Middle English Dictionary Entry
welcǒmen v.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | welcǒmen v.(2) P.ppl. welcǒmen, wellecǒmmen. |
| Etymology | From wel adv. & cǒmen v., prob. modeled on OF bienvenir or ML benevenīre; also cp. ME welcǒm(e adj., & for sense (b) cp. OI vel-kommin ppl. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To be welcome;—also refl.;
(b) ppl. welcomen, gladly received, welcome; also, opportunely arrived.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1230 : Wel comeþ boþe. Now ȝe haue yfounden me, Þat ȝou was hoten forto sle.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)42.278,280 : Ful lowde to hem they gonne to Crye, and seide ‘welcometh [F bien viegnent-il]’ Al An hye…‘Welcometh,’ quod Iosephes ful Sekerlye.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)217/6463 : Nys hit resoun, ne say ye ‘no, nay, nay’; Ye wol welcome yow where as ye shulde be.
b
- ?a1300(a1250) Harrow.H.(Dgb 86)149 : Ful longe haueþ ous þout after þe; fful welcomen art þou ous, Þou bring ous out of þis loþe hous.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)6.114 : Hose is sib to þis sustren…Is wonderliche wel-comen and feire vnderfonge.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.409 : If thei wasche theire feete, thei thenke that thei be welle commen [L bene venerint].