Middle English Dictionary Entry
ūniǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ūniǒun n. Also union. |
| Etymology | OF union, AF unioun & L ūniō, -iōnis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Political or ecclesiastical unity; harmony, concord; also, a state of peace;
(b) an agreement, accord; also, the settlement of a dispute, reconciliation; also, a reconciliation of God and man.
Associated quotations
a
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)69 : In this same yeer byganne the generall counceyll at Constance, ffor to make vnyon in hooly chirche.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)5203 : What delyte eeke in pees and vnioun The prince of pees hath shewed in his birth, By angels delitable song.
- (1453) Proc.Privy C.6.164 : The King…hath called and do to be assembled a Greet Counsail…to sette rest and union betwixt the lordes of this lande.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)166/31 : Vnion and accorde [F union d’acort] is the conseruacion of all the hooll bodye of policie.
- a1500(a1475) Ashby Dicta (Cmb Mm.4.42)703 : That kyng that maketh his Region To be obedient to his iuste lawe, That reigne peasibly in an vnyon.
b
- (?a1430) Hoccl.Virg.& Chr.(Hnt HM 111)83 : Lord Ihesu Cryst, I axe of thee pardoun…My gilt confesse I, lord; make vnioun Betwixt thee & my soule, for in veyn My tyme haue I despendid.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Te Deum (Hrl 2255)84 : This day conserve us from confusioun, The which is synne…Haue mercy on us, and make an vnyoun.
- c1450(c1430) Brut-1430 (Glb E.8:Kingsf.)308 : The grete generall counseile was endid, and an vnyon made in holy chirche thorough all cristiante.
- c1479(1424) Lydg.Flemings (Lamb 84)28 : Our embassatourys…Cam goodly thedyr…To haue concluded a parfyt vnyoun Twyxt to reavmus.
- a1500(a1470) Brut-1461(1) (Add 10099)508/19 : This Frederike, Duke of Osterike…differred for to be crowned at Rome because of þe Scisme; but after þat vnion was had, he was crowned with Emperial Diademe.
2.
(a) The joining of elements to form a single whole;—used specif. of the hypostatic union and the union of body and soul;
(b) the appropriation, annexation, or merger of land or vested rights;
(c) surg. the knitting together of severed flesh; the consolidation of tissue;
(d) physical integrity, coherence.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)51/21 : I haue ȝoue ȝou my word, þat is my sone…I…haue ordeyned an vnyoun, and am ioyned and couplid wiþ þe foule nature of ȝoure humanyte, to þat entent þat remedye schulde be ȝoue to þe corrupcioun and to þe deeþ of mankynde.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)177/11 : Be þe vnyoun which is betwene þe body and þe soule…is not þerfore þe ponderosite of þe body wiþdrawe.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)335/25 : I sente þanne my sone…by vnyoun of dyuyne nature oonyd wiþ ȝoure nature of manheed.
b
- (1461) RParl.5.489b : Prayen the Commyns…that almaner Libertees, Privileges…Enlargements, Annexions, Unyons, severauncez from Shires…graunted by the…pretended kynges…be as good and effectuell…as though the seid Libertees…had be made or graunted by Kyng…rightwisely reignyng.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)231/12 : Hyt hathe not be vsyd of dewte…fro þe tyme of þe vnion & of þe appropurynge of þe seyde churche of bloxham…to gefe to þe power nedy parysshens of bloxham euery woke…halfe a quarter of corne menglyd.
c
- ?a1425 Chauliac(1) (NY 12:Wallner)2.16/9 : Perauenture yuel compleccioun trespasseþ most bi hit selfe, folowyng þe vnion or onyng.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)150b/b : Alle maner woundis, in as myche as þei ben woundis of þe whiche woundis þe lippis ben fer asundre þe toon from þe toþir…mowe be drawen togidere, to whos aproximacioun, vnioun, & retencioun artificial byndynge suffisiþ.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)151b/a : Summe woundis ben sewid principaly by cause of her vnioun and incarnacioun, and in these woundis the sewynge schal not be lowsid in to þe tyme þat þei be fleischid.
d
- c1475 Court Sap.(Trin-C R.3.21)1131 : Thorough the erthe he goth wyth hys moysture…The parties of the erthe eke thorough hys cure Bene stablyd sad, and takyn vnyoun, Elles for…souuerayn drouthe…Vnto powdyr they shuld dysseueryd be.
3.
(a) The state of matrimony; also, the marriage of Christ and the church;
(b) the mystical union of the soul with God [quot. ?a1425, 2nd]; also, ?a state of spiritual serenity; ?a state of charity.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.9 : He ordeynede that water scholde be mixte with wyne in the chalice, to betoken the union [Trev.: þe onynge and þe unite] of the churche un to Criste.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1621 : God ordeyned wedlok hymsilf in paradise And made an vnyoon [vr. vnyte] betwene Adam and Eve also—That they to be oon in fleisshe and soulis twoo.
b
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)23/8 : Siche penaunces avaylen &…make satisfaccioun to þe peyne for synne…by þe vnyoun of þat holy loue, which is geet and purchasid in þe knowynge of myn amyable goodnes, and in þe bitternes and sorowe of þe herte.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)177/3 : Þei taste in me þe eendelees godheed, þe which is to hem as a pesible see, in þe which see þe soule haþ cauȝt sich an vnyoun and oonheed þat sich a soule haþ no maner of mouyng but in me.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)240/36 : Þat deuoute soule was verrily goostly drunke by vnyoun of loue by þe which sche was alienyd and rapte fro hersilf and her bodily feelynges…biholdynge with þe iȝe of intellecte in þe eendelees truþe of God.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)335/32 : Myn oonli sone Ihesu…made anoþir vnyoun; þat is, he ranne as he þat was raueschid in loue to þe moost reprouable deeþ of þe crosse, where he presside himsilf doun.
- a1500 Craft Dying (Rwl C.894)418 : For þe vnyon of þe most feruent loue þat stered & made þe…to be incarnate of oure lady…we crye to þe rote of þe moste benigne herte.
4.
Synthesis, confluence.
Associated quotations
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.287 : Hap is suche a þing þat doth be-fall, Noþing purposed of entencioun Where diuerse causes maken vnioun In thinges þat for somwhat were i-wroght, Bot in-to þat þat is be-fallen, nought.