Middle English Dictionary Entry
blẹ̄ n.
Entry Info
| Forms | blẹ̄ n. Also bleo, (W) blo, (SE) blye. |
| Etymology | OE blēo, blīo (corresp. to OFris. blī). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Color, hue; bright, wan of ~, vivid, dull in color; (b) brightness, brilliance, luster.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)70.10/1 : Þeos wyrt..byð..read on bleo.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)92/10 : Heo [soul] is unseȝenlic & unlichamlic, buton hefæ & buton bleo.
- a1300 Owl & N.(Jes-O 29)152 : Hweþer..Of brihtur hewe, of fayrur bleo [Clg: blo].
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)79 : Rosis of rede ble.
- a1400 Of thes frer mynours (Cleo B.2)st.2 : Blossemes þat bright are of ble.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)76 : As blwe as ble of Ynde.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)305 : Þe kniȝt..In armes briȝt of ble.
- c1450 Falm.Squire (Cmb Ff.2.38)p.104 : He sawe a tree..Pale hyt was and wanne of blee, Loste hyt had bothe frute and flowre.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)87 : His wedes..bryȝt of hor blee, in blysnande hewes.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)644 : In þat robe of ryche ble.
b
- a1350 Lenten ys come (Hrl 2253)16 : Þe mone mandeþ hire bleo.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1126 : If..uncheryst ho [pearl] worþe, Þat ho blyndes of ble.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)251/259 : I will no more be abasshed For blenke of thy blee.
- a1500 Play Sacr.(Dub 652)82 : I have..baryllis that be bryght of ble.
2.
(a) Skin color, natural complexion; bright, fair of (in, on) ~; blak of ~, pale; (b) facial expression; countenance, face; bright ~, friendly face; chaungen (blenken) ~, grow pale or livid.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1547 : His wif is wel nesche & softe, Of faire bleo.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)66 : Hwer is paris & heleyne þat weren so bryht & feyre on bleo?
- a1300 I syke (Dgb 2)24 : Hi se his bodi colde, his ble waxit alle bloe.
- ?a1300 Maximian (Dgb 86)140 : Helde..chaungeþ al mi ble, Mi miȝte is al aswounde.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)457 : Iobal..was..wal Of merke..& ble.
- a1350 Nou skrynkeþ (Hrl 2253)56 : Þah þou be whyt ant bryth on ble, falewen shule þy floures.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)6106 : An vnement purchast he, þat made his visage out of ble.
- c1390 Ihesu þi swetnes (Vrn)66 : His sydes blo and blodi were Þat sum-tyme were ful briht of ble.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)212 : Her ble more blaȝt þen whallez bon.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)3946 : Bryht of ble He was, & of colour neþir pale ne wan.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)14913 : So fare persones, so bright of ble Þat in merknesse euere schul be.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2573 : Hurre body was..as bryȝt in ble As hit was alyue.
- c1450 As Reson Rywlyde (Lamb 853)105 : Þou beet my barn þat neuere dide synne..Þou madist ful blac þat was briȝt of blee.
- c1450 As y gan wandre (Lamb 853)46 : Now age..makiþ me oold & blac of ble.
- a1500(?c1400) EToulouse (Cmb Ff.2.38)198 : Ther ys none so bryght of blee..Hur rudde ys radder þen þe rosefloure.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)271/425 : Alas, dede!..all blak thou makys his ble.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)22/4 : Hire bleo bigon to blakien for þe grure þet grap hire.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)25 : Ase a launterne anyht hire bleo blykyeþ so bryht.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)1720 : A man of rewly ble.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)99/44 : Ac hwo seȝ euer eny Þat hedde of senne glye..Þat he ne changede hys blye.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3083 : Sore me longes..ȝour briȝt ble to by-hold.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1360 : Wan þat mayde y-hurde hure speke, chaunged was al hure blee.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)6794 : He ȝaff him suche a benedicite, That he fel dede opon the ble.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)67/50 : Alle chaunged þane hir bryghte blyee [Cmb: feyre blee], And scho syghede fulle sore.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4213 : The beryn blenkes for bale and all his ble chaunges, Bot ȝitt he byddys as a bore.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)411 : Hure face to enoine For to bliken of hur ble þe bliþure of chere.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1359 : To Charls come a newe tydynge Þat Blenkede all his blee.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)739 : For Ioye the teres Ranne on ther ble.
3.
(a) Appearance, semblance, guise; condition, manner; (b) character; person.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1978 : Where þat Merlin dede him se In o day in þre ble.
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)3 : Mi fruit I seo in blodi bleo.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)284 : I was born þis nyth in blody ble & nakyd I am.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)169/20 : The knaue childeryn þat be in all israel countre, thei xul haue blody ble.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)16/21 : Beo þi nome iblesced, alre bleo brihtest.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)24/27 : Brihtest bleo of alle þet eauer weren iborene, blostme iblowen!
- a1250 Wooing Lord (Tit D.18)269 : Þu [Christ] art swa schene..þat te sunne were dosk, ȝif hit to þi blisfule bleo mihte beo euenet.
- a1350 Mayden moder (Hrl 2253)11 : Þou art feyr ant fre e plein de doucour; of þe sprong þe ble, ly souerein creatour.