Middle English Dictionary Entry
thrētening(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | thrētening(e ger. Also threteining, thretningue. |
| Etymology | From thrētenen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A threat, a menace; a dire promise; an ominous portent; also, the act of making a threat; wordes of ~, words containing a threat of dire consequences.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1512 : Of þe þretningue heo dradden heom sore.
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)198 : Huy..with þretningue and with strif to heore false godus take.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1720 : As me wakeþ, oure lord aros ffor al hare þretnynge; He aros þo ffram deþe to lyue.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)230 : 'Sarazin,' quaþ charles þe king, 'Let ben al þi þretning.'
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)39/14 : Þese þundris ben þe þretenyngis of þe iugement.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)52/3 : Prechouris bi discret prechinge schulden close þe þretenyngis of proude myȝti men.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Deeds 4.29 : And now, Lord, biholde in to the thretnyngis of hem.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)254 : Such a lord and louyng fadir hast bedun and ordeyned to alle men vndir þreteynyng of greet punysching forto kepe þe lawe of kynde.
- a1450 Aelred Inst.(2) (Bod 423)11/411 : They chargeden no more the flaterynge of the domesman than the thretnynge.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)113/10 : He shal tech he seyth to all mylde hertis his wayes of trew living with oute boystous spekyng and þretenyng.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)332/27 : If hit happun þe fore-seide sir Richard..to deliuer þe distres..or bi þe kinges baillef or bi oni minstres take or to make rescu with þreteninge, [etc.].
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)120/20 : Summe ben wordis of þretenyng to brekers of goddis lawe.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)33 : He þat seyith soth shal haue a broken hed..grete thretenyng, cruell wordis.