Middle English Dictionary Entry
wāne n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | wāne n.(1) Also wā̆n, wōn(e, (N) wain & (?errors) weone, whan. |
| Etymology | OE wana, wona n. & wan, won n.; sense 3. may have been influenced by ME wānen v. It is occas. difficult to distinguish this word semantically from wāne n.(2). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The state or condition of penury, deprivation, neediness, etc., want; also, famine, dearth;
(b) the absence or lack (of sth.); a deficiency or shortage (of sth.); water ~, a shortage or lack of water; ben on ~ of his hele, to lack curability, fail to heal.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)26/409 : Tah þu wone hefdest oðer drehdest eani derf for his deorewurðe luue…þe [Tit: He] hit þoleð to fondi þe hweðer þu beo treowe.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)126/879 : Aflei from ham alle uuel—weorre ant weone [Tit: wone] baðe, ant untidi wederes.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)62/28 : Drinc wið him bliðeliche al þet ti flesch þuncheð sur oðer bitter, þet is, pine & wone ant alle meoseises.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)85/18 : God hit wot, moni oðer wot lutel of þisse eise, auh beoð ful ofte i derued mid wone & mid scheome & mid teone.
- a1250 Lofsong Louerde (Nero A.14)213 : Louerd, ich bi-seche ðe…ne ȝif þu me nouðer to muchel ne to lutel…hold up min heawed ðet ich þurh to muche wone ne falle i fulðe of sunne.
- a1300 PMor.(McC 123)315 : Mai non hunger ne no wane beo in godesriche.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)5387 : Faute of breed þat ilke tide was ouer al þe world so wide, But in no londe so mychel wan As in egipte and canaan.
b
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)22/20 : Ða hit ða wæs embe ðone timæ þæt mon beames up don sceolde, ða wæs ðam wurhtan ðe ðæt weorc wrohtæn wone anes beames & heo ne mihten on all his kinerice finden nænne ðe ðærto mihte.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)29 : On enelpi luttele hwile mon mei underfon ane wunde on his licome þet ne mei beon longe hwile hal, And oðer hwile hit is on wane of his hele.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)145 : Þer scal beon [in heaven]…defectio omnis mali…wone of alle uuele.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)372 : He is aches godes ful, nis him no wiht uten; Nones godes hem nis wane þe wunieð him abuten.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)37/10 : Þe treowe is ofte mistrowet & te saclese bilohen, as iosep i Genesy of þe gale leafdi for wone [Pep: defaut] of witnesse.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)317 : Þou ssalt haue þer hunger & hete, Wone of alle gode, of drinken & of mete.
- a1350 Weping haueþ (Hrl 2253)2 : Weping haueþ myn wonges wet for wikked werk ant wone of wyt.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3122 : Þer was venisoun of hert and bors…Of fesaunce, pertris and of crane Þer was plente and no wane.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)6389 : Þar þai had mekil watir wan [Vsp: Want of water was in þat land]; Moyses of þe hard stan He smat wid his forsaid wand.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)35/13 : He þat wol not come for my callyng whan [vrr. wane; defaute] of al þat hem myȝt like for euere I hem bihete.
2.
(a) The absence or lack of some essential element of something, imperfection; also, the omission of an essential part of something;
(b) lack of conformity to a law or legal requirement, transgression, fault;
(c) with diminished force, in phrase: withouten ani ~, ?without exception, unfailingly.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)9/254 : Þe wordes of cristnyng…scholle be ised Wiþe-oute wane and eche.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.5369 : Bot now to speke of thilke suete, Whos beaute was withoute wane, This faire Maiden Adriane.
b
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)229,233 : God ne wrouhte neuer þat þing Þat out [?read: mihte] les þorw his wonyng, For nis no wone on him ilong, Ȝif synne nere so hard and strong…sunne and wone al is on.
c
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1356 : Þe cherch vseth withouten ony woon That in wollen men schul here penauns doo.
3.
(a) Decrease in size, diminution; also [quot. a1449], the waning of the moon;—used fig.; in ~, on the decrease in power, virtue, etc.; to ~, ?to the detriment (of sb. or his mind);
(b) with ref. to the sea: ?decrease of depth at the margins; ?bounds, limits.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1430 : Euer stod þai [three wands] still in an, Wit-outen wax, wit-outen wain [Trin-C: woone].
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)3584 : Quen alle wittes ys him gane, þen ys alle his wille in wane.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)573 : Whilom in plente and now al in grevaunce! Allas, my fulle is derkyd in-to wane.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)346 : I tempte ay-whan; I marre hys myndys to þer wan…Many a holy man wyth me ys mosyde.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.591 : Thilke See which hath no wane Is cleped the gret Occeane.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1590 : Alisaundre hij despisen..Gates hij shetteþ and barbecane--Hij manneþ hem wel, wiþouten wane.
Note: KAlex. 1590 should have been kept here, for use in sense 1. or 2. (note glossary in this edition). It doesn't fit in wone n.(1), where it was sent in conjunction with Lin-I's reading wayne (which is now in wone n.(3), sense 3.(c)).--per REL
Note: "Without wane" here means "quickly, without delay."--per MLL