Middle English Dictionary Entry
blāmen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | blāmen v. |
| Etymology | OF bla(s)mer (from L blasphēmāre). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To rebuke or scold (sb.); (b) to find fault with (sb.), criticize, censure; ~ (sb.) for, of (sth.); ben to ~, be at fault or subject to criticism; also, indulge in faultfinding or criticism; (c) to censure, criticize, or belittle (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Hat 116)24 : Þreade: blamed.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)80 : Mayster, blame þat ffolk þat vp þe doþ so grede.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3397 : Biuore him he let bringe is men & bigan hom vaste blame, Þat hii..broȝte þe lond to ssame.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)118.21 : Þou blamed [WB(1): blamedist; L increpasti] þe proude.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Cor.8.20 : That no man blame or dispise [L vituperet] vs in this plente.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16722 : Þe toþer theif him gaf ansuer and blamed him a-braid.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)19/5 : In þe Olde Testament kynges correctide prestis..and blamede hem whanne þei erride in gouernaunce of temporalte.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Tob.2.8 : Alle hise neiȝboris blameden [WB(1): vndernomyn; L arguebant] hym.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)10a/b : Blasphemo: scorne, blame, Bagbyten.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.1.80 : This companye of Muses, iblamed [L increpitus], casten wrothly the chere dounward.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)44 : Aristotle she..sente..to speke to hire and to blame hire and to argue hire.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)15a : To Blame: increpare, improperari, inhonorare, redarguere, vituperare.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)191/10 : The Virgine blamyd hym and commaundid hym to go to his wyf.
b
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)28/14 : Sitteð al stille þet..he ne cunne ou nouþer blamen [Corp-C: lastin] ne preisen.
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)42 : Man ne schal him-sulue preisi ne blamie.
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(LdMisc 108)149 : Ȝe scholden beo i-blamede so.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5519 : Þe king him blamede þo, þat he nadde ytold him er.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)27/20 : Y-blamed of zome vice [Vices & V.(2): blamed for any vice].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)476 : Him [my heart] wol i blame & banne, but he my bales amende.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.7 : Whanne his clerkes blamede [Higd.(2): reprovede; L culparetur] hym þerfore.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2452 : He nys nat to blame that chaungeth his conseillours in certeyn cas.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2790 : Men blamen an auaricious man by cause of his scarsitee.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.473 : This day they preise, to morwe they blame.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)4241 : Moche ys a man for to blame [F á blamer], Þat kan nat wurschep Goddys name with pater noster.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)3.281 : Who-so seyth hem sothes is sonnest yblamed.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)56/8 : He blamid Symound Leprous..for he þouȝt aȝens hir [Mary].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7588 : For my soth-sawe ye me blame.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2134 : Me thynketh, no wight oughte herof us blame.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)125/10 : So þat he myth not blamyn hir.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)48 : Aftir that he hath founde cause to blame or comende he myȝte blame or comende.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8443 : The worthy..blamyt the burde for hir bold speche.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)44 : He þat doth as can, Blame hym no man!
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)168/189 : I am ful glad..For to receyve my childe Agayn, ellys were I to blame.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)33/36 : He..blamed hym sore for myskepyng of hys chyld.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)46/29 : Thou art not þe holier þouȝ þou be preisid, ner þe more vile þouȝ þou be blamed.
c
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)81 : He [Christ]..blamede here un-bileue.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)59/27 : Al þet oþre doþ and ziggeþ, altogidere uayrliche [they] blamyeþ ase riȝt naȝt, ne him prayseþ.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.538 : He blameth that is noght to blame.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.162 : The bok blameþ alle beggerye and banneþ.
2.
(a) To put the blame on (sb.); blame (sb.); attribute (to sth.); (b) ben to blame, be to blame, be at fault, be guilty (of sth.); (c) to accuse (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.267 : Samuel schal slen him and Saul schal be blamet.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)203 : Wraþþe þe not þerfore wiþ god, Bote þi-seluen blame [F blameras].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3181 : Blameth noght me, if that ye chese amys.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.580 : He that..blameth god of thyng of which he is hym self gilty.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)5/16 : Þe abot sal be blamid if þe cuuent mis-ga.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.13 : That thow..abyest thus the torment of thi false opynioun, that maistow nat ryghtfully blamen ne aretten to [L imputare] thynges.
- a1500 Play Sacr.(Dub 652)692 : Thow art..lame..thorow thyn own cruelnesse. For thyn hurt þow mayest þi-selfe blame.
b
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)104/5 : Hwo so is siker of sukurs..& ȝelt tauh up his kastel to his wiþerwines he is swuðe to blamen [Corp-C: edwiten].
- c1300 Assump.Virg.(1) (Cmb Gg.4.27)26 : Ihc naue no gult; hi buþ to blame.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3397 : If my neuewe goþ þus away, by Mahoun, ȝe buþ to blame.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.313 : He was greetly to blame [Higd.(2): culpable; L culpabilis] [in] meny of his deedes.
- a1400(?c1300) LFMass Bk.(Roy 17.B.17)73 : In worde & werk I am..worth to blame [vr. worthy forto blame].
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)8.55 : Man hath moste þerof [of free will] and moste is to blame But if he worche wel þer-with.
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Arun 507)133 : If þou wold noght late þe sonne come inne, wha ware til blame if þe house ware mirke?
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7040 : Þar was a preste..Of incontinence was to blame.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)46/5 : Ye ar than more to blame than the queene.
- a1475 I knowlech to god (Rwl B.408)14 : Wherfore y knowlech me gretely to blame.
c
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)13027 : Out of desert..He coom to blame [Göt: snaipe] þe kyng of synne.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)140/235 : A dekin..Was blamed..Þat he suld haue done licheri With..his sib woman.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3980 : Jelousie hath us blamed Of mystrust..withoute enchesoun.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)45/29 : A faire mayden was blamed with wrong [F encoulpez á tort] & sclaundred, þat sche hadde don fornycacioun.
- (1428) Doc.in Sur.Soc.856 : When John Lyllyng was examynid and blamed for yat fals tyn.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)4906 : Þy sustre dude amys To blame me þus..For in me..no fauȝt þere nys Of þat þat he fore blamede me.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)15a : To Blame: Accusare, culpare, culpitare, criminari, exprobare, reprehendere.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450(1438) GLeg.Vincent (GiL24) (Eg 876) 113/19 : Thou haste holde into now wordes for to reneye the faithe, but wete it wel that this is gret felonye towardes the wisdom of cristen peple for to blame in renyinges the worship of oure Godhede.
- c1450(1438) GLeg.John almoner (GiL26) (Eg 876) 130/228 : Iohn defended hem, seyeng: 'Sufferith, bretherin, sufferithe, that he curse me not. I am now fourti yere and haue blamed Ihesu Crist bi my werkes and may not suffre o chidyng of this man.'
Note: Editor: "MED records the sense 'blasphemy' neither for the noun nor the verb, though it is clearly required in a number of cases later in this chapter and throughout GiL."
Note: New sense.