Middle English Dictionary Entry
wēven v.(2)
Entry Info
Forms | wēven v.(2) Also weve, wefe & wẹ̄ve; p. weved(e, etc. & weft, (NWM) waft(e, (early) wefde; ppl. i)weved, veved, (early SW or SWM) weaved, weavet, weaven. |
Etymology | Origin uncertain: perh. ult. from same OE source as wēven v.(1) or from OE -wǣfan (as in bewǣfan, ymbwǣfan). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. waven v., weiven v.(1) & (2).
1.
(a) To move or go from one place to another; travel, wander; also fig.;
(b) to move to and fro; flutter, waver; also, turn aside; ~ aside;
(c) to fall; ~ of;
(d) to cut deeply.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)85 : Ðenne þe iuele gost fared ut of þe manne and weueð wide and wandreð ouer al fro drige stede to oder sechende reste.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)283/199 : Þe feond Answerede…‘þes frere cam ȝursterday to toune and dronk with-oute leue; Ase a luyte mot þare-Inne ich lay and bi-gan with-inne him weue, For he ne blessede nouȝt is drinke.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2053 : Þis kniȝtes in grete wrathþe þo wenden heom forth…with axes and with oþere armes mo…Into þe cloistre of Caunterburi with grete noyse heo comen weue [Corp-C: hi gonne weue].
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)505 : He hupte out of þat schip, and amidde þe se he gan weue [Corp-C: orn him faste uppon þis water].
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1475 : Claudius þe emperour nolde noȝt ȝut bileue Ȝef he com mid is ost in to þis lond weue.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)318 : Þou wylnez ouer þys water to weue.
b
- a1350 Opon a somer (LdMisc 108)34 : Als I sat beside I say…A wifman wiþ a wonder whel weue with þe wynde & wond.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4368 : To cold coles sche schal be brent ȝit or come eve; and þe aschis of hire body with þe wind weve.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24839 : Þe weder…Son bigan to rug and reth, þat ilk wau til oþer weft, And bremli to þo barges beft.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)422 : Whederwarde so þe water wafte, hit rebounde; Ofte hit roled on rounde and rered on ende.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)554 : Roulond on the holme he smote…ȝyf the swerde ne hadde y-weuyd, Rouland hys lyf ther hadde leuyd.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)3654 : He hovis and heyes vp his lavnce; Wyth the wynd wevys þe conisaunce.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)389 : Kynge Ban…smote at Claudas to hitte hym…he saugh the stroke come and wevyd a-side.
c
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)14000 : Ich ig[rap] my gode sweord…and smot of Modred his hefd, þat hit wefde a felde.
- c1330 KTars (Auch)61/1193 : He priked after him…& smot him so aboue þe scheld Þat helme & heued fleyȝe in þe feld; Ful wiȝtlike of it weued [rime: bileued].
d
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)545 : He hitt hym a-bown appon þe heuede Þat to þe scholdire þe swerde wefede.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)564 : My suerde kan schere & in to þe erthe it weuede.
2.
(a) To cause (sb. or sth.) to move; turn (a wheel); also, brandish (a weapon); ~ abouten (awei);
(b) to change the position of (a gate); ~ open, open (a window); ~ up, raise (a gate, a window);
(c) to blow (sth.) away, waft; also fig.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) St.Patr.Purg.(1) (Auch)p.102 : He cleped to our driȝt; Anon þe fer oway was weued; cole no spark þer nas bileued þurch grace of god almiȝt.
- a1350 Opon a somer (LdMisc 108)69 : Sitte I sey as my sicȝthe sente a be-gyngge gome gameliche gay, Bryȝt as þe blostme…on þe whel þat þe wyȝth weuede in þe wey.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)976 : I anendez þe on þis syde Schal sve, tyl þou to a hil be veued.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)505 : Þo was Lybeaus agreued…Hys brond abowte he weuede; All þat he hyt he cleuede.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9482 : Þa cnihtes…wefden [Otho: wefde] up þa castles ȝæte.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2978 : Þat comli ladi cayres to hire chaumber, and weved up a window.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)6.89 : Biddiþ amende ȝow meke hym to his maister ones To weue out þe wyket þat he withshette.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)453 : Þenne wafte he upon his wyndowe, and wysed þeroute A message fro þat meyny hem moldez to seche.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)857 : He went forthe at þe wyket and waft hit hym after.
c
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)78/11 : Ȝef ei deð eani god, ne drahe ha hit nawt utward, ne ȝelpe nawiht þrof, for wið a lutel puf, wið a wordes wind, hit mei beon al-to weauet [Nero: weaued; Tit: weauen].
- c1400 Wit & W.(Cmb Res.b.162)f/4 : Lete þe weder and þe winde weue ham of erthe.
3.
To sever (a head or a helmet from the body); ppl. weved, severed from the body.
Associated quotations
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5698 : Of mani þai hadde helme and heued Sone fro þe bodi weued.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) John Bapt.(Phys-E)p.40 : Gif me in a disce weued Sain Ion the baptist heued.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)3777 : Wiþ his sweord he wolde his heued Fro þe body haue y weued.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)3809 : Mony hed Was sone fro þe body weued.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)3020 : Þere was many gentyl heued Quykly ffro þe body weued.
4.
(a) To yield [quot. a1400(c1300)]; give up (sth.); also, give (sth., deference to sb.);
(b) to eschew (sth.), avoid.
Associated quotations
a
- 1370-2 I am by-wylt (ShropRRC Deed 16329)30 : To wynne penyes, he weueth mo þen a pound!
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) John Bapt.(Phys-E)p.40 : Thurt him noht haf tint his heued, Yef he als red wald haf weuid, Yef he hauid noht snibbed the king Bot loued his dedes wit glothering, Than moht he haf gan quit away.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1976 : Þe lorde Gawayn con þonk; Such worchip he wolde hym weue.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2359 : Hit is my wede þat þou werez…Myn owen wyf hit þe weued, I wot wel forsoþe.
b
- c1415 Chaucer CT.WB.(Lnsd 851)D.1176 : Than am I gentil whan þat I be-ginn To leuen vertuously and weuen [vr. avoyde] sinne.
- a1450 Who þat liste loke (Stw 951)49/382 : The conscience schuld weye al in balance, That when he of his fool delyte hath syght To haue remors & weue al such foul chance.
5.
To weigh (sb.) down, afflict, trouble.
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)922 : Auntrose is þin evel; ful wonderliche it þe weves, wel I wot þe soþe.
6.
To beckon; signal (sb.), flag down.
Associated quotations
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.122 : Hir ald fader bird hir lefe And on hir lemman clep and wefe.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1914 : He loked besyde, and sawe houe A knyght that weued hym with a gloue.