Middle English Dictionary Entry
tīthing(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tīthing(e n. Also tidinge, tething(e, teithinge, teothing(g)e, tuething, (early) teoþing(ue, teouþinke, teuþinge, teuþincke, toðinge, touþinke & thiting, thething, thed(h)ing, (early) theoþinge & (in surnames) teding(e)-, tuthing- & (errors in cpds.) thykin-, thederyng-, thesin-, tesing-, tephing-; pl. tithinges, etc. & tithingges, tethingges, tuthinges, thithinges, (16th cent.) teathinges. |
| Etymology | OE tēoðung, tēoðing, teigðuncg; also cp. ME tīthen v.(2). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. tenthing ger. & tithe n.(2).
1.
(a) A tenth part of something, ten percent; (b) one-tenth of one's goods, property, etc. given as a religious offering, a tithe; also, the goods or property so given; ~ makinge; (c) the act of offering one-tenth of one's goods or produce to the church; don ~; (d) the act of removing one-tenth of a group, decimating.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.MPChr.(LdMisc 108)901 : Jvdas..þouȝte on þe þritti panes of teoþinge þat to him wolde habbe iwend.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)790 : Þe teoþing of þreo hondred pans þritty pans is.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)129/9 : Nou beoþ þreo hondred dawes and sixti in þe ȝere And fiue þerto..And þe teþinge of al þis dawes wo so it wole riȝt wende Wole sixe and þritti dawes and fiue bileueþ atte ende.
- a1325 SLeg.Judas (Corp-C 145)119 : Bote he myȝte more of ech þyng þe teoþingge he wolde stele; A schrewe he was al hys lyf, me may hyt no leng hele.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.6.12 : Þer shal ben multeplied þat was laft in þe myddil of þe erþe, & ȝit in it tiþing.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)544/23-4 : Bicause of tythinge of þre hundrid dayes and sexty we fastiþ sexe and þritty dayes; for þe tyþing of fyue dayes and sexe houres þat beþ ouer of an hole ȝere, we fastiþ one day.
- (c1400) Higd.(1) (Hrl 1900)520 : Of the Normans that were brouȝt forthe, he slouȝ alwey nyne and kept the tenthe, And ȝit hym thouȝt that the tethinge were to many ylefte and teothed efte the teothinge.
- a1450 SLeg.MPChr.(StJ-C B.6)1928-9 : Al þat he seyde for he wolde þat þe oynement had be sold & haue spended þe pens & þe tyþing to hym haue hold; þe tyþing þerof was þritty pens.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)54/10 : It schuld rather be callid the tythynge of dayes, for it is the x part of dayes.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)29 : Gef þi prest nis clene man þe shal þine toðinge understonden, del hit men þe muge bidde for ðe.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)129 : Fer fro ure drihten we ben, þeh we gon to chirche and giuen rihte tiðinge.
- a1275 Louerd asse þu ard (Trin-C B.14.39)75,77 : Caym..gaif to touþinke þe worst þat he hedde..Abel þef [read: ȝef] criste clene teuþincke.
- a1275 Louerd asse þu ard (Trin-C B.14.39)81 : Caymes teouþinke fule heo was ifunden; mit alle tricherie ho was iwonden.
- ?a1300 Sayings St.Bede (Dgb 86)141 : Ac for alle his biswinke, If he may comen to sottes drinke And stelen cristes teuþinge [vr. theoþinge], Sstrong deþ hit wile him þenke.
- c1300 SLeg.Lucy (LdMisc 108)60 : To him þat hire spouse was þe teoþingue was i-brouȝt.
- a1325 *Rwl.Statutes [OD col.] (Rwl B.520)lf.38 : Ȝif person askez aȝen his parossenes offrendes ore Tuþinges þat habbez ben iȝiuene ant vsed, [etc.].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.355 : Þese men beeþ of yuel maneres and of leuynge: þey paieþ none teþinges, þei weddeþ lawefulliche none wyfes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.257 : All teþynge [vr. tueþyng] schulde be payde to þe moder chirche.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)45/29 : Confessours of freres..telleþ openlich þat ȝeuers of almes in teþinge of wynnyng of chaffare beþ nouȝt y-holde to paye teþingis of brede, of wyn, of ale, & of oþer smal þingis.
- (1422) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.23154 : God in the new lawe told lytell or noght of thytyng of dymes.
- c1440 Chaucer CT.Fri.(Lin-C 110)D.1315 : Tithyng [vr. Tithyngges; Elsm: ffor smale tithes and smal offrynge He made the peple pitously to synge].
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)351 : Euery mon hys teythynge schale paye Bothe of smale and of grete, Of schep and swyn & oþer nete.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)322/37 : I fast twise in þe weke and ȝeue trewly my thythynges and all þat God sendeþ me.
- c1450 Form Excom.(3) (Dc 60)106/50 : We accorsen..al þat..withholden eny teythinges for wrath of eny man or falsely tithen.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)33/132 : Abel, brother, what a-ray is þis? thy tythyng brennyth as ffyre.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)14/4 : Seynt Thomas..assigned grete lordeschippes and tethyngges to refresch hem [poor].
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)56/14 : We oweþ for to yelde tyþynge of alle oure dayes and good also that we truly haue wonne and also of oure-self in absteynyng oure body fro evil dedis, evel thoughtis, and vicis.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)16 : Prechours and confessours..have not of hire owne to lyve with, but of tythingis and of almys-dede of seculers.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)689 : Ther were..Choppers of churches, fynders of tydynges..brekers of lofedayes, [etc.].
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)62/133 : Teathinges-makinge, as you seene here, of Abraham begonnen were.
- -?-(1467-8) Will in Som.RS 16199 : Item, of the vicar of Okehampton for tething.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Swithin (Hrl 2277)40 : Ech man wolde þurf þe lond his teoþing wel do; Brokene churchen oueral seint swithin let vp rere.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)128/3 : It is þat Cristene men hore teþinge do Of hore frut þoru out þe ȝer & of oure vleiss also.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)96/6 : Þis Man oiþer womman is sleyn for defaut of ȝemynge; tyþing amys ne comeþ it of onde.
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)481,489 : Kaym for his false tidynge—For he tyþede of þe worste þynge..And whanne he deyde, he ȝede to helle, Euermore þer to dwelle For his false tyþynge.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)45/28 : Confessours of freres..telleþ openlich þat ȝeuers of almes in teþinge of wynnyng of chaffare beþ nouȝt y-holde to paye teþingis of brede, of wyn, of ale, & of oþer smal þingis.
- c1450 Dives & P.(Lchf 35)1.44 : Diuers dowȝtes in tithyng and of custome of tithyng and why God bad more þe x parte to be payed þan anoþer part.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.18 : What is sacrileyge and in how many maner it is don, and of tyþinge.
d
- ?a1475 Com.Proph.M.(PennSt-U PS V-3)244 : Aftir þis tithyng he lete slee euery tenþe man of þies that were left.
2.
(a) An administrative division representing one-tenth of a hundred; also, a group of ten households; ~ daies, days on which a tithing court or the view of frankpledge was held; ~ man [OE tēoðung-mann], the administrative officer of a tithing; (b) in comb.: ~ peni, a tax or fee paid by a tithing.
Associated quotations
a
- (1274-5) Hundred R.Tower 2272 : Praeterea, idem Vicecomes capit decem marcas de thethingis.
- a1275 Reg.Writs in Bull.IHR 188 : Debent venire de eodem manerio iiii homines et prepositus per summonitionem et ad dictos dies qui vocantur Thedhingdayes et Lipidies.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5402-4 : In ech toune of þe hondred a teþinge were..& þat ech man wiþ oute gret lond In þe teþinge were ydo & þat ech man knewe oþer þat in teþinge were & wuste somdel of hor stat ȝif me þefþe vpe hom bere.
- (1432) RParl.4.403a : By cause the Decennare and Decennes, oder wyse called Thethyngman and Thethyngs, comen noght..unto the Sherrefes tourn, they ben amerced.
- (1441-2) Statutes Realm2.320 : Pur la peas meux a estre garde, qe chescun Conestable, Tythingman, ou chief plegge, de chescun ville ou hamell..soit eidant & assistaunt a le possessour..de tielx choses.
- (1452) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.4201 : The Kyng comaundith..that alle stewardes of fraunchesse..tythingmen of cytes, burghes, hundreds and townes within the shire of Wiltes areste or doo areste alle manere vagraunts.
- (1471) Acc.Cowfold in Sus.AC 2322 : Emery Jenyns and Rechard Lotty..hath recevid of Water Dunstall and of Jon Pekcombe, sobcollectores of the tythynge of Wyndham..lxvij s. ob.
b
- (1192-9) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.7377 : De averpeni et de blodwita et de fichtwit' et hundredpeni et de thethingpeni.
- (1199) Chart.St.Paul in RHS ser.3.5837 : De wardpeni, & de auerpeni, & de teþingpeni, & hengwite.
- a1300-a1350(1227) Chart.Hen.III in RS 97179 : Volumus..quod prædictus episcopus et successores sui..habeant..tenementa..quiete de omnibus geldis..et wardpeny et averpeny et thethingpeny.
- (1252) Close R.Hen.III84 : Denarios qui vocantur..tythingpeny.
- (1254-5) Hundred R.Tower 2237 : Hundredum istud est in manu Regis & Vicecomes percipit; inde per annum xl s. ad duos turnos suos & pro auxilio xj s. & x d. de thethingpeny.
- (1274-5) Hundred R.Tower 2245 : Hundredus de Cadewurth..valet..xxvij s. & de thesinpeni j..Sutton..solebat solvere..iiij s. de tesingpenye.
- (1274-5) Hundred R.Tower 2273 : Sodfold..tephingpeni viij libr. xij s. viij d.
- (1278) Plac.War.p.281 : Flemenesfrithe, wardpeny, averpeny, hunderpeny, thykinpeny.
- (1372-3) Inquis.PM Edw.III13.125 : [She also rendered 10 s. yearly to the king for the said manor and hamlet at the two views of frankpledge of his hundred of Odiham for] tethingpeny.
- (1461) RParl.5.476a : The seid Tenauntes..asked to be discharged..of a summe of money claymed at two lawdayes in the yere, called Tithyng peny, otherwise Tottyng peny.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)665/8 : They sholde..holde it..vtterly quyte..of warde peny, and averpeny, hundredepeny, and thederyngpeny [?read: thedyngpeny].
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)670/17 : Fre tenauntis ought ther to be quyet..of wardepeny and of Averpeny, and of hundredepeny and thedyngpeny.
3.
Mistransl. of AF dedenzain citizen, based on a misconstruing of AF de)denzein as dizein(e section of ten men.
Associated quotations
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.86 : Ȝef a foreyne empledy þe teþinge, þe teþynge [F dedenzain] ne haþ bote þre dayes to shewynge..and whanne þe teþynge empledeþ a foreyn, þe foreyn haþ his delay of eyȝte dayȝes in-to eyȝte.
4.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1182) in Pipe R.Soc.3130 : De dim. m de Rogero tedingeman de sudberi.
- (1189-99) Abbrev.Plac.Rich.I18 : Seman Tuthingman.
- (1193) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms137 : Ailmer tedingman.
- (1197) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.8210 : Willelmus Teðingman.
- (1262) Select Pleas Manor.in Seld.Soc.2179 : Willelmus Theþingman.
- (1327) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms137 : Ric. Tethingman.
- (1333) Let.Bk.Lond.E (Gldh LetBk E)285 : William Tythinglomb.
- (1390) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms137 : Rob. Tethyngman.