Middle English Dictionary Entry
trǒuble n.
Entry Info
| Forms | trǒuble n. Also troubel, troubil, troubul(le, troble, trobelle, trobil, trobul, trubble, trubbil, (early SWM) trubuil & (error) trouby. |
| Etymology | OF troble, trouble, AF truble, trubeul, trubuil, vars. of OF torble n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. tribul n., turble n.
1.
(a) Agitation of the sea, the tossing of waves; turbulence, roughness; also, turbidity, muddiness [last quot.]; (b) confusion, disorder, political unrest; also, a partisan conflict, political struggle, etc.; (c) a legal challenge of someone's ownership or rights to the disposition of property; in (ple or) ~, in contention, of disputed ownership; (d) adversity, misfortune, difficulty, evil times; also, a reversal of fortune, calamity, disaster; also, an unhappy condition, a state of wretchedness [sometimes difficult to distinguish from senses 2.(a) and (c)].
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.663 : Philotetes..koude..Of verray insiȝt..se..whan ther schulde trouble of stormys fal.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3938 : Þe see is calme and blaundisching From trouble of wynde or wawy boilyng.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3777 : The see may neuer be so stille..Aftir the calme the trouble soune Mote folowe.
- a1456(?1417) Lydg.DTChaucer (Add 16165)13 : Neptunus, make eke no delaye..Preserving him frome al aduersytee Frome al trouble of wynde and eke of wawe.
- a1475 St.Mary Magd.(2) (Dur-U Cosin V.2.14)216 : The ladi..was with childe..and ful of angwisshe of so grete wawes and trobul of the see.
- c1500(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Trin-C R.3.19)277 : From þe hyll þe ryuer downe dyscendeþ..The trowble goþe low, aboue hit ys most pure.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5695 : Þe olyve tokeneþ loue & pes, Water trouble, contek, werre, and strif.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)326 : Out off the londe he putte away alle trouble [vr. trobelle].
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)85 : He purposed..to eschew Rebellion, dysobeyssaunce, and Trouble.
- (1458) Visit Hen.VI (Vsp B.16)55 : God preserue hem..And london, for thei..Kepten the peas in trowbel & aduersite.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)56/2 : He was killid in Mens at a grete trouble and rising of knytes.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)153 : Yff he dyd not so, he shuld not aftir þat tyme haue pease in his contray; wheroff hath comyn and growen mony gret trowbels..in dyuerse contraes off Englond.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)87 : On sleþ an oþer by enemy [read: enuy]..and al oþer mengid to gidre..corrupcoun, vnfeiþfulnes, trouby [?read: troubyl], periury, [etc.].
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)61/27 : By this meane their folkis wolde drede for to do or say evill, and it shulde ceasse moche angre and trouble that is doone..the lorde shulde wille that..his subgectis sholde do their officys in peace.
- a1500(c1400) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)109 : Tulkes tolden hym þe tale wyt troubulle in þe pepul.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)205 : Stormy troublis for to set asyde, Mevid sodeynly among the comountees..Them to reforme no lenger to abide: The first meveers, as lawe and riht observid, Punysh them dewly as thei han deseruyd.
- a1500 Ihesu þt was borne (Adv)59 : Wer luf and charite with hus blend..þen schulde owre trobul be at a nende, And I trust to god þat pes schulde stonde.
c
- (c1435) Let.Christ Ch.in Camd.n.s.1912 : Your pensyon..ys yn grete trouble, and many delayes made ageyns hit by thabbote.
- (1470) Paston (EETS)1.420 : Therefore in ceesyyng of variances, pleez, and trowblez which haue fallen and hereaftir by likliode shuld be contynued, and in accomplesment of party of the will of the said John Fastolf, it is aggreed..that the said John Paston and all other personez..shal relenxe..theire right and interesse which thei haue in all the seid maners, londes, and tenementez.
- (1470) Paston (EETS)1.425 : Bothe þe seid partiez may haue recourse to the seid euidences whan any of theire possessions be putt in plee or trowble.
d
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1798 : Seye, Priam, what infelicite, What new trouble..Descendid is.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2544 : Venus fleteth in a se, To schewe þe trowble and aduersite Þat is in Loue.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5458 : Whan men in trouble be And sene her speche may hem nat availle, Better is þanne þat her tonge faille, Þan folily to her damage speke.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)20/19 : Sche also say so greet trouble in þe world, & so mychil offence do to God.
- a1450 Bot witt pas (Add 37049)8 : Tynke on þe ende or þou begyn, And it sal þe kepe fro trobil & syn.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)5.625 : Gode lady, in this sorowefull vale Of trouble [vr. trowbull] and wo..thou of Iacob art the right scale.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)106/11 : We falle in to noyous wordis of þe wich springen sum tyme trobles and dissoluciouns.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)1250 : Ye from this world shal passe Out of trouble & transitorie striff.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1414 : After trowbles grete ioy shalle be In euery quarter of this londe.
- c1500(1463) Ashby Pris.(Trin-C R.3.19)300 : I beseche hym so full of vertu..That by pacience I may wyn batayle Of my troubles.
2.
(a) Agitation of the mind, emotional turmoil, distress, inquietude; a concern, worry; (b) trouble, exertion, effort; (c) physical suffering, affliction; also, harm, injury.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)26/418 : Lutel witen her of þe selie godes spuses, þe i þe swote eise, wið ute swuch trubuil i gastelich este..luuieð þe soðe luue.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3005 : O noble & worþi..What new trouble is cropen in ȝour brest?
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)24/17 : For þe loue þat þe soule haþ to me he is troblid..if he louede me not, he schulde haue no peyne ne trouble.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)55/1 : Sche had..trubbyl wyth swech felyngys whan it fel not trewe to hir vndyrstandyng.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)69/1 : Þis lord of pees..with drawith his pees, levyng þe in troble.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)154/10 : In such solitarynes and stilnes a clene soule findeth gret rest..from trobles and from wordly occupaciouns.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)192/14 : Apollo toke pouerte for suffisaunce and not rychesse for as moche as in rychesse may be no..suerte but gret hurtes full of feer and trouble.
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)112/93 : The vexacyon and trowble of my sowle, in what parelle that hit stod in, for the synnes þat I vsyd!
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2591 : Þe water rennyng in riuer and in flood, Is þe labour þat men haue for good, Þe gret trouble and þe besynes Þat day & nyȝt þei suffre for ryches.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)746 : Alle be itt ye fynde hym þat wil you teche, yet moche trowble & peynes ye may reche..For..the deville wille labour yow to lett.
c
- (1432) RParl.4.403b : The Auditours..chargen ye saide Bailifs..til leve be made..in grete vexation and trubble of all the pore Communes of the saide Schire.
- c1450 GEpist.(2) (StJ-O 173)126 : Imagynge in thy mynde too cities, one ful of trouble [L tormentis] and myserye whiche is helle, a nother ful of joye and comfort whiche is paradyse.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)170/23 : Whoo that dothe the contrarye, hurte and trouble shall fall vnto him.
- c1500(1463) Ashby Pris.(Trin-C R.3.19)255 : Of Iob to suffyr take thow example..to procede in the pacience Of seyntes..That suffred trowbyll with out resystence.