Middle English Dictionary Entry
tọ̄m(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tọ̄m(e n. Also thome, (N) tame & (error) come. |
| Etymology | ON: cp. OI tōm. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Free time, leisure; sufficient leisure to do something unnecessary; (b) an opportunity, a chance; sufficient time to do something important; (c) a space of time, an interval.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)75/2140 : Þat þyng hys..Þe holy ioynyng of godself And of alle holy cherche; In tome of spouhoþ [?read: spoushoþ] þys aueyement Loukeþ ȝou for hordome.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2128 : Þar-in es rome þe mast cite..And mani riche kingdon Þat i to tell haue her na tom [Göt: tame].
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)2.147 : I haue no tom [vrr. toom; tyme, tong, tunge; C: tome] to telle þe tail þat hem folewiþ Of many maner of man þat on þis molde libbeþ.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)3 : I sal ȝow tel, if I haue tome, Of þe Seuen Sages of Rome.
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Hnt HM 148)82/19 : Say to hym be-lyue: Wende agayne, þou foule fende..for my ȝates are stokene and my Lord here with-in dwelles, For-þi haue no tome oþer talles to telle.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)3126 : So than of [Generides] dome To speke had thei nomore tome Because of that proude messanger.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)318/345 : Delyuere þe lightly with-outen any lette, We haue no tome all day to tente on-to þe.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)281 : Ȝe ne have no tome, no time, to tende my sawus, For ȝe so busiliche ben, wiþ, aboute þe werre.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)45.10 : Takis tome [vr. takes leyser; L vacate] and sees for i am god..Takis tome, that is, gif ȝou til rest in hert fra the deuels armys.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)4822 : Now hathe he tome at home to byde, Hym selfe may on huntyng ryde Amonge the woddes wyld.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)210/201 : Go hens in xx dwill way! we haue no tome the for to tent.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)43 : Of his trifuls to telle I haue no tome nowe.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11656 : In hor bed hii founde hom..Vor to wel cloþi hom hii ne ȝeue hom no tome.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3778 : Þe bodies..of alle þe gomes of gode..greiþli hem bere til þe tentis, til þei miȝt haue tom hem to berie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2680 : His Bacheler, which hadde tome [vrr. thome, come], Whan that his lord be nihte slepte, This Ring, the which his maister kepte, Out of his pours awey he dede.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1153 : Ȝif ȝe wolde tyȝt me a tom, telle hit I wolde, Hou charged more watz his chaunce þat hem cherych nolde.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38)292 : Altherfurste he toke hym tome To spere the estyrs of Rome.
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4975 : Godmen sittes a littel tom, Ar þat yee giue ani dome.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)135 : Þenne watz no tom þer bytwene his tale and her dede, So bayn wer þay boþe two his bone for-to wyrk.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)585 : Ȝet oþer þer werne þat toke more tom, Þat swange and swat for long ȝore, Þat ȝet of hyre noþynk þay nom.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)496 : Toom, or rymthe..tempus.
- a1500(c1400) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)313 : Þe bysshop..hade no space to speke so spakly he ȝoskyd, Til he toke hym a tome and to þe toumbe lokyd.