Middle English Dictionary Entry
unmẹ̄vāble adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | unmẹ̄vāble adj. Also unmeveable, unmevabel, unmeovable, unmoev(e)able, unmov(e)able, unmovabil, unmovabul, onmevable, onmevabil, onmefabel, (errors) unmeabull, unmooable. |
| Etymology | From mẹ̄vāble adj.; medial -v- in some forms may represent -u-, and such forms may represent an *unmūāble adj., from mūāble adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. unmoeble adj.
1.
(a) Incapable of motion, fixed in place, immobilized; also, without movement, motionless; of a lion’s neck: ?rigid, inflexible;
(b) astron. & astrol. of a sign: not characterized by a change of season; of spheres, planets, the celestial axis: fixed, not in motion.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.15.16 : Ben þei made vnmeueable as a stone.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)634/25 : He [kite] is ibore vp aboue þe eire wiþ liȝt feþeres and houeþ þere as it were vnmevable.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1207/24 : He [dormouse] slepeþ al þe wynter vnmoeuable and resteþ as þough he were deed.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1216/10 : Aristotilis spekeþ of þe leoun and seiþ…þat þe leoun haþ a nekke as it were vnmeuable.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)67/9 : The dede see…renneth nought, but is euere vnmeuable.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.22/29 : Ther was a yonge mane…whoes right hande clevyd to his lyfte schuldyr; his hede, compressid downe to the hande, laye vnmevable.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)366 : On-meuable: Immobilis.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1274 : Ther ys a dragon huge and cumbrus…He lyith in hys den a-day-lyght euer onmeuabyl.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)447/3 : In what state som evur sho was ravissid, sho abade in þat astate vnto sho was turnyd owte of hur ravisshyng, And hur handis hang vp in þe ayre vnmouable.
b
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)448/28 : Þat heuene is kyndeliche meuable wiþoute reste…vppon a lyne þat hatte axis þat stondiþ ipiȝt vnmeuable bytwene tweye sterres þat beþ clepid polis.
- c1440 *Astron.Cal.[OD col.] (Ashm 391) : Þis signe is vnmeuable meridional, þt is of þe souþe partie.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)47b/b : The ix spere [of heaven] is clepid Celum cristallum & applanes & it is vnmeuable.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)66/8 : Wete also þat stablyd planetys vnmooable [Ashmole: fix sterres] ar a þousand twenty and nyne.
2.
(a) Not inclined to move from a moral position, constant, steadfast; also, unyielding; not easily dislodged or enticed (from sth.);
(b) med. not responsive (to motor impulses), indisposed (to move).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Tob.2.14 : He sorewede not aȝen god þat þe veniaunce of blyndnesse cam to hym, but vnmouable in þe drede of god abod stille.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Col.1.23 : Ȝe dwellen in the feith, foundid and stable and vnmouable fro the hope of the gospel.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.15.58 : My leuest breþere, be ȝee stable and vnmeuable.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)196 : Þou art in þi silf vnmoueable, and þer may no creature inclyne þee more or oþer wise þan þou seest in þyn vnderkeable and vnbigilable wisdom forto be doon.
- (1445) ?Bokenham Claudian CS (Add 11814)259/20 : Jre soone shuldist put awey, seldome thou shuldist it meve; Onmevable [L implacabilis] thou owist not endure, whan benygne preyers be offrid.
- a1450 Comment.Hilton LL (Hrl 2406)330/35 : As an anker kepeth a schippe stedfastly…kepe þe styf and vn-meuable ageyn al temptaciouns bodily and gostly.
- c1450 Bk.GGrace (Eg 2006)316/21 : Sche oonelye vnmeuable…ioyede ande willede here sone to be offrede.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)79/25 : Aftir þe gendryng of þis now seid disposicioun in þe wil, þe same disposicioun wole growe into such a degre þat it schal be stable and vnmoueable, or vnaweidoable.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.73rb : Thobye .. abode vnmeuable [L (Vulg.Tob.2.14): inmobilis] in the drede of god, gyuyng and rendryng thankyngis to god alle the dayes of hys lyf.
b
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)180a/b : Þei [certain humors] schulde causen in þe sinewis a spasme of inanicioun and so þei schulde make vnmeuabel for euer more to meuyng.
3.
Not subject to change, immutable, eternal.
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.6.18 : By tweye thingis vnmouable, by whiche it is inpossible God for to lye, we haue strengest solace.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.12.27 : He declarith the translacioun of mouable thingis, as of maad thingis, that tho thingis dwelle that ben vnmouable.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.13.1 : We receyuynge the kyngdom vnmouable han grace.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.158 : Destynal causes…passen out fro the bygynnynges of the unmoevable [vr. vnmoeueable] purveaunce; it moot nedes be that thei ne be nat mutable.
- ?c1425 Chaucer Bo.(Cmb Ii.3.21)5.pr.6 p.134 : This ilke infynyt moeuynge of temporel thinges folweth this presentarye estat of lyf vnmoeuable.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)6526 : Oon yet myhtyere is Than al þem, of alle þe creatour, Vnmeuable & of alle oþir þe motour.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)380/35 : A mannes soule…is commun to vnmouabil tranquillite and reste of soule.
- c1450 Treat.Perf.(Add 37790)247/21 : Resoun passes into þe moste depe vnmeuable euerlastynge rystfulnesse of dyuynyte.
- a1484 Treat.7 Lib.Arts (Trin-C R.14.52)1046/307 : Geometrie, that treatith of stable and vnmoevable þinges, is a special and a noble sciens.
- a1500 Chartier Dial.F.&F.(Sion Arc.L.40.2/E.43)29/27 : Prudence abydeth vnmevable, euyr the same eternally.
4.
In phrases: ~ god (possessiounes, thing), godes (sustenaunce, etc.) ~, immovable possessions such as lands and houses and the things adherent to them, real property; godes (and cateles) mevable and ~, etc.
Associated quotations
- c1390 Form Conf.(1) (Vrn)343 : I coueyte vn-mouable [vr. vn-mouabul] þing of his wrongfoly…wȝuche is necessarie to him.
- (1432-3) EEWills92/15 : All my goodes mevealble & vnmevable to dispose ham, I mak & ordeyne vn-to my executer.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)326 : Þe ve is ouer pore and insufficient endewer or sustinaunce moueable and vnmoueable forto alle his goostly chargis sufficiently supporte.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)49 : Eny gouernance or trouthe sufficientli grondid in lawe of kinde and in moral philosophi is affermed…whiche ben…the endewing of preestis bi rentis and bi vnmoueable possessiouns.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)6727 : The remnawnt of vn-mevable good that jn his Lond bothe lay and stood, aftyr the cownseille of holy chirche he hit disposede.
- (1450) MSS Middleton in HMC114 : I beqweth all my guddes…meveabull and unmeabull unto my lady my moder.
- (1451) *Mun.B.Bridgewater2036 : Rychard bynyt hym & al ys goddes meffabell & on mefabell.
- (1467-8) RParl.5.593a : That this Acte…not nor in any wise be prejudiciall to oure welbeloved Servauntez…of all the Londes and Tenementes, Goodes and Catalles meovable and unmeovable.
- a1500 Thou schalte haue (Hrl 1706)p.205 : Þi neyȝbores þinge coueyte þou noon, Ne vnmeuable þinge, feld ne towne.