Middle English Dictionary Entry
thẹ̄n v.
Entry Info
| Forms | thẹ̄n v. Also thene, thẹ̄(en, thein, theo(n, thinne, thie, (?error) thweyn. Forms: sg.3 (early) þieð, ðihð; sbj. thẹ̄, (early) þieh; ppl. thẹ̄(e)nde, etc. & (error) theonige; p.sg.3 theu, ðēg, ðehg, ðhēg, (early) þēh, þeah, þeagh, þeaȝh; pl. thōwe, ðhōgen, ðōgen; ppl. thōwen, (early) þōwuene, þōgen(e, þewuen. Contractions: theech, theche, thiche, theek, thick, thik(e (the ich); sitheche (so the ich). |
| Etymology | OE þēon, þīon; sg.3 þī(e)hþ; p. þēah, þǣh, þēh & þāh, þāg; pl. þugon; ppl. -þogen (cp. p.ppl. of geþēon). P.ppl. form þewuen perh. influenced by ME theuen v.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. ithen v.
1.
(a) To flourish, thrive, prosper; ben thowen; waxen and ~; ~ ivele, not thrive; ppl. theende, thriving, prosperous; also, glossing L probus: in good condition, proper, well constituted [a few quots. before a1400 may belong to (c)]; (b) to cause (sb.) to thrive, let prosper; (c) to grow, increase; also, mature, grow up; ben thowen; ppl. thowen, grown; (d) ?wel thowen, well behaved [form could perh. be construed as pr. pl. and belong to (a) or (c)].
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)71/4 : Swa is þysen middenearde: æt frumen he wæs þeoende, swylce on geogeðhade.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)109/27 : He wæs fram cildhade gelæred..on halgen mægnen dæighwamlice þeonde.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)133/20 : Cristendom wel þeah on þan gode time.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)161 : Hie wenden þe eorðe and wurpen god sad þaronne, and hit wacxs and wel þeagh and brahte forð blostmes.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)163 : After þat sewen on þis lond godes word for sede and hit morede on here heorte, and weacs, and wel þeaȝh.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)177 : Swo floweð þis woreld þenne men michel tuderið, and oref, and deor..and here tuder swiðe wexeð and wel þieð.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)12112 : Ac neuere suþþe þat Arthur þider beh, þe borh suþþe ne þeh.
- c1300 SLeg.(Hrl 2277)524/268 : Riche man ich was ellerwar, þeȝ ich beo a wrecche here; Ich hadde þeoinge childrene ȝunge, a god wyf þat was mi fere.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (Hrl 2277)p.8 : He com, he fond his sone: a god goinge grom, Theonige [read: Theoinge], fair, and manliche.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1128 : Ðe treen ðat ðor henden ben Waxen in time and brimen and ðen.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1266 : Flemd was agar and ysmael, And ysaac wex and ðehg wol wel.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1480 : Wexen boden ysaac sunes, And ðhogen, and adden sundri wunes.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2542 : Bi oðere seuene kinges sel, Wexen he ðore & ðogen wel.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7086 : Þis child wax so wel & þeu [vr. wey; B: yþey; vr. þrofe], as iseie fremde & sibbe, Þat he wolde be a noble mon.
- a1350 Middelerd for mon (Hrl 2253)24 : Ȝef he beþ þryuen ant þowen in þeode, vr soule bone so broerli [?read: broþerli] be as berne best þat bale forbeode.
- a1400 I am a fol (Hrl 7322)4 : I brenne hote, I smite sore, ho þat me louit ssal þe no more..I slou a wis king fair & strong.
- a1425 Cursor (Glb E.9)17696 : He..lettes him þat he may noght the.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)4/88 : Þai schal haue ayrs ham betwene Þat schal haue grace to þryue and þene.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1536 : Ful many swyche pursuours þere ben Þat for vs take & ȝeue vs nat a myte: Þis makiþ vs þat we may neuer þeen.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2659 : If euere þou þynke to be thende, On hym [Covetousness] þou ley þi loue.
- a1450 *St.Marg.(2) (Bod 779)247 : He made many a man a day þat þey neuer ne þowe; In helle he ȝaf hem mede.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)540 : So tho martes wolde full evel thee, Yf wee manly kepte aboute the see.
- c1460 Dub.Abraham (Dub 432)102 : Son, and euer þou þenke to the, Put euer God to honowraunce.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)4 : An vsshere y Am..þat enioyethe to enforme & teche alle þo thatt wille thrive & thee.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)482 : Tydy, or thend [Add: theende; Hrl 221: on-thende]: probus.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)866 : Mynde: 'Thow woldyst haue wondyr of sleyghtys þat be.' Wndyrstondynge: 'Thys make sume ryche and summe neuer the.'
- a1500 Listenythe nowe & (Dgb 88)94 : What children so that day borne bene They shall hape well to theyn.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)10788 : A man þat is borne in a contre, And he may not þerynne the But lyueþ pouerly þerynne..Wherfore he anoþer seketh.
- ?a1500 Lament.Sinner (Thrn)30 : I wot I mune neuer more thweyn [Rwl C.813: twynne]; Fore hym þat dyed for ȝow & me, Ryes, & rest not in ȝowr synn!
b
- c1250 Heil marie ful of grace (Cleo B.6)p.22 : Heil Marie..þe lavird þich þe in hevirilk place.
c
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)88/10 : Gescead wæxæð on cildrum, na þeo sawlæ, ac þeo sawlæ ðihð on meȝenum & ne bið na mare þonne heo æt frummen wæs ac bið bætere.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)39 : On þis niht beð fowuer niht wecches: Biforen euen, þe bilimpeð to children..hanecrau, þe bilimpeð þowuene men, [etc.].
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)41 : To hanecrau he wakegeð þanne he þo ful þogene turneð to godes bihouþe.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)127 : Alse wat se he was þogen on wintre and on wastme..þo nam he geme of mannes liflode and cnew þat here dedes weren iuele.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1550 : He..bad him of his kindes louerd ben, In welðe and migt wurðinge ðen.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2012 : Putifar luuede ioseph wel..Vnder ioseph his welðe ðeg.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2779 : Vt of ðat busk, ðe brende and ðheg, God sente an steuene, brigt and heg.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.216 : Do in sith Donge & cucumber seed; therof wol the ffruyt, that withseid may not in coldes be.
d
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)39 : Ðese herdes, þe beð lorþewes, alse bisshupes and prestes, wakieð biforen euen: þanne þe childre wuel þewuen.
2.
In asseverations, oaths, curses, etc.: (a) so (as, also) mot ich ~, so may I thrive, as I may prosper, as sure as I hope to prosper; as ever mighte ich ~, so mote thou ~, so moste he ~, etc.; (b) so the ich, so may I thrive; (c) god lete him (you) never ~, may God never let him (you) prosper; never mot she ~, may she never prosper, etc.; (d) ivele mot he (him, thei, thou) ~, ivele she the, may he (she, they, you) have bad luck, get on badly, not thrive, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1335 Swet ihc hend (Hrl 913)p.82 : So mote ich þe, ich rede þe: fle.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)2753 : A swor, alse he moste þen, He nolde him neiþer hire ne sen.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.637 : Ase þow hast seid, so y schel don, Also mote ich þe.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)335 : Þou sey nou, so mote þou þe, Vnder what kynde of tre, Semeli susan þou se Do þat derne dede?
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.309 : So mote I then [vrr. thee, theen], thow art a propre man, And lyk a prelat, by seint Ronyan!
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)566 : Þauȝ al þe men þat ben bore Had on hur lyf swore To wynne þat maide feire and free, Al shul þey die, so moot y the.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5463 : Porus þe kyng..swore onon, so most he þee, He wolde wite who was he.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)335 : Ȝef y may, so mot y theo, Ȝe neo schal nouȝt so serue me.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)1116 : Nay..so mote y theon, Þow schalt hit neuer brynge þerto, For al þat euer þow canst do.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)208 : So mot I the—What kyn thynge þou says to mee, It es me leue and dere.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)145 : So moot þou the, Knowe I þat man, and I hym see?
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)499 : Now, all so mot I the, I wolde men shulde to geftes take no hede.
- a1475 Have all (Brog 2.1)21 : Therefore I sweyre, as mot I thye..I wyll full mekely aske mercye.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)149/82 : Nay, so moty the, so was it nowth.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)736 : Felaw..herkyn a liȝt, And on myne errand go þou tyte, Also mot þou thynne.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)131/463 : Now as euer myght I the, If I shuld euyn here de.
- a1500 Arth.& M.(Dc 236)291/361 : Ȝe slowe Moyne, ȝoure kynge, al wiþ wronghe, And ȝyf y may, so mot y þe, So schul ȝe neuere me!
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.947 : Lat be..it shal nat be, so theech [vrr. so theche, so þeiche, so thiche, so theyk, so thike, sotheiche, sitheche]; Thow woldest make me kisse thyn olde breech And swere it were a relyk of a seint.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3864 : So the ik [vrr. theek, thick, þeyke]..ful wel koude I thee quyte With bleryng of a proud milleres eye.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.929 : By cause oure fyr was nat maad of beech, That is the cause and oother noon, so theech [vr. syth eche].
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.228 : Ac I swere now, so the ik [vrr. theich, thehi, thyk], þat synne wil I lete, And neuere wikkedliche weye ne wikke chaffare vse.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.2207 : I seye a cherl hath doon a cherles dede. What sholde I seye? God lat hym neuere thee!
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)569 : Nevere mot she thee! Lo, swich it is to have a tonge loos!
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)304 : Be ware of Tytivillus..He ys worst of þem all; Gode lett hym neuer then!
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)376 : Go and do yowr labur! Gode lett yow neuer the!
d
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)737 : Þis eld wiif—þat iuel sche þe!—Com to þis sostren þre.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)4236 : God ȝeue vs grace enuye to fle! And alle treyturs, euyl mote þey þe!
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1067 : Wel yuel mote they thryve and thee, And yuel achyued mote they be, These losengers, ful of envye!
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2742 : In a vice which I wil nat expresse He disusid cursidli his beute Ageyn nature, that euel mut thei [read: he] the.
- a1450 Lordyngis leue (Bod 48)280 : Euel mot hym þe, þ[at clerke] Þat so geteþ mannes goþ and doþ noȝt riȝt his werke!
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)198/5907 : Forto venquysshe this karle, my crewel foo, God wot how desirous y to hit be; So that ther wiste but ye and y no moo That demeth ay so yville—yville mot he thee.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1012 : 'Go home, lewde visenage, þat evil mut þowe the,' Quod Beryne..And bad the Devill of hell hir shuld to-tere.
- a1475 Have all (Brog 2.1)19 : Hit ys a þinke þat me can nye, But yf ȝe hold þat ȝe have hyȝt; ffor traytors tongis, ewyll mot þi thee.
- a1500(?c1400) EToulouse (Cmb Ff.2.38)417 : Syr Trylabas home can wende, There euell mote he thee!
3.
Error for don v.(1).
Associated quotations
- ?c1250 PMor.(Eg 613(1))88 : He is buuen vs and bi-neþen, bi-foren and bi-hinde; þe þe godes wille ðe [Lamb: deð; Trin-C: doð], eiðer he mai him finde.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1200(?OE) Cmb.Hom.(Cmb Ii.1.33)99/6 : Uincentius..on Cristes lare wel þeonde wæs, oððæt he wearð ȝehadod to halȝum diacone.
Note: Additional quot. for sense 1.(a).--per REL