Middle English Dictionary Entry
biggen v.
Entry Info
Forms | biggen v. Also big, beggen, buggen. Ppl. biggand. |
Etymology | ON; cp. OI byggja. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To dwell or live (in a place, among people), reside; inhabit (the Earth); ben bigged, have lodging; (b) ~ bour, to establish (head)quarters; refl. establish oneself (in a location); (c) to stay or remain (in a place); reside (in sb.); (d) ~ in pais, remain peaceful.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1611 : Bitwenenn menn to biggen.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)12737 : Cumeþþ nu & lokeþþ whære I bigge.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1137 : He biggede in a caue.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)36.3 : Big þe erþe [L inhabita terram]!
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.62 : Þer þe Inglis had bigged, he mad it wast & bare.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4850 : Men..salde and boght And planted and bygged and houses wroght.
- (a1446) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1p.lviii : Wher he was competentle byggyd for many a yer.
- a1450 PPl.B (Cmb Dd.1.17)12.228 : Byggen [Ld: He is þe pyes patroun and putteth it in hire ere, Þat þere þe þorne is thikkest to buylden and brede].
b
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)26/168 : Now had þe bare [Edward] with mekill blis Bigged him bifor Calais.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)28/24-6 : He sall ȝow hunt als hund dose hare..will he noght spare, Bot bigges him right by ȝowre side. Biside ȝow here þe bare bigins To big his boure in winter tyde.
c
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8438 : Tære he wollde biggenn Att Godess temmple in ȝerrsalæm.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13025 : Me þinnkeþþ god, inn hemm To biggenn & to resstenn.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.339 : & born to London brigge..Biside his broþer to bigge.
d
- a1325(c1300) Songs Langtoft (Cmb Gg.1.1)p.323 : To bigken [vr. biggin] in pais.
2.
(a) To build (a house, a bridge, etc.); erect (a tent); lay out or build (a city); bigged, of a country: built up; (b) ~ ayen, ~ neue, to build again or anew, rebuild; (c) ppl. as n.: a builder; (d) bigged of, formed by or consisting of (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)2323 : A kyrk..he bygged [vr. begged] fast.
- c1400 PPl.A(1) (Hrl 875)8.30 : & bigge brigges [Vrn: Beete Brugges a-Boute þat to-Broke were].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.67 : Þar loges & þare tentis vp þei gan bigge.
- ?c1400 Earth(3) (StJ-C E.24)st.3 : When erþe upon erþe haþ byggid [vrr. bigged vp, bylde vppe] his bowris.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)102/6 : Þis citee es bigge on þe same manere þat Venice es bigged, and þer er þerin xiim brigges and ma.
- (a1446) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1p.lvii : It was promysed your sayd besecher that he shuld have hade an other mansion..bygged.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3683 : Irlond þat tyme was bygged no þynge Wyþ hous ne toun, ne man wonynge.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)184 : Whylle man, for his hous sal last, A-pon a ston hase byggid itt fast.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)144 : Bi þe banke of þe strem he biggede his tentus.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)290/33 : He garte byg ij briggis our þe watir of Reine.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)165 : He wold haue þe stacion..at þat place of our lady whech was neuly bikkid be his predecessour pascale.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)894 : Thy place is bygged [vr. bilt] aboue the sterres clere, Noon erthly palys wrought in so statly wyse.
- a1500(a1450) *St.Robt.Knares.(Eg 3143)387 : Robert..come..To a chapell..Þat bygged was in tha buskes wyth in A lytell holett.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)372/180 : Had domysday oght tarid, We must haue biggid hell more.
- c1500 Be cause that (SeldArch B.24)51 : Big nocht thy house bot on a sekir stane.
b
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)65/14 : Iosue..cursed..all hem þat bygged it [the city] aȝen.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)31/5 : He sall..bigge it agayne also wele als euer it was.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)178/667e : Troye..was late bygged newe.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)37 : Þen was hit..buggyd efte new.
c
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)117.20 : Ðe stone which þe biggand [L edificantes] reproued.
d
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)71 : Þose greues grene..Of Boxe and of Barborane byggyde.
3.
(a) To establish or found (a city, a kingdom, an organization, etc.); ~ first; (b) to create (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)23.2 : Þe erþe is our Lordes..he bigged [L fundavit] it vp þe sees.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)126.1 : Ȝif ȝour Lord haue bigged [vr. made; L ædificaverit] þe hous in vain.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)68.40 : Syon sauf make sal he, And bigge þe cites of Iude.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)9 : Romulus..þat burȝe he biges vpon fyrst.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)20 : Quen þis Bretayn watz bigged bi þis burn rych.
- ?1403 Yk.BPrayer(1) (Harv Widener 1)65/2 : Ȝe sal pray specialy for thaim that this kirk first biggid and edefied.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.15.20 : Lest I schulde bygge vp an oþer ground.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)49/16 : Peter..þou es þat stone Þat I sal big my kirk opon.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)835 : Vp-on Cryst, whech is very ground Of all godnesse, biggid is this place.
- a1450 Methodius(2) (Add 37049)98/32 : Nembrot after þe flode byggyd [Methodius(1): buylde] a cyte þat was cald Babilonia.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)144 : The place is biggid in the worchip of Seynt Antony.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)13b : To Bygge: fundare, condere, edificare, struere, statuere, constituere.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)146.2 : Biggand ierusalem..the scatiryngis of Israel he sall gadire.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)207 : After þat Brutus þis burghe had buggid on fyrste.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)124 : Hit may not be þat he is blynde, þat bigged uche yȝe.
4.
(a) To form or create (sth.); (b) to further or edify (sb., the mind).
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.196 : Of peyntyng I haue noon excellence..So riche colours biggen I ne may; I mote procede with sable and with blake.
b
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)27.7 : In þair handwerkes þam fordo And noght big [L aedificabis] þam þou salt als-so.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)50 : Þis quekeniþ þe soule..þis biggiþ þe vnderstonding.