Middle English Dictionary Entry
underling n.
Entry Info
| Forms | underling n. Also underlinge, undireling, undurling, onderling; pl. underlinges, etc. & underlingges, (error) undirleiyngis. |
| Etymology | OE underling |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One who is lower in status or rank than another; one who defers to the authority of another;
(b) one who owes allegiance to a sovereign or ruler, a subject; also, one who is subject to a feudal lord; also, one who has been conquered or defeated; coll. subjects;
(c) one who is subject to a spiritual or an ecclesiastical superior;
(d) a disciple, pupil.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.217 : He þat wolde not be sogette to God þat is aboue hym, now he feleþ his vnderlynges [Higd.(2): inferior] rebel to him.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.764 : Extorcions and despit of youre vnderlynges is dampnable.
- a1425 Adam & E.(3) (Wht)89/12 : Þou…herdist þe word of þi wijf, which I ȝaf to þee to be þin vndirlyng and þi soget at þi wille.
- a1425 WBible(2) Prol.Rom.(2) (Lnsd 455)4.301 : It is good equite, that ȝe…be maad nowe euene to us in worschip, but rather ben ȝe ordeyned in the stide of prosolitis and vndir leiyngis [?read: vndirlingis].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1861 : A we þat has wit…set neuire his hope For pride…To olle ay on his vndireling for ouer-laike a quyle.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)61/24 : Attendaunce…is þe fulfilling of þe lawe and boonde of ouerte toward vndirlingis, or of subieccioun toward ouerers.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)2398 : Hadde aungel man boght…His vnderling þanne shulde he haue be.
b
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)89/27 : Heo…get synden underlinges, for þan þe heo heora hlaford belæwden.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)179 : Þe riche þe ben louerdinges struien þe wrecche men þe ben underlinges.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1826 : Leir…scal beon eouwer lauerd…& Aganippus ure king swal beon is vnder-ling.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)11213 : Alcus hehte þe king, he hadde mani onderlyng.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)182/16 : Kueade princes and…ouerlinges…be hare greate couaytise defoulent and be-uleaþ and etheþ [h]are onderlinges.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.144 : Þe grete lordynges of þis werlde…han…þe conseil of þis werlde forto take wiþ riȝth & wiþ wrong of her vnderlynges & of her neiȝbours.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)46.3 : He made folkes vnderlynges to us, and men he leider [read: leid vnder] oure fete.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.774 : Therfore was souereyntee ordeyned to kepe…and deffenden hire vnderlynges or hire subgetz in resoun.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)6.47 : Mysbede nouȝte thi bonde-men…Þowgh he be þyn vnderlynge here, wel may happe in heuene, Þat he worth worthier sette.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)16987 : Thei wol not lete it so be Vn-to that on were vndirlyng And that other lord a [read: &] kyng.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)226 : Ech oþer lord…sechiþ þat hise vndirlingis and seruauntis be boundun to serue him in a certeyn forme of lawe and of service knowun bitwixe him and hem.
- (1445) ?Bokenham Claudian CS (Add 11814)263/69 : He nevir yave londe vnto hir strength but vndirlyngys evir hem kepte.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)321 : Ethelmunde, þat of þe Marche þo was kynge, Come in to Westsex…To make þe erle of Wylteshyre his vnderlynge.
c
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.DD (Lamb 487)43 : He wes an biscop…þe…walde anuppon his underlinges mid wohe motien.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)102/16 : Þe fifte hwelp hatte inobedience…þet child þe ne buheð ealdren; Vnderling, his prelat; paroschien, his preost.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)39/7 : Þe vifte [kind of robbery] is ine þise greate prela[te]s þet benimeþ and robbeþ hire onderlinges be to moche procuringe.
- ?a1400 PConsc.(Gar 138)3877 : Underlynges [Glb & Hrl: Bischopes…may…graunt…pardon aparty Til þair hawen underloutes anly].
- ?a1450(?c1400) Wycl.LFCatech.(Lamb 408)7/52 : Þe archiepyschop wylle þat alle men knowe god…namely, þe vndirlynges þat to hym longys.
d
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)762 : Til a maistres fals ij thynges: To spek and tech hir vnderlynges.
2.
(a) A person or thing given over to the service of God, Christ, the devil, etc.;
(b) one who is subject to the influence of a star.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)69/246 : On oðer wise ic habbe ifunde hu me mei in sunne bon ibunde: þet forme is to beon underling…þet oðer is liking; þet ðridde is þes monnes wil.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)91/176 : Þou ne a-nourest god aryȝt, Ac dest is onderlynges.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.144 : Þise kynges þat ben vnderlynges to Antecrist bitokneþ þe grete lordynges of þis werlde.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)90/9 : God suffriþ summe to haue her wil, & to be vndirlingis to þe feend.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)227 : Lord god…muche raþer schuldist þou so seche of þine vndirlingis, men.
- a1450(a1400) SLeg.Corp.Chr.(Bod 779)114 : Crist made heuin & al þat þer-inne is; A party of heuin manna is…þan manna aungelus bred…is his ondirling.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1294 : The sterres…worchen manye sondri thinges To ous, that ben here underlinges.
3.
As quasi-adj.: (a) submissive (to sb.), subservient; inferior in status (to sb.);
(b) subordinate (to a given see).
Associated quotations
a
- 1372 Ber þe wel (Adv 18.7.21)p.17 : To þin heyȝere be vnderling, Þin owen wil þu fulfille nouth.
- a1450 Mirk Fest.(Cld A.2)187/27 : Vndyrlyng [Gough: He was legh and hyndyrlyng to al Godys seruantys].
- a1500 RSicily (Cmb Ff.2.38)227 : Hys ryalte he had forlorne, He was to all men vndurlynge.
b
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.189v : We .. fasteneth and confermeth that in Doroberne cite [i.e. Canterbury] ever here after be the chief see of all Brutayngne and that all the prouynces of the regne of Englysshe men as to thulke chief se and churche be vnderlinges and this we demeth for euer to be ferme and stabell.