Middle English Dictionary Entry
witteren v.
Entry Info
| Forms | witteren v. Also witter, witere, wituren. |
| Etymology | From OE witran & ON (cp. OI vitra to manifest, reveal). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. iwiterien v.
1.
(a) To give information to (sb. about sth.); provide information about (what sb. will be); inform (sb. that sth. is so, what sth. is, etc.);
(b) to teach (sb. to do sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)602 : Heȝe Diana…wise mi & witere [Otho: Wise me and witte me]…whuder ich mæi liðan.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)466 : Ho has witered hire of þis and ho has hire kenned?
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)42/41 : Heo hedde a sweuene of him, wituring What he schulde beo in tyme comyng.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1587 : Ho herde hym chyde to þe chambre þat watz þe chef quene When ho watz wytered bi wyȝes what watz þe cause.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1239 : I witter þe þe emperour es entirde into Fraunce.
- a1500(c1400) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)185 : Sithen we wot not qwo þou art, witere vs þiselwen…quat weghe þou was and quy þow þus ligges, [etc.].
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)29/290 : Þu, wunne of þe worlt, wite me & were & witere & wisse þurh þi wisdom to wite me wið sunne.