Middle English Dictionary Entry
wāne n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | wāne n.(2) Also wan, won(e & (early, chiefly SWM) weane, wæn(e, wæine, wen(e & (error) gane; pl. (early) weanen, wænen. |
| Etymology | Prob. from OE wēan(a or weān(a, oblique cases of wēa; also cp. OE wāwan, oblique case of wāwa. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish this word semantically from wāne n.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. we n., wo n., woue n.
1.
(a) A woeful or miserable state, misfortune, adversity; also, an undesirable thing, an affliction, a tribulation; also, destruction; ~ sith, wretchedness; an adversity; ~ slaughtes, unfortunate killings, much carnage; ~ and wo (wrak), wo (woue) and ~;
(b) a feeling of sorrow, distress, misery, or anxiety.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Elucid.(Vsp D.14)142/39 : Eadige byð þa þa habbeð on þyssen wurlde mycelne wane & ermðe…for þurh swylcere swingle heo byð gelaðede to Godes rice.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)124/23 : Drihten mid þam heofenlice weredo…þisne middæneard sæcð to weane & to wrace synfulle monnum.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)151 : Eure he walde her inne wawe and ine wene [Trin-C: in wo and in wane] wunien.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)373 : Þar is wele abuten wane [Eg(2): gane], and reste abuten swunche.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)28/447 : Þah þu hefdest alle weole, he went hit te to weane.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)71/768 : Þe eadi iuliene wende þurh pinen from worldliche weanen to heoueriches wunnen.
- a1250(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Tit D.18)62/789 : Al þe weane & te wa wente up o þe unstrenðe of þet underue flesch þet he noðeles nam wið al ure nowcin bute sunne ane up on him seoluen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)53 : Þa scipen foren wide…mid wolcnen & mid wedere heo þoleden wen-siðes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1542 : Ich wlle delen mine riche & þu scalt worðen warchen, & wonien in wansiðe [Otho: wowe].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1717 : Þer ich wulle wunie and þolie þeos wænen ane lutele stunde for ne libbe ich no-wiht longe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3219 : Þe king hit harde seggen and særi wes an hurten; þiðerward wende þe king him-seolue to wæine [Otho: harme].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4686 : He & his cnihtes…tuo Winchestre wenden; wæne com on ueste; heo wende to soðe, þat heo siker weoren.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4747 : Faren wit swullen to-somne, & mid fehten hit to-dælen; makien wæn-slæhtes.
- ?a1300 Fiftene toknen (Dgb 86)118 : Louerd þou ous lete to heuene come…Ne let þou ous no leng þi pine ise; In wan we habbeþ longe ibe.
- 1372 Als i lay vp-on (Adv 18.7.21)119 : Þe sarpe swerde of simeon Perse sal þin herte; For my care of michil won Sore þe sal smerte.
- c1390 KTars (Vrn)35/66 : Jesus þat dyȝed on þe treo, Let me neuere þat day iseo, A tiraunt for to take…Arst ȝif him wan [Auch: tene] and wrake!
- c1450 LChart.Chr.A (BodAdd C.280)23/48 : Harde gatys he hauyt gone In hungure & thryst & many wone.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)60/8 : Ich habbe ispeken of…godes froure, hu he þurh hise froureð ow as ofte as ȝe in ower [Nero: in ouwer wittes] feleð eani weane.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1102 : Al his folc he losede þer…him-seolf mid wæne ferde into ane watere.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of god (Hrl 913)75 : His liuelod he most swink sore; Wiþ sorow and care and dreri won He liued ix c ȝer.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.419 : Kyng Fortigern sat on Þe water side, and was wel ful of woon [L Vortiger sedit anxius].
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2518 : None lay by hemself a-lone, But eche on oþer, with sorowe and wone.
- a1475(c1441) Lament Duch.Glo.(Cmb Hh.4.12)7 : I am left my-self alone; And all my frendys fro me thei flee; Alas, I am full well of wone.