Middle English Dictionary Entry

trespā̆s n.
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Entry Info

Forms trespā̆s n. Also trespas(s)e, trespace, trespaz, trispas(e, (N) tripas, truspas & (?errors) trepas(se, trappes; pl. trespas(s)es, etc. & trispacis, (?errors) trepas(s)is.
Etymology OF trespas, trespasse, trepas, trapas, AF trespaas, tre(s)pase, trespace.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) Transgression or violation of civil law, a set of regulations, etc. punishable by civil authorities, officers of an organization, etc., criminal misconduct, illegal activity; wrongful behavior, wrongdoing; also person.; also, injury (done to sb. or sustained by sb.), wrong; with diminished force: disreputable conduct, misbehavior; ?discourtesy [quot. a1420]; (b) a specific violation of the law, criminal offense, misdemeanor, an infraction; a wrongful act, misdeed; also, an injury (done to sb. or sustained by sb.), a wrong; also, with diminished force: a slight, an insult, a discourtesy; don ~; (c) law a legal procedure seeking redress for a wrong; accioun (ple, writ) of ~, accioun of trespasses; accioun of dette or ~ upon cas, a suit seeking restitution for an indirect injury; enditement for (of) ~, enditement of trespasses, a formal accusation of criminal wrongdoing; (d) ?a kind of toll, fine, or levy payable by a borough to the Crown, perh. a fine imposed on someone convicted of a misdemeanor.
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2.
(a) Transgression of or opposition to divine law, religious precepts, Christian moral teaching, etc., sinful behavior, wickedness, iniquity, perversity; immoral living, the practice of vice; ?also, culpability, blameworthiness; also, with diminished force: unworthiness; a state of impurity according to Jewish law [quot. c1450(?a1422)]; (b) a specific violation of divine law, the Ten Commandments, etc., an iniquitous act, a sin; don (a) ~; (c) original sin, the Fall; man's fallen nature; also, the fall of Satan [1st quot.]; ~ of adam, mannes (originale, oure) ~.
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3.
Med. & pathol. (a) A malfunction or disorder of a bodily part or process; (b) ~ of deth, the passing through the land or populace of fatal illness, an outbreak of the plague [cp. AF trespas passage].
Show 3 Quotations
4.
Error for trespassour n.
Show 1 Quotation
5.
As surname.
Show 1 Quotation

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • c1390 GGuy(2) (Vrn)307 : Iugge þis mon to þe stude of purgatorie þat he may make a-seþ in to þe tyme of his trespas.
    • Note: New sense: 'trespas' here seems to be closest in meaning to 'passage.' (see phrase in sense 3.(b)). In GGuy, it is a passage (or progression, transition) from Purgatory to Heaven. Seems to be a rare use.--per MLL

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. trespass.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 3.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. trespass of death.

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