Middle English Dictionary Entry
wẹ̄st(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | wẹ̄st(e adj. Also (Orm.) wesste & (error) þeste. |
| Etymology | OE wēste |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Desolate, deserted, uninhabited; ~ lond, barren land, wasteland, wilderness; maken ~, to lay waste (a land).
Associated quotations
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)130/5 : Sohte þa weste stowe geond eall þiss land on to wunigene.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1417 : All forrþi wass heoffness ærd Swa summ itt wesste wære.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)9239 : Sannt Johan i wessteland Wass wurrþenn cuþ þatt time.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11429 : All swa summ wessteland iss all Forrworrpenn & forrlætenn.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)127 : He nolde noht folgen here forbisne ne on speche ne on dede, and þerfore ferde into weste wilderne.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)161 : Hie was fet of weste wunienge þar he funden was, scilicet in terra deserta in loco…uaste solitudinis, Ðat is to seien on weste londe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)564 : Vtlaȝen hefden i-ræued þat lond & alle þa leoden of-slaȝen, & swa hit wes al west.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)570 : To-hælde weoren þe walles, weste [Otho: afalle] weren hallen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5282 : Al þat lond heo makeden west.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1528 : Þe were…haueþ at tom his riȝte spuse, Þoþes þeste [Jes-O: Wowes west] & lere huse.
- ?a1300 Maximian (Dgb 86)211 : Þis world me þinkeþ west; Deþ ich wilni mest.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)562 : Leogice heþte þat lond; men neore þar none ne wepmen ne wimmen bote weste [Clg: westiȝe] paþes.
- a1325 SLeg.Patr.(Corp-C 145)230 : Hy drowe him wel harde aȝen þe gronde…Swuþe ver him þoȝte & longe aboute al in a west londe.