Middle English Dictionary Entry
tenǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tenǒur n. Also tenoure, -eur(e, -or(e, -ur(e & (error) tenenour. |
| Etymology | OF tenor, tenour, teneur, tenur & L tenor, -ōris. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The main point, focus, etc. of a document; the intent of a law or legal agreement; also, the tone of a letter [quot. c1400(?a1300)]; also in fig. contexts; (b) law the true and essential meaning of a law, etc. (sometimes contrasted with purporte, its formal expression); ~ and forme, forme and ~, the substance and terms of a legal agreement; ~ and purporte, forme ~ contenue and effect, etc., the full import of a legal document; (c) the wording or contents of a document; a summary, précis; also, a copy of a document [some quots. may belong to (a)]; (d) the import or meaning of words.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.35 : Þe tenor of þis lawes was suche: þe peple is enformed to be boxom to þe princes, [etc.].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.445 : Anoþer lettre of þe same tenoure was i-sent to þe queene wiþ a mirour of silver.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2973 : Anoþer lettre he sent hem to, Of a feloun and bitter tenure.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)358 : Þe trwe tenor of his teme he tolde on þis wyse: 'Ȝet schal forty dayez fully fare to an ende, And þenne schal Niniue be nomen and to noȝt worþe.'
- (1423) RParl.4.258a : That the Maister of the Mynte do smyte..half Nobles, Ferthynges of Goold..after tenure of the Endentures made betwixe the Kyng and hym.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)41/24 : He..redez þam [letters] kneland, and þan proferes him to do all thing þat þe bringer will efter þe tenenour [Man.(3): tenour] of þam.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)929 : Glorye and honour, Virgil Mantoan, Be to thy name! and I shal..Folwe thy lanterne..In thyn Eneyde and Naso wol I take The tenor, and the grete effectes make.
- (1449) RParl.5.147b : The first ys to shewe the grete puissance and long advysed Ordenaunce..the which daily fortifie..theire Garisons..ayeinst the tenour of the Trewes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4239 : Sire, þe tenour of þi titill I trow, be na mare, Bot anly wisdom & witt þou willis in þi saule.
- (1461) Paston2.246 : My maistyr Clement..wrot a lettere to my maystyr youre sone..the tenure of whych was how ye were entretyd there.
- (1471) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2.p.137 : We..yeue..license vnto..thaire Factours..to..passe out of this sead Reawme..according to the tenour of the said Saufconduyt graunted.
- (1475) Paston1.637 : He shal fynd an able man in his sted..to performe his sayd seruise accordyng to the tenure of this endenture.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)156/24 : It semed by the content and tenour of the lettirs that ther had be betwene theim gret famuliarite and promyses.
- a1500(1413-22) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)22 : We received..youre gracieux letters of prive seal, the teneur of the which we have wel understand.
- a1500 As I went in (BodPoet e.1)p.248 : I hard a byrd bothe wep and syng; Thys was the tenowr of her talkyng: Timor [mortis conturbat me].
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12596 : Thies ffoure in hor falshode had forget a lie And writen hit in wordes..The tenure to telle truly was þis: Þat Palomydon..had purpost an end ffor to treite with the troiens.
b
- (1427) RParl.4.332b : Certein persones for thaire singuler prouffyt..have purchased licence to goon in to Flaundres with Hydes of Ireland, ayeins the teneure and forme of the saide Statutes.
- (1431) Paston2.4 : We charge yow..that after the fourme, teneur, contenue, and effecte of the deedes, lettres, and endentures maad..ye make ful..estat vnto oure..brother Oldhalle.
- (1452) Lin.DDoc.61/29 : I wol that..wommen to whome I haue granted any fees..haue and reiose the same fees..after the fourme and tenour of theire grauntes.
- (1458-9) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2.p.77 : We..charge you that..ye..de [read: do] harme ne wronge vnto the said merchauntz..but pesibely sofer them to rejoye the tenur and theffecte of their saufconduyt without anie maner of impeticion..arrest, or greffe.
- (1464) RParl.5.542b : Provided alwey that this Acte..extende not..to Richard Artur..and that every of oure Lettres Patentez made to hym be to hym good..accordyng to the tenore, purporte, and effecte, of every of oure seid Lettres Patentez.
- (1464) RParl.5.548a : That every of our seid Letters Patentez stond and be good..accordyng to the tenur, fourme, and effect of every of theym.
- (1473) RParl.6.85b : That oure seid Letters..be unto the seid Alexander goode..after and accordyng to the tenour and purport of theym.
- (1473) RParl.6.86b : That oure seid Letters Patentes, and every thyng in theym conteigned, be unto the seid William goode, effectuell, and available, after and accordyng to the tenure and purport of the same.
- (1473) RParl.6.93b : The same oure Letters Patentes..stond in their full strength, after the fourme, tenure, and purport of the same.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.395 : Þe tenoure of þilke lettres and of oþere lettres þat were i-sent to þe kyng of Kent and answers þat Gregorie ȝaf to Austyn his questiouns beeþ i-write in Registro Gregorii and in Beda.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)17614 : Þai did þan for to write a writt—þis þan was þe tenur of hit, 'Pais,' þai said, [etc.].
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6673 : He braak þe seal and þe lettre seie—Þis was þe tenure, par ma feie: 'To Alisaunder, [etc.].'
- (1415) *Choosing Mayor Norwich (Cleo C.10)21 : Þe cite chase..to be..acordid in þe articles vndirwreten apon þe tenure þat foloweth.
- (1438) Doc.in Welch Hist.Pewterers Lond.9 : The wardeins..putto the maire and aldermen abille wherof the tenor folowth.
- (1451) RParl.5.220a : Other provisions..put in writyng, as the tenours of theym hereafter folowen.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.80/27 : Owre lorde Kyng impletid hym in his courte by breve 'precipe,' of þe which such was þe tenour, Henry..to þe schereref of oxonforde-shire, [etc.].
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)366/27 : The same parties..submytted them-self..to the bisshoppis ordeynyng, decre, and diffynyng..even as hit apperith of submyssions of the same parties, Tenouris of the which folow bynethe.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)100/29 : We comaundyn streytli to þe Ministris..& wardeynis bi þis tenoure present, þat þey distreyne alle here freris to hem sogettis.
d
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)283 : Evene as bi lijk articlis in the same comoun crede, bi lijk tenour of wordis, we ben tauȝte to bileeve oon baptyme to be.
2.
(a) The continued presence or effectiveness of something, persistence, duration; (b) a sustained course of movement; (c) the established custom or protocol [quot. may belong to tenure n. (b)].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)67a/b : Þe age is of a man nouȝt elles but tenour & durynge of kynde vertues in consideracioun mene bitwene quiete & reste.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)157b/a : And it [a cupping glass] remoued and euoided and clensed, be it applied eftesonez by þe same maner and stand it more, and afterward anoþer, vnto þer be made a sufficient euacuacioun, fro halfe a pound to a pound after þe tenour [Ch.(2): myght] of þe vertue and quantite of replecioun.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)106a/a : Heuene wiþ his roundenes and cerclis forsakeþ nouȝt..þe sadde tenour of his ordre, nameliche in a point.
c
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2999 : Jt was riȝth, after þe tenure, Þat first spaak þe emperoure.
3.
(a) Mus. The instrumental or vocal part that carries the base melody in contrapuntal music; also fig.; also, the voice singing the tenor part; glossing L succentor, succentus: ?the singer of the tenor part; (b) mus. the note used as a base in determining a tonal interval; (c) the tonal quality of a sound, timbre; also, a distinctive voice.
Associated quotations
a
- a1450 Treat.Music (Lnsd 763)261 : A man þat haþe a low voyce may syng a countertenor in-stede of a mene, ffor whan þe tenor is hye, the countertenor may be low, and whan þe tenor is low, þan þe countertenor may be þe mene.
- c1460 Vndir a park (Hrl 2255)6 : Aungellys exaltant, bothe lowde and hih, Tenours, trebelys, many a meene ther was.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)617 : Mynde..'Now let ws synge!..A tenowr to yow bothe I brynge.' Wndyrstondynge: 'And I a mene for ony kynge.' Wyll: 'And but a trebull I owtwrynge.'
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)126a : A Tenour: Succentus.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)69/307a : Precentor: trebyll; intercentor: mene; succentor: tenor.
- a1500 Lydg.JHare (Lnsd 699)p.54 : Thi organys [nose] so hihe begynne to syng ther messe, With treble, meene and tenor discordyng.
b
- a1450 Treat.Music (Lnsd 763)269 : Þe tenor wil be yeue a mydle þat is callid þe mene, þe which is callid a dyapente..to þe tenor, and dyatessaron..to þe treble.
- a1450 Treat.Music (Lnsd 763)269 : A pipe of 6 foote longe..is a tenor in dyapason to a pipe of 3 fote.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333b/b : Tonus is þe scharpnesse of voice, and is difference and quantite of armony, and stondeþ in accent and tenor of vois.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)884 : Off Prynces Eerys they be tabourerys, The tenour Round, And mery goo the bellys.
- c1475 Falm.Squire (RwlPoet 118)150 : Þei herd..Many dyuerse fowlys song, Þe pellycan & þe popyniay, þe tenure [Cmb Ff.2.38: tymor] of þe turtyll trewe.