Middle English Dictionary Entry
substantī̆f adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | substantī̆f adj. Also substantif(f)e, -ive & sustantif, sustentif; pl. substantifes, -ives, (error) substanty. |
| Etymology | L substantīvus & OF sustantif, sustentif, substantif. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Gram. Denoting a person, place, or thing; noune ~; verbe ~, a verb which signifies the existence of its subject; (b) of independent means, propertied, wealthy; (c) independent; also [1st quot.], self-sustaining; -- with play on sense (a) and prob. influence from sustentif adj. for reading of preferred MS.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)9a/b : A noun essencial is substantif oþer..adiectiue; Of [read: If; L si] substantiue, he is abstractum oþir concretum oþir mene.
- c1450 Add.19046 Treat.Syntax (Add 19046)195/115 : When an adiectyfe..ys putte bytwene ij nownes substantyfes..then þe adiectyfe shall accorde in case, gender, and numbre with þe substantyfe that folowith, as thus, 'Homo est racionale animal.'
- c1450 Add.19046 Treat.Syntax (Add 19046)199/285 : When thys relatyfe 'qui', 'que', 'quod' is putt bytwene ij nownes substanty [read: substantyfes] of dyuerse gendres..then þe relatyfe schall accorde in gendre with þe substantyfe þat bytokeneth þe parties and wyth þe substantyfe þat bytokeneth þe hole in noumbre and person.
- c1450 Peniarth Accedence(1) (Pen 356B)1/15 : How knos þu a nowne substantiue?..hyt ys declynet wt on articull or ij at þe most in on case.
- c1450 Trin-C.Accedence (Trin-C O.5.4)32/8,11 : How knowyste a noun substantyf? A party of reson that betokenyth substaunce..and so the name of euery thyng in the world is a noun substantyf.
- a1475 Peniarth Informacio(1) (Pen 356B)94/79-81 : What maner of verbis haue strenght to cowpull lyke case? Verbys substantyves, uerbes vocatyves, and uerbys hauyng strenght. How mony uerbes substantyues ben þer? iii..'Sum', 'fio', and 'existo'.
- a1500 Add.37075 Accedence (Add 37075)46/54-5 : For 'of' aftyr a nown substantyff, verbe substantyffe, nown partityff, distributyff, comparatyff, or superlatyff degree is signe off þe genityff case.
- a1500 Hatton Informacio (Hat 58)112/69 : How many verbis substantiuis be þer? iii..'Sum', 'sisto', and 'maneo'.
- ?a1500 My lefe (Sln 1210)14 : Take gode hede..how a nowne substantyfe Wylle corde with a verbe and a relatyfe.
b
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.68 : Sonnes he had full fayre then fyue, Of manly men also substantyfe.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.345 : Thus were there dukes fiue Of newe create, and none was substantiue; He made therle of Somerset marques Of Dorset..Of poore liuelode that was.
c
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.355 : So of hol herte comeþ hope, and hardy relacion Sekeþ and suweþ hus sustentif [vrr. sustantijf, substantif] sauacion That ys þe grounde of al a graciouse antecedent.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)79/28 : I say not that in thingis worldely oon ne may abyde by hope relatif, but neuirthelesse so to abide by determinacion substantyve.