Middle English Dictionary Entry
Whit-Sǒn-dai n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Whit-Sǒn-dai n. Also whissondai, whisundai, wittesundai, wis(s)ondai, qwissondei, qwissindai, quhissondai, (early) whitesunedæie, whitensunendæi(e, wittesunnedei(e. |
| Etymology | LOE Hwīta Sunnandæg; cp. OI hvītasunnu-dagr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: For other forms see whit adj. & Son-dai n.
1.
(a) Eccl. Pentecost, the festival celebrated by the church on the seventh Sunday after Easter in commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples, Whitsunday; also, as adv.: on Whitsunday [quots. c1230 & c1300]; ~ time, the season of Whitsuntide;
(b) the actual day of the first Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.Pentec.(Lamb 487)89 : Ure witte sunnedei…is þe fifteoȝaðe dei fram þam ester deie…on þisse deie þet is pentecostes and wittesunnedeie on ure speche com ferliche muchel swei of heofne and fulde al þa upfleunge [OE upfleringe] mid fure.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)210/1 : For þi ne schule ȝe beon bute as ure breðren beoð ihuslet inwið tweolf moneð fiftene siðen: Midwinter dei… Hali þursdei, Witsunne dei [Nero: hwitesunedei; Tit: witsunendai], Midsumerdei, [etc.].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8725,8727 : Al his folc swa swiðe muri come to Amberes-buri; Al his drihtliche uolc to White-sune-dæie [Otho: Witeson-daiȝe]…a Whiten-sunen-dæie he þer wærf makede.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8731 : Al þan Whitensunendæi [Otho: Witesonneday] þe king a þan uelde læi.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (Hrl 2277:Horst.)151 : Þat is foweles parays, a wel ioyful place: Þer ȝe schulle þis ester beo, & þis wit-sonedai also.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6816 : A witesoneday [B: whytsonenday]…seint edward at is masse stod & bed vor þe pes of þe lond þat god it sende god.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)155 : Þe word com on a Whissonday To king haþeolf at his des.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.445 : Þan in a Witsonday [Higd.(2): the day of Pentecoste] þe mayde was i-cristened.
- (1398) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)8.61 : Thai of Tyndale…sal mete…with thai of the West Marche of Scotland…fra Mychelmes to Qwyssinday, and fra Qwyssinday to Mychelmes.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.61 : On þe Wissonday at Burgh in Lyndeseie Com bode to þe kynge.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2278 : Haue hatte of floures as fresh as may, Chapelett of Roses of wissonday.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)21150 : Kyng arthur had in wille and walde Þe wittesondaie in worschip halde.
- (?1430) Calendar 1430 Pref.(Hrl 937)92 : þis table tellyȝt qwen lentyn fallyth, qwen Eysterday…and qwen qwytesoneday…how mony wekes and days fro qwytesonday to mydsommerday, And how mony fro whytesonday to þe advente.
- (1441) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA 67.4r : At þe…Vsuell dayes of Rent paying…at Witsonday, Lammasday, alhalowday, and Candelmasday.
- (1447-8) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 487 : Of the Wardeynys…of makyng of Ale at Wyttesunday, to the cherche, £iiij.
- (1451) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 493 : To the belle yn the Wendisdaye of Wytsondaye tyme of our taverne we payede xl s.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)101b : Qwyssonday [Monson: Qvhissonday]: pentecoste.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)159/4 : Þys…ys called Whitsonday for bycause þat þe Holy Gost as þys day broȝt wyt and wysdome ynto all Cristes dyscyples.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)51 : Loke þat ye drawe and serche your store off all maner catell onys in þe yere and betwene ester & withsonday.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)736/38 : Pentetoste: whysunday.
b
- a1250 Lofsong Louerde (Nero A.14)209 : Iesu crist…ich bidde and bi-seche þe…þurh ðe grace and þe ȝeoue of þe holi goste þet þu on hwite sune dai sendest þine deorewurðe deciples.
- a1300 I-hereþ nv one (Jes-O 29)657 : At þon heye vndarne, a wit-suneday…Þe holy gost heom com vp-on in fury tunge.
- c1300 SLeg.John (LdMisc 108)38 : Ore lauerd was to þe Ioye of heouene i-went, And his desciples a-witsonenday þene holi gost hadde i-sent.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.351 : Þat yere, bytwene þe ascencion, þat is holy Þorsday, and Witsonday [L dies…Pentecostis], Mathias was i-chose and i-made apostel in stede of Iudas þe traytour.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18914 : Apon þat hali wijt sundai At vndrin tide þar come a sune Vte o þe air al bristand dune.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (LdMisc 210)26/4 : Þe lomb…wol opene þe boke with þe seuen seles to vs…as he dide on Witsonenday, ȝeuynge hem þe seuene ȝeftes of þe Holy Gost.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)142/7 : God haþ rauesched his spirit and bynome it hym and filled hym ful of spirit, as he dide to his apostles on Wiȝtsonneday.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)429 : Þe hooly gost ȝaf to apostlis wit at wit-sunday for to knowe al maner langagis to teche þe puple goddis lawe þerby.