Middle English Dictionary Entry
vīs n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | vīs n.(2) Also vise, vice, vese, fice, (N) wis. |
| Etymology | OF vis, viz face, sight; for sense 2. also cp. L vīsus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The face of a human or an anthropomorphic being, countenance; ayen his ~, facing him; biholden in (the) ~, to fix one’s gaze on the face of (sb.), look (sb.) in the face;
(b) sheuen (turnen) the ~, turnen his ~, to show (sb.) one’s face in battle, turn to meet (sb.) in combat, face belligerently; also, of an image: turn its face (toward a foe) menacingly [quot. c1425].
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)744 : Þou hast fair fot and hond And gentil viis.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)1035 : Haþerof in to halle ȝode, For to bihald þat frely fode, Ful wele he knewe his viis.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12505 : Þou tak and bere til him þi hode, And on his wijs [Göt: face] þou sal it lai.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)267 : Why bihelde þou me so Now toforne in Þe vys [LinI: in vis]?
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5944 : An eiȝe he [monster] had in his vijs, And a foot and nomoo, jwys.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)254 : That juel þenne in gemmez gente Vered vp her vyse wyth yȝen graye.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)7733 : His vice was red as any fir.
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Mel.(Petw 7)B.2899 : By þe soriful vese [Elsm: visage] of a man, þat is to sayn by sory and heuy countenaunce of a man, þe foole correcteþ…him self.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3747 : Hys body was gent, & fair of vis.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)9284 : Þer set þe barons of pris, þe Erl of Cornewaille ageyn his vys.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)98.97 (v.2:p.123) : Thurch mekenesse of hert, declynyng the vice of veyn arrogaunce vndir the face of an vntaught ydiot, he longe hyd the light of grete grace.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)200/1530j : She rent her vice and tare her here, And often she cleped her-self caytyf.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)19 : For loue of hys fayr vyys [Lamb: ffyce], Hys modyr clepede hym Bewfys.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)10890 : In al a man ne lys So semely a lyme as is a fair vys.
b
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.104 : Vnto þe se side chaced þei Sir Lowys, He durst not abide, no turne Thebald his vis.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.308 : Kyng Edward…samned his oste…Þe Scottis…schewed him þe vis.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)11188 : The ymage was maked at de-vyce: To hem of Grece he turned his vyce As he hadde stonden hem thretand.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)10933 : Often he turnde Ohel þe vys & often of hym wan þe pris, & often a-geyn hym he les.
2.
Sight, view; haven the ~ of, to have the sight of (the object of one’s love), see, perceive; also fig.; haven in ~, keep (virtues) in view, contemplate, hold in mind.
Associated quotations
- c1440 Hilton ML (Thrn)35/28-31 : If a mane lufe anoþer whilke es absent, he desyris gretly his presence for to hafe þe vys of his lufe and his likyng; Righte so gostely, als lang als we erre in þis life, oure Lorde es absent fra vs þat we may noþer se Hym ne here Hym ne fele Hym als He es, and þare-fore we may noghte hafe þe vis of His lufe here in fulfilling.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)66 : Thys worlde þow moste despyse And holy vertues haue in vyse.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)34/155a : Coclea…scala: the vyse of a towre.