Middle English Dictionary Entry
wǒnderful adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | wǒnderful adj. Also wonderfulle, wunderfulle, wundirfulle, vounderful, (K or SW) wondervol(le, (early) wonderfol, wunderfule & (errors) wondeful(l, wondirfur; for other forms see wonder n. |
| Etymology | OE wundorfull, wunderfull, wundurful. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Extraordinary; marvelous; also, unnatural;
(b) miraculous; magical; also, full of miraculous portents.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.23 : In Bretayn beeþ many wondres; neuerþeles foure beeþ most wonderful…Þe secounde is at Stonhenge.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.6615 : Sche hath a wardein redi ay, Which is so wonderful a wyht That him ne mai no mannes myht With swerd ne with no wepne daunte.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)167/7 : Þis wondirful errour happiþ moost in scheepe and in geete and in bestes of many broodes.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)668/35-6 : Þe see bringeþ forþ mo wondirful bestes and mo wondirful þinges þan doþ þe londe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3434 : A certeyn archer…Was monstruous & wonderful of kynde: For from þe myddel vp vn-to þe crowne He was a man; & þe remenaunte doune Bar of an hors liknes and figure.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4771 : Þe fierth day sal swilk a wonder be, Þe mast wondreful fisshes of þe se Sal com to-gyder and mak swilk romyng Þat it sal be hydus til mans heryng.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)534 : Wundyrfulle: Mirabilis, mirificus.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)151/23 : Þis best [camel]…is meruaylous and wondirfull in sight of hem þat neuere say noon suche beest bifore.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)717/16 : He…had enchyeved the beste glatysaunte, the whyche was a full wondirfull beyste.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)73/280 : Syr, the Waters…ar turnyd into reede bloyde…Pharao: O, ho! this is a wonderfull thyng to wytt, of all the warkis that euer wore!
- a1500 Let.Alex.(Wor F.172)229 : If anywhat of memoratif or wounderful thyng we myght bihold…vnto the occean, fieldes, and woodes…in whiche…be Oliphauntis and serpentis, [etc.].
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 12.11 : This thing is maad of the Lord, and is wondirful in oure yȝen.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.477 : God liste to shewe his wonderful myracle In hire for we sholde seen his myghty werkes.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)281/21 : It is aboue wondres and most wondirful þat in þe laste tyme mannes fleische is imade Goddis fleisch.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)338/8 : Þey haueþ wondirful sweuenes þat neuer men herde speke of toforehonde.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)73/17 : I siȝ anoþir signe in heuene, greet & wondirful, seuene aungels hauynge seuene þe laste veniauncis, for þe wraþþe of God is endid in hem.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)25/2 : Kyng Nabugodonosor slepynge saw a wonderful visioun.
- a1425 Serm.St.John the Baptist (Ryl Eng 412)159 : In his birþe he was wonderful, for Elizabeth his moder was bareyne.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)65 : The Apocalips is morre wondirful than othere writingis of the Newe Testament ben.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)400/83 : Such woundirfull cas neuere ȝit ȝe knewe…þe erthe tremeled…And dede-men rose.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)62 : No man…Mette…So wonderful a drem as I.
- ?c1450(a1388) Wallingford Exafrenon (Dgb 67)241 : Yf thu kan knawe these proportiouneis, of many prophetable thyngeis and wonderful thu may make prophecye.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)20/14 : God worcheth mony wondyrfull myracles for hym.
2.
(a) Astonishing, incredible; also, incomprehensible; also, curious;
(b) intelligent;—used iron.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)20.25 : Ȝoure wordes aren wonderful…wher eny of ȝow be trywe.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.4.59 : This conclusioun is hard and wondirful to graunte; but I knowe wel that it accordeth moche to the thinges that I have grauntid herebiforn.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)172/2 : Full woundyrfull is mannys lesyng…Men are so dull þat my preching Serues of noght.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)844 : Many wondurful wonus wisli we knowen.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)266/8 : It is wondirfull þat anny man will putt hym to perill in þe see for anny worldly good.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)145/16 : Is it not a merveylous þing and a wondirful forto live in flessh and not to be ouerþrow in passiouns of þe flessh?
- ?a1475 By a forest (Dc 322)70 : Salamon seyth…Thre weyes there beth full harde to knowe…And of the fourth telle he ne can—Hit ys so wonderfull in hys heryng—The weyes of a yonge man.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)prol.18 : It passid my parceit, and my preisis also, How so wondirffull werkis wolde haue an ende.
- a1500 Arth.& M.(Dc 236)353/1227 : So derk hit ys & so wonderful þyng þat Merlyn seyde in his techyng, Wel fewe clerkys…Vnderstondyþ…what hit wold mene.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)78/19 : Þis aperiþ to me gret & wonderful, þat þou vouche saf to receyue to þy seruaunt me so poure & so unworþy.
b
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.1826 : The peeple folweth ther owne oppynyouns, In ther conceitis thei be so wonderful; Will halt the bridil of ther discreciouns.
3.
(a) Of exceptional quality, remarkably fine; admirable; also iron. [quot. c1475(a1400)]; also, illustrious; also, enviable;
(b) glorious, awesome; divine; also used as epithet for Christ;
(c) remarkable, noteworthy.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Esd.4.29 : I sawȝ…Apemen, þe doȝter of wunderful [L mirifici] man, besacis, þe secoundarie wijf of þe king.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2466 : As I ley I hadde a wonder sweuene…me-þouȝt…Þe wynged god, wonderful of cher, Mercuryus, to me dide appere.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3712 : This lady was of good entaile, Right wondirfull of apparayle.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.12.161 : Ne fooldist thou nat togidre (by replicacioun of wordes) a manere wondirful sercle?
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)119/9 : Þer es a wondefull [read: wonderfull] custom in þat land.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)96a/a : He see neuer man die þat vsed þis cure but ȝif he died of sum oþer grete errour & þerfore…þe cure is wonderfulle & blessed.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)14.74 : A wondirful knyht…Al this day hath kept the Iorrne Aȝens thy fowre batailles, Sire Tholome.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)141/25 : This eche greete lord ledyth a wondyrful lyf, for he hath eueremore L damesellis that arn entendaunt to hym and to seruyn hem [read: him] bothe day and nyght.
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)10/4 : Þey brouȝte with hem…many ryche and wondirful ornamentis and Iewels.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.11.7a : Þerfore, þouȝ hit be neuere so likende and wunderfull, refuse hit and seitt nauȝt þerto, for þis is þe sleiȝþ of þe enemy.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)22a/a : He is holowȝ & ykeuerid wiþ a wondirful nett the which strecchiþ him sumwhat fro þe glandula.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Pseudo-F.(Dub 245)308 : Þise ben gruccheris… & here mouþ spekiþ pride, makinge persones wondirful bi cause of here wynnyng.
- a1500(c1380) Wycl.Papa (Ryl Eng 86)472 : As þe pope is wundirful, so cardenals ben an herre to þe fendis hous.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)177 : Wunderliche ben þe sæ ut sondes, and wunderful is ure louerd on þeunesse.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.120 : I seiȝ anoþer tokne in heuene gret & wonderful.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)266/33 : Ich y-zeȝ nyxt iesu crist þe ilke blisfolle mayde…ine þe wonderuolle trone zittynde.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)67.38 : God is wonde-ful [read: wonderful] in hys halwen.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)62 : A child þer is iboren to vs…Whos nome schal inempned beon Wonderful…And God, mihtful, and rihtwys.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)9314 : Men shul him calle nomes sere Wondirful & counsellere…Prince of pees.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.9.6 : His name schal be clepid Wondurful [WB(1): Merueilous], A counselour, God.
- ?a1425 Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)3/6 : Þe firste & þe moste is of þe wunderfulle myȝte of glorious god.
- c1440(?a1396) ?Hilton Angels' Song (Thrn)15/22 : Þis wondirfull anehede may noghte be fulfillede…in þis lyfe…Bot anely in þe blysse of heuen.
- a1450(a1396) Hilton CPerf.(Paris angl.41)23/349 : Þat wondirful loue, þat is causid of þis knowyng and of þis biholding, is sufficient for to aȝeinstonde þe venemouse dartis of alle fleschli loues.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)59/26 : O sister, now is þis Joyful contemplacioun, a wondirful Joy of godis loue.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.44.29a : Summe [heavenly mansions] are for parfyt soulis þe whiche…songen louyngis to god in contemplacioun of him wiþ wonderful swetnes and heuenly sauour.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)prol.3 : O wondirful suetnes, the whilk waxis noght soure!
c
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)68/28 : Þe cryeng was so lowde & so wondyrful þat it made þe pepyl astoynd les þan þei had herd it be-forn.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.186 : It semyth be þi wordys þat þei þat syngyn þe gyldene trental gon wol nyhȝ symonye, for þei makyn wondirful comenant of her syngynge.
4.
Dreadful, horrible; also used parenthetically with reduced semantic force [quot. c1300]; also, misshapen [quot. a1400]; frightening [quot. a1500 Chartier Dial.F.& F.].
Associated quotations
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)50/428 : [Eleusius] lette owodewise aswiðe wunderfule hweol meten and makien…kene te keoruen al þat ha rineð to.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)143 : Hii funde…þat ȝe mid one sone was, wonderfol to telle, for boþe he solde sle his fader and his moder.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8575 : God sende uor is luþernesse moni deoluol cas In þis lond & wonderuol þe wile he aliue was.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.349 : This world stant out of herre Thurgh the conseil of Avarice, Which of his oghne propre vice Is as the helle wonderfull, For it mai neveremor be full.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)8082 : Þair [Saracens’] muthes wid, þair eyen brad, Ful wonderful was þair facis mad!
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)290 : I saugh envie, in that peyntyng, Hadde a wondirful lokyng, For she ne lokide but a wrie Or ouerthart, all baggyngly.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2158 : With visages fowle, full gresely to beholde…Think wele it was a vounderfull array.
- a1500 Chartier Dial.F.&F.(Sion Arc.L.40.2/E.43)23/8 : The wonderfull sownde of armes helpeth that the lawes may not be had.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)20/5 : Thou maist clerely vndirstonde that the names of those ladies be of wondirfur [vr. wondirful] condicion, for the furst of them is callid Indignacion, the second is callid Diffidence, and the thredde is callid Dispeyre of thingis for to come…they be…aduersaries to the saluacion of mannes sowle.
5.
Great in degree or quantity.
Associated quotations
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)45/9 : So schuld we do…make hidous & wonderful sorow for oure synnes.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)16/24-5 : Hir labowrs wer so wondyrful þat sche cowd euel far wyth hem.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)4.3 : Whi than haldis ȝou luf of erthly goed? Wondirful erroure blyndis ȝou.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1355 : There were wemen to wale, A wondurfull nowmbur.