Middle English Dictionary Entry
upright adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | upright adj. Also uppright, upperighte, uprigt, upriȝt(e, upriht & (early) upprihte, (infl.) uprihtne & (in surname) uprict. |
| Etymology | OE upriht, uppriht. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. right adj.
1.
(a) Chiefly in comparisons of human beings and beasts: of a person: standing up; of the body, human gait, etc.: erect;
(b) perpendicular to the ground, vertical; ~ werk, a wall;
(c) not bent, not curved, straight;—used of posture, a bird’s flight, etc.; also fig.; ~ as bolt (line); ~ nekked;
(d) characterized by moral rectitude, firm, steadfast.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)8/10 : Mannen he sealde uprihtne gang, þa nytene he let gan alotene.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)84/6 : Þe mon ane hæfð uprihtne ȝeong, for þam þe he is isceapen to his Scyppendes anlicnesse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)39a/a : Suche a beest is nouȝt riȝt, noþir of vpriȝt…body [L eleuati corporis], but lokinge dounward I-bent to þe erþeward.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)259b/a : Oonliche to mankynde ordeigneþ and eseþ vpright stature.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)113/22 : A man, þe whiche is þe seemliest creature in body þat euer God maad, is not maad crokid to þe erþewardes, as ben alle oþer beestes, bot upriȝte to heuenwardes.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.5.19 : Only the lynage of man heveth heyest his heie heved, and stondith light with his upryght body.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)108/26 : Sche whoche dooþ þe office & oþer wiþ cierges schullin be vpriht as longe þat þe orison is aseyinge.
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3248 : Ðe water up-stod ðurg godes migt On twinne half, also a wal up-rigt.
- (?c1370) Chart.in Capes Hereford Cath.232 : Quod predictus Thomas faciet fieri vel faciet totum le Uprightwerke unius muri in cloustro ecclesie cathedralis Herefordensis.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2271 : Þis tour was selli mad vpright.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2736 : Þou shalt fynd a dur, vp riȝt a-fore þyn hede.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3264 : Wynsyng she was as is a ioly colt, Long as a mast and vpright as a bolt.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5638 : From þe grounde, vp-riȝt as a lyne Þer wer degres, men by to ascende.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)113/17 : What tyme þat a soule disposeþ him effectuely to þis werk, þan as fast sodenly…þe body, þat parauenture bifore er he bygan was sumwhat heeldyng donwardes on o syde or on oþer for ese of þe flesche, by vertewe of þe spirit schal set it vpriȝt.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)113/24 : It schulde figure in licnes bodely þe werke of þe soule goostly, þe whiche falleþ to be upriȝt goostly & not crokid goostly.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.4457 : Folk in ther pouerte On grete metis that hemseluen feede Ben…strong…Vpriht of lymes ther iournes for to speede.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.54 : As a swalwe gerissh of hir fliht, Tween slouh & swifft, now crokid & now vpriht.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)245 : So for bataile adolescentys yonge Of grym visage and look pervigilaunt, Vpright-necked, brod-brested, boned stronge.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)198/35 : Þe best-dysposid men…be of mene statur, with blake eyn and blake her…and vppryght statur.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)222/26 : The tokenesse of a dredful or a feynte man bene…a man stowpynge, and noght vpryght.
d
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.746 : Mi Sone, it sit wel every wiht To kepe his word in trowthe upryht Towardes love in alle wise.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.5282 : Thus of on acord upriht To Rome at ones hom ayein Thei torne.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.m.4.4 : Whoso…hath put under fote the proude wierdes and loketh, upryght [L rectus], upon either fortune, he may holden his chere undesconfited.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)62 : It beseemethe thys Clerk offycer…to be provable, resonable in hys discressyon, of good conscyens, and in all matters betwext the Kinges courte and other partyes to be upryght and indifferent.
2.
Facing up, supine;—used of the crescent moon; bolt ~, q.v.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)115b/a : Whanne þe sonne passiþ þe southe by and lowest cercles, þanne þe mone is upriȝt as a boote & hath hornes vpward.
3.
Extending upward, sticking up; also, of a roof, gable: ?peaked, steeply pitched.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)42b/a : An herbe þat groweþ in hard lond is litil & vpriȝt.
- (1405) Doc.in HMC Rep.9 App.124a : [A] warehous [a hall with an] upryght roof, [two lintelled windows].
- (1420) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8516 : William of Alne hafes a upperyghte gavell.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)117 : Arthur smot hym a-gein so sore that he bar hym ouer the horse crompe, and his legges vp-right.
4.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1210) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames360 : William Uprict.
- (1279) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames360 : Symon Upriht.
- (1307) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames360 : Walter Upright.