Middle English Dictionary Entry
tī̆gre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tī̆gre n. Also tiger(e, -ir, -ur, teger; pl. tigres, etc. & tegres & (?error) tygrees. |
| Etymology | OE tiger (from L) & OF tigre & L tī̆gris. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A wild carnivorous cat, a tiger;—also used of a lioness; ~ den; (b) in stock similes and prov. expressions; (c) a stylized representation or figure of a tiger; ~ whelp, a figure of a tiger cub; (d) fig. a treacherous or cruel person;—also used of an anthropomorphized bird.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2626 : Ther nas no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye, Whan that hir whelp is stole whan it is lite, So cruel on the hunte as is Arcite.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1977 : A large wildernesse, Wher was Leon and Leonesse, The Lepard and the Tigre also.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1094/3 : Bestis beþ ful dyuerse..For oonliche some eteþ fleissh as þe leoun, or tygris, and þe wolf.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1235/3 : Plinius..seiþ þat pantera and þe tigre ben nost yhighted wiþ dyuers spekkes and dyuers colours.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1889 : So þe tygre [LinI: tiger] þat fynt ystole Her whelpes..Wiþ mouþ she brenneþ beest and man, Bot she keuer hem sone aȝan.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.4.8 : The men that the serpent..and the tigre, and the bere..seken to sleen with hir teeth..seken to sleen everiche of hem oothir with swerd.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)7199 : And yow lyst to se..The lyon, tygre [vr. teger] or the wyld ape, I dare welle say ye shall wel escape..wyth-oute bodely harme.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)8891 : His contree..ys full of apys, tygres [vr. tegres], and berys.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1459 : There saugh I stonden..Upon an yren piler strong That peynted was..With tigres blod in every place, The Tholosan that highte Stace.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)616/24 : Tigrus: a tygur.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)439 : A greet ywhelpyd lyonesse..her sone gan clep & kesse..The tygre gan hyt awey take.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)582 : The lady wente wythowten drede To þe tygre denne, And tok her chyld fram þe lyonesse.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)217/4 : There was in a caue two wode tygres, and they passid oute and deuowred alle men that they myȝt i-mete with.
- a1500 Let.Alex.(Wor F.172)428 : We saw sum men and wymmen covered with the skynnes of Tigres and panters.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.156 : There sawe I dress him new out of haunt The fery tiger, full of felonye.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1657 : Thou myghtest wene that this Palamoun In his fightyng were a wood leoun, And as a cruel tigre was Arcite.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.1199 : Sklendre wyues fieble as in bataille Beth egre as a tigre yond in Ynde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.217 : He souȝt to procede To execute his menynge..Dowble as a tygre sliȝly to compasse.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)867 : Cruel mars as eny Tygre wood.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.8.33 : Maystow ben swyftere than the tigre?
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)402/311 : These tirantis..Be title of wil, as any tigres fel, To moordre and robbe spared no creature.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6988 : Ther ys..ryght noght Half so swyfte as ys a thoght..Swifter also of passage More than any Tigre rage.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)161 : I wole smite thee but thou flee fastere or go than a tigre.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13458 : Thow must be in thy ffleyng, Swyfft as A tygre in rennyng.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.15 O's (LdMisc 683)130 : Alle thyn enymyes rounde aboute the stood, Fersere than Tygrees [?read: Tygres], woder than lyowns.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Horns (LdMisc 683)38 : Arche wives, egre in ther vyolence, Fers as tygre ffor to make affray.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)1858 : Ageyn hym so obstynat thei stoode, Lik wilde boris or Tigris in ther rage, Vengeable of hert, furious & woode.
c
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.173 : [A bed of red] worstede [embroidered with a] tygre.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.618 : On tourettis wer reysed vp figurys Of wylde bestis..Of tigers, bores, of serpentis and dragouns.
- c1450 Gt.Chron.(Gldh 3313)119 : A sotilte: A tygre lokyng in a Myrrour, And a man ridyng upon an horse bakke armed with a tigre whelpe in his arme.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)141 : A sotelte: a tygyr and Syntt Gorge ledyng hyt.
d
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.543 : Anoon this tygre ful of doublenesse Fil on his knees with so deuout humblesse.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.822 : Meryon salutede worthy Ectore..O gredy lyoun, o wolfe most rauenous, O hatful tygre, passyng envious..of desire, sothly vnstaunchable.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5227 : So þis tigre, ful of doubilnesse, So couertly his tresoun dide expresse.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)5.183 : Right so thou serpent of Iniquite, Fals tygre, full of doublenesse..Thou herodis of malice.
- a1500 Lydg.Sts.AA (Petyt 511)196/3 : O peple vngracious Wors than bestis..O cruell Tygres, O wolfes furious..Falsely to deme..A thynge that Albon bi grace of god hath wonne.