Middle English Dictionary Entry
thiggen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | thiggen v. Also thig(ge & (early) þicge, þicʒ(e)an, þicʒe, þiʒe(an, þeʒe, dicʒ(e)an, (infl.) þicgene; sg.3 (early) þiʒð; p.pl. (early) þicgden. |
| Etymology | OE þicgan, þicgean, þiggean, sg.3 þig(e)ð, p.pl. þigdon, þēgon & ON (cp. OI þiggja, Dan. tigge, Swed. tigga). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. ithiggen v. (Suppl.).
1.
(a) To ingest, drink; consume (food, drink); ~ of, to drink from (pools of water); ~ on et and on wet, consume (too much) in eating and drinking; also, in construction with infl. inf. having passive sense: forbeden blod to ~, forbid blood to be drunk [quot. c1175]; (b) to take (a medicinal herb, medical preparation, etc.) by mouth, consume (sth., a curative food or drink); sellen ~, administer (an herb or herbal preparation, a medicine) to be taken or chewed.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)39/21 : Bute ge me secgen þæt soð is beo þyssen, hwa þas metes þycge þe we machigeð Bele, ealle ge sculen swelten gyf ic gesund beo.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)40/12 : Heo inn eodan & þone mete þycgden þe wæs gemynt þan goden.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)130/10 : Myrige wæterseaðes þær abuten standeð, & þa synden swyðe wynsume of to þycgene.
- c1175(OE) Bod.Aelfric OT (Bod 343)27/290 : He forbead swa ðeah þæt blod to þicgene.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)105 : Nu beoð viii heafod mihtan..An is..metnesse on englisc, þet mon beo imete on alle þing and to muchel ne þigge on ete and on wete.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)31/12 : Ʒenim þanne tweʒa trymesa ʒeweʒe, þeʒe hyt þanne on hatum beore.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)33/2 : Wið tyrende eaʒene ʒenim þa ylcan wyrte, syle þiʒean [L manducet].
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)53/19 : Þeos wyrt þæt man sceleratam & Engle clufþunca nemned, þe man þæt þeos wyrt fæstende þiʒð [L gustaverit], he byð sona unhal.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)63/21 : Swa hwlc man swa þisse wyrte ðiʒþ, wundorlice hradnysse he onʒit þæs innoþes liþunge.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)73/15 : Nim þeos wyrt..cnuca hi to smale duste, syle dicʒan on wine.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)93/8 : Wið lungenadle, nim þisse wyrt, seoh on huniʒe, sile þicʒan [L sumat], he byð wunderlice ʒehæled.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)111/15 : For þan sylfe nim þane wyrtrume, syle hine þan seocan þicʒan tyn daʒas.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)113/1 : Ʒif þu ðas wyrte sylst dicʒean on stange wine, þas innoþ unryne ʒewyð.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)237/22 : Ʒif þine clænsungdæʒes, þar þu fæst ʒeond eorþan embehwyrft, his flæsc ʒesoden etest & þiʒest, hyt byd god þe & þine weredun till.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)243/6 : Wid miltan sare hortes horn ʒebærnede þicʒe on swete drence.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)251/2 : Wið blædran sara hara syna ʒedriʒede & him sile ðicʒean.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)11/5 : Nim sauinam and ambrotena, and cnuca hi and do hi syþþan on win, and meng piper þarto and sum dal huniʒes, and þiʒe þarof anne cuppan fulle on ærne morʒe and oþerne an niht.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)14/33 : Nim þet water of þan ylcan putte ðe he ær of dronc þa he þurh ðone drunc iuntrumæd wæs & þa ʒyrdan þeron asete & he hit syððan ðicge & he bið sonæ hal.
2.
(a) To beg, ask for charity; beg for (food), get (one's food) by begging; ~ bred, beg (one's) bread, live by begging; ppl. thiggande, begging; also, beggarly, needy [quot. a1400, 1st]; (b) with inf.: ~ of, to ask or beseech a favor of (God's grace to do sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1373 : He haueth me do mi mete to þigge, And ofte in sorwe and pine ligge.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)39.23 : Thiggand [L mendicus] and pouer am I.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)108.9 : Drecchand his sones be outborne awai, And thigge mote þai [vr. þiggande þai; MPPsalter: biggen hij] night and dai.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)28 : Beggyn or thyggyn: Mendico.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13549 : Now me bus, as a beggar, my bred for to thigge At doris vpon dayes.
b
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)3565 : We dar noʒt breke þi comandment Bot of þi grace we thyg To vouche safe with vs to ligg.