Middle English Dictionary Entry
ūsuā̆l adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | ūsuā̆l adj. Also usual(l)e, usuel(le. |
| Etymology | OF usuel, usual & L ūsuālis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of rights, taxes, procedures, etc.: established by long-continued practice, customary;
(b) generally recognized, commonly agreed to; also, currently recognized [1st quot.];
(c) of a perpetrator of vicious behavior: habitual, inveterate.
Associated quotations
a
- (1422) Doc.Coldingham in Raine N.Dur.104 : Yai sale pay ffor ye male of ye said landes…x pond of vsuale payment of Scotland.
- (1439) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.516 : Robt and his heires shal truly paye to Isabell my wyf an annuytee of x li. iche yer al ye terme of here lyf at iiij termes vsuel bi evene porconis.
- (1441) Let.Coldingham in Sur.Soc.12120 : The covente…has gevyn…to the said sir Davy the office of the bailyery…takand for the said office yheerly x. li. of usuall money of Scotland.
- (1442) Visit.Alnwick230a : We commaunde…that ye, prioresse…pay euery nunne to thaire vesture a noble yerely at termes vsuelle.
- (1457-8) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA 81.8 : To þe said William Harwedon…þe said rent of iiij li. sterling atte iiij termes of þe yeer in þe Citee of London usuell by even porcons.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)370/5 : The parte lettyng shold pay…c shillings of sterlynges of lawfull and vsuell money rynnyng in Inglond.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)611/6 : The said Iohn fayled or lakked in the forsaid vsuell termes…of the paiyng of the said rente.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.267 : Euery man…scholde comme to the place of his byrthe and offre a peny in valoure of oure x d. usualle.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)34/20 : He…sold his maister to his enmyes for thritti pans, of whiche pens one was worthe x of vsuale monye.
b
- (1395) Wycl.12 Concl.(Th 17)296 : Oure usuel presthod, þe qwich began in Rome…is nout þe presthod þe qwich Cryst ordeynede to his apostlis.
- (1442) RParl.5.43b : Ther is, and of longe tyme hath been, an usuall and a commune Passage fro dyvers and many parties of the seid Countees, unto the Citees of York, Hull, Hedon.
- (1450) RParl.5.173b : We canne, may, ne darr not, in eny wyse charge yowre seid people, with such usuell charges as afore this tyme to yowe have be graunted in yowre Parlementes.
- (1464) Paston2.303 : Do acordyng to the old, vsuale coors of oure lawe in that behalf.
- -?-(1474) Ordin.Househ.Pr.Edw.28* : We will that upon principal feastes, and usuall dayes of predycation, sermons to be sayd.
c
- (1436) Paston3.5 (932/22) : Another so gret a forswerer, ne so dampnabil a slawnderer, ne so shameles vsuell langager, visager, and contryver of vntrewe, feyned, and slawnderous tales and matieres as he is was never in his dayes of his degree in þat shire.
2.
(a) Commonly encountered, regularly used, ordinary, normal;
(b) of a division of time: according to common usage; also, as noun: the day according to common usage, the period from sunrise to sunset [last quot.]; dai (month, yer) ~.
Associated quotations
a
- (1439) RParl.5.31b : A sekeness called the Pestilence, universelly thorough this youre Roialme more comunely reyneth, that hath bien usuell bifore this tyme.
- (1466) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 4104 : Balance…From usual sources…£xxj ob.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)34/31 : He must take þe eukarist, not as oþire comoun or vsual meete and drynk, as diden men of corinthe in poulis daies.
- a1484 Treat.7 Lib.Arts (Trin-C R.14.52)1051/502 : Beside thiese vij sciences ther bien other vij that bien nat cald special sciences but rather vsual or comune craftis and hand werkis, the whiche bien daily vsed…of comune artificers.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.37 : Þe Iewes in tretys and couenauntes haueþ a ȝere vsual [Higd.(2): vsualle], and bygineþ in Ianuarie; In deuocioun and sacrifice þei haueþ a ȝer laweful, and byginneþ in Marche.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)519/22 : Som ȝere is iclepid vsuale, as is þe ȝere of þe sonne, and conteyneþ foure tymes: winter, springinge tyme, somer, and heruest.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)529/24 : Monthis vsuel beþ twelue, of þe whiche þe firste hatte Ianuare.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)236/2694 : Dies usualis, id est þe day usuall…as þe comon peple callys & usit þe day, is fra son rysynge to þe son settynge.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)238/2738 : Phisiciens…divisys þe day naturel…into 4 quarteres: Þe 1 quarter is fra þe 9 oure of þe nyȝt exclusive…[to] þe 3 houre of þe usuel inclusive, [etc.].