Middle English Dictionary Entry
tristes(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tristes(se n. Also tristesce, tristice, trestesse. |
| Etymology | OF tristece, tristesce, AF tristesse. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Sadness, melancholy, sorrow, distress; also person.; also, an expression of sorrow [quot. a1500(?a1400)]; (b) a state of sorrow or sadness; (c) despair, despondency; also person.
Associated quotations
a
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)131 : Worldli honowre, grete tresowre, and richesse Haue me deceyued sothfastli in dede; Myne olde Joies ben turned to tristesse [DM(2): distresse].
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1718 : Wyth gret trestesse, Oppressede & prostrat, she gan to preye.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)4951 : I saugh first hate and Felonye, And next besyde vylenye..I sawgh envye, Fulfilled of malencolye, Tristesse, pale of visage.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)1.205 : Now hathe he been, my synguler refute To my tristesse, hole consolacion For he hath made the bareyn to bere frute.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)108 : I hatte Peresce the goutous..Tristesse thow miht clepe me, For all that j see it annoyeth me.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)360 : Sum of þe peple made gode cher, And sum mournyng & tristes.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)3.8.54a : This be..the children of tristice þat slepe in sloughte and lachesse and veyn and ful of ydilnesse and of alle vnthriftynesse.
b
- a1450-a1475 Lydg.TB (Bergen)2.886 : Þe fyn of al her worþines Endid in sorwe and in hiȝe tristesse [Aug: distresse].
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)1369 : Þer he praiet in gret tristesse, that blody swote from hym ran doun.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)3051 : So sithen that ho was mantilles, to þe chirch miȝt ho not pas, qverfore ho was in gret tristes.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3396 : Whan Slowthe hath don al that he may..he withinne his thoght conceiveth Tristesce..That he wanhope bringeth inne Wher is no confort to beginne, Bot every joie him is deslaied.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3432 : Whan he is falle in Sinne, Him thenkth he is so ferr coupable, That god wol noght be merciable..For Tristesce is of such a kinde That, forto meintiene his folie, He hath with him Obstinacie.