Middle English Dictionary Entry
valū(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | valū(e n. Also val(u)we, valeu(e, valewe, valieu, valou, valo(we, valowie, valough, valugh, walue, waleu, walewe, walei, waliwe, walowe, walau. |
| Etymology | OF value, valu(we, AF valeu, valew, valwe, walue. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) Material or monetary worth; of (gret, litel) ~;
(b) the equivalent of a certain sum of money in goods, land, etc.; to the ~ of;
(c) the specific monetary value of a commodity; also, the amount of money a commodity is worth, offered as payment, exchange, etc.;
(d) a set valuation;—used in determining a standard of exchange; at, after) the ~ of, worth, equal to.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400 Wycl.DSins (Bod 647)124 : A clerke or a frere may synne by pride in valew of his clothis.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4793 : Euere amonge wern emeraudis grene, With stonys alle…Þat wern of pris, valu, or richesse.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)9199 : Þus may a man…Alle þe cete of heven lyken bi skylle…to precyouse stanes of vertow And to sylver and gold and thing of valow.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)106 : Spayneshe wolle…is of lytell valeue…Wyth Englysshe woll but if it menged be.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)2812 : I ha no konnyng dywe To declare the walywe So ryche of stonys and tresour.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)249/8 : On þe daye of offrynge vp oure Lord in-to þe Tempull…she myght not bie of þo beestes þat was of gret walowe, a lambe…but only of þoo þat deserued for þe pore peple.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)493 : In the forrest…Ther be hawkes…That byn of lenage gene [read: clen]…Yf thow get hawkys of gret valew, Bryng on of them to me!
b
- (1378) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.280 : Þe wheche trespas hu duden þe waley of twenty mark Towchyng to me & my…tenante.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.93 : Qwo-so do, he shal paien ij d., or ley a wed of ye valuwe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1573 : He…broghte gold vn to this philosophre The value of fyue hundred pound.
- (1405) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.39 : Ȝif ony Burgeis or ony Comunere…fyrst fynde ony wrek in the place aforsaid…that paseth the valewe of vj s. and viij d. jn to xxti s., the fyndere shal haue the vte parte.
- (1422) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)267 : I be whethe to Cristine my chambrer…x marks, or elles þe valew of goode.
- (1430-31) RParl.4.372b : He boght…certayn Wolles to the value of xii c. and xv nobles.
- c1432 Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 (Cmb Dd.14.2)456 : William ffrankeleyn and Iohn Walkere…toke & lete cary a way fewel wode…þere I founde þe valwe of a noble.
- (1442-3) *Acc.R.Abbotsbury : As heriot 1 affr. m. [?= monetae] valough.
- (1443) Will York in Sur.Soc.3089 : If…my sonnes…be preferred be mariage, office, or benefice to ye valewe of x li., than yai to cese of the saide rentcharge.
- (c1452) Complaint Scrope in Scrope Castle Combe280 : My seyde fader…had certeyn plate and stuffe of myn, which ys remembred in myn owne fadres testement, to the valew of ij c li. or more.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2501 : I had in valowe, in trewe marchandise, A ml. pound.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)135 : The kynge owre souerayn lorde hade be tymes…livelod in lordshippes, landes, tenementes, and rentes, nerehand to the value off þe vth parte off is reaume, aboff the possescions off þe chirche.
- (1478-9) Acc.Croscombe in Som.RS 47 : Comes Water Mayow and Jone his wife, and have gyf in to the cherche for the ryngeng of Courfu for ever more so much londs as shall be in valew of iv s. rent yerly.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)120 : Of all the harneys that thei hade brought thider, thei hadde not with hem the valew of ij d.
c
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5966 : But þou ȝyue hyt hym aȝeyn, Or þe valeu for certeyn, Þou art falle þan yn þe vyce Of…þeft and auaryce.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.83 : Extendours…How mykelle lond & rent holy kirke had to a prowe, Alle þei did extend to witte þe verrey valowe.
- (1426) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.4252 : Þe seide John and Anne may lete ioyntly þe seide londes and tenements…reservyng to them…resonable value of þe same londes and tenements so lete.
- (1436) Doc.Trade in BRS 767 : The seid ship myght be praysed and sold to the moste valou wherof the kynge to have his parte.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)112/5 : To þe valew þat þe money wexeth, þe love of þe money wexeth.
- (1442) RParl.5.64a : The price and valugh of Wolles and Wolfell, by the saide streit rules and ordinaunces of partition is ovir gretely decrecid and amenusyd.
- a1450 Form Excom.(1) (Cld A.2)65 : Off profyte off mylnus & werus & Fyssynge, no coste abatud, bot to þe selue valu schal be payed.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.48/16-17 : I will my lord of wells haue j hors worth iiij li. or the walaw & my Maister Richard his Sone, a hors of iiij li. or the valo.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)117 : Acab, wich…desired to haue hade Nabothe his subgectes vyne yerde…proferid hym the value thereof.
- (?1475) Stonor1.159 : John Fortescu, the yownger, toke j close of the sayde tenement…and layd a downe hys mony affore wytyn pryse of the valu.
- a1500 15c.Serm.Cycle(Hrl 2247:Powell)95/99 : The devill…disceyvid man, for he bought hym not to half þe valewe, for a man was more [worþ] and precious þan an appyll.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Play Sacr.(Dub 652)290 : I woll not for an hundder pownd To stond in fere my Lord to tene And for so lytell a walew in conscyen[c]e to stond bownd.
- -?-(1474) Ordin.Househ.Pr.Edw.32* : He is bounde to answere to my ladyes advantage, the valewe of all the hydes of oxen, veale-skynnes, Sheepe-fells, lambe-skynnes, and the tallowe of all theise at the ende of every moneth.
d
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.267 : Every man schulde take a peny of silver of the value [vr. valuwe] of ten pans, þat were þo i-used, to þe steward of þe province and knowleche hym self suget to þe empere of Rome.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)315/13 : Mna is a certeyn wiȝte and valewe.
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)100/29 : One of hem is a[s] mochel worþ in weight and in valwe as iij floreyns.
- (1447-52) Doc.in Kingsford EHist.Lit.(CotR 2.23)363 : Set your mony at doubull the valowie that it gooth.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)80 : The kynge lete smyte a newe noble…at the value of x s. ster…And ther was newe grotes and pensse made after the valewe of the nobyll, that is to sey, lighter then they were a fore.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)112/386 : A penye of eych man have will hee—the valewe of ten pences hit shallbee—to knowledge that hee hase soverayntee fullye of all mankynd.
1b.
Nonmaterial worth, importance, high quality, excellence; at no ~, of no (litel) ~.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.626 : He heeld his glorie or his renoun At no value [vr. valev] or reputacioun.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)107/20 : It befalleth often tyme þat the gode dyamand leseth his vertue be synne…And þanne is it nedfull to make it to recoueren his vertue aȝen or ell it is of litill value.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)220/11 : In makynge of a soule to þe ymage and liknesse of me…I haue felawschipid hir wiþ a þing of riȝt litil value.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)602 : For the love of Cleopataras…al the world he sette at no value.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)78/23 : Þou vauntid þe so mych in weving and spynnyng þat þou schalte euer weve and spynne werke of no value.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)64/35 : Youre bounte may no man prayse halff unto the valew.
- c1475 Abbrev.Trip.SSecr.(UC 85)306/15 : There is no richesse nor othir thinge in this worlde so grete of value as the good fame.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)171/9 : That appartenyth to a feynte herte to lowe myche a thynge of lytill walue, But the hardy for a grete thynge and of grete Pryce gladdly hym Puttyth in perill of lyfe.
1c.
In stock phrases: the ~ of a ferthing (grot, peni, etc.), the ~ of a bene (flie, mite, etc.):
(a) as noun phrase: very little or nothing; in negative contexts: anything;
(b) as adv. phrase: not at all; very little; in negative contexts: at all; also, as adj. phrase: of any value [quot. c1450].
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 How GWife(1) (Em 106)168/148 : Make þe noȝt riche of oþer mannis þing, Þe boldore for to spenden þe ualue of a ferþing.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1361 : He is noght worth at al In no degree the value [vr. valieu] of a flye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4694 : Lihtere is to fle the flint Than gete of him in hard or neisshe Only the value of a reysshe Of good in helpinge of an other.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.34 : Wolde neuere king, ne kniȝt, ne canoun of seint poulis Ȝiue hem to here ȝerisȝiue þe value of a grote.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)199/2 : Neuer for me, ne forto haue of me as miche helpe as þe value of a botoun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.124 : For þe valu of a þing of nouȝt, Mortal causes and werris first by-gonne.
- (1446) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1lviii : He payd for his awn sayd mansion of Godeshous noght tho valew of a peper corn.
- a1500 Chartier Quad.(2) (Rwl A.338)182/5 : Thei…woll ley owte of their purs the valew of a peny but with compleint.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)124 : Ne douteþ he kyng ne Emperour þe value of a ryssche.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5441 : Þe Amerel ne dredeþ hym noȝt, Nouþer in dede ne in þoȝt, þe value of a kerse.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1620 : Priamus þe louyd but a lite, Nat þe valu, I suppose, of a myte.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4076 : For nouther force nor manhode may availle In swiche meschief the valewe of a maylle.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)1928 : For thei may not a-ȝeyns vs dure…Nought the value of a pere!
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17506 : I ȝeue right not of alle his tene, Not the value of a bene.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.907 : Ye be to euery man bothe deynte and leef, And ye no man counte the valu of a pere.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)6077 : All hale þai þaim fande In synnes, in Ioyntes, in fell, and flessh, Noȝt harmed þe valu of a resch.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13155 : I ne haue noon avauntage…Nat the valu off An Oystre.
2.
(a) Rank, dignity, status; also, nobility of character or breeding; of ~;
(b) knightly prowess, bravery.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.147 : A fouler thral may no man ne womman maken of his body than for to yeue his body to synne al were it the fouleste cherl or the fouleste womman that lyueth and leest of value.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.399 : Insolent is he that despiseth in his iugement all oother folk as to regard of his value and of his konnynge and of his spekynge and of his berynge.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)4911 : Alle of valow, moste & leste, Suld com to London to his feste.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.100 : Þerfor þe duke him dight, as man of grete value, Roberd Beleyse with myght, þe sege þei wend remue.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)248/11 : Eueryche of ham hade ful riche ȝiftes, euery man as he was of value and of State.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)259/19 : Þis Sonne þat þou shalte haue shall not be litill of valowe, but þe naturall Sonne of allmyȝthy God.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)2589 : With Desonell went Al the ladyes, that were gent, That of valew were.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.83 : Diamand…kepeþ a man in þe same poynt þat he fyndeþ him, of prys, of wytte, of walew, of riches, & encresyþ him in valew, in riches & good [Bod.EMisc.Lapid. 24/29: worshipp and richesse], ne he schal not be made lese.
b
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)184/12 : The noised thefe called Alexaundre…bringe hym hastly to me, for…your myght and wisedome is grete ynough to fulfille a grettir thing, seing that thei of Grece be of so smale dedis and of no value.
3.
(a) Usefulness, benefit; also, as quasi-adj.: useful [last quot.];
(b) spiritual usefulness, merit; also, a source of spiritual benefit; of (no) ~.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)239/6 : Trewly birdes raueners, when þei die, þei be cast awey vppon þe myddynges as no þinge of valew.
- c1475 Lydg.CB (Hrl 116)p.185 : I shal the yeve a notable gret gwerdoun, Thre grete wysdoms according to resoun, More of walewe [Lnsd: availe]…Thane al the golde that is shet in thi cofre.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)350 : For comon profite…thei be no thyng liche To hym in valew.
- -?-(1377) Tenants in Som.Dor.NQ 13274 : Ther schal have comyn there for the Sunday after Candilmasse Day and then thei shal goo owte thereof whether hit be value or no.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2765 : Schrifte stant of no value To him that wol him noght vertue To leve of vice the folie.
- (1395) Wycl.12 Concl.(Th 17)299 : Preyere meritorie and of value schulde ben a werk proceding of hey charite.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)14.202 : Ys no vertue so feyr, of value [vr. ne of valewe] ne of profit, As ys suffrance souereynliche, so hit be for godes loue.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)187 : It is perilose…aman to aliene awey to oþere personnys eny of his suche goostly vertuose dedis—þat is to seie þe graciose meritis and valewis of hem.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)37/6 : Ete oft of þis preciouse frute of charite…al þe workis þat we don with oute it ben of no valew.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)414 : God is so skileful þat he wole not þat men chaffere but in þingis whoos valu þei knowen.
4.
(a) Power, might;
(b) curative power, efficacy; also, effect.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3410 : The mihti kinges retenue That dai may stonde of no value With worldes strengthe to defende.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)72/26 : That is þe which despisith paradijs and clotheth helle and voidith þe valew of þe blood of Crist Jhesu and submittith þe worlde to þe þraldom of þe fende.
b
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)124/4 : Amanges þaim es oile de olyfe of grete valu, for þai say it es soueraynly medecinale.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)197b/b : Saliunca, kawetrape, Breres in valew þat makiþ folk fallen.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)98/12 : Þis medyc[in]e is called Valence of scabious for þe valow of it.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.96 : Iacincte withstondeþ venymes, & is contrary to poysone, as dias seyþ; þer is a herbe of þe same name is lyk þerto in many þinges, þow it be not lyke in walew.
5.
In legal formulae: validity; for nought and) of no ~; voide and of no ~, invalid, null and void.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2419 : The lawes seyn that alle bihestes that ben dishoneste ben of no value.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.164/739 : Þat obligacion of xx li. be holde for nouȝt and of no value.
- (1430) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.96 : Thenne the seid acquitaunce or relees be voyde and of no value.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.23.20b : His excusacion is of non value.