Middle English Dictionary Entry
witing(e ger.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | witing(e ger.(1) Also witingge, wetingge, (K) witende, witinde, (chiefly N, NEM, or WM) witand, wittande, wetand(e. |
| Etymology | From witen v.(1); for forms in -and also cp. ON: cp. OI vitand knowledge. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Knowledge, certainty; the action or fact of knowing something;
(b) at (bi, to, unto) min ~, min ~, to my knowledge, as far as I know; bi his ~, to theire ~, to his (their) knowledge;
(c) at (bi) his ~, bi hire ~, thin (oure) ~, with ~, etc., knowingly, wittingly;
(d) hit is to ~, it should be known (that sth. is the case, what sth. is, etc.).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4439 : If fre choys be graunted me To do that same thyng…Or if his wityng streyneth neuer a del But by necessitee condicionel—I wol nat han to do of swich matere.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)781 : O wityng bath god an ill ȝee suld be lauerds at ȝour will.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)23510 : For-giuen er þai [sins] and neuer þe less Godd, þat all wate þat es, Es or was, or sal be euer, vte of his witting be þai neuer.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.991 : That were an abusioun, That God sholde han no parfit cler wytynge More than we men that han doutous wenynge.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.3.114 : That is the cause why that science wanteth lesynge (as who seith, why that wytynge ne resceyveth nat lesynge of that it woot).
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)66 : Wen oþer seyn aȝen þer witing, þei holde hem stille…and þus þei are for sworne.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)87/1 : His gouernyng…euermore þoruȝ his power, witing, and willing principali.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)118/63 : His weting and his before-weting is al oon in understanding.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)6/27 : Þe ilke þet zuereþ zoþ be his wytinde, and alneway uor naȝt…zuereþ liȝtliche.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)250 : I wraþþed þe neuere, at my witand [vr. wyttande].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)397 : To my witing, She myght helpe hir silf no thing.
- (1430) Reg.Langley in Sur.Soc.169165 : I…never hyndret thaim nor noght awe thaim at my wetyng.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)475/72 : A! bredir, be my wetand and i-wisse so wer we.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)985/3 : ‘Wote ye what I am?’…‘Unto my wytynge I saw you never arst.’
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)66 : Her be howuen þei be war þat are chargid to sey þe soþe to þer witing.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)12 : Gode lete me haue delyueraunce yef euer man, my witynge, hadde to do with me in soche maner.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)18 : The Iuges examyned the gode hermyte yef it were so, and he seide ‘Ye’, as by his wetynge.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)6/23 : Yef he zuereþ uals be his wytinde, he him uorzuerþ.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)10/12 : To-ayens þise heste doþ þo þet misziggeþ guode men behinde ham be hire wytinde.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)613 : Ȝyf þou sweryst fals, þy wetande…Þere takyst þou god yn þy sweryng To bere wytnesse of a fals þyng.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1067 : Ȝyf þou euer, yn euyl wetand, On fadyr or modyr leydest þyn hand, Hyt ys comaunded…þat swych men shulde be doun o dawe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)29262 : Þe fifte mai noght þis cursing scape, þat comuns wit him þat þe pape Cursd has at his witand.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)140 : ‘Whi did ȝe swilk a thing?’…‘it was noght oure witing.’
- (1445) ?Bokenham Claudian CS (Add 11814)267/110 : Iustice moevith to preferre right…& wronge nevir yive with wetyng.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.225 : What if be þeire wyttyng and theire will Thei louen vice and vertu fallen fro?
d
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.87 : It is to wetynge [L est ergo sciendum] þat Ȝorkschire now streccheþ onlich from þe bowe of the ryuer of Humber anon to þe ryuer of Teyse.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)91/6 : First it is to wetinge [L videndum est] what þing þe soule is and of what disposicioun.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)964/20 : It is generalliche to wetyng þat þe most noble and vnctuous party of tree…is ofte kyndeliche ydrawe by hete.
2.
(a) Awareness, consciousness; also, perception; at his ~, with his awareness; withouten ~;
(b) perception;
(c) discernment;—used in name of the tree of Paradise.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)37/27 : Zuyche byeþ þe greate officials þet…yeueþ largeliche þe guodes of hare lhordes wyþ-oute hare wytende and wyþ-oute hare wylle.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1611 : Tomorowe I wol nat faille, With outen wityng of any oother wight, That here I wol be founden as a knyght And bryngen harneys right ynogh for thee.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.492 : With outen youre wityng I wol nat doon.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.649 : For his wyf was at a someres game With outen his wityng [vr. weteinge], he forsook hire.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8601 : Alle þyng þat men with-holde…with-oute leue of here wytyng, Þat kepe holy cherches þyng, Alle swych þyng ys sacrylege, with-oute leue ys alle outrage.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.216 : Withouten his conseile, or þe kynges wittyng, To maynten þer tirpeile he suore ageyn þe kyng.
- (1410) Let.Bugge in Spec.14 (Vsp F.7)25 : The kynge wyl that the forseyd Emod enfourme the forseyde duc of and opon the same matire moeved by his forsaid heraud; And yn cas that the mocion of that same matire have proceded of the wetyngge and desir of the forsaid Duc thenne wil the same Duc certifie his wille…by his lettres.
- a1425 Ordin.Nuns(1) (Lnsd 378)142/14 : Wha sa euir hase ani thing, golde, siluir, iuel, or ony propirte, with-outen þe witting & sufferans of hir priores, sho standis curste.
- (?c1425) Pet.in Chanc.E.207 : Iohan…a ȝenste my wyll & wetynge pot my land to fferme.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)397 : Þenne schale þe husbonde…Teche & preche so hys wyue, That heo a-vow no maner þynge But hyt be at hys wytynge.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)23/40 : Rauysschyng is whan a man ledith a wey anoþer mannys dowȝter wtowtyn his wil & his wityng.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)32/10 : I mervayle…how they com unto this contrey withoute wetynge of us all.
b
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)505 : Neyþer off cros neyþer off ryng Hadde þey non kyns wetyng…‘Sere, where is þy ryng? where is þy croys? Is it fro þe tan?’
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)16a/a : It [skin] schulde biclippen al þe bodi wiþoutforþ þat no sensible noyous þing schulde greue it wiþouten witynge.
c
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)42 : The frut of the tre of wetyng of gode and ille thei suld lete.
3.
(a) Tidings, information; also, a public announcement (of sth.) [1st quot.];
(b) don to ~, to let it be known (that sth. is the case).
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.82 : Þe chartres þat þus were y-presentyd by þe aldurman by-fore y-seyd, þat witnessede þe sesynge good, and wetynge of þe chartre wit-þowte chalynge y-herd.
- (1417) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)9.427 : I Charge yow…that ye kepe this Matere…from al Men secre…that never Creature have Wittyng thereof.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)2/44 : Þe fynd wyl schew ham hopunly, Þat al þe word schal haue wyttyng.
- a1450 Gowther (Roy 17.B.43)299 : This penaunce shalt thow gynne And speke no word, even ne odde, Til thow have very wetyng of Godde, Forgevyn be all thy synne.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)26/27 : They were suoren that none shulde late his wiff haue weting of her wager.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)817/19 : He had sought hys brother…longe, and never cowde hyre wytynge of hym.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)95 : Nigramauncers are þei þat bi figeris or markyngis vp on þe dead body of best or of man, þus enforciþ to geit wityng.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)163/32 : Wittynge came to Lamedanton, the kynge of troy, of the fresshe array of Iason and his men.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)14 : When thow shalte be brought oute ageyn to Iugement lete me haue wetynge.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)498 : As soone as the foly be-gan to a-rise, I sente yow witinge by Galescoude.
b
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.52 : Doþ to wetynge þat non ne shal make burell-werk, but ȝif he be of þe ffraunchyse of þe town.
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.70 : Doþ to wetynge þat ech manere good, þare þe wyȝte by-lyþ, þat hit be y-lad by-þinne þe power of þe towne to selle.
4.
Capability.
Associated quotations
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)433 : Primes deit a son escient: At his wytyngge; Sercher bon fundement: Serche a gode grounde.
5.
In phrase: that is to ~, that is to say.
Associated quotations
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.46 : Þese ben þe olde vsages of þe Cite of Wynchestre…Þat is to wetynge, þat þer be in þe town by-fore y-seyd meyre [vr. a maire].
- c1432 Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 (Cmb Dd.14.2)456 : William ffermesham…and oþer of þe Abbotis counceyll…axid a day ouere, þat is to wyting vp þis ix day or munday a bove seyd, to bryng vp hure dedys.
- (1440) Doc.in HMC Rep.3 App.()360 : Ȝeldynge there of by the ȝere to the forseyde Johan, that ys to wetynge, the furste ȝere, vi s. and viii d.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)147/15 : Two begynnyngis and hedis of al maner mankynde workis, that is to wyttynge, vndyrstondynge or reysone, and wille.