Middle English Dictionary Entry
tenebres n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tenebres n. Also tenebras, (in cpds.) tenebre, teneber, tenebir. |
| Etymology | L tenebrae, tenebra & OFtenebre, tenebres. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Darkness, esp. the darkness at noon accompanying Christ's crucifixion; (b) eccl. Tenebrae, an evening service held during Holy Week at which candles are extinguished one after the other to commemorate the darkness associated with Christ's crucifixion; ~ candel; ~ tide (time), the time during which the Tenebrae services are held; ~ Wednesdai, Wednesday in Holy Week.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1543 : Tenebres beoþ derkhede ffor þer nas namore liȝt Þorw-out al myddel-eorþe bote as hit were Mydniȝt. Hit bygan at non.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)434/9 : Hi seie þe derke tenebres..þe stronge eclips.
- a1450 SLeg.MPChr.(StJ-C B.6)2515 : Tho begunne þe tenebris..In þe sexte tyȝd of þe day, þat we clepyn noon.
- a1450 SLeg.MPChr.(StJ-C B.6)2517 : Tenebris is derknesse; þer was no more lyȝt þorwȝout al myddilerþe þan þowȝ it were mydnyȝt.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)117/5 : Holy chyrch vsyþe þes þre dayes forto say seruyce in þe euentyde in derkenes..holy chyrch callyþe hit tenebras, þat is to say, derkenes..þys seruyce is don in derkenes..for when Crist was..hongyng on þe cros..þe sonne wythdroȝ hyr lyȝt.
b
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)87 : At þe tenebres tyd [Hrl: tenebres tyme] me wole men to chirche bringe Myd stones and myd claperes and þanne none belle rynge.
- (1434-5) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7832 : Item, to the tenebre candell i lib. dim. of new wex.
- (1458-60) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31250 : Paied to the wex Chaundler for..the paskall and tenebris candells and other light abovte the fovnnte, xiij s. x d.
- (1474-76) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31537 : Paied for tenebre Candelles for ij yere, xxij d.
- (1477-9) Rec.St.Mary at Hill91 : Paid to Roger Middilton, wex Chaundeler, for..tapris, prickettes and tenebre candill.
- (1479) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 59/16)p.50 (55/13) : Till Tenebyr Weddynysday I wos at Auvelay, and I departyd from London on Estyrn Ewyn, and I cowd not get frome my Loord of Sent Jonys not paste iij days togyddyr syn Estyr Ewe.
- (1480-82) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.32146 : Paid to kene for teneber candilles & for a taper to the fonte, xvj d.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)101/24 : Ȝe schall come to matinis in the vthe and vithe ferye and þe sabbot tide of Paske, þe whiche tymes of seruyse we calle tenebres..þe xii liȝttes yche one after other..are done oute.