Middle English Dictionary Entry
substanciāl adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | substanciāl adj. Also substancial(l)e, -tial, -ciel, -cal, substauncial, -ceal; sup. substauncielst. |
| Etymology | L substantiālis & OF substanciel, substancial, vars. of sustancïel. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Chiefly phil. or theol. (a) Pertaining to the very nature of a thing, essential; ~ forme, forme ~, the principle of existence in a substance and the source of all that is essential to that substance; (b) derived from the essence of a thing; (c) existing independently as a substance; (d) ?error for, or ?shortening of, supersubstancial surpassing substance, transcendent [cp. from the same texts supersubstancialli adv. (Treat.Perf.); and supersubstancial adj. and (332/274) "aboue the substancial heuene" (GLeg.Ascension), as well as the confused readings at 331/249.]
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)119a/b : Many liȝtes..beþ I-melled, and neuerþeles þey beþ I-ioyned and I-oned, and þe substancial fourme of eueriche is saaf, by þe which forme eueriche is diuers fro oþir.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)130a/b : Eueryche fourme accidental nediþ a fourme substancyal þat is cause of fourme accidentalis.
- c1400 *Wycl.Serm.(Dc 321)72b : Crist..was of þe same kynde þat is eche man his broþere, and þis lickenesse is in substancial kynde.
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)37 : He þat myghtyly made alle þynges of nought..þe same god schold not mowe take vppon hym þe substancial forme of man by whiche..he þat ys vndedly schold mowe dye.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.29.23b : Þerfor is he partener of bothe two kyndes, hauyng bodely matier of the erthe & of the foorme substancial fro heuene.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1747 : Coagulacion is no forme substancialle, But only passion of thing materialle.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)74/147 : Thilke thinges that we clepe power is but accident to the flesshly body, and so they may not have that suretee in might whiche wanteth in the substancial body.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)96/47 : Naturel goodnesse of every substaunce is nothing els than his substancial being, which is y-cleped 'goodnesse' after comparison that he hath to his first goodnesse.
b
- ?c1450(a1388) Wallingford Exafrenon (Dgb 67)183 : Thu most knawe the strenghtis and vertues substancial of all the planetis, of the wich summe have of thair awne kynde..And other strenght is that thei have of the kynde of the signe that thay ben in.
c
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)144/11 : Þof al þou haddest a biginnyng in þi substancyal creacion, þe whiche was sumtyme nouȝt, ȝit haþ þi being ben euer-more in hym wiþ-outyn beginnyng.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.181 : Honour, power..and hye richesse..þou trowest þat som þing of thise This blisfulnesse doth fully acomplise Into a perfyt thing substancial.
d
- c1450(1438) GLeg.Ascension (GiL64) (Eg 876) 330/209 : Ther is heuene materiall, heuene resonable, heuene entendible, heuene supersubstancial ..; the heuene substancial [?read: supersubstancial; L caelum supersubstantiale] is the qualite of the devine excellence .., the propre and most special duellyng place of oure Lorde Ihesu Crist and of aungels and of other seintes.
- c1450 Treat.Perf.(Add 37790)245/24 : Vnto the presence of god we schalle brynge oureselfe and oure werkys..for than we excede alle create thynges into the substancyalle [L supersubstantiales] ryches of god.
2.
(a) Of solid material, firm, hard; sturdy, strong; also, large; also, thick, viscous [last quot.]; (b) of solid worth or value; worthy, reliable; well-established, effective, sound; not easily contradicted or contravened; also, authoritative; (c) ?as adv.: in importance or significance.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.226 : Erthe..in his forme is schape round, Substancial, strong, sadd, and sound.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6785 : A tree..To mannys hond so it was palpable, Of whiche þe stok..was of purid gold..And þe body..Substancial & of an huge strengþe.
- (1421) Indent.Catterick in Archaeol.J.759 : Thomas, Joh'n, And Rob't sall mak ye pilers of ye forsaid brigge Als substanciell in lenth and bred has te was acorded wyth ye forsaid Joh'n Garett.
- (1447-8) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1354 : I wol that the edificacion of my said College of Eton procede in large fourme, clene and substancial.
- (1447-8) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1370 : I haue..appoynted that the procincte of my same College..be enclosed with a substancial wal of the height of xiiij fete.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)5116 : Women..made ware of a ribbe, it is no doute, Which more strong is and substancial Þan slyme of eerthe.
- (a1450) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1367 : He is..concluded that the first stone..be not..towched..And ther vpon the growndes a rysyng to be made with large, substanciall fre stone of Teynton.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2518 : Geffrey was riȝt myȝty & wele his age did bere, ffor natur was more substancial, when tho dayis were, Then nowe in our tyme.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4939 : I wil my executours do make a substanciall and a sqwar dore of free stoon.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.34.79b : That othir arme..is called Constable, which owith to be a bold man & hard, a sad man & substanciall, of gret constaunce & of prowes.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)83/13 : It behoveth hym to be a man substanciall [Caritate: substancal], faire chered and wele arraied.
- a1500(a1451) Commodities Eng.(LdMisc 593)551 : Ynglond ys no lytyll londe but a substauncyall londe, when it abuttythe agenst so many londes of Duche tonge, Frenche tonge, and Bretayn tonge also.
- c1500 Recipe MSS Hast.in HMC (Hnt HU 1051)1.424 : To mak brasyl water substancial in a crudde: Tak brasil and shave it, and tak lyme water and seth it with, and when it is sothen and tane fro the fyre, put a lump of alum in it als thu doist of yelowe; To dry brasil water when it is cruddid to be substancial for alumpnars or steynars..set it doune in a dyshe, [etc.].
b
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)26/21 : Þer ben oþir foure doweris of substancial mede wiþ þe whiche we schal be dowid in oure soule.
- (1419-23) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.306 : [As the names of the Earls of Arundel and Warwick have been erased] because þey wer myssette, and for-asmuche as oure saide patent is of a þyng perpetuel, we wol þat ye do write hit ayein of a more substancial hande.
- (1424) EEWills62/16 : I wolde þat þe substanciall dedes of myn oþer childre were copied.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)28 : Al þat þe oold philosophris..myȝten fynde..to be holde of mannys eende..was ful litil and not worþi to be sette forþ into eny substancial recorde.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Corp.Chr.(Trin-C R.3.20)195 : Ambrosius..Wryteþe..With Crystis worde substancial in sentence.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)46 : The euydencis..which Holi Scripture bringith ben not more substancial and strenger..than ben the euydencis..which doom of resoun therto bringeth.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)54 : The verri lawe of kinde and of feith..and so the substancial lawe of God to man in erthe, is wors knowen than of manye othere.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)85 : Thei hadden no counseil of substancial clerkis, weel leerned in logik and in moral philsophie.
- (1468) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8519 : After ye..grete deliberacion by us hadde, as wele by substanciall wrytyng undre sealez, as by ye instruccion & recorde of honest personnes..we have demed, [etc.].
- (1474) RParl.6.110a : That..Thomas Marsshe..and James Fynche..uppon substanciall and rightwys groundes and causes, be bounden by..their severall..obligations.
- a1525(?1461) Cov.Leet Bk.314 : The good & substanciall rule and guydyng that ye kepe..redoundeth to your laude & worship.
c
- (1447) Shillingford13 : Tho that beth substancialle grete and grevous to us, and somme cause and begynnyng of alle this debate, lete tham be so answered.
3.
(a) Anat. Derived from or pertaining to the substance of the body or a bodily part; also, med. capable of modifying the substance of the body or a bodily part [quots. ?a1425, 2nd & 3rd]; (b) nourishing, nutritive.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)32a/b : Ȝif þe substancial moisture is destroyed in þe body, al þe worchinge of þe soule is I-lett.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)43a/a : To moche..reuelynge of þe skynne tokeneþ defaute of brayne wiþinne & final wastynge of þe substancial humour.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)123b/a : By openynge of poores, spiritis passiþ out by exaltaciouns, and substancial moisture, and by vapoures.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)321b/b : Rotynge is corrupcioun of substaunceal moisture.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)13b/b : Þose additamentez forsoþ be noȝt oþer bonez fro þe bone of þe spalde..bot þai bene substanciale partiez of it.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)167b/b : Þer is double colde & hote wiþ stiptiknez & substanciale grossenez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)168b/a : Þer is anoþer maner kinde of attractiuez, as þo þat draweþ out materiez of þair substancial qualite, as bene laxatiuez & tiriacalez.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)14b/a : The veyne is a consimile membre..in substancial complexioun, sche is cold and drie, but sche is hoot and moist hauynge reward to hise contentis, þat is to seie, to þe hoot moist blood þat is conteyned in him.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)163/23 : Blode..is sotel and substancialle; And aftyr, it ascendith vppe to þe nek with temperat hete.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1726 : So nothing els is oure digestion But of humour substancial a create perfeccion.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)112/30,113/1 : Saynt matheu..hit clepeþ ziker bread substanciel..þe more þet he is norissinde, me zayþ þet he is þe substancieler.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)4/60 : Cumforte þi brayn beter wiþ sum bred And wiþ sum substancial mete.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)63b/a : Marouȝ by..his mo[i]sture..moistiþ þe drynes of bones, and by his substancial propirte it fediþ, norischiþ, & saueþ þe vertue of felinge.
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)97/2,5 : This mete seynt Iohan clepeþ it bred substancial, þat is to seie, of moste substance, for it is aboue all oþre creatures in vertu & worthines..men seith þat þe mete is substancial þat is mete of grete norischinge.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)67 : Thei feeden hem with sweete stonding potagis and with sweete bake metis, and leuen othere substancial and necessarie metis.
4.
Having tangible wealth, propertied; wealthy; also, of income: derived from property; of wealth: tangible.
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)43/5 : A soule..also putteþ his substancial, temperal good into profyȝt and help of hise neiȝboris bodyes.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)479/26 : They..ordeyned iiij enquestes within the Cite of substantiall peple.
- (1461) Paston2.241 : Yf he or any substancyall gentylman wyll say it and avow it, I say to it contrari and by lisens of the Kyng to make it good as a gentylman.
- (c1461-2) Paston2.265 : Owre devout place..hathe been so longe tyme wrongffully oppressid be plee for owre beste and moste substancyal lyuelode, so þat owre..abbesse..is ouere-throwyn wyth daily seeknes.
- (1474) in Gross Gild Merch.2.271 : There shal be 28 or 30, at the most, of the substauncyelst and wysest men of the same Towne to be of one Fraternitie of the Guildehall.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)64/21 : My name is joachym, a man in godys substancyall.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)46/12 : Suche as call themself ministers of God..committe to othir men that be nat substanciall the occupacion of their offices, but the profightes thei witholde to themself.
5.
Central, basic, main.
Associated quotations
- (1422) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.2380 : Wee ordeyne..that the thre substancyalle articles of your professyon, that es to say, dow obedyence, wylfulle povertee, and clene chastytee, be observed and keped contynually.
- (1467) Ordin.Wor.385 : It myght be ordeined a substancialle rule that v pagentes amonge the craftes, to be holden yerly, shuld not be to seche when the[y] shuld go to do worshippe to god.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.399 : A decrete was made that the substantiall partes of that rule scholde be kepede, and oþer thynges as superfluous to be refusede.
6.
(a) Ample, sufficient; (b) as adv.: deeply, fully.
Associated quotations
a
- (1413) Hoccl.Hen.V Acces.(Hnt HM 111)33 : Syn god hath sent yow wit substancial And kynges might, vertu putte in assay!
- (1454) RParl.5.254b : That substantiall provision be made in all hast possible for the kepyng of the See.
b
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)98/2 : Ther be but fewe that is substanciall perfoundid in the said science.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1525 BodEMus.52 Artist.Recipes (BodEMus 52) 192/23 : Þu schalt with a pensell made of squyrels taylis ley uppon þi syce a parte substanciall, þen abyde an hour to sesone drye, and when þi syce is drye, wete yt lyȝtlye with þi spetell, and..engrose it with a scharpe penneknyfffe.
Note: Clarke suggests 'solid, thick (of something more commonly fluid)'.
Note: ?Additional quote, sense 3.(a), or ?perh. 6.(a) or (b). See similar suppl. quot. under MED substancialli adv.