Middle English Dictionary Entry
whīlom adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | whīlom adv. Also whilome, whilum, whileme, whilon, whilen(e, quilum, quhilum, qhilom & (early) wilen, hwilum, hwilon, hwilen, hwilan, (SW) ȝw(u)ilene, (K) wilem, hwilem & (errors) wholom, hylum. |
| Etymology | OE hwīlum, hwīlon, hwīlan. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) At one time, formerly, once; also, in narrative contexts: once upon a time; ~ er [OE hwīlum ǣr], some while before or ago; formerly; previously; ~ (of er)…nou, formerly…now; ~ whanne, in the past, formerly;
(b) at times, sometimes; also, frequently [quot. a1450]; ~…(and) ~, ~…~ (…and ~, sometimes…sometimes (…other times, etc.; ~…other-while, whil-tiden (som-time, um-while)…~; etc., sometimes…other times; (c) at a future time, at some time to come; ~ sone.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.963 : Se biscop…sætte þær munecas Gode to þewian þær hwilon wæron nun.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)47/2 : Mænn þa leofeste, hwilon ær we gerehten eow þone pistol þe se halge Jeronimus sette beo forðsiðe þære eadigen Marien.
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)31/151 : Symeon hire hwilen ær gewitegode, ‘his slege þurheode hire sawle.’
- c1175(OE) Bod.Hom.Evang.(Bod 343)16/8 : Sum haliȝ biscop wæs ihaten Gregorius…bi þam ic sæde hwilon ær on sume oðrum spelle.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)24/27 : Fela wundra iwrohte weron þurh ðæt haliȝ treow; Hit ilamp hwilon þet ðerto eoden hundtentiȝe iudeiscræ monnæ ant þet treow nimæn wolden.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4868 : He seȝȝde himm sellf whilumm Þurrh hiss prophetess tunge: ‘Icc amm an wurrm & nohht nan mann.’
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)47 : Wilen þu were vild and tait, nu þu ful more dreden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14288 : Þa wes hit iwurðen þat Merlin seide whilen.
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)215/38 : Hi offrede Stor, þet me offrede wylem be þo ialde laghe to here godes sacrefise.
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)218/1 : Ure lord…hwylem in one stede and ine one time flesliche makede of watere wyn.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)573 : A Giv þare cam to Rome ȝwilene þat ne miȝte herebeorewe non i-winne.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)36 : Þat is al o bischopriche þat of lincolne nouþe is, Þat ȝwuylene was of deorkcestre.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1171 : Ðat sister wore sarra his wif; Quilum of er wharraon hire toc, Nu takeð abimalech hire oc.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2205 : Wrigtful we in sorwe ben, For we sinigeden quilum or On hure broðer.
- c1350 Cum maker (Bod 425)25 : Whilum ful mani a haleghed brest With þi hape þou fild and fest.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3557 : Allas fortune, she that whilom was Dredeful to kynges…Now gaureth al the peple on hire.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3187 : Heere bigynneth the millere his tale: Whilom ther was dwellyng in Oxenford A riche gnof that gestes held to bord.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)110 : Whilene [A: Al þis was ȝwile icluped þe march of walis].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.81 : William…þe toun wan of Terwenne, the castelle of Malbis; His auncestrie whilom when [F jadis] left it þorgh folis.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.272 : Sir Gilberd Umfreyvile wholom was [F avaunt fu demoré] with þe kyng.
- a1425 NPass.(Cmb Gg.5.31)73/704 : Certys…þis ilke ys þow þat whylome went with ihesu.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3571 : Men caldit Kaer-legion…Whylon Romayns had þis lond In þer demeynes.
- c1450(?a1370) Winner & W.(Add 31042)20 : Whylome were lordes in londe þat loued in thaire hertis To here makers of myrthes.
- ?a1475 Banester Guiscardo (Add 12524)1 : Qhylom ther was ane hyght and myghty prince—In Salern tawker þei clepyd hys name—Which that honorably gydyd hys province.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.107 : The effectis of my bemes schene Has thaire aspectis by ordynance eterne…Quhilum in thingis bothe to cum and gone.
- 1532(?a1400) RRose (Thynne)7452 : He that whilome was so gaye…Was tho become a Iacobyn.
b
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)32/9 : On manegan gemeten geneosað se Ælmihtiga God manna sawlen, hwiltiden mid lare, hwilen mid wundren, hwilon mid untrumnysse.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)118/25 : He eode gelomen on winterlice cele to þære ea, & stod on his gebeden on þan wætere hwilen to his gyrdle, hwilen to his sweora.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)13/18,19 : Ðæt sar becymþ on ða eaȝen mid mycelre hætan; hwilum hit cymð on mid wæten…hwilum buton ælce sore…and hwilum of þan flewsan, þe of þan eaȝean yrnaþ.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)31/13-14 : Hwilan he blod hræcþ and hylum [read: hwylum] mid blode ȝemenged, and hwile he riþaþ.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)38/13 : Mon steoræn sceal his aȝene childum…hwilon mid wordum, hwilon mid swingelum.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)94/16-17 : Hwylon heo bisoreȝæð hire lichames sarnesse, hwilon heo glædeþ on gode limpum, hwilon heo þenchæþ þa ðing ðe heo ær cuðe, hwilon heo wyle witan þa ðing þe heo ær ne cuðe.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1788 : Whilum þei went on alle four…and whan þei wery were, þei went upriȝttes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)73 : Þof i quilum haf ben untrew, Hyr luue is ay ilik new.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.27 : Sche whilom to somme is fauourable And to somme fals and deceyvable.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5350 : Love…is faire and now obscure…And whilom dymme and whilom clere.
- a1425 Cursor (Glb E.9)27767 : Sum-tyme [Vsp: vmquile] a man waxes so wode For tynsyll of þis werldly gude þat he ogaynes god will striue And whilum lose his awin lyue.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1145 : Vntenderly fro þe toppe þai tiltin togederz Whilom Arthure ouer and oþerwhile vndyre.
- a1450 Dial.Bern.& V.(2) (Cmb Dd.1.1)713 : I swownid often and whilome [Vrn: ilome]; Of weping koude I neuere blynne.
- 1532(?a1400) RRose (Thynne)2398 : Thou shalte no whyle be in o state, But whylom colde and whilom hate.
c
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)7/15 : Ne scealt þu æt manega mannen heora god habben, bute þu muge hwilen heora yfel geðafigen, for þan þe nan þing nis full god bute God ane.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)17732 : Quilum sal þis ilk barn Be to sum men in uprising, Til oþer sum in dun falling.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25166 : Þar es resun qui vr bon Es noght granted us quilum [Frf: sum time] sun.
2.
As subordinating conj. introducing an adv. clause: while.
Associated quotations
- a1500 Parl.3 Ages (Add 33994)256 : Þey…chese me to þe chese þat chefe arn of þe game And thus my lyf lede whileme [Add 31042: while] I am here.