Middle English Dictionary Entry
tīdī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | tīdī adj. Also tīdẹ̄, tiedi, (in surname) tidie; comp. tidiour; sup. tidiest, tideȝest, tiddist, tithiest, tethi-, thethi-, (?error) theyeest. |
| Etymology | From tīd(e n. & (esp. for senses 2.-4.) perh. ON: cp. OI tīðr adj.; cp. MDu. tidich, tidech. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. tit(e adj.
1.
(a) Timely, opportune; also, convenient; (b) of fruit: ripening early in season; (c) ?late; ?seasonable.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1339 : Gret merþe to þe messangeres Meliors þan made for þe tidy tidinges þat tiȝtly were seide.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1710 : Sche..borwed boiȝes cloþes..and..busked to þe kychene..and manly sche melled hire þo men forto help, til sche say tidi time hire prey for to take.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)5722 : Of nouel thinges..No-thing I fynd at no tydy stounde.
b
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jas.5.7 : Lo! an erthetilier abidith preciouse fruyt of the erthe, paciently suffrynge, til he resseyue tidi and ripe [alt. from: tymeful and lateful] fruyt.
c
- ?c1450(a1388) Wallingford Exafrenon (Dgb 67)235 : When the Mone have principale governynge of the yere, and is medlid with the Sonne..the firste partie of the yere she shal make mor hote than it was wonnt to be, and mor moyst, and that with a moysture that she sal be goode and tyedy [L fecunda et serotina].
2.
Possessed of desirable qualities: brave, valiant; skillful, able; virtuous, diligent, upright; also, as noun: valiant persons.
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2496 : Forto telle what tidde of þat tide werwolf..he wan aȝen to William.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3556 : Þe kinges sone..triȝed him to a tidi ost of þe tideȝist burnes.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3909 : Þei hade..taken of þe tidiest mo þan ten schore.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)3.320 : Resoun shal regne..Shal na more Mede be maistre..Thanne worth trewe-tonge, a tidy [C vr. tyde] man þat tened me neuere.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)9.104 : To alle trew tidy men þat trauaille desyren, Owre lorde..lent..Grace to go to hem and agon her lyflode.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.335 : Thus haþ he troiled and trauailed In hus tyme Forþ like a tydy man this to and þritty wyntere.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)493 : Tydy, or on-thende [Win: thend]: Probus.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)1395 : This tyme of Custom [autumn] set folkys in besynesse; Ech tydy man yevith hym to travaylle To Repe and mowe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2198 : Ȝe of Tebet ere tried þe tethiest [Dub: thethiest] on erth..Mast hiȝe ȝe ere hersid & herid of ȝoure strenthe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2371 : Was noȝt þe Thebes þar-to þe theyeest [Dub: tithiest] of othire Þe worthiest wees of þe werd..þe sotelest of weres?
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1202 : The Troiens were tyde & tid þere þe bettur, And the grekes on þe ground were greatly astoynet.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10049 : Telamon the tore kyng, & tide Vlixes..Restorit the stith fight stuernly agayn.
3.
(a) Well developed, healthy; of a seed: likely to grow into healthy crops, hardy; also, as noun: healthy-looking animals; (b) of a piece of land: fair, bountiful; of soil: fertile; (c) fine, beautiful, well wrought.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 MS Paris-StV.716 Gloss.in Thurot NEBib.Imp.22.2 (Paris-StV 716)531 : Saluber: Tydy.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2105 : vii eares wexen fette of coren On an busk, ranc and wel tidi, And vii lene rigt ðor-bi, Welkede and smale & drugte numen.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)13.187 : Seedes þat been sowen and mowe suffre wyntres Aren tydyour and tower to mannes by-hofthe, Than seedes þat sowen beeþ and mowe nouht with forste[s].
- a1500 PFulham (Jas 43)113 : Ofte tyme happeth that an other..stelyth a wey hys game, And that the tyddyst and feyreste of the floke, enfeffyng therfore hys felow with a more coke, And seyth sobyrly, felow, j haue mervayle That yowr panters cachen no pullayle!
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)5384 : Al þat touched þer to, a tidi erldome, to þe kowherd and his wif, þe king ȝaf þat time.
- a1456 Of alle þe craftes (Add 16165)p.37 : Þe cultre kerveþe in his kuynde þe tydee soyle þat doþe þe lande vnbynde Ageyns þe hil.
c
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)599 : We..no tidi atir in templus araie, No figure of fin gold fourme þerinne.
4.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1320) Pat.R.Edw.II486 : Robert Tydye.
- (1327) Sub.R.Wor.in Wor.HS (1895)16 : Roberto Tydy.
- (1332) Nickname in LuSE 55182 : Petr. Tydyman.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Add caveat: the form tīdẹ̄ might also end with a short -e and belong to tid adj. (none of the examples is in rhyme position, so one cannot tell).--per REL