Middle English Dictionary Entry
wǒl-ward adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | wǒl-ward adj. Also wolwarde, wollewaerd, wolleward(e, wulward, welleward, wellowerd, willeward, uolweried. |
| Etymology | From wǒl n.(1); the 2nd element is prob. ult. OE -werd, as in līnen-werd ‘dressed in linen’, or ME wēred , p.ppl. of wēren v.(2), but reanalyzed as -ward suf. 1.(a). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Wearing woolen clothing next to the skin, usu. as an act of penance; gon (walken, wenden) ~, goinge ~.
Associated quotations
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)37/1024 : Knewelyng, trauayl, baruot go, Wolle-ward and wakynge…Þes longeþ to vestynge.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.1 : Wolleward [vr. wellowerd; C vrr. Wollewaerd, Willeward, Uolweryed] and wete-shoed went I forth after…Tyl I wex wery of the worlde.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)99/18 : Heremytes, monkes and prestes, and oþere folc grete plente…wenten bare-fote and wolward, forto haue mercy of þo ij kynges.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3514 : And do he penance with al his myght…And fast and ga wolwarde.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4221 : Wollewarde, on my bare ffeet, I schal walken in snowȝ and sleet, Me to amende of my synne.
- ?a1450 Mem.Cred.(Tan 201)116/20 : Sleuth makiþ a man…dredful for to suffry for god, ne fastyng oþer wolward going.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)16/23 : He may…sofre…noþyng þt is hard, As is goyng barfot, welleward, leuynge be hard mete & drinke…for þe loue of god.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)199/37 : I rede of no fastynge þat she fasted be-forn þat tyme, ne of no barfote goynge ne wulward.
- a1500(?a1375) Hermit & O.(Add 22577)119 : Barfote ne wolward gon y may, Though y schall never come in hevene.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)43/35 : Þe kyng herd how God wroght so mony myracles for Saynt Thomas; he come to Caunturbury, wolward and barfote and all naked.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)788 : Þei schulden deluen & diggen & dongen þe erþe…& wolward gon as we wrecches vsen.