Middle English Dictionary Entry
withdrawing(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | withdrawing(e ger. |
| Etymology | From withdrauen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. outdrauinge ger.
1a.
(a) The act of retreating from battle or combat;
(b) hesitation, reluctance to act or to undergo some experience;
(c) refl. the act of staying away from or shunning a person or thing;
(d) ~ chaumbre, a room in a house designed for quiet retirement, a private room, retiring room; also, a private chamber in parliament used for special purposes such as the hearing of petitions.
Associated quotations
a
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)5597 : Bi his withdrawing his foos might avaunt He shuld be holden as Recreaunt.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)959/32 : In hys withdrawyng he felle upryght, and…Bors…gaff hym…strokes.
b
- a1450 WBible(2) (Pep 2073)Laod. p.439 : Do ʒe withouten ony withdrawinge, what soeuer ʒe doon.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)358/6 : What-tyme deth comith, it fynde hym redy, so þat he receyue it gladdely with-oute any withdrawynge.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)364/12 : I purpos me forto leren to dye…with-oute any with-drawynge.
- a1500 Craft Dying (Rwl C.894)408 : Whan þat euer deth com, he may be founden a-redy &, withoute any detraccion [read: retraccion] or withdrawynge, receyue hym as a man wold receyue his welbelouyd & trusti frende & folow [read: felow] þat he had lond [read: long] abyd and lokid after.
c
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)54 : Petir synnede veniali in withdrawinge himsilf fro hethene men, and in constreyninge hem to bicome Jewis, and therfore he was repreuid opinli of Poul.
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)127 : Alle cristen men shulden lette by ther powere such open vicious lyuers to do this great dispite to God, namely, in withdrawing themself fro the masse of such prestis till they weren amendide.
d
- (1386) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.199 : [A chamber called] wythdrawingchambre.
- (1392-3) RParl.3.300b : Toutz ensemble…tendront lour place en la Chapelle de la Withdrawyng Chambre.
- (1444) Will York in Sur.Soc.30101 : J pressur pro pannis custodiendis existentem in le forchaumbre cum veteri cista in le withdrawyngechaumbre.
- (1444) Will York in Sur.Soc.30102 : Item, lego eidem j burded-bedd in le withdrawynchambre.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)17 : The traitours sought the Kyng yn all the chaumbur abowte, yn the withdrawyng chaumburs, yn the litters, undir the presses…the chares, and all other places.
1b.
In phrases: childre of ~ in-to, sones of ~ awei in-to, those who are going to (perdition).
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.10.39 : We ben not the sones of withdrawynge awei into perdicioun.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Heb.10.39 : Wee forsoþe been not þe childre of þe withdrawyng [L subtractionis] or of apostasye in to perdicyoun.
2.
(a) The practice of voluntary abstinence with regard to the pleasures of the flesh; an act of voluntary abstinence (in food or drink);
(b) with prep. phrases: ~ from (of), the act of turning away from (worldly thoughts, spiritual love), rejection of (the good).
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)205/8 : Huo þet wyle him loki uram berninge, he ssel do away þe ilk brondes þe wyþdraʒinges of mete and of drinke.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)271/5 : Yue wyl be wyþdraʒynge þet he [flesh] clensy.
b
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)111/344 : Inne herte hys þys senneʒing, And bouute scheweþ mod Þorʒ cheste and mysdoynge And wyþ-drawynge of god.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.786 : For onto God is hatful and odible A withdrawyng off his reuerence, To magnefie thynges coruptible With ondue honour.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)155/8 : A brid, yif his wynges be…cutte…may neuer flee high; right so yif þe wynges of þe soule, þat is, gostly loue and affeccioun, be…cutte be withdrawyng of gostly loue, it shal neuer flee gostly.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.25.16b : Preiere is nouʒt ellis bute a stirende disir of þe herte in to god bi wiþdrawynge from alle erdli þouʒtes.
3.
(a) The physical removal (of sth.), the act of taking (sth.) away; the appropriation (of someone’s goods, possessions, etc.); deprivation (of livelihood); also, loss (of material wealth or goods);
(b) a deficiency (in weight, measure, etc.) or a deduction for such deficiency;
(c) arith. the act or process of subtraction.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)30 : Þis commaundement forbedith alle maner with drawinge wrongesly of an oþer mannes god…weþer þat it be take priuily or oponly…or be fals wordes or fals mesurus, mettis, or wiʒthes.
- c1440(a1349) Rolle 10 Com.(Thrn)12/7 : The seuende commandement, es ‘Thow sall noghte do na thyfte,’ In the whylke es forboden all manere of withdraweynge of oþer men thynges wrangwysely…Bot if it ware in tyme of maste nede, when all thynges erre comone.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)26/3 : A man-sleer is seide in many maners, bothe bodyly and gostly, as be ensaumple, be mynde, be tunge, be handes, and be wyth-drawynge [SC(1): subtractio] of lyuelode.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)74/6 : The secunde not forto be vnpacient for lesing or with drawyng or for scarcite of temperal goodis.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)79/11 : Fire is quenchid bi withdrawyng of wode eche from oþer.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.71.50a : Ne heuinesse felen in þe lesinge or in þe wiþdrawynge of it [material wealth].
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)5 : A-batement, or wythdrawynge of mete [KC: wyghte], or mesure, or other thyngys: Subtractio, defalcatio.
c
- c1450 Art Number.(Ashm 396)36/26 : In withdrawyng, 2 nombres ben necessary.
4.
(a) The act or fact of the withdrawal of God’s grace from someone; ~ of grace;
(b) the willful withholding (of alms, food for the soul, etc.); ~ of goddes word, refusal to preach God’s word; ~ of (temporal) godes, refusal to pay tithes;
(c) the restriction of the flow (of moisture in a plant).
Associated quotations
a
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)52/8 : Whan I am forsaken of grace…þan is þere no better remedie þan pacience…I fonde neuere man so religiose ner deuoute þat feliþ not…withdrawing of grace, or feliþ not som tyme dimynucion of feruour.
- 1530(c1450) Mirror Our Lady (Fawkes)88 : Yf ye wylle not obaye therto, then we deserue that grace shulde be withdrawen, by whyche wythdrawynge oure hartes waxe harde and obstynate ageynste all goodnesse.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.568 : Leoun rorynge and bere hongry ben like to the cruel lordshipes…in withdrawynge of the almesse of pouere folk.
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)7 : Therfore as alle resonable men han greet abhominacioun of bodili sodomie…so thei shulden haue moche more abhominacioun of this withdrawynge of Goddis word.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)145/35 : By wiþdrawinge of þe fedinge of mete and drink, moisture is wiþdrawen and drines comeþ in.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)170/3 : Defaute…of prechyng…es wyth-drawynge of the soules fode.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)435 : Þis wiþdrawing of temporal godis were betere bridil aʒenus siche men þan to amersy hem bi officials, bi erchedekenes, or bi bischops…& þis wiþ-drawing of godis for þis synne semyþ to strecche for oþere synnes.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)51/27 : Ws byhoues now sotely enquere of þes vertues and vices, and for to shewe…what errour ys yn largesse, & what euyl suys withdrawynge of largesse.
c
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)885/7 : Leues and fruyt fallen of trees…by wiþdrawyng of humour as her falleþ of bestes.
5.
(a) A lessening, diminution, reduction, decrease; also, a division of the divine substance [quot. a1398, 1st occurrence]; also, the weakening or drying up (of devotion) [quots. a1450(a1396)];
(b) the remission of the penalty for sin.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)45/17-18 : Þe fadir, gendringe, ʒaf al his substaunce to þe sone wiþoute eny withdrawynge [L diuisione], and ʒit he huld to hymself withoute eny withdrawynge [L diminutione].
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)5/13 : He þat is ful vicarie may do þe same þat his lord may…wiþ-oute eny wiþdrawing of power.
- a1450(a1396) Hilton CPerf.(Paris angl.41)2/20 : Of withdrawynge of deuocioun; how a man schal do.
- a1450(a1396) Hilton CPerf.(Paris angl.41)3/29 : Whanne in wiþdrawinge of deuocioun þou art in tribulacioun and in discunfort…þou preiest neuere þe lesse.
b
- a1450 12 PTrib.(3) (Bod 423)96/2 : He is thilke þat for that he hath lyued here wiþout acounte most paye al out in helle wiþout withdrawyng, for ther shal nothyng of dette be abated, neither by long suffryng ne by hard suffryng.
6.
(a) The diversion (of a river’s course);
(b) the act of turning (sb. from virtue to vice); the enticing (of sb. away from his proper sphere of action).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)719/29 : Aluuius is a felde þat is ymade…som and som by withdrawynge and ouerturnynge of ryuers.
b
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)348 : Here men noten many harmes þat freris don…Þei stelen pore mennis children…and þei stelen…eires…and þus þei maken londis bareyne for wiþdrawyng of werkmen.
- a1500 St.Brendan Conf.(Lamb 541)6/37 : I haue lettid þee of grace þoru myn yuel lyuynge, in wiþdrawynge oþere men fro vertues to vicis.
7.
Med. & physiol. (a) Constriction of blood flow, contraction;
(b) the retraction (of a ligament);
(c) the act or process of drawing out pathological matter; purgation (of blood or phlegm);
(d) ~ of voice, hoarseness.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)66/6 : If þat þe blood go out of arterie, þou schalt knowe it be construccion & dilatacion of þe same arterie, þat is to seie, þat þe blood go out wiþ lepinge & oþerwhile wiþ wiþdrawinge.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)89b/b : Þe blood goiþ out wiþ lepinge or wiþ wiþdrawynge or sich oþir.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)30/3 : Þe firste profiʒt…is in drawynge & wiþdrawynge of þe corde.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)116b/a : 1a is complete…with…medicynez laxatyuez & continue subduccions, i. with drawyngz [Ch.(2): purgynge; L subducentes] of fleume.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)125/18 : I take Rasis medecyne…after a maner wiþdrawynge made in þe bygynnynge wiþ esy medecynes.
- a1456 Marmaduke SSecr.(Ashm 59)223/8 : He þat passeþe þe duwe maner of Aristotle…in dissolucion or withholding of þy wombe, in withdrawing or withholding of blode…may not escape seeknesse.
d
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)232/26 : Somtyme falleþ stoffynge and somtyme wiþdrawinge and lost of voys [L quandoque raucitas et quandoque vocis ablatio].