Middle English Dictionary Entry
vī̆siǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | vī̆siǒun n. Also visioune, vision(e, viseoun, vicioun, wision, (N) visiun, vission & (?errors) visysyon, visycion, visoun. |
| Etymology | OF visïon, vison, vission, AF visiun & L vīsio, -iōnis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. avisioun n.
1.
A visual perception (of sth.), a sight; also used of the beatific vision [2nd quot.].
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 Chauliac(1) (NY 12:Wallner)1.120/1 : Þe entrelez letteþ þe vision of þe anathomie of oþer membrez.
- a1440 Thrn.Prayer Christ (Thrn)87 : Graunte vs…euer to se þe cherefull visione of thi faire face.
2.
A supernatural manifestation, a vision:
(a) experienced by a waking person, esp. as a divine revelation, theophany, etc.; also, a delusion, phantasm, hallucination; also, the state in which a vision is received, rapture, a trance [quots. a1425 Vision St.John & a1500(c1340)]; that which has been revealed in a vision [quots. 1st & a1450 Yk.Pl.];
(b) experienced by a sleeping person, esp. as a symbolic, prophetic, or monitory dream.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.17.9 : Jhesus comaundide hem, seyinge, ‘Saie ȝe to no man the visioun til mannes sone ryse aȝein fro dead.’
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.113 : Þat ȝere byfel þe secounde siȝt and visioun of Daniel, of þe aungel þat delyuerede þe children out of þe ouene.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)45/10 : I siȝ horsis in visioun.
- a1425 MChristi (Arun 286)62/1692 : An holy man…on a tyme sawe a visysyon [?read: visyon] þat a lady apered to hym.
- a1425 Vision St.John (Add 37787)5 : Beyng in hys vysyon he saw & herde where sche spake to her dere sone.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)118/17 : Þe lijf of ypocrites is but as a fraudelous vision and as a fantesie ymagened.
- a1450(a1401) Chastising GC (Bod 505)169/13 : Þer bien þre principal kyndes of visions: Þe firste is clepid a corporal vision wiþ bodili iȝe, whanne any bodili þing bi þe ȝift of god is shewid to a mans bodili siȝt whiche oþer men seen nat…as…balthasar…sai an hand writyng on þe wal.
- a1450(a1401) Chastising GC (Bod 505)171/15 : Þe [read: In þe] þridde vision, þat is clepid intellectual, þe soule seeþ þo þinges þat bien no bodies.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)192/233 : Þis visioun lely loke ȝe layne…Tille tyme mannys sone haue…resen fro dede.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)59/43 : A vysion of þis fful veryly I, Ezechiel, haue had.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)877 : Tytiuillus, þat goth invisibele, hyng hys nett before my eye And by hys fantasticall visionys sediciusly sowght To New Gyse, Nowadayis, Nowght causyd me to obey.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)88.19 : Thou spak in vysyon til thi halighis…that is, in pryue reuelacioun til prophetis.
- a1500(c1400) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)121 : Erkenwolde…hade nattyd his houres To biseche his souerayn…To vouche safe to reuele hym hit by a visoun [?read: visioun].
- a1500 Siege Jerus.(2) (Brog 2.1)72/80 : Jude…stod vpe on wyȝtsonday…þer come iiij wyndys…as hyme semyd in his wision.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)184 : Þo þouȝte him in a wision þat i-saiȝ a gret treo…Þo þis holie man a-wok, on þis sweuene he þouȝte longue.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)224 : Boþe þe luþere and þe guode…to men in hore slepe comieth, ase In a visioun.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.7410 : I lay me doun To slepe, and in a visioun To me the god Mercurie cam.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.372 : In hir sleep…she hadde a visioun [vr. visione].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4454 : Als þai lai in þat prisun A-naght þam mete a visiun.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)4135 : Als he lay opon a nyght In a dreme, þan thoght him right Þat he was warned in visiowne, His fader and moder was in þe town.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)107/13 : Þe nyghte afore þat he was slayn, þer come to his wijf in a vision þat þe nexte day þat Hector wente to þe bataille…he shoulde þere be slayne.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)18.130 : Thanne A-wook this kyng Anon And Remembred him of these viciouns Echon.
- ?c1450 Chaucer HF (Pep 2006)513 : At þe first shall ye here So sely and dredfull a vision That ne Cipion Ne kynge nabugodonosor…Ne metten suche a drem.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)655 : I drempt Mercy was hange; þis was my vysyon.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)75/13 : Gryffyn…was ful thoghtful of the vysion [vr. visycion] that he saw.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)1621 : Morpheus…hath the ledde aboute in vysyon.
3.
The narrative account of a supernatural vision or divine revelation; also, a book or section of the Bible relating a prophetic vision, a prophecy.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.30.1 : Þe viseoun [WB(2): prophesie] þat a man spac, with whiche is god, [etc.].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.1.1 : Þe viseoun [WB(2): visioun ether profesie] of ysaie sone of amos…‘heereþ, ȝe heuenes, & with eris parceyue, þou erþe, [etc.].’
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.65 : I wote wele Criste it wild, þat Edwardes wille wer wrouht, Who so lokes his life & redis his vision, What vengeance ordeynd was on Inglond to be don.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)6/69 : Aftir þis he comeþ to his tellinge wherof he makiþ þis book, þat is departid into seuene visiouns, so þat ech bi itsilf may oonli be toold and vndirstonden.
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)46/28 : Ȝe that hyerys and sees this vision and this techynge…it is goddys wille…that ȝe take it with…grete ioye.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)2106 : Ihesu…All that to thys vysion haue yovyn her audyence, Graunt eternall ioy.
4.
Associated quotations
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)58/71 : Isaak, þi sone…To þe lande of Vyssyon [Vulg. Gen 22.2: terram visionis] wende in feere, And there of hym þou make offering.
5.
?A face [cp. vis n.(2) & visage n.]; ?an image, a representation; ?the representation of a supernatural manifestation.
Associated quotations
- (1474) *Will Jacob (Somerset Ho.)[OD col.] : To be buryed…afor the vision of S. Gregory.