Middle English Dictionary Entry
a dai, adai phr. & adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | a dai, adai phr. & adv. Also o dei. |
| Etymology | From on dai (OE on dæg); in senses (b) and (c), a dai was often taken as art. plus noun. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) In the daytime (as opposed to night), by day; ayen eve ~, toward evening; ~ or anight; (b) each day, daily, in the day; oft ~, many times each day; (c) on a certain day, one day; (d) this day, today.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19651 : Ȝif mon mihte mid crafte a dæi oðer a nihte [Otho: bi daiȝe oþer bi nihte.]
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)219 : Þu singist aniȝt and noȝt adai.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)576 : Bi hire make ge sit onigt, o dei ge goð & flegeð.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)89/240 : Þat he ne ȝiueþ liȝt and leme, As doþ a day þe sunne beme.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5879 : Seint Edward þe vifte ȝer of is kinedom Aȝen eue aday, aslawe was.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.477 : A day I greve men and am a greved anyȝt.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.438 : Though he behote wel a day, On nyht..He may ful evele his dette paie.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)212/31 : If þe pacient be strong, I wole lete him blood adai, & in þe same nyȝt I wole ȝeue him a medicyn laxatif.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)6.310 : Laboreres..Deyned nouȝt to dyne a-day nyȝtolde wortes.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)49/9 : Þes men and wommen þat..gon late to bedde and ariseþ late aday, þey synneþ in many maneres.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)109 : The sunne..arist anes a dai and eft sigeð.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)512 : Mani miracle þare feol a-day þoru ore louerdes grace.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2708 : Þo..al þat hii made aday, A morwe wanne hii come þer to, al clene adoune it lay.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)190 : What þing willam wan a-day wiþ his bowe..ne wold þis william neuer on wiþhold to him-selue.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)610 : Ofter þan ix times hit takeþ me a-daye.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)1356 : Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde allas.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2463 : An hundred [women] thogh he sihe aday, So wolde he more thanne he may.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)8.44 : Synneth þe sadman a day seuene sythes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3108 : Whiche oft a day causeth me to mourne.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.60 : It made his hewe a-day ful ofte greene.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)501 : And euery day Dame Triamour, Sche com to Syr Launfal boure, A-day whan hyt was nyȝt.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1707 : Þe fader seruede þe sone at þe mete a-dai.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)979 : Þou holpe to saue mi lif a day; Ich wole sauen þin, ȝef I may.
- ?a1425(?a1350) SLeg.Guth.(Jul D.9)243 : Þe kings dougter..Sente a dal þis holiman a manere cheste of led.
- a1450 SLeg.Fran.(2) (Bod 779)357 : To sen franceys he sente aday men þat to him sede [etc.].
d
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)2/2 : Yef ye þe uoice of god herd o day [L hodle], yure hertis ware noht hard.