghed(e, strenght, stringhid & (error) strengheþ. |
| Etymology | OE *strengan (cp. gestrengan & ætstrengan); a few forms may be errors for ME strengthen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. istrengen v., strongen v.
1.
(a) To prevail; (b) to impart strength; also, of a medicine: provide the potency (to cure an illness).
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)38/318 : We strengeð [Bod: strenged] on ham & ouerstiheð ham er ha lest wenen.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)114/2 : Mine fan weitið me wið triccherie & wið treisun & ha strengden [Tit: strengeden] up o me.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)354 : But myn enemyes ben quyk and bolde And strenghed on me myghtily.
b
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)30/29 : Take þe kynd of hert & drynk it with rede wyne & it strenghes wonderfuly to stawnce menyson or flix.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2346 : If þai se..Þat þe trauel passes þer myght, Vn-to hir sal þai pray mekely Forto relese þam sum party..And if scho wil not her þer reson, Ȝit sall þai..suffer it for godes sake..Þan sal god strengh in þer dede.
2.
(a) To make (sb.) powerful; strengthen (sb. to do sth.); ben strenged, be made strong, prevail; strenged in substaunce, substantial; (b) to make (sth.) strong; shore up (a structure), reinforce; also fig. [quot. a1425]; fit out (a ship), supply; ~ with, fortify (a city) with men; (c) to strengthen (sb., the soul, heart, will) spiritually; strengthen (a virtue, someone's faith, etc.); impart firmness to (mercy); (d) to strengthen (the body or a bodily part), sharpen (the wits); also, refresh (the body) [quot. c1484, 1st].
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)20/77 : God, þat rest on rode For sake of Adams syn, Strenkith him..His reght in France to win.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)27205 : Contres wer reedifide..And alle pople strenghede sumdele.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)17.20 : He reft me out fra my faes..for thai ere strenghid abouen me..enmys that hatis vs ere ill men and fendes, the whilk ware strenghid abouen vs whils we ware noght lufand crist.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)113 : Now god, that Dyed appon a Rode, Strengithe hym bothe bone and blod, The fyld for to haue!
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)106/32 : Chese..a man strynghyd in substance [Ashmole: substanciall; L substancialem], of fair beholdyng and of ornementz.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18930 : Þe fire es god to strengh þe tile.
- a1425 PPl.C (Hnt HM 143)3.345 : Relacoun rect..is a record of treuthe..styfliche stande forth to strenghe þe fundement.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1365 : He comes..With men of armes a sexty thowsande To strenghe with ȝone Cite.
- c1450 Gt.Chron.(Gldh 3313)100 : I and all tho of my companye and garison..shull do make ageyne and strenghyn ageyn and reparellen the toures, the walles, and the dyches of the Castell and dongeon of Faleys.
- c1450 Iuy is (Eg 3307)p.84 : Iuy..takyth hold; it kepyth fast And strenkyth it that is hym bye; It kepyth wall from cost and wast.
- c1450 Siege Jerus.(1) (Add 31042)284 : Thaym strenghe [vr. strenghen hem; Ld: schippis wer..Takled & atired..Fresch water & wyn wounden yn faste, & stof of alle maner store þat hem strengþe scholde].
c
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)112/6 : Ðe Hælend wolde festnen & strengæn heore bileafe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2614 : Forr þild birrþ ben wiþþ iwhillc mahht To beoldenn itt & strengenn, Swa þatt itt muȝhe ben till uss God wæpenn ȝæn þe deofell.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2748 : Illc mann..iss Þurrh Godess millce beldedd..& strengedd inn hiss herrte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2897 : Mildheorrtnesse birrþ ben aȝȝ Þurrh rihhtwisnesse strengedd Swa þatt te millce nohht ne be To soffte ne to nesshe.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)27/276 : Lauerd godd al mihti..Steor me & streng me, for al mi strengðe is of þe.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)65/716 : Ȝeieð to godd in hali chirche þet he ȝeoue ow wit wel forte donne & strenge ow wið his strengðe aȝein þe stronge unwiht.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)51/437 : Þes is þe iþis strif schal strengen me aȝein ow.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)74/19 : Teke þet ha temeð wel hire fulitohe flesch & strengeð & deð menske þe wurðfule sawle..ha mot ȝet..ȝeouen strengðe oþre & up halden ham.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)25/701 : For bred strengeþ þe herte of man.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25217 : Lauerd, þou strengh In hus þi nam o bred and lengh.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Eg 614)26.20 : Abide louerd and do manli, And þi hert be strenghed [Vsp: strenþhed; L confortetur].
- c1440 Hilton ML (Thrn)34/17 : Godd hase sent fire of lufe..in-to manes saule..vn-to þis ende, þat a man suld knawe it, kepe it, noresche it, and strenghe [Vrn: strengþe] it.
- a1450(?a1349) ?Rolle Heyle Ihū my (Cmb Dd.5.64)6 : Þi luf schynes day and nyght, þat strenghes me in þis strete.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)17543 : Þor kneled sho..and prayd god..To strengh hyr in þat stownd hyr forward to fullfyll.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)202/25 : A spiritual man..is nether caste oute fro hope..bot he is strenghed hool in al vertue.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)14/17 : A clene wyll..strenght pacyence and makyth stronge the hope of gettyng of blysse.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)270/35 : Þe sacurment comforteþe and strengthe þe sowles þat hyt byn don fore.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)139/64 : Grace..strength wil adversitees to withsitte.
d
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)38a/b : Þe profite of alle þes maner fatnesse is for þre þinges: þe first is þat þe members þat be lapped in hem mowe be strengheþ [?read: strenghed] bi hem boþe in attraccioun and retencioun.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)182 : Canel..drieþ vp þe ille humourez of þe stomak and..comforteþ it and strenght it.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)193 : Notemuge..curiþ þe stinkyng mouþ, stancheþ þe flux, and byndeþ þe wombe; hit strengheþ boþe.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)135/24 : He may be myry in hys chambyr..þat can harp and lwte and pley at orgynnis qwan he fyindyth hym-self tedius..For mannys spyritis hath delectacion in sqwyche..and also stody and curyosyte wansen awey for þe tyme, and alle þe body is strenghyd þer-with.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)148/14 : Þe strecchyng owte of þi membris strenghyt [Lambeth: makys stalworth; L corroborat] alle þi body.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)148/34 : Þu schalt porge þi-self..for þis profytith gretly..it strenghyth [Lambeth: shaarpys] þe wytte, and it slowyth and make age to tary.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)82/2 : It ys to wete þat some þing strynghys and fattys þe body, some makys it megre and feble.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.in JHMAS 23 (Lnsd 793)p.172 : The secounde partie [of meat] draweth him also The brain and eyen and heed unto, And strengthe eche in his degree That thei alle the bettir be.
3.
(a) To confirm (one's control or rule over sb.), reinforce; (b) to support (an assumption or a hypothesis), confirm; (c) law to confirm (a gift).
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3410 : Ðat was bi-tid for israel; And at wið moysen festelike, And tagte him..Vnder him helpes oðere don Ðat folc stering to strenghen on.
b
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)120/20 : Chaungeablenesse of thingis chaungith not His science nor strenghth not their contingence.
c
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)29/29 : All these yftys kynge Stephyn by the priuilege of hys regal power haþe strenghyd & confermid.
4.
To compel (sb. to do sth.), constrain.
Associated quotations
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)73/6 : No man is bondon to synne ne coacte noþur strenght aȝeyns is will, but is at is own free will wheþur þat he will do well or euell.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1460 Chaucer CT.Kn.(Hrl 1239)A.1650 : Strenket [Heng: But streight, with-outen word or rehersynge, Euerich of hem heelp for to armen oother].
Note: ? = reinforced mentally, strengthens mentally.--per REL