Middle English Dictionary Entry
bilēven v.(1)
Entry Info
Forms | bilēven v.(1) Also bilæven, -leave, -lave, bleven. Forms: sg. 3 bilēveth, blē̆fþ; ipv. bilēf; p. bilēvede, -læfde, -leafde, -lefde & bilefte, blefte; ppl. bilēved, etc.; bileft, -laft; yblēved, bleft. |
Etymology | OE belǣfen, -lǣfde. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. bilīven.
1.
(a) To depart from or leave (a place, one's people, a person); (b) to give up (possessions, Christianity, etc.); forsake (an obligation, etc.); abandon (bad habits, etc.); (c) to forego (activity), desist from.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)389 : Inne lut ʒere..his duʒeðe he bi-lefde. He ʒef..his sune..al þat..lond.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1613 : He fleih ut of his londe & bi-læfde [Otho: bi-lefde] his leode.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8569 : Lundene we mote bi-læuen [Otho: bi-lefue] & to Doure liðen.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)440 : Ich chulle al bileaue þe & folhin an oþer.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)48/23 : & fluen alle vrom him & bilefden him ase vreomede.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)125 : Ihesus byleuede ham þo and to Bethanye out com.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2827 : Hii bileueþ þe lond.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13456 : A buyldyng..was of long tyme beleft, & no lede there.
b
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.Pentec.(Lamb 487)93 : Bileafden heo heore timbrunge and to dreofden ʒeond al middeleard.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)81 : He scal his sunne uor-saken and bileuen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3024 : Þa ʒet nolde þe leod-king his sothscipe bi-læuen [Otho: bleue].
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)55/17 : Bute we bileuen ure ufele iwune.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)44/27 : Bilef me & m[i] cumfort þet is wiðinne þe breste, & go sech wið uten þe worldes urakele urouren.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)73/27 : Bileaueð þene world & cumeð to me.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)74/19 : For te voluwen þe, we habbeð al bileaued [Corp-C: forleauet; L reliquimus].
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)103/35 : Hwon two bereð one burðene & to oðer bileaueð [Corp-C: leaueð] hit.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)169/33 : Heo ine muchele bireousunge..bilefde hire sunnen & turnde to ure louerde.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (Hrl 2277)61 : Heo..Bilevede al hire grete heritage and hire cun also.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)214 : His Moder him wolde al day rede..Chaste lijf..for-to lede..and bi-leuen alle folie.
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(Hrl 2277)164-8 : `Cristofre,' he seide, `tourn þi þoʒt & bilef cristendom..We habbeþ itake cristendom; we nulle bileue hit noʒt.'
- c1300 SLeg.Lucy (Hrl 2277)73 : Maide..Bilef..þi folie!
- ?a1325 Nou ihc for þi (Hrl 913)6 : Man and womman..be ware, Ʒure gret oþis þat ʒe beleue.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10004 : He bileuede is noble dede of þe holi lond, alas!
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9053 : I haf bi-left [Göt: leued] mi lauerd lau.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)1635 : Þai haue be-laft me and my laghe.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)35 : For trowth and luf es al bylaft: Men uses now a noþer craft.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.735 : Men loven wommen al biside hire leve; And whan hem leste namore, lat hem byleve!
c
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1997 : Þe wymmen him nome by þe ffet; `byleueþ þat,' quaþ he.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3344 : He..het hem þe assaut be-leue.
- c1390 Off alle floures (Vrn)97 : Hose lust not loue, let hym be-leue.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.25 : This cloth þei caght..To rende and kyt it wolde þei not bileuen [vr. bleuen].
2.
(a) To leave (sb. or sth. in a place), let remain or stay; ben bileft, be left or be (somewhere or with sb.); (b) to leave (sb. or sth. in a certain condition); (c) to leave (sth. for sb.); give, bestow, grant; entrust; ben bileft; (d) to leave (sth.) over; spare (sb.); ben bileft, remain.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8914 : He wass þa bihinndenn hemm bilefedd att te temmple.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)18648 : Þe eorl..bilefde his wif in Tintaieol.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)111/27 : He steih up to ðe heouene & bileauede [Corp-C: leafde] his leoue ureond ine unkuðe þeode.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)32/91 : Þere nis non more bi-leued On vrþe of him, bote..his holie heued.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5011 : King oswy þe cristinemen bileude in þe place.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)616 : Ioseph..restes him in Sarras, bi-leued wiþ þe qweene.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10611 : Þai yald hir to þe temple þan..þar bileft þat mirthful mai.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11903 : He es bileft wit satanas.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)7736 : His coupe, his spere, where mai hit be..Where be þei now bileued?
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)18558 : He wrouʒte bi wicche-craft And wiþ þe deuel was bilaft.
- a1425(c1300) Assump.Virg.(1) (Add 10036)759 : Thei leide þe bodi in a stone And bileft alle in þat stede, As oure ladi hadde hem bede.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)124a/a : Þat byleueþ anger..in þe pacient.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)2012 : Ther is no blod in him by-left.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)18.367 : Bothe weren beleft In sarras.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.236 : Mannes schap..was hem byraft, Bot mannes mynde was in hem bylaft.
- (1470) Paston5.80 : Ther is beleffte with hym dyverse off the Kynges servantes.
- a1500(a1415) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)278/19 : Som wykkyd lyuer, þat ys belafte wyth þe fende.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)202 : He counseilled with his knyghtes that were with hym be-lefte.
b
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)5/6 : N[ulleþ] heo bileafen þine lippen unfreten.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)79 : Ho hine bilefde liggen half quic.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)46/27 : His deore deciples fluen alle vrom him, & bileueden [Corp-C: leafden] him alle one.
- a1350(a1325) SLeg.Cec.(Ashm 43)90/238 : He ne smot it [the head] noʒt uolliche of..Half slawe hi bileuede hire so.
- c1425 Evang.(BodAdd C.38)503 : Marie he helde in clene wedding And þe maide..maide bileft.
c
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)4/10 : His weolæn beoþ her belæfed.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)4/34 : Heom þuncheþ al to lut, þet þu heom bilefdest.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)183 : Hie bileueð uncuðe me þe aihte.
- c1300 SLeg.Pilate (Hrl 2277)130 : Þulke forme is me bileued, þat ich miʒte igladed beo.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)9.38 : Þe pouer in gost ys bilaft to þe [L Tibi derelictus est pauper].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.367 : Þey deled som of þe kyngdom bytwene hem, and some byleft [L reliquerunt] to Colwulfus.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.2346 : What profit him is belaft.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)50.536 : Al his Synne vppon me is beleft.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)325/22 : He willed þat hit be byleuid to her proctur.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)558 : Som thinge ye wolde be-leue me here To loke on.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)154 : All the herbegage was to hym be-lefte.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)266 : The peple that is vs be lefte.
d
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29363 : Ælcne bilefued mon he lette bilimien.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3590 : Þe king..let hangy echon Hor ostages; uor þe treson he ne bileuede [B: bilefde] noʒt on.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3458 : Til that ther was nothing beleft Of al his grete maladie.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)86 : Of alle his goode steedes noon was him byleued.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)276 : And v C men that were hym be-lefte of the bataile.
3.
(a) To remain (in a place); stay, tarry; (b) to dwell or live (in a place).
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8380 : He þa shollde..Inntill þe land off Galileo flittenn & tær bilefenn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)12607 : Godess Gast..upponn himm bilefeþþ.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)149 : Biddeð ure drihten þet ʒe moten..him folege and mid him bileue.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)192/30 : On ðet bileaue euer ethom, an oðer þet wende ut.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1688 : Ne schal..a wreche feþer on ow bi leaue.
- ?a1300 Þene latemeste dai (Dgb 86)p.100 : Nou þou shalt bileven and ich mot faren mede.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)742 : Horn tok his leue, ne miʒte he no leng bileue.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)84/150 : He nimeþ leue; No lengur nolde he bileue.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)109/801 : Bilef wiþ me, ne wend naʒt hom.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)482/52 : Ypolyt..bi-lef here in ore compaynie!
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2963 : Hauelok bilefte wit ioie and gamen In engelond.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1155 : His disciples echon by-gonne to ffleo ffor ffere; þer by-lefte non bote hi þat him louede mest.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)331 : Þer þou ssalt finde an place, god inne to bileue.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)403 : No lim..mid þe bodi bileued.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7029 : Hit bileuede amidde is þrote, astrangled he was riʒt.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1999 : He schuld wiþ him bilaue & al his wille he schuld haue.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)591 : He bileft al niʒt In land.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1086 : His swerd brak..And in morauntes brain Bileued apece.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)577 : Mine hert schal bileue wiþ þe: Wiltow, niltow.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)4483 : Sir Herhaud, þou schalt bileue wiþ me.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)320 : Iche wolle make the..& tou wille bleue wiþ me.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)30 : Wreþe þet blefþ ine herte.
- a1350 SLeg.Brendan (Ashm 43)373 : Þis monekes up þis fisches rugge bileuede [Ld: bi-leften] al longe nyʒt.
- a1375 WPal.(KC 13)2385 : Noiþer burde ne barn bi-laft at þe quarrer, but went after þe werwolf.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1595 : Þe peces fulle on þe feldes, þe hedes on þe tre by-lafte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1516 : He tok his leve..lengere wolde he noght beleve.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2524 : His fader seide he scholde abide..Bot he..wolde noght beleve.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.583 : Swich harm I felte for he ne myghte bileue.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)57/8 : I belefte allone in my chaumbre.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1549 : Þe lettres bileved ful large upon plaster.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)109/30 : Þe oþer bileften in þe schipp and seileden to þe londe ward.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)2 : Ryse upe, for I am belefte At kepe þe out of blame.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1357 : Every wight han liberte to bleve Whereas hym liste the bet.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.478 : Intendestow that we shal here bleve?
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1180 : Al the nyght they moste bleven there.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)10022 : Be-leue at hom..I the be-seche!
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)38a/b : A gleymy humour byleueþ [*Ch.(1): abideþ] in þe membre.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)93/521-3 : The lyones..Belefte with þe lady and þe childe..The lady byleued with þe qw[e]ne.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)32 : Þei forsaken her ordre, & summ bileuen stille in þe ordre.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)86 : The cherl bilefte there grucchinge, lenynge on his staf.
- c1450 7 Sages(1) (Arun 140)134/1850 : For grete drede þei flowene..Ne dorst þeir byleue none.
- c1450 Siege Troy(1) (ArmsAr 22)445 : Þys veage ʒe grant me now, And byleue [vr. dwelle] ʒe at hom.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)370/431 : Tyl..tydyngis we haue, Here must we belave.
- a1500(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)48/1539 : Þe soudan..Bleft yn Fraunce, Cytes to brenne.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)60 : The kynge..forthe is went..Sir Agraveyne..At home by-lefte.
- a1500(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)472 : The kynge be-lafte wyth þe qwene, Moch loue was hem be-twene.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)26/8 : Robert byleft with somdell of þe meyne.
b
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)75/3 : Ʒif ðu wilt on ðare woreld beleauen and wif and childre hauen.
- c1300 Assump.Virg.(1) (Cmb Gg.4.27)57 : Þer bilefte heo al hure lif.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)800 : Loth..and sarray bileften bi-twen betel and ay.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20113 : Þar scho bileft for al hir lijf.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.225 : With him bileft þei þare a quarter of a ʒere.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)3/33 : Siþen bileft Marie wiþ Elizabeth aboute þre moneþes.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)635 : He asked, ʒyf he wolde..byleue styl thare tyl the wynter passed were.
4.
To remain (in a certain state); ~ hol, wel, stil, etc., remain in good health, keep still, etc.; ~ ded, be left for dead; ~ maide, remain a virgin; ~ oure, remain ours.
Associated quotations
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)85 : Þe ilke þe foleʒeð þes fleisces lust..scule bileuen in þosternesse.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)141 : Nes þere nefre an bileued un-dreint.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)87 : Þe children weren clensed of sinnen and þus bilefden.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)73/14 : Ʒif he belæfð hal and ʒesund.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (Hrl 2277)10 : In such swynch and harde lyve hi bilevede..longe.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)12 : Marie blefte eure mayde.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)225 : Þe ilke þet is ybleued ine lyue, he ssel him loki chastliche.
- (c1371) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.103 : Thomas Haylysbere wes Thomas Gylys borʒ of þe bare and of þe hwet, þat blefde vn payd.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2816 : While I mai beleve, I tarie forth the nyht along.
- c1400(?c1280) SLeg.OTHist.(LdMisc 622)23 : Ne bileue þou nouʒth to trauaile.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)24/101 : And delt þam knokkes..Stedes strong bileuid still Biside Cressy opon þe grene.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.539 : Lat this wepyng be..for in this houre I wol ben ded, or she shal bleven oure.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)3517 : Þe ʒonge bachelrye..proferid launce..And made mony knyʒt..in feld ded by laue.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)105a/b : Dislocaciouns..constreyne þe membre some tyme to byleue vncurede.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)169 : So belefte he stille alle that day.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)5737 : Here speres beleft hole booth.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)170/269 : Beleves wele, lordis free, For with my frendis nowe will I fare.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)759 : I shalle thus be-leve in woo.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)327 : He was left behynde..and so he beleft alone.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)1830 : An hundurd..belefte dedde in þat batayle.
5.
(a) To remain after an event, be left over or behind; survive; (b) to be left (for sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1250(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Glb A.19)482 : Haue þu none lefe to þo þat after þe bilefe [Glb: bileue; Trin-C: bileued], to sune no to dohter.
- ?a1300 Fox & W.(Dgb 86)198 : Tel þine sunnen on and on, þat þer bileue neuer on.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.5698 : Whan he hire tunge refte, A litel part therof belefte.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3360 : Fro me he made hym for to go, And I bilefte aloone in woo.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)12089 : With a Meyne bothe prowd & fers, that beleften of his Bataylle.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)20100 : Of hem be-leffte not on.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.10 : So that it myhte..Whan we ben dede..Beleve to the worldes eere.
- a1450 LDirige(1) (Dgb 102)254 : Alone a graue byleueth to me.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 174)66/16 : Þanne schulde no-thyng beleue to me ne to my wyif.
6.
To leave (sth.) alone, let be; turn away from (a narrative); leave off; desist, hold back.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25408 : Lete we nu ane while þeos ferde bilæue [Otho: bi-leafue], and speke we of Arðure.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25995 : Lete we nu þene eotend bi-lafuen [Otho: Leate..beo] and atlien to þan kinge.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)11/27 : Me was leuere þat ic biʒate and he forlure, ðanne unker chepinge bileafde.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)42 : Hone miʒte no leng bileue, Vor hire horte was so gret þat welneʒ hire fnast at schet.
- c1300 SLeg.Marg.(Hrl 2277)149 : He makede he bileue here tourmentours & to prisoun hire lede.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)1132 : Þo moste þe ost bileue & dwellen þere al þat niʒt.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)15.1 : Now let vs beleven Of kyng Eualach, And Firthere Into this Mater now let vs walk.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)28.445 : Now beleveth this Storye her Of the Swerd and the schethe.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)39.530 : I trowe that he wolde beleven Of synne.