Middle English Dictionary Entry
undọ̄ing(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | undọ̄ing(e ger. Also undoiing. |
| Etymology | From undọ̄n v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The action of unlocking bolts or clasps; the action of opening that which is fastened, unlocking; also fig. [1st quot.];
(b) ~ of mouth, ?the gape of the mouth; ?the action of opening the mouth;
(c) the action of freeing someone from a physical bond; also, release from the bond of marriage.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 A tokne (Hrl 7322)4 : A tokne of godes louiinge…A Celer of siker kepinge, A keye of Redi vndoinge.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)365 : Ondoynge, or opnynge of schettellys, or sperellys [Win:Way: onpynnynge schettys]: Apercio.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)368 : Openynge, or ondoynge of schettynge [KC: opning, vndoynge of þat is sperd]: Apercio.
b
- a1500 *Medulla (Hrl 2257)154b/b : Ricus [Cnt: Rictus]: vndoyng of mouthe.
c
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.72 : Þe foure aungels þat ben in þe grete flum of Eufraten…þe voice bad vnbynde…Þe vndoyng [vr. vnbyndyng; F deslier] is þe suffraunce þat oure lorde suffreþ hem mysdone in þat tyme.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.7.27 : If þou art bowndyn to a wif, seeke þou not vndoyng.
2.
(a) The action of refraining from or failing in performing an action;
(b) the action of violating laws.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)122/4,6 : Þe ignoraunce bi which a man vnknowiþ his deede which he dooþ, or þe vndoyng of a deede comaundid to be doon, to be aȝens resoun…excusiþ him from synne in þilk deede or in þilk vndoyng or absteynyng.
b
- (1399) RParl.3.423a : The whiche Rewme was in poynt to be undone for defaut of Governance and undoyng of the gode Lawes.
3.
(a) The disbanding or break-up of an organization or a group;
(b) the action of separating into component parts, dissolution.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)39/6 : It is nouȝt myn entent to counsaile, noþer axe destruccioun & vndoyng of þe ordres of beggers.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)74/12 : He asked þe destruccioun and þe vndoyng of his order.
b
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)555/33 : An element is…lest particle of a body þat is compowned…it is þe leste partie, and lest [read: last] in vndoynge [L resolutione] of þe body as it is first in com[p]osicioun.
4.
(a) The action of wreaking harm or ruin to a person; the condition of being ruined; also, physical weakening or debilitation [1st quot.];
(b) defeat in battle; the downfall of a ruler; ruin, loss, or harm sustained by a person, an organization, or a country; also, ?failure [quot. c1478]; his (min, thin, etc.) ~;
(c) spiritual ruin; also, the action of causing or bringing on spiritual ruin of oneself;
(d) the cause of someone’s downfall or spiritual ruin.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1104/10 : Immoderat and ofte gendrynge is cause of þe vndoynge of þe body.
- (1415) Doc.Conspir.Hen.V in D.K.R.43583 : Hit has broghte me to yis shame and undoyng.
- (1423) RParl.4.198b : The said Calagh wyth his men…oftymys roode…robbyng, slayng, and distruyng the Kynges liege Peple…in hy undoyng to the Kynges Liege peple.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)162/33 : Hector…the vndoynge of hym-Selfe and al hissyn myght haue enchued.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)97/92 : Wenest thou I rejoyce or els accompte him among my servauntes that pleseth Pallas in undoinge of Mercurye?
b
- (a1416) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xiii : They wt holde my good to myne undoynge.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)9125 : The Grekes were in point of vndoyng Ne hadde ther comen ther riche kyng.
- (1430-31) RParl.4.386a : The whech…Landes…the seid John Wakerley and John Byllynge…ocupien to hor awne use…to uttur undoyng and fynall disheretisson of your seid pore Suppliant.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)183 : It is schewed opounly by a notable ensaumple in Joseph, whom his bretheren by envie…solden in to Egipte as to his vndoynge.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.3936 : He caste a-nother wile To myn ondoyng and desolacioun.
- (1441-2) Let.Coldingham in Sur.Soc.12127 : Yf we sould make that eschannge, hyt war lykly to turn to greytt schaythe and loose and undoyng and alienacion of the hale place of Coldingham.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)9/21 : Certayn men keme to kyng Jeroboam & ȝeuyn hym ȝiftis to ben his prestis, & for he was redy to take þo ȝiftis of hem, þerfore it was cause of his vndoyng.
- (1453) Proc.Privy C.6.162 : Ye dispose you fully to doo as it were in lande of werre unto full greet hurt…of our saide countree and subgittes and of lyklyhode to destruccion and undoying therof.
- (1455-9) Paston2.190 : Thomas Fauconere…hath wrought ayenst Byrkwod ryght vniustlye to hys vndoyng.
- (c1478) Paston2.424 : He ys vppon hys makyng by vertues gouernaunce or vndoyng to the contrarye.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)101/34 : Þanne myght his conseill destrue & putte to meschef þy kyngdom…& to gyf entent to his awen profyt, and to study on þy vndoynge.
- a1500 Proc.Chanc.in Archaeol.ser.2.613 : Youre besecher ys like to be condempned in the seid xxvj li. by the myght of the seid queste…to the uttermost undoyng of youre besecher.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)29/148 : Thilke governour so forsaken, fayninge to-forn his undoinge for misrule in his tyme, shoop to have letted thilke eleccion.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2501 : Abstene þen stithly, þat no stoure happon, Þat drawghes to our dethe, vndoyng for euer.
c
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.589 : Danyel of her vndoynge deuyned.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)58/11 : Pryde es be-gynnynge of al synne and cause of al vndoynge [SC(1): perdicionis].
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.279 : Synful man…hath leuere to trauayle to his vndoynge and to his dampnacioun þan for to restyn to his sauacion.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.345 : Þe prelat…seth þat his soget may nout kepyn swiche poyntis of his reule withoutyn vndoynge of hymself.
d
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4099 : This yonge king him hath conformed To don as he was last enformed, Which was to him his undoinge.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)60/33 : Adam…beleued his wyff, the whiche was dethe and vndoyng to hym and her, and to us all.
5.
(a) Explanation, exposition;
(b) the interpretation of a dream.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)820 : Ich…may…axi þe wel mani a þing, Þat strong were to eov þe vndoing.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.6 : By þe vndoyng, by seint Iohan ben bitokned þe gode prelates of holy chirche þat vnderstonden þe voices of þe godspelles.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.5.12 : Vndirstondynge and interpretacioun of sweuens and shewyng of pryuy thingus and vndoyng [WB(2): assoilyng; L solutio] of bounden thingus ben founden in hym.
- c1390 Disp.GM & Devil (Vrn)42 : Hastou atte churche I-herd eny sarmoun, Vndoynge of þe gospel or of lessoun?
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)365 : Ondoynge, or expownynge [Win: expowndyng]: Exposicio, declaracio, interpretacio.
b
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)107/2218 : Who þat mette a sweuen aniȝt, He scholde…brenge a besaund to offring, And of his sweuen haue vndoing.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.2.16 : Danyel…preyede the kyng that he shulde ȝeue hym tyme for to shewe the vndoyng [WB(2): soilyng; L solutionem] to the kyng.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)17a/a : Coniectura: vndoyng [StJ-C: ondoyng or coniectyng].
6.
Med. & surg. The action of making incisions or cuts; also, a breaking of continuous bodily tissue or bone [2nd quot.].
Associated quotations
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)18/14 : Al þe entencioun of a surgian…is on [of] þre maners: þe first is vndoynge of þat þat is hool…A surgian vndoiþ þat þat ys hool whanne he letiþ blood eiþer garsiþ eiþer brenneþ.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)31/4 : Wounde & old wounde festre & cankre woundid & boon out of ioynte & a boon to-broken & apostyme, all þese ben clepid vndoynge of þat þat is hool.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)58a/a : Al þe entencioun of a surgian stondiþ principaly by þese iij poyntis, þat is to wite, Jn vndoynge, helynge, & remeuynge; Jn vndoynge of þat þat is hool, as whanne a surgian letiþ blood or cawterieþ wiþ yren…or kuttiþ ony fleisch.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.56rb (2.7) : If it be so þat..vryn þat seiþ colleccioun of aposteme come an vryn karopos, & mykel in quantite, it seiþ solucioun, i. ondoyng and wastyng & waneshing & vanysshyng awaie, of þat mater þat so wold haue bredde into aposteme.
Note: Additional quot.