Middle English Dictionary Entry
uncle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | uncle n. Also uncul, unkle, unkel(e, unkil, ungle, oncle, oncil, ounkil, hunkil, hunckil, (with misplaced juncture) nunkul & (in surnames) huncle, nuncle; gen. unclis, uncle(ne, unkil; pl. uncles, unclen, unklis. |
| Etymology | OF oncle, uncle, AF unkle, unkel(e. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A brother of one’s father or mother; gret ~ [see also gret-uncle n.];
(b) used in direct address;
(c) used as a title preceding a proper name;
(d) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)53/228 : Edward was is sone i-hote…I-cleoped seint Edward aftur is vncle.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1937 : Þre vnclen is moder adde.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)280 : He wende wel þat þe gode man Had ben his fader…And þe hermite, his vnkel.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)1 Par.27.32 : Jonathas forsothe, the vncle of Dauid [WB(2): brother of Dauithis fader]…and Jahiel…weren with the sonis of the kyng.
- c1400(1389) Wycl.25 Art.(Dc 273)475 : How may oure hyȝe prestis…be grettur worldly lordis þen…kyngus unklis ande kyngus sonys.
- (1415) Doc.Conspir.Hen.V in D.K.R.43585 : He posyut ye Erle of Somerset, zowr uncull.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1578 : God foryaf his deth, and she al so Foryaf, and with here uncle [vr. vnkele] gan to pleye.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.5.1 : I schal synge for my derlyng the song of myn vnclis sone.
- a1425 WBible(1) (CmbAdd 6681)Jer.32.7 : Vncle sone [Bod 959: þe sone of sellum þyn em; vr. vnclene sone].
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)172/13 : Þen Bewnou, þi nunkul, with gret pete, Set þi hede to þi body.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)prol.70 : This kyngis dere vncul, & sone, and brother Hath God prouect.
- (1444) Paston (EETS)1.219 : I haue do yowre herrendys to myn modyr and myn hunckyl.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.106r : His vngle Edwyne and his brother Osewolde noblelich he avenged.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3443 : And [read: An] ald derlingis of Darius was duke made of pers, Request of þe rials ane of his riche vncles.
- (1451) Paston (EETS)1.240 : On of myn vnkyll men herd all this langage and told it myn vnkill.
- (1455) RParl.5.318a : Provided…that this Acte…extende hym not…to our grete Uncle Harry late Cardinall of Englond.
- (c1468) Paston (EETS)1.538 : My oncyll and my grauntdam report that they have serchyd in all plasys ther as it shold be.
- (1475) Paston (EETS)1.373 : I suppose veryly that yowyr brodyr hys a-greyd wyth yowyr hunkyll.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)102/22 : He full honourabely declared bifor the emperour his oncle…the wrongis don vnto him by the kyng of Englond.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)15/258 : The child to his vnkyll was dere.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8221 : Then girde o the greke halfe with grym fare, Xantipus, a sure Kyng, with a sad wepyn, ffor to dere for þe dethe of his dere vncle.
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.136 : ‘And whi so, uncle myn? Whi so?’ quod she.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.210 : ‘Nay, blame have I, myn uncle,’ quod she thenne.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1231/1 : Fayre unkle, I pray you that I may have paupir, penne, and inke.
c
- (1438) RParl.5.438b : King Henri the vith…For the grete Love…that he hath among other to his Uncle Humfrey, Duc of Gloucestre, his grete Uncle, H. Cardinal of England…and other…hath chosen…the said persones…to be his Prive Counseill.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)66/20 : Jason was a knyght of Grece, the which went in-to straunge contreis…be þe enorting of his vncle Pelleus, þe which of envie desired his deth.
- (1470) Paston (EETS)1.557 : As for myn ownkyll William, I haue spook wyth hym.
d
- (1199) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.10149 : Johannes Vncle.
- (c1200) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames359 : Eustace le Uncle.
- (1243) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames359 : William le Huncle.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1163 : Johannes le Uncle.
- (1302) Feudal Aids 3399 : Philippus Uncle.
- (1314) Pat.R.Edw.II139 : Thomas Nuncle.