Middle English Dictionary Entry
blīve adv.
Entry Info
Forms | blīve adv. Also blif(e, bilive, be-, bleve, bleive, bileve, belef. |
Etymology | From phr. bi līve. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. bilives.
1.
(a) Actively, vigorously; of flowing: freely, copiously; as ~, actively, busily; (b) ?willingly, eagerly, gladly; alderblivest, most readily or willingly [see alder-].
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)17943 : He fullhtneþþ nu bilife & alle turrnenn nu till himm.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4191 : Þe wille sullen ore ferden fæhten biliue.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.King (LdMisc 108)56 : Euere he stod ase him no rouȝte and cride on god wel bliue.
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(Hrl 2277)301 : Of hire tumbe þer vrneþ ȝut holi oylle wel blyue [vr. liue].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7508 : I laid hand on þaim be-liue [Göt: bliue].
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.174 : Therafter wolde he werken also blyve, Theigh al the world ayeyn it wolde stryve.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1355 : That men moost..to and fro ek ride and gon as blyve Alday as thikke as been fleen from an hyve.
- c1450 Lychefelde Comp.G.(Lamb 853)376 : Þe world biddiþ me bataile blijf.
b
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)4 : Martha him bed þer-to [the feast] wel blyue.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)44.20 : Þe folke sal to þe schriue In ai and in werld of werld biliue.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.80 : Hughe le fitz Galdre..resceyued alle þre [monks], & heberd þam bileue.
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)756 : He..lokede in ful blyue.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1229 : Wild bestes..Þat wald worow men bylyve.
- a1450 Castle Love(1) (BodAdd B.107:Horst.)398/768b : Hoe may allerbest, And hoe woll allerblyvest.
- a1500(?c1400) Song Roland (Lnsd 388)52 : When he had said, they herd hym blif [rime: lyf].
2.
(a) At a rapid rate of speed, swiftly, rapidly; (b) without delay, promptly; at once, immediately; all at once, suddenly; (c) as (also) ~, as soon as possible, immediately, at once; (d) at the right time, in due season; after a short time, before long; ~ after, soon afterwards; (e) immediately (behind), directly (under, toward); next (after, in succession); as ~, next (in a narrative sequence); exactly (like sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7930 : Forð heo ifusden & ferden biliue þat heo þidir comen.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)416 : An oþur fisch..cam swymme bliue.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1147 : Þe romeins flowe bliue.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)908 : He come als swiþe as he miȝt driue; Gij to smite he heyed bliue.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.515 : The wynd was good, he saileth blyve Til he tok lond upon the ryve Of Tyr.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)104/17 : Folk þat han but o foot &..gon so blyue [Eg: fast; F toust] þat it is meruaylle.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)878 : Alle belyffe fro hym þay fledde.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Hrl 2251)731 : Arpies..With ravenous feete, wynged to flee blyve.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)925 : Egelys of golde fflekerynge þer stode..By crafte þey meuyde wonder blyfe [rime: lyfe].
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5142 : Fare we bliue in touwarde France.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)8/18 : Olibrius..het biliue [Roy: bliue] bringin hire biforen him.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5935 : After hor daye, sone þe sorwes spronge bliue [rime: aliue].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2000 : Saie me nouȝ bliue!
- c1390 NHom.Abp.& N.(Vrn)79 : Blyue [vr. swithe] graunte me my bone.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)595 : He dight a fayre chambre belyue For mary.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)19 : Þey schulden hye blyue Yf þey wolde speke with him whil he was on lyue.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1233 : Of Frygye þei leue þe costis blyue.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.44.11 : So blyue [WB(2): hastili; L festinato] doynge down into the erthe the sackis, eche opnyde.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.58 : Whan..benys fyngris foure ascende Abouen erthe, hit is to wede hem blyue.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)9/6 : Alexander..straked him softely..And belyfe þe horse wexe wonderly meke till Alexander.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3608 : Þuse ladyes wentone þo þe kyng towarde, Also bleyue as þey myȝtone towarde hym go.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)310/13 : Belife he harde a blaste of ane vgsom horn.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)894 : It was so feir a creature..Of lymys & of fetour, & growe wondir blyve.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)23768 : But if thei amende hem blive.
- a1500(?c1400) Song Roland (Lnsd 388)703 : The horse and the baner he brought blyf [rime: alif].
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)369 : Bleue to soper they dyght.
c
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3240 : Þai..went oȝain als biliif [rime: striif].
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)531 : Þe steward..knewe þe harp als bliue [rime: þriue].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)149 : As bliue boute bod, he braydes to þe quene.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1854 : Whan he [Ulysses] sih his child, als blyve He drof the plowh out of the weie.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.778 : So þat it myȝt parformyd ben as blyue..Þat þe Grekis shal her werre lete.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.St.Austin (Hrl 2255)398 : He..forsook al the world as blyve.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)248 : Ryght now, as blyve, Yif he wol make me slepe a lyte..I wil yive hym a fetherbed.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3029 : Alexander as belyue is armed vp clene.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2298 : He shall be here as blyve [rime: knyff].
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)168/178 : She went and hydder [read: hydde her] also blyve.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)710 : Alexander als belyfe [Ashm: as sone] was at hym.
d
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)66.5 : Þe erthe gaf his fruite biliue.
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)500 : Adam..knew his wyf: Anoþer child þeȝ broȝte forþ blyf.
- c1425 How GWife(1) (Hnt HM 128)152 : Go to þi bedde betyme; on morowe reys vppe belyue.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)246/24 : Belyfe after he was wedd; and within a while after he was wed, hys wyfe [etc.].
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)331/14 : And belife sho come & þe fyre began to kyndell.
e
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1843 : Wiȝtli he hem folwes Ful bliue hem bi-hinde.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)992 : Though I telle not as blyve Of her power..Herafter shal I tellen right The soothe.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.1532 : He that hadde ful pocessioun Of suich a speryt..Sholde haue..The disposicioun aftir hym as blyue Which hadde that speryt whil he was heer alyue.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.250 : Cornys best wole thryue..acclyued blyue Vpon the sunne.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)18 : Þey..stood..Be leff vndyr a lynde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2226 : I am Eldest and heire after hym belyue.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 SLeg.Nich.(CmbAdd 3039)73/467 : To þe ymage he stirte belyfe, & saide 'Þou Nicholas, I gafe þe kepynge of my hous!'
Note: New spelling