Middle English Dictionary Entry
witnen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | witnen v. Sg.3 (N or chiefly N) witnes(se, wittenes, withenes, wetnesse, (WM) wetthenes & (early) witneð; pl. (N & NWM) witnes. |
| Etymology | ON: cp. OI vitna; some forms in -s(e reflect confusion with ME witnessen v. Third-person present forms like witnesse are placed here by MED, but were doubtless conceived by their authors as endingless inflections of witnessen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) ?To bear witness on behalf of (sb.);
(b) to provide legal written documentation (that sth. is so); also, give a legal account of (sth.);
(c) to provide evidence of (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)12909 : A heier barn was neuer non…þan þun [Vsp: þou], saint iohn; And þar-of es right no farlik, Quen he-self þe wittnes for-slik.
b
- (1448) Doc.in Sundby Dial.Wor.(Eg Charter 608)254 : This endentur, maid…be tuyne Thomas Corbet of Stanford…and John Blount of Sodynton…Wetthenes that the seid John Blount shal wed and taken to his wyffe Katerryn the yongg dowter of seid Thomas.
- 1618(1440) Invent.Cumberworth in Peacock EChurch Furniture180 : This byll indented witness the thinges that I Thomas Cumberworth knight has given to my Chauntrie Priest and to his successors of the Trinitie Chappell.
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14791 : Crist bes…of a castell…Quar-of was born þe king daui, þat es þe tun of bethleem; þe bok it wittnes for to tem.
2.
(a) To assert authoritatively, declare;—usu. in as clause;
(b) to assert (sth.) authoritatively, declare; confirm (sth.), corroborate; state (that sth. is so).
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)185/9 : I þet totore folc he [devil] misseð his merken, & sið in ham iriht up godes banere…& heaueð muche dred þrof, as ysaie witneð.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)12/27 : Ich þuruh hore bonen mote habben þe tweolf bowes þet bloweð of cherite, ase seinte powel witneð [Corp-C: writeð].
- a1300 Ancr.(Cai 234/120)78/17 : Þe is umben wid uten him to gederin gede þeawes, he bered dust iþe winde, as seint gregorie wittned.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11075 : Of him witnes [Trin-C: witnesseþ] þus vr lauerd…‘O wijf,’ he said, ‘was neuer born nan A gretter barn þan sant iohan.’
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2703 : I wille…first shew yhow what it [purgatory] es, And whare it es, als þe buke wittenes.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)5355 : For þat day, als þe buke wythenes, Sal noght be shewed but ryghtwysnes Wyth gret reddour til synful.
- a1425 Christ.Belief (LoC 4)10/367 : Þen wittnesse þ godespell of Saynt Matheu þare he sais .., 'þai blynfeld him and bufftetid him wid þare cursed hondes.'
- a1425 Christ.Belief (LoC 4)11/411 : Þhe mede þat he .. swank fore .. alle his lyue, als he wittenesse bi himseluen thurght his prophete.
- a1450 Gowther (Roy 17.B.43)117 : [Adv: Þo chyld was yong, and fast he wex] As wetnesse the storie.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Glo 42)723/10 : As holy scriptur wytnes…I am a worme & no man.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)1439 : Who so ledderys couth lache, as þe line wittnes [Ashm: tellis], Wald gett þair hald with þair hand, & on-lofte wynne.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)126/6 : Þet witneð [Tit: witnes] sein Iame: ‘Resistite diabolo & fugiet a uobis.’
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)195/1 : Seinte pawel witneð [Tit: witnesses] þet alle uttre heardshipes…al is ase nawt aȝeines luue.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23820 : Þat wittnes [Frf: witnes; Trin-C: witenesseþ] us all hali gosspelles.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.82 : William of Malmesbirie witnesse [Sullens reads: witnes] it in his writte.
- a1425 Christ.Belief (LoC 4)12/439 : Þis he wittnesse himseluen thurght þe prophete.
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn)23/18 : Firste it es to for-do ydilchipe, for it mekill harmes, And this witnesse Salamone þe wytty, þat thus sayse, [etc.].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2900 : With slike a reryd þan it rynnes, þe romance it witnes, Þat qua so tuke it in þat tyme tint ware for euire.
- c1500 Castle Love(3) (Ashm 61)50 : I tell ȝew now sothlye, It wytnes þe prophet Isaye, And at hym I take wytnesse That euery thyng…In erth…Seth Adam synned, was not so gode Als it was fyrste beforne.
3.
To entreat (sb. that sth. be the case), beseech.
Associated quotations
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)171 : Iob witnede ure drihten þat of þis deað him redde on þe carefuldai.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1500(?a1425) Boeth.Bk.Comfort (BodAuct F.3.5)233/192 : Whille Bois contynues in heuynes and leues spekynge, entres, as he witnes, Wisdom his comforture in..licknes of a womman.
Note: Additional quot., sense 2.(b).