Middle English Dictionary Entry
upstīen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | upstīen v. Also upsti(ȝ)e, upstihe, upstei; pl. (N) upsteghes; p. upstiȝe, upstegh(e, upstei, upstai, (K) opsteie; ppl. upstiede, upstei. |
| Etymology | From stīen v.; also cp. OE upstīgan. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To rise upward; also, ?raise (one’s body to a high place), propel upward [1st quot.]; of hills: rise up from the plain, be raised up;
(b) of Christ, a soul: to ascend into heaven; rise up (to or into heaven, to the Father, etc.); ben upstiede.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(?a1325) Bonav.Medit.(1) (Hrl 1701)635 : Cryst Ihesu hys body vpp stey, By þat short ladder, þat cros an hy; Withoute ȝenseyyng he gan vp wende.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)103.9 : Vpsteghes [vr. Vpstiyhe sal] hilles, and feldes doungas In stede whilk þou grounded to þas.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)627 : The emperour honouret then knelyng that child & to hym made praiere…with encens als vp-steyng.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)95/24 : Originals er what þyng ys engelyd yn þe entrailles of þe erthe, and yn þe depnesse of þe sees…in fumositez stoppyd & [Ashmole: of vapours ascendyng] vpsteyinge, and moystures engelyd.
b
- a1275 Glade us maiden (Trin-C B.14.39)10 : Glade us, maiden, crist up stey & in heuene þe i-sey.
- (a1333) Herebert Iesu (Add 46919)15 : Wyht gret nobleye þou op-steye To þy uader ryht honde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)203 : How he vprais, how he upstey [Frf: vpsteghe; Trin-C: vp stay], Many man on stad and sey.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18750 : Iesus vr fader…Gate til vr heritage a-gain…And fra þe lau vs dos up stei.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18863 : Iesus was vp-stei til heuen.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)36 : Blessid be thou…thy sone Jesu to heuene myȝtily vp styenge.
- c1450 *Bonav.Medit.(4) (MSU 1) : Ȝyt j am nogth vpstyede to my fadur.
- c1450 Lychefelde Comp.G.(Lamb 853)672 : Take þi crosse to þee and folewe me, If þou wolt to my blis up stiȝe.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)60/84 : Whan he is resyn, he xal up stye.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)8451 : Two other causes assignes A clerk…whi this tyme we done this werk of…praing God almight: one is for Crist, vp-steyng, bade vs pray.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)9301 : He up-stegh to the heghust heuen of all.
- a1500 Heyle be þu ladye (Cmb Ii.6.43)28 : Ihesu þi sone all vp-styȝe hoom in-to heuen so hyȝe.
2.
(a) Of dawn: to break;
(b) ppl. upstiinge, astrol. of a planet or constellation: ascendant, rising.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.32.26 : He seide to hym, ‘lef me forsoþ now; vp steyiþ [vr. vpsteyeth; L ascendit] þe morntyd.’
b
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)86/5,8 : Loke of þe lokynge aȝeyn of þe sonne to þe mone vp-styand…Loke also þat þe planet Mercurius be noght in constellacioun vpstyand or to him contrary.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)112/5 : See þat þe mone and his ledere be…in goode stede and vpstyand.
3.
(a) Of thoughts: to strive upward (to God);
(b) ?to aspire (to worldly honors); ?rise (to a position of prominence).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.5.4a : He felith þe þouȝht of his hert drawe vp fro alle erthly thinges…vp stiȝende in to oure lord.
b
- a1450 Maidstone PPs.(Dgb 18)687 : He to noon astate vp steye, But euere was lowe in word and chere.