Middle English Dictionary Entry
tent(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | tent(e n.(1) Also teinte; pl. tent(e)s, etc. & tenttes. |
| Etymology | OF tente a tent, pavilion & ML tenta a tent. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A portable tent used as a dwelling place by nomadic people; also, fig. an abode, a dwelling place; (b) a tent used for temporary shelter in a military encampment, esp. during a siege; maken ~, to make camp; (c) a pavilion erected for use on a festive occasion; a tent set up for housing a participant in a tournament; (d) ~ ropes, ropes used to secure a tent or tentlike covering; maister of the kinges tentes, sergeaunt of tentes, a military officer in the king's household.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.32.21 : He..dwelte þat niȝt in tentes [L castris].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Job 36.29 : He wile strecchen out cloudis as his tent [L tentorium] & leitnen with his liȝt fro abouen.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2431 : Jadahel..Ferst made Net and fisshes tok..A tente of cloth with corde and stake He sette up ferst and dede it make.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)168a/b : Aboute þe foote of þe mount þe hebrewes piȝte her tentes and were worthi to se god in fyre.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)176a/b : Þees meyne bilden noon houses, but goon aboute..as wilde men and women in tentys [L tabernaculis].
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6583 : Hij comen on londe in somers tyde And maken tentes [LinI: teyntis] wyde and syde, And libben þan by flesshe and fyssh Als oþere men don.
- a1425 Adam & E.(3) (Wht)88/20 : Iabel..was fadir of dwellers in tentis and of schepardis.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)42/9 : Þei haue none houses, but tentes [F tentes] þat þei maken of skynnes of bestes.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)205/11 : The folk of þat contree han none houses, but þei dwellen & lyggen all vnder tentes made of blak ferne by all the contree.
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer ABC (Benson-Robinson)9 : Bountee so fix hath in thin herte his tente That wel I wot thou wolt my socour bee.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)p.29 fn. : Of Ada com Jabel, fadere of tentys and of herdmen.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.277 : Godys castelys..wern clepyd þe dwellyngis and tentys of Godis folc.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4156 : Hii come to barbesflet & piȝte þer bi syde Hor tentes & hor pauilons, hor compaynie to abide.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8789 : Þe heþen þeues vp sterten, Four c þousand & mani mo, To king Rion ascaped þo And armed hem swiftlich vnder his tent.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1294 : Þemperour..wiþ his host hiȝede to here tentes.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3759 : Tak kepe of the deeth of Oloferne: Amydde his hoost he dronke lay a nyght With inne his tent large, as is a berne.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.37.36 : Þe aungil of þe lord..smot in þe tentis of assiries an hundrid & fyue & eiȝtety thousend.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.125 : Antecrist schal be slawe in his owne tent.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.175 : Pompeus overcome Mitridas in bataille by myȝte and destroyede his castelles and his tentes.
- a1400-a1500 Rich.(b-version:Brunner)264/43 : Saladyn..Lay logged with many a man, With many a tente and pauyloun, To kepe Nazares toun.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1645 : He bad hem make pauyloun Al abouten þat riche toun..So þai deden, and maden tente Al abouten.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3960 : Þe worþi Grekys..Be-gan to lond..On Troye grounde and her tentis pyȝte A-fore þe toune.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)71/12 : Wiþynne þat ȝate firste of alle þe banereres & pynnoneres and þe comyng oost schal pycche here tentes and here paulyouns.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)324,333 : Þey sette sadly a sege þe cite alle aboute, Piȝten pauelouns doun..raysen vp swyþe Grete tentis as a toun..Choppyn ouer þe cheuentayns..A gay egle of gold..Toured with torettes was þe tente þanne.
- c1470 Bible F.(Cleve-W q091.92-C468)77/35 : An c kniȝtis of the vauntgard conducte hem to themperial tent of Vaspasian.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)196/19 : Bothe be day and nyght, haue wecchis in euiry ost..And pycche neuir þi tentis but ner an hyl or ner a watyr.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)581 : Kynge Arthur and..kynge Bohors..saugh the xij princes that were at the teinte of kynge looth.
- a1500 Let.Alex.(Wor F.172)351 : Al the tentis wern areised..sodainly thest wynde with suche a strength of blast aros that al the tabernacles and other edifices..fil doun to grounde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10190 : The troiens with forse Gird doun the grekes..Takyn þere tenttes, turnyt hom vnder.
c
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1627 : Alle maner menstracie..and also daunces disgisi redi diȝt were..in a place, þer were piȝt pavilounns and tentes bi o side of þe cite for swiþe moche pepul.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1630 : Þe place of þe pavilons and of þe price tentes semede as moche to siȝt as þe cite of Rome.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1845 : Fair is þe karole of maydens gent, Boþe in halle and ek in tente.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)2.42 : Was piȝt vp a pauyloun proud for þe nones, And ten þousand of tentis teldit beside.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)152/27 : Þeise solempne festes ben made withouten in hales & tentes made of clothes of gold.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.701 : Nero..Aboute the cite callid Hostience..Dide ordeyne bexcessiff expence Tentis for riot.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)484 : Withe riche dayneteths þat day, he dynede in his tente.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9274 : Yiff thow..Haddyst thy comaundementys Off hallys, chaumbrys, & gaye Tentys..Woldestow gladly parte a-way?
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)13/34 : Arthur..wente to the tent and found no knyghtes there, for they were atte justyng.
- a1486 Arms Chivalry (Mrg M 775)44 : The day that the Pelaunt and the defendaunt shall fighte, what they shal have wt hem in to the felde: [A] tente muste be pight in the felde; Also a cheyre.
d
- (1424) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81151 : Item, Roberto Raper pro ij wellerapis, ij tenterapis, et j veylrape cum j corda..5 s.
- (1474) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)11.819 : This Indenture Made between the King..and his Trusty and Wel beloed Richard Garnet Squyer, Serjant of his Tents, on that other Party, Witnesseth that the same Richard is Retaind..to doe him Service of Werre..as a Man of Arms at his Spere.
- (c1475) Exped.Edw.IV (Arms 2M.16)4a : A declaracion Aswell of Capitengnes..Reteigned wyth..Kyng Edward..as of theire wages..master of the Kynges Tenttes, Rychard garnet, at 3 s., 4 d., por Jour.
2.
Fig. A company of men, usu. assembled for a military purpose; also, a host of angels.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.32.2 : Iacob..ȝede in his way..& þer werne to hym mett aungels of þe lord whome, whenn he hadde yseeyn, seiþ 'þe tentes [L Castra] of god ben þeȝ,' & he clepide þe nome of þat place 'manaym,' þat is, 'tentes.'
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.43.9 : Þe moneþ..is waxing, merueilousli in to þe ful ending, a vessel of tentis in heiȝtis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.5.34 : The tentis of Tymothe knewen for it is Machabeus and fledden fro his face.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.6.6 : Thei wexiden stronge in armers and strengthis and many prayes, whiche thei token of tentis, or oostis, whiche thei slewen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)125a/a : Þe puple of Rome was to delid in parties and tentis [L tentoria] and companyes of ȝonger men & of elder men.
3.
A canopy, an awning; also, a curtain.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.27.9 : Þou schalt make þe poorche of þe tabernacle, in whose souþ coost aȝeynst þe souþ schull ben tenntis of byse.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.4.25 : Þei beryn þe cortynys of þe tabernacle..& þe tente þat hongeþ in þe entre of þe tabernacle of þe boond of pees.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Esth.1.6 : Þer hongeden on eche side tentis of þe colour of þe eir.
- (1393-4) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81120 : Et in sal. Thomæ Turret fac. stakes ligneos pro le tent Sancti Wilfridi pro eadem figenda in campis per iij dies Rogacionum, 4 d. In sal. Rob. Assar et Joh. de Norwaye emendancium diversos defectus prædicti tent per con, 14 d.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.900 : He in þe pulpit stood..Singinge his dites..Amydde þe theatre schrowdid in a tent.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)226 : Hangynge of an halle, or tente: Velarium.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)387 : Also in the same chamber was made a couche wt fether beddes, hanged wt a tent knit lyke a nett, and there was ye coberd. Item, in the iijde chamber was ordeined a bayne or ij, wch were couered wt tentes of whyt clothe.