Middle English Dictionary Entry
bisēǧen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | bisēǧen v. Also bisegi, ( biseigen, bisechen). |
| Etymology | From as)sēǧen . |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To besiege or invest (a city, a castle, etc.); ~ aboute; (b) ?to block the routes through (mountains, etc.), beset; ?inhabit.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.King (LdMisc 108)34 : He let..bi-segi is Men alle þat with-Inne were.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4631 : Hii driue him to cirencestre & biseged him þer inne.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8242 : To besegi þis castel.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2650 : Þe king biseget þe cite selcouþli harde.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3421 : We buþ her enclos, Hard by-seged wyþ our foes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.111 : He come aȝen..and beseged [L obsedit] Alexandria.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3808 : He gate hym grete powere and myȝt And beseged þe toþer knyȝt.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.149 : Though that Grekes..hir cite biseged al aboute.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1694 : Whan Ardea beseged was aboute With Romeyns.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)4764 : When Jerusalem of Titus by-seygyd was, For hongurre þey etone hurre owne children þo.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)p.181 : To besege the Cite of Troy.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12980 : When he segh þat the Cite sate in defens, He besegit hit full sadly vppon sere halues.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)397 : That city he by-segede and assayllede it aftire.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)32 : A kyng cam oute of þe est..and be sechid rome.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.451 : He was beseged so streite And closed as a beste kepte in a foolde.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)135/14 : When cristen men beseget Ierusalem.
b
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.80vb : What peple is this that bisege the montaynes [L (Vulg. Judith 5.2): montana obsidet], or what or how many cytees haue they?
2.
To beset or afflict (sb., as with hardship, sin).
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)21.11 : Mani uices bisegeden me.
- c1410 St.Anselm Medit.(UC 97)445 : Vnnethes þe riȝtwys shal bee saued; a synnere þus bisegid, where schal he holde hym?
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.3.20 : The duc Ulixes, bysegid with diverse yveles.
- (1435) *Anc.Pet.(PRO)130.6460 : The said comyns were there all nyght besegeyng the said comissarye & officeres.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)21324 : The se..besette me round aboute..Whan I was besegyd so Wyth the floodys [etc.].
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)166/38 : The deserte was this world..besegid with þe thornes of synne.