Middle English Dictionary Entry
uglī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | uglī adj. Also uglie, uglẹ̄, ugeli, uggli, ugglẹ̄, uggeli(e, oug(e)li, ouglẹ̄, oughlie, ogli, igli(c, huglie, hougli, hog(e)li, (with misplaced juncture) nogli & (?errors) owgel, og(g)el, (error) ungliche. |
| Etymology | ON: cp. OI uggligr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Terrifying, horrifying, dreadful; also, threatening, unsettling; in adv. phrase: ~ wise, in a terrifying manner;
(b) loathsome, ugly, repulsive [sometimes difficult to distinguish from (a) and vice versa]; of a look: full of anger [quot. a1426]; also, as noun: loathesome creatures [quot. c1450 Alph.Tales, 2nd];
(c) evil, wicked; morally offensive; (d) ?difficult, dangerous.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.673 : This vgly [vrr. Ogel, Oggel, Igly] sergeant, in the same wyse That he hir doghter caughte, right so…Hath hent hir sone.
- a1400 Thrugh grace (Hrl 1022)42 : Helle is hedus on to se & vgle to neuen to any wyght.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)892 : Þay wern wakned al wrank, þat þer in won lenged, Of on þe uglokest unhap þat ever on erd suffred.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2079 : Þe heuen watz vp-halt, bot vgly þer-vnder; Mist muged on þe mor, malt on þe mountez.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)152a/a : Þe pacient þat is bitin haþ vggelye dremes and dredeful.
- ?a1425 SLeg.(CmbAdd 3039)89/443 : Þe prestez of þe temple stode aboute & made ane vgly crye.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)131 : Dredefulle and vgely: Terribilis, horribilis.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)509 : Vggely wyse: Horribiliter.
- a1450 Desert Relig.(Add 37049)900 : He fand hym in deserte-land In ugly place traueland.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.38.23a : Oþer remedie is þat þey drede nouȝt…swilk maliciouse steringes of despeir or blasphemie, ore of þe sacrement, or oni swilk oþer þat were vgli for to here.
- c1475 Lydg.Aesop (Hrl 2251:Sauerstein)p.3 : Whiche [cock] puttith away by musical swetnesse The owgel [vr. vgly] blaknes of the derk nyght.
- a1500 Ihesu mercy mercy (Chet 6690)23 : For þi ded vgly and smert, Ihu, mercy for my mysdede!
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3701 : With an ugli noise noye for to here, Hit sundrit þere sailes & þere sad ropis.
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2805 : It warp vt of hise hond, And wurð sone an uglike snake, And moyses fleg for dredes sake.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2918 : It wurð bi-foren pharaon An Iglic snake sone on-on.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)441 : He brayde his bluk aboute, Þat vgly bodi þat bledde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7813 : He hadde A wonder archer…Of form & schap…monstruous…many…quoke Whan þei hym saw, so ogly & horrible.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)859 : At this weddyng…was…His wiff…And her doghtren…vggely forto see.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1730 : It es grete sorow þat he sold be So ugly now opon to se.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3038 : Yitt hadde trespasse neuer adoo With Resoun, ne neuer ley hir bye, He was so hidous and so oughlye.
- a1425 Body & S.(5) (Add 37787)252 : Þe body þer hit lay on bere, An vngliche [vrr. gastlich, atelich] þyng as hit was one, Þe hede hefe vp on þe swyre.
- a1456(a1426) Lydg.Mum.Hertford (Trin-C R.3.20)33 : His wyff…Cast vpon him an hougly cheer ful rowghe Whane he komeþe home ful wery frome þe ploughe.
- c1435 Lydg.St.George (Bod 686)116 : The owgle monstre dorst it not withseye.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)126/32 : Cam a bere, gret & boistows, hogely to beheldyn.
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)42/12 : Alle that was besyde the crosse was huglye to me as ȝyf it hadde bene mykylle occupyede with fendys.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)26/13 : When sho spakk any wurd, hur ars began to syng & make ane vglie noyse.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)471/10 : Þe kepers of þe kurk…saw ij vglie þat band þis Valentyne fete, and with a grete noyce þai drew hym oute.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)19478 : The tother party…Was ffoule and owgely on to se.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.474 : For soth it was an vgglye whelpe!
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.1090 : Than com othir twoo with vggle face, Blak as picche, of shappe most odible.
- a1500 Tundale (Adv 19.3.1)310 : The angelle…Chese…þe fowlest wyȝth That was in all þat companye—Ther was none so vggelye.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8732 : He fraynet…How the korse might be keppit…As a lede vpon lyue…And not orible, ne vgly of odir to fele.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.199 : Echon their nose and ouer lipe ful right cut of anone, which was an hogly sight.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prols.Esd.(Bod 959)17 : Beren not out þe bookes in to comun lest ȝee profren metis to vggli men.
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)280 : Þou miȝt fele…a loþing…of al maner of synne & of vnclennes, wiþ a gostli siȝt of…hou foul, how vggli, & hou pyneful hit is.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1106 : Kynd him mond for-bede To haf don suilk a nogli dede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27612 : O pride bicums…threp and athes grett…Þai þat sua vgli athes suers, Wonder es hou þis erth þam bers.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)142/9 : On a tyme þer was a scoler at Parissh þat had done many vglie syn.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)246/32 : Thynke of goddys presence and be raysed to heuen be holy thouȝt; þanne se þe world foul & vggly, voyde of al goodnes.
- a1500 Ihesu mercy mercy (Trin-C B.10.12)2 : Ihesu, mercy! mercy, I cry: myn vgly synnes þou me forgyfe.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)1410 : Shal þe fader bere any gilte For þe sone þogh he be spilte, Or þe sone for him For hise fauȝtis vgly and grim?
d
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.2684 : Dedalus…hath an hous Iwrouht Callid Loboryntus, dyuers and vnkouth, Ful off wrynkles and off straungenesse, Ougli to knowe which is north & south Or to what part a man sholde hym dresse.