Middle English Dictionary Entry
veritẹ̄ n.
Entry Info
| Forms | veritẹ̄ n. Also varite, (in surname) verti. |
| Etymology | OF verité, verté, AF varitie; also cp. L vēritas, -itātis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Truth; reality; also, the divine attribute of truth; also person.;
(b) that which is true; the facts of a matter; also, a factual account;
(c) a tenet of the faith, a truth; also, a logical principle;
(d) in adv. phrases used parenthetically: in (par) ~, indisputably; truly; also in tag with reduced semantic content.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 Castle Love(4) (CotApp 7)29 : Þat hy kyng…Had…doughturs foure…Þe eldest doughter heyght Mercy, Þe tother Verite.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.Ad Patrem (Hnt HM 744)8 : Thow, fadir, art trouthe and veritee, Thyn owne sone þat same is also.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3203 : Pes, my systyr Verite…deme ȝe no man to helle.
- a1450 Chauliac(4) (Cai 336/725)18/24 : It nediþ…Whanne…he is maad child…of verite [Ch.(1): of soþfastnes or of treuþe] to haue a maner desirous lustines, & not in studiynge to be wery.
- ?a1450 Whane that phebus beemes (Cleo C.4)20 : Trust the worde of god geven by the holy goste, In wych ys contayned all veryte and trewth.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)22386 : I Schewe no thyng…But as it is in veryte, ffor…I wole deceyue no maner man.
- c1475 3 Consid.(UC 85)202 : Oure lord God…is the right wey, verite, and lyf, as the gospell seith.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)161/19-20 : Ye shall knowe verite, and verite shall delyuer you.
b
- c1390 Þe wyse mon in (Vrn)139 : Ȝif þou here eni accusacioun…Enquere furst þerof þe verite Or þou…greue þe.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)30.535 : Salamon…Wrot the verite Of his wif there…how his wif this Schipe gan to Ordeyne.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)1063 : Whi hit hight Camp Floree I shalle you telle the veritee.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)161/5 : I ham…makyd an enemy vnto you, tellynge to you the verite.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)161/12 : Vnto ham that haue al richesis in Possession…lackyth men that Sholde Say to ham the Verite, or the trouthe.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)372 : Telle me what ye be, and of youre felowes telle me the verite.
c
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)764 : Þe verytees whech are in owre feith Were schewid be figuris in þe elde Testament.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.2019 : I telle you, sir…Of oure feyth a ful grete verite…Goddis are there noon…But on allone.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)1535 : This mateer to Conveye by trewe conclusyoun, veritees of logyk certys I must applye.
d
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)72/612 : Alle þe constitucions, in verite, Of vr eldre faderes his ordeynours Schuld him furst schewe.
- a1400 Bevis (Eg 2862)210/127 : Pur varyte [vr. y telle the; Cai: Foure þousand men, as ȝe mowe see, Þey brouȝten].
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3969 : Gret pyne afterwarde hadde he, As hit was…by visionus…y-prouyd, in verite.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)2812 : Fro Constantyn-noble come bee we, Londe of pees to seche, in verite.
2.
(a) The practice or habit of truthfulness, veracity; also person.; also, fidelity to one’s word, trustworthiness; also, certainty, assurance [1st quot.];
(b) righteousness, moral integrity; the principles of right action or just rule.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)2 Cor.1.20 : Þe behestys of god…ben in hym ‘it is’ or ‘ȝee’, þat is, veryte and complecyoun ben by hym gyfen.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)152 : I mette sum time…with verite and equite, that souhten here bred and weren riht poore.
- c1475 3 Consid.(UC 85)201 : A Prince have in hym selfe ii vertues: The oon is verite, and the othir is constance; A Prince oweth to love verite and to hate falsheede, lesinges, and doublesse or variaunce.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)135/23-4 : Loue engendryth Verite, that destrueth fal[s]hede, lesynge, and detractacion; Verite engendryth ryghtfulnes.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)161/2 : Verite getyth hatredyn, and good Service gettyth Frendis.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)175/14 : Trouthe and verite, more than oppynyon or falsnesse, lowid olde Pryncis.
b
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)122/22 : Aristotle…was…Wyse…euer lowynge ryght and verite.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)127/22 : God the conferme in hooly verite and wyth vertue.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)136/3 : He that godis lawe to his roialme makyth subiecte…ouer-Passyth al maner law, ryght, verite.
3.
Exactness, precision; after the ~ of, according to a strict interpretation of (sth.).
Associated quotations
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 22.3 : I am…a Iewe…norisched…biside þo fete of Gamalyel; I was tawghte ande lernud efter þe verite of my fadires lawe.
4.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1275) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames363 : Richard le Verite.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1086 : Rico Verite.
- (1327) Nickname in SAU 63198 : Will. Verite.
- (1379) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames363 : Thomas Verty.