Middle English Dictionary Entry
tọ̄̆night adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | tọ̄̆night adv. |
| Etymology | From OE tō niht phr.; also cp. ME tọ̄̆ prep. & night n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) On the night now present, on this very night; (b) on the night preceding this day, last night; (c) on the night yet to follow this day; (d) as noun: this present night.
Associated quotations
a
- a1275 *St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)160 : Nis no tonge an erþe..þat mai telle þe ioie þat was maket of þe tonist [vr. to nitt].
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2017 : Toniȝt A swain..warned me Þat Angys com me to sle.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)51/10 : Ich habbe y-by nyeȝ dyad to niȝt; to strang wes þet wyn teue.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2007 : Mi ladi made me toniȝt long wiþ hire to wake.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.673 : Sodeynly he was yslayn to nyght.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11246 : I bring yow word wit ioi and blis, Born to night your sauueour es!
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)4892 : Why sayde Algide..To-nyȝt at Salysbury..þat y nas not of no powere?
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)195/1366 : Too-nyght, abowte mydnyght, In my swevyn I sey a syght.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)54 : Tho he sware be hevyn kyng, Ther wase told hym a wondyr-thyng In hys chambyr to nyght.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13980 : Þa hit was dæi..Þa axede hine an uæir cniht, Lauerd hu hauest þu iuaren to-niht.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1542 : To-niȝt ase ich was a-slepe a ȝonder [read: wonder] metinge me com.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4116 : This dreem which ye han met to nyght Comth of the grete superfluytee Of..rede colera.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4462 : We are þe droupander, For tua sueuens we sagh in sight..to night.
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)206/16 : Þe wyn þat we drank tonyght was so stong þat it haþ made myne heed ake.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)198 : The childe awakid..Than..the maystir..askyde the childe what him was..The childe answerde..'This house that is so strange dyȝt, The rofe hys sonkon to nyght.'
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2181 : Fær forh nu to-night in-to Norewaieȝe.
- a1300 I-hereþ nv one (Jes-O 29)104 : He me schal bitraye to nyht er he slepe.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)533 : To-morwen [i] shal maken þe free..With-þan þu wilt þis child take And leden him with þe to-nicht.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.516 : Y schal bring sir Gij to-niȝt To fiȝt oȝain þat qued.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1468 : To nyght thise bestes moot I beye.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1636 : Thow shalt with me to helle yet to nyght.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)98 : Preiyng ȝou soupe with vs to-nyght, And ȝe shal han mad..A gret puddyng.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1710 : Go we to-nyght to Rome, and we shal se.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1092 : Þou schalt go Alone to nyght.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)81/103 : Bot if thou com agane to nyght, look I se the neuer in syght.
d
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3543 : Þou sal neuer forth fra to night In þi forbirth do claim na right.