Middle English Dictionary Entry
vers(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | vers(e n. Also vē̆rce, wers(e, (early) veres, fers; pl. verses, verseis, versus & verse, vē̆rs, wers, wars. |
| Etymology | OE fers & OF vers, AF verse, veers & L versus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A metrical line; also, a line of poetry; also, one of the two lines of a couplet; verses of the deth, a work written by Helinand; in two verses, in couplets [quot. a1400 Cato(3)]; the golden verses, a book allegedly written by Pythagoras;
(b) a syllable in a poetic foot;
(c) a subdivision, section, or stanza of a poem; peinten with ~, ?to rubricate; ?decorate with an inscription;
(d) metrical form, verse; also, poetry; in ~; ~ makere; ~ makinge.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.59 : Icc ne mihhte nohht min ferrs Aȝȝ wiþþ Goddspelless wordess Wel fillenn all.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)128/34 : He wenþ libbe yet uourti yer, ase zayþ elynans ine uers of þe dyaþe.
- 1372 In place (Adv 18.7.21)137 : Hire tendre herte ner brast on þre—Þis is a vers of gret pite.
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prols.Job (Bod 959)40 : ‘I myself reproue & do penaunce in colis & asken’ ben vers of sixe feet rennynge with dactile & spondee feet.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.213 : Now beeþ ferified þe vers [Higd.(2): versus] þat Hidebertus Episcopus Cenomannensis made and Willielmus Malmesburiensis putteþ hem in his book of kynges: ‘Rome, no þing is pere to þe; Þeyȝ þou nygh all fallynge be.’
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)11111 : Þese are þo yche twey verse Þat to holynes are reuers: ‘Quem lapis ille tegit, sandalia viliter emit; Estuat in baratro, pessimus ille latro.’
- a1400 Cato(3) (Frf 14)345 : I [Cato] wrate þis writte, in twa versis nakid.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)prol.143 : Þanne gan alle þe comune crye in vers [vr. a vers] of latin, To þe kynges conseille…‘Precepta Regis sunt nobis vincula legis.’
- c1400 Wycl.LAChurch (Dub 244)p.xxxiii : Sibille acordiþ herto, þat suche tribulacioun is nyȝe, in þes verse: ‘Gallus sucuutus aquile victricia signa Mundus adorabit est vrbs vix presule digna.’
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6624 : Of þir twa fires I fynde writen twa vers…Als þe fire of þe werld hatter es Þan a fire paynted, be it mare or les.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5650 : Pictigoras hym silf reherses In a book that the golden verses Is clepid, for the nobilite Of the honourable ditee.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)32a/a : Hemisticum: halfe a vers [Hrl 2257: werse].
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)141 : These vers [vrr. wers, verses] of gold and blak iwriten were, Of whiche I gan astoned to beholde.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)508 : Veerce: Versus.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1098 : I wilne…Here art poetical be shewed…Though som vers fayle in a sillable.
- (c1479) Paston (EETS)1.651 : ‘Arbore iam videas exemplum. Non die possunt Omnia supleri; set tamen illa mora’…thes too verse a-fore seyde be of myn own makyng.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)45/8 : The fourme of His Holy martirdome, two Versis of Lateyn Sortely comprehendyth…‘For crystis Spouse, vndyr crystis tyme, in crystis churche, crystes owyn leman died.’
b
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)47a/a : Palibathius: fot of two maner vers [Add 33534: wars].
c
- ?c1335 Heil seint Michel (Hrl 913)pp.154-5 : Þis uers is ful wel iwroȝt; Hit is of wel furre ybroȝt…Þis uers is of holi writte; Hit com of noble witte…Þis uers is imakid wel Of consonans and wowel.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)679 : The wordes were swich as ye may here fynde, The nexte vers, as I now have in mynde, [etc.].
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1634 : Of this erth shewith Alberte…In his Minerals whiche litarge is better then odire…And the boke of Metyre shewith it in a verce.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)1/15 : Some men there ben that peynten with colours riche, and some with vers, as with red inke, and some with coles and chalke.
d
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)136/191 : O god hyt hys, and stent in uers Ine þulke song.
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prol.Is.(Bod 959)6 : Demostene & tollo…in prose & not in vers writen.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.70 : Fro [read: For] Dronkeschipe is so divers, It may no whyle stonde in vers.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7000 : Saturnus and sir iubiter, þat we now of in fabuls here And þe first sibile o pers Men findes of in al[d] wers.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)22227 : We wat bath thoru stori and vers þat þe kingrike of grece and pers war heued kinges in form tide.
- c1410 Chaucer CT.Sum.(Hrl 7334)D.2004b : Schortly may no man by rym and vers Tellen her thoughtes, þay ben so dyuers.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3510 : He…can no skyl on prose nor on vers.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2344 : Now woly I shortly heere reherce Of that I haue seid in verce.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)15b/b : Comaticus: a verse maker.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1678 : Wel can Ovyde hire letter in vers endyte, Which were as now to long for me to wryte.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.293 : Ther vers, ther songis of goddis & goddessis Wer al togidre of sorwe and heuynessis.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)1439 : By hir study she purchased hir so grete fame…That she hath a perpetual name In poetry and in verse-makynge.
2.
Liturg.
(a) A section of a psalm corresponding to the compound unit of Hebrew poetry; also, a versicle [cp. versicle n. (a)];
(b) a scriptural passage; also, an article of the Apostles’ Creed;
(c) any part of one of the readings, prayers, etc. used in divine service; also, a reading or prayer at mealtime in a convent; ~ bok, a liturgical service book;
(d) a section of one of the Latin metrical hymns of the breviary, usu. of nonscriptural origin.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11943 : Þær iss sett an oþerr ferrs Þatt spekeþþ off þe deofell, Þatt Godess þeowwess gan onn himm & tredenn himm wiþþ fote.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)14/19 : Buheð duneward ȝef…ȝe eauer hereð Maries nome inempnet…& ed te leaste vers wið uten an of þe salm.
- c1300 SLeg.Jas.(LdMisc 108)36 : He touchede him…and seide þeos two vers of þe sauter: ‘Ore louerd vn-bind þat beoth i-bounde.’
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)460 : Sein Daui seiþ…In a vers of þe sauter boke, ‘Spera in domino, et fac bonitatem.’
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)198/7 : He zayþ efterward ine þe ilke uers þet god him wyle deliuri in þe kueade daies of his yuo.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.187 : Pambo wolde lerne na more of þe psawter þan oon vers þat he hadde i-herd.
- a1400 Primer (StJ-C G.24)88 : Delyuere me lord, With these thre ueers…Now cryst…Brennynge soules wepiþ…Schappere of alle þynges.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)15/32 : In þe tyme of wintir, þan sal þe first vers be at matins: ‘Deus, in adiutorium.’
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)1442 : Aspes and basiliscus men hem calle The naddres in þat cuntree alle, As seith a vers in þe sawtiere…‘Super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis.’
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)103/31 : After þe firste or secunde verse of þe lessoun þe Reder schal sey Benedicite wiþ titel & poynting in tone of a lessoun.
- 1530(c1450) Mirror Our Lady (Fawkes)114 : What is vnderstonded by the thre lessons wyth the Responces & verses folowynge.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19331 : Þurrh þe Laferrd Crist iss sett Soþ are & soþfasstnesse; Þiss ferrs uss seȝȝde & sette o boc Johan þe Goddspellwrihhte.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Creed (Lamb 487)75 : Þet rihte ileue setten þe twelue apostles on write er heo to-wenden in to al þis middelerd, and ec of heom wrat þer of his uers.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Creed (Lamb 487)77 : We habbeð bigunnen ou to seggen on englisch hwat bi-quþ þe crede and habbeð ou iseið twa uers.
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prols.Job (Bod 959)20 : Seuene hundred almest or eiȝte hundred vers failen, with þe whiche þe booc shortid &…sheweþ openli to þe rederis hys foule defaute.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)6/14 : The cros of oure lord was made of iiij manere of trees as it is conteyned in this vers: ‘In cruce fit palma, cedrus, cypressus, olyua.’
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2171 : At þe last þe sothe vers Certys hymself schal schewe.
c
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)20/20 : Hwen þe preost heueð up godes lichome, seggeð þis vers stondinde: ‘Ecce salus mundi, uerbum patris, hostia uera, viua caro, deitas integra, uerus homo.’
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)29/20 : Ȝef ȝe…misneo með uers [Tit: ueres]…schawið ofte i schrift ower ȝemeles herabuten.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)30/22,28 : At te verse by-fore þe mete sal alle be asembild at te borde…Als-suilke sal sho haue þat es fra þe vers eftir þe mete.
- (1434) Invent.Scarborough in Archaeol.5166 : Duo candelabra magna de Cupro stancia coram altare summo et unum vers boke.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1530 : De delinquentibus in ecclesia: If þat on faile in ony thing, In verses or saulms to rede or sing…Grete payn sal þai vnderly.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15147 : Item, one old Antiphonary noted without chapiters, orysons, or lessons, begynnyng with Ecce dies…and endeth with Aducentur regi Virgines…and verses yn ryme of benysons of the fest of Corpus Christi.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)22/3 : If…þou be wery be longe abydyng in diuine seruise, þenke þat for euery verse oure lord wille reward þe in heuen a þousand yere.
d
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)14/18 : Buhed duneward ȝef…ȝe eauer hereð Maries nome inempnet…& ed te leastemeste vers of eauer euch ymne.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)181 : He seide an holi vers…A-latyn i-write…and þe englisch so is þis: ‘Þe faire compaygnie of Martyrs, louerd, herieth þe.’
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)184 : Riȝt ase he hadde þat fers i-seid, as þe boc tellez me, Þe luþere man smot of is heued.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1712 : He ‘Alma redemptoris’ herde synge…And herkned ay the wordes and the note Til he the firste vers koude al by rote.
- (c1438) MKempe B (Add 61823)248/8 : Whan sche cam to chirche, knelyng be-forn þe Sacrament in þe worschep of þe blissyd Trinite…sche seyd þis holy ympne ‘Veni creator spiritus’ wyth alle þe versys longyng þerto.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)25/36 : Þese too men…mad þis ympne whech þe cherch vsith now, cleped Te Deum; Ambrose be-gan þe first vers, and Augustin þe secund.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)p.167 : ‘Nunc dimittis seruum tuum domine,’ etcetera; The psalme songyn every vers, and þer qwyl Symeon pleyth with þe child.
3.
(a) A specific sentence or passage from a prose treatise; any passage in a literary work;
(b) a saying or proverb; also, a legend for a pictorial representation; also, an epitaph; a line of an epitaph.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)92/96 : Feole goodnesses dude Jhesus To his disciples…Summe of hem I wole rehers—Alle, were a long vers.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1052/1 : Heerof beþ vers differente in Grecisme þat meneþ þat seminal humour of bestes hatte semen and greynes of corne þat ben ysowe in þe felde hatte sementis.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1288/27 : Wryters geteþ and wynneþ moche good for þerwiþ [the color yellow] þey lumyneþ and highteþ and makeþ bygynnyng and endyng of sentences and of verses.
- c1450 Add.19046 Treat.Syntax (Add 19046)202/436 : All verbys þat byth conteynyd in thes verses folowyng may governe a datyfe case.
- c1450 Peniarth Accedence(2) (Pen 356B)11/131 : Ille, ipse, iste, hic and is, and viij nounys wt her compnouns þe whiche byn conteyned in þes versus…Vnus et vllus, vter, alius [read: alter], nullus quoque neuter, Totus…alius.
- a1500 Hatton Informacio (Hat 58)113/114 : For al verbis conteyned in þes verseys wyll be construyd wt a genytyff, accusatyff, abla[tyff].
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.227 : Þat vers were unworþy to be iwrete on so worþy a manis tombe…‘Beda þe preost resteþ here i-buried in þe flesch; Crist graunte his soule to be glad in hevene for evere.’
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2801 : A wys man repreueth the auaricious man and seith thus in two vers…‘why burieth a man his goodes by his grete auarice…for deeth is the ende of euery man.’
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)675/13 : A drope…persiþ and þrilleþ þinge þat is wel harde, as þis verse seiþ: ‘Gutta cauat lapidem non vi set sepe cadendo.’
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.270 : Therfor in þe whel of fortune is wrytyn þis vers: ‘Regnabo, regno, regnaui, sum sine regno.’
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)141/17 : Ofte laghynge Puttyth away the reuerence of a prynce; This prouyth Sothe by this wers: ‘Per multum risum potes cognoscere Stultum…By ofte laghynge thow mayste know a fole.’
4.
A row, line.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Kings 7.17 : Eiþer heuyd coueryng of þe pilieris was ȝoten seuene litle nettis of vers [L versuum retiacula] in þe ton heuyd coueryng & seuene litle nettis in þe toþer.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Kings 7.42 : Two vers of powmgarnetis in eche litle nettis…weren vp on þe heuydis of þe pileris.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Par.4.3 : In þe ten cubites maner grauyngis…as with two vers, wente abowte þe brynke of þe se.
5.
In surname.
Associated quotations
- (1276) in Fransson Surn.182 : John le Wers Hewere.
- (1277) in Fransson Surn.182 : John le Wershewere.