Middle English Dictionary Entry
vocātī̆f adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | vocātī̆f adj. Also vocative, wocatife; pl. vocatives. |
| Etymology | OF vocatif adj. & L vocātīvus adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Gram. in phrases: (a) ~ cas, the case denoting address or invocation, vocative case;
(b) verbes vocatives, verbs of designating, naming, or calling.
Associated quotations
a
- c1414 Lin-C.Informacio (Lin-C 88)105/2 : In how mone maners shal þu begynne to make a Latyn an to constru? In foure…First be a vocatif case.
- (c1434) Drury Comparacio (CmbAdd 2830)73/140 : Wt what case xal þe comparatif degre be construid wt because of his degre…Wt a vocatif case, quam aduerbe comyng betwyn, vt: O Iohannes melior quam pulcher, grossior quam alte, tu es amabilis vel amandus.
- c1450 Peniarth Accedence(2) (Pen 356B)11/97 : How many pronovnys haue þe uocatyf case and how many lackyn?
- c1450 Trin-C.Accedence (Trin-C O.5.4)35/152 : How knowest the vocatyf case? Whenne me clepyth or callyth, as ‘Wylyam come hydyr,’ Willelme veni huc.
- a1500 Douce Accedence (Dc 103)57/70 : How knowyst the wocatyfe [Peniarth Accedence(1) 2/70: vocatiue] case? For he clepyth or callyth or spekyth to.
b
- c1414 Lin-C.Informacio (Lin-C 88)106/52 : Qwat maner verbes out-taken verbes substantiues an verbes vocatiues haue strength to coupul like case?
- a1475 Peniarth Informacio(1) (Pen 356B)94/80 : What maner of verbis haue strenght to cowpull lyke case? Verbys substantyves, uerbes vocatyves, and uerbys hauyng…strenght.
- a1500 Hatton Informacio (Hat 58)112/74 : ‘How many verbis vocatiuis be þer?’ ‘v…Nominor…appellor…nuncupor…vocor…and dicor.’
2.
With play on sense 1.(a): (a) of women’s eyes: provocative, inviting;
(b) ~ cas, those who are called or summoned.
Associated quotations
a
- c1500 PFulham (Rwl C.86)365 : God saue such foules euerichon…That…can shew theire goodly cherys To knowen folke that ben datyff…They haue their iȝen vocatif.
b
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)418 : After the maner of vj cases are vj maner of prides…The fyfte is the vocatyf case, and arne they that are prowde that they are Called to the kynges cownsayle as grete men and othere; but…ye haue sene that some han ben Called to the kynges cownsayle after they han ben drawen and dampned to an Euyll dethe.