Middle English Dictionary Entry
suǧǧestiǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | suǧǧestiǒun n. Also suggestioune, -ione, sugestioun, sugiestion, subgestioun, sutg-, soggestioun, sogestion. |
| Etymology | L suggestio, subg-, -iōnis & OF suggestïon, subjestion, sogestion, AF suggestioun, sugestiun. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The action of prompting or urging; incitement; also, a proposal, suggestion; also [quot. c1390], a reason, motive; -- with prob. allusion to the phrase fals ~ in sense 2.(a); maken ~; (b) incitement to evil, temptation; also, an instance of temptation, an incitement to evil; fals (ivel, etc.) ~; breken hed of ~, to overcome the enticement to sin; also fig.; maken fals ~ to, lure (sb.) to wrongdoing.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.40.14 : Þat þou make sugestyoun to pharao þat he lede me out of þis prisoun.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)8.69 : Bidders and Beggers Beoþ not in þe Bulle, Bote þe suggestion [vr. suggestionys] be soþ þat schapeþ hem to Begge.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1684 : He for no suggestioun Which toward him sche couthe stere, He wolde noght o word ansuere.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4640 : Þis þre han made a suggestioun Vn-to þe kyng touchynge þe trete.
- a1425(?a1400) Treat.DSpirits (Hrl 674)87/9 : Somtyme oure owne spirite is so ouercomen..þat..wiþoutyn sogestion of any oþer spirite, it gendriþ and bringiþ forþ in itself..lusty þoȝtes of þe flesche.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)250 : At this suggestioun of John oure lady..wolde no lenger lette his buryenge.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)2200 : Þi fadyr..wyl seyne þat be our suggestyoune..Brought þou were in þat opynyoune.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)497 : Lucyfer..'Acorde yow thre togedyr by And ye may not mysfare.' Mynde: 'To þis suggestyon agre we.'
- a1480(c1450) Barlaam (2) (Peterh 257)22/759 : Thei durst nat anone reproue hym [king] þereof, but made a compleynt & a suggestion vnto his brother þat he shold speke vnto þe kynge.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)36 : Judas..betrayd crist..withoute ony suggestion; And þerfore his synne was þe moor.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.331 : Dedly synne hath first suggestioun of the feend, as sheweth heere by the naddre, and afterward the delit of the flessh, as sheweth heere by Eua, and after that the consentynge of resoun, as sheweth heere by Adam.
- c1400 PLove (Hrl 2254)139/6 : He [Satan] goth to hem pryuyli, kestande in-to her hertis withouten styntynge..sutgestiouns of sundry synnes, oon aftir an-odir.
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Pars.(Lnsd 851)I.351 : After þat commeþ þe suggestione [Heng: subieccion] of þe deuel, þis is to seie þe deueles belye, þe whiche he bloweþ in man þe fire of concupiscence.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Dan.6.6 : The princes and duykis maden fals suggestioun [WB(1): falsli tysiden; L surripuerunt] to the kyng.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)98/26 : Þe feend clepeþ and stireþ siche blynde soulis and foolis by ful perelouse temptaciouns and false suggestiouns.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)36/5 : It es propurte of deuyls to caste euyl suggestiones in mannes mynde.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)79/16 : Privy rownyngis is a sotel subgestioun, wich is þe grettest cause of debate.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)140/22 : Right seldom sawtes..may esily be with stonde with oute any perile of lesing of virginite, for þe hede of þe first suggestioun is brokyn.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)145/14-15 : For þe fende fynte no marke of his brennyng in þe flessh of maydenes, and þerfor he is aferd most of hem for þei only brekyn his hed of suggestioun; þer may no delectacioun of carnelle synne bi his fals suggestioun rest in hem.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.21.13b : Þouȝ þou feele ony steringe in þin herte..bi sugestion of þe enemy..be þou stedfast.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)365 : To þe Mynde of þe Soule I xall mak suggestyun Ande brynge hys Wndyrstondynge to dylectacyon, So þat hys Wyll make confyrmacyon.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)143.11 : The ill swerd he kallys the suggestyun of the deuyl, that slas all that assentis til syn.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)303 : Thenne ros vp a gret tempeste, scil. tribulacion of þe wordle, temptacion of flesh, and sugiestion of þe devill.
- a1500 Counsels Isidor (Hrl 1706)368 : Whan a schrewed þouȝte towecheþ þee..caste vnder foote þe bygynnynge of yuelle suggestyon or styrynge to synne.
2.
(a) Law A criminal charge; a formal writ of complaint or accusation; also, an injunction [quot. 1447]; fals ~ [cp. AL suggestio falsa or falsi], a fraudulent statement, false representation or charge, legally invalid; (b) complaint, allegation; an accusation; also, a rebuke or an insult [1st quot.]; (c) a statement, declaration; maken ~, to declare, argue.
Associated quotations
a
- (?c1375-a1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3607 : Hugelyn..Dampned was..to dyen in that prisoun, For Roger which that bisshop was of Pize Hadde on hym maad a fals suggestioun.
- (1386) RParl.3.226a : If any of us..be apeched to owre lige Lord..with any wronge wytnesse beryng..or any other wronge suggestion, by which owre lige Lorde hath ybe unleeffullich enfourmed..that we mowe come in answer.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1014 : Themperour..put hem [priests] into questioun, Bot thei of the suggestioun Ne couthen noght a word refuse.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.140/3 : Atte a Suggestion made be Richard Whityngton vp-on the Breweres of london..the saide mair dede sende for..Maistres of the said Crafte of Breweres atte that tyme..and comaunded hem..to aperen before the Mair atte Gyldhall.
- ?c1430 Wycl.CTemp.(Corp-C 296)216 : Þei have parische chirchis aproprid to worldly riche bischopis and abbotis..And þis appropringe is geten bi fals suggestion maad to Anticrist, be lesyngis maade to lordis, [etc.].
- (1443) Proc.Privy C.5.299 : Yif..at any tyme hereafter any persone or persones of malice or evel wille wol make any subgestioun or wrongfulle enformacioun of me to your good grace..Please it unto your noble grace to yeve no credence þerto.
- (1447) Doc.N.Convocation in Sur.Soc.113178 : That noe man sholde purchase..any such processe..touching the King, his Regalie, or his Reme of Englande..in the suggestion was it not spoken but of processes..maad and yeven be the pope, and of Englande, and may not therefor resonably be extended ferther.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)227/25 : Þer schuld be a remedie ageyns fals suggestiones, be which many men were disherid of her londis.
- (1485) RParl.6.292b : The said Thomas..was committed to the Tower of London, by the comaundement of Edward the IIIIth..uppon a Suggestion and Ympeachment made to hym.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)13/25 : Thre knyghtes also weren enpeched to þe Emperour of traytere by fals suggestyon and wer commawndet to pryson forto haue ben slayne þat nyght.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.153 : Þe Samaritans were wrooþ and lette hire work with sugestiouns [L sugillationibus] and wiþ ȝiftes.
- (c1449) Paston (EETS)1.54 : Þe seyd personis wold not he [friar] shuld haue his entent, in a[s]moch as his suggestion is vntrewe.
- c1400 Interpol.Rolle Cant.(1) (Bod 288)6 : Þe deedis of tirauntis and of ipocritis, hiȝed in þis world..schulen be lowid þoru peyne eendelees..and I schal not dreede to seyn it, þouȝ I be dispisid þoru soggestioun of my false briþeren for my soþfastnes.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.364 : Bot if he couthe his question Assoile upon suggestion Of certein thinges that befelle, The whiche he wolde unto him telle, He scholde in certein lese his hed.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)62/17 : Freres..makeþ suggestioun & telleþ þat þese foure ordres beþ ordeyned of holy chirche.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6721 : Þei wende echon..neuer to han repeir In-to Grece, nor þe wedir fair, As Calchas had made suggestioun And brouȝt hem alle in oppinioun.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)3/30 : A frere minour..deceyued many men, and when he miȝt noȝt cure som man, he made suggestion to tham that no man miȝt cure tham.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)134/4 : Edward..prayed him þat his holy faderhod schuld not beleue ouyr-sone swech feyned suggestiones, for in treuth all þe kyngis of Ynglond..had dominacioun ouyr..Scotlond.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)400 : Thys ys my suggestyun: All thnge hat dew tymes Prayer, fastynge, labour, all thes. Wan tyme ys not kept, þat dede ys amys.
3.
Governing authority, control; -- ?error for subjeccioun n. 2.; in ~ of, under the control of (sb.).
Associated quotations
- c1460 Ipom.(3) (Lngl 257)323/5 : There was in the land of Cecile a king, that was..the grettest conquerour that myght be, so farforth that all the lordes aboute him were vndre his suggestion and did him homage.
- c1475 Scrope DSP Abbrev.(RwlPoet 32)309/27 : Ther be iij maner of pepell that a man shuld haue pety off..the iijd of a liberall man that ys yn subgestyon of a caytyf, for he ys [in] grete anguysh.