Middle English Dictionary Entry
win n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | win n.(1) Also win(n)e, (chiefly early & SW) wunne & (errors) wind, þinne; pl. winnes & (early SEM) wennen, (SWM) wunnen, wunnan. |
| Etymology | OE win(n, wynn; for sense 2. also cp. OE gewin(n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. iwin n.
1.
(a) Labor, toil;
(b) conflict, strife; turmoil; bale (fight, flit, nith, wal, werre) and ~; in (on) ~, troubled, agitated.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)112/25 : Alle haliȝe men underfoð eac reste heore mucele winnes & seoreȝæs þe heo nu dreaȝæð & þrowæð.
b
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)246 : Þer is bernunde pich hore saule to baþien inne, þa þe ledden here lif in werre and in winne.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)161 : Te deuel…weccheð among hem flite and win.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)204 : Þar aros walc [Otho: wale] & win.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1272 : Þe sunen duden vuelne ræd; Bi-tweonen heom aræs walc [read: wale] & win [Otho: bale and wind]—wiðer heo weoren beien.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)670 : He mot gon to al mid ginne, Wan þe horte boþ on þinne [read: winne].
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)169 : Wið al mankin he haueð nið & win.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)4511 : Ne bi-lesde [Clg: bilæfde] he neuere anne of Androgius his cunne þat heold fiht and win [Clg: iwin] so dude Kinbelyn.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)347 : Vn-welde woren and in win Here owen limes hem wið-in.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)598 : So wurð dragen ðe watres win, Dunes wexen, ðe flod wið-drog.
2.
(a) Advantage, benefit; profit, reward; acquisition, gain; also, a profit [quot. c1475];
(b) coll. & pl. riches, wealth, treasure; possessions, goods; also, booty; world(es ~, earthly possessions, worldly goods, worldly wealth [sometimes difficult to distinguish from win n.(2) (c)].
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6158 : Te birrþ ec þin rihhte winn Aȝȝ att te nede nittenn Ȝet forrþenn uppo fremmde menn, Þatt nedenn to þin hellpe.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)261/15 : For þulke dede heo ne tok of no man mede ne wunne.
- a1350(1307) Execution Fraser (Hrl 2253)167 : Wickednesse & sunne, hit is lutel wunne þat makeþ þe body smerte.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5550 : He ys a-cursed þat takeþ þe wynne with oker…ȝe lyue.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.5 : Fede hem…With donge…ek newer gretter wynne [L gl. commodum] Is to [the] gresse.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)350 : Ne we no wilne no win of watur no of londe.
- c1475 Scrope DSP Abbrev.(RwlPoet 32)320/4 : A man of guode discrescyon shuld nott…make hys dispence gretter þen hys wynnes.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)9897 : Lechecrafte mighte do him no wynne.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)195 : Erest he strepte of him his shep, þe waren his woreld winne, scilicet…seuen þusend shep…and half hundre giokes of ocsen and fif hundred assen; alle þos wennen huihten his wurðshipe alse faire wedes don þe licame.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)648 : Þar bi-won Brutus feole kunnan wunnan.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11311 : Her ich sette þe an hond…and minne sune leofe and mine leoden alle…and alle mine wunnen.
- c1300 SLeg.(Hrl 2277)479/82 : Þo hi hurde telle of him solde lond & wynne [Ld: wunne] & wende & wonede þer wiþ him.
- 1372 Gold & al (Adv 18.7.21)1 : Gold & al þis werdis wyn Is nouth but cristis rode.
- c1390 Disp.GM & Devil (Vrn)341 : No mon haþ so muche good Þat I wolde he hedde more…God, þorw whom comeþ alle þing…Alle worldes winne…sendeþ, whon he wile.
- c1390 NHom.Abp.& N.(Vrn)126 : Loþ hedde hire ben don þat synne, ffor Gold or seluer or worldus wynne!
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13281 : Wit a word þai left þair scipps tuin For þat was al þair werld win.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)9135 : Salamon…wele was of wine.
- a1425 Body & S.(5) (Add 37787)92 : Bare schalte þu wende þi way And leuen alle þi worldes wynne.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)3310 : Haue ȝe schole alsoo herjnne Ryche tresore and mekyl wynne.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)4690 : He deliteþ him more þerynne Þan þe riche man wiþ al his wynne.
3.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1200) Fine R.King John75 : Nicolas Langewin.
- (1205) Fine R.King John244 : Robertus Hardwin.