Middle English Dictionary Entry
wōn(e n.(3)
Entry Info
Forms | wōn(e n.(3) Also wonne, whon, von, on(e, (N) woine, (WM) waine, (chiefly N) wan(e & wọ̄n(n)e, ? wǒne. |
Etymology | ON: cp. OI vān hope, expectation. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. iwon n.
1.
(a) An expedient, a course; an alternative, a choice;
(b) expectation, hope; wil of ~, without hope; distraught; also, bewildered;
(c) luck, fortune.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1171 : Hi helde him by þe cheysel and þo he ne sey non oþer won Þat cheysel he lefte.
- a1350(?c1280) SLeg.Prol.CV (Ashm 43)79 : Hi…turnde to godes wille, Vor hi ne seie non oþer won, as ose seieþ.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)15790 : Petre…sagh na better wan; O þe forel a suerd he drogh þe ere he smat of an.
- ?a1425 SLeg.Nich.(CmbAdd 3039)63/27 : Þaire fadre hade none oþer wone, bot ordayned þaim al thre To þe bordel forto gange & comoune women to be.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)422 : Brydill hase he righte nane; Seese he no better wane, Bot a wythe hase he tane And keuylles his stede.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1745 : Þus lordus seyen none other wone Bot þat Etheldrede most nede be hurre kyng—For other heyre forsothe nasse none.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7779 : He wist noȝt whilk was better wane, To dye in fire or els be slane.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)1295 : The theff couth no better wonne; In to the see rennyth he sone.
- a1500(a1400) Cleges (Adv 19.1.11)319 : Sir Cleges sey non othyr von; Thereto he grauntyd sone anon.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)954 : Ful lutel þer wæs wone þat Corineus nas ouer-come.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)1590 : Þe godeman herd noys of þe stane, And þan he was ful wil of wane.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1643 : In sorow þan so was he stad…For wa he es ful wil of wane.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)3364 : When þai loked in-to þe graue, He was noght þare…þan þai war full will of wane.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)33/121 : Was neuere wrecchis so wylle of wane as nowe ar wee.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)142/144 : I ware full wille of wane My son and he shulde dye, And I haue but hym allone.
- ?a1450 NHom.in NM 73 (Hnt HM 129)p.200 : Wiþ yllir wane me better is To take mi parte of werldes bliss.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)7088 : Þe pouere soule…shulde haue had greet woon If it had loued vertu here And hatid synne.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1655 : Þare ase god wolde to bidde is mete fort god him sende betere won.
- a1325 SLeg.Becket (Corp-C 145)643/1028 : Ȝe witeþ wel echon Hou wel ich was wiþ þe kyng þei ich habbe nou luþer won.
- c1425 Glo.Chron.A (Hrl 201)p.86 : Costantyn ne com nower in batail non þat he nadde þorȝ þe crois þe maistri of fon So þat he hym vnderstod of þe beste won, And of Seynt Siluestre þe pope hym let baptize anon.
2.
An opinion; also, ?a belief [3rd quot.; could perh. also be construed as won(e n.(2) 5.].
Associated quotations
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1711 : More he louede hauelok one Þan al denemark, bi mine wone!
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1972 : Als helpe god, bi mine wone, A þhousend of men his he worth one!
- c1390 11 Pains(3) (Vrn)256/207 : Þo Þat schulen to þis peyne go…leeueþ not in wone Þat Iesu crist, Godus sone, Tok fflesch and blod of þe virgine Marie.
3.
(a) Abundance, plenty; worldes ~;
(b) an abundance of something; a copious amount, an excess; also, a surfeit; in alle wones, in plentiful degree; in (gret) ~, in full;
(c) a large number of people gathered together, a crowd; also, a large group; a multitude, host;
(d) in adv. expressions used to emphasize the quantity, number, or degree of a previously mentioned noun: ful) god ~, ful) gret ~, etc., in great measure; in great number; more ~, in greater measure;
(e) in other adv. expressions: bettre ~, more forcefully; ful) god ~, wel god ~, at great speed, swiftly; with great force, forcefully; strongly; excessively; also, repeatedly [the precise gloss is dependent on the context].
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Middelerd for mon (Hrl 2253)49 : So fele bueþ founden monnes fon…þis worldes won wiþ muchel vnwynne vs woren wolde.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)826 : Y nold for al þis worldes won Bot y miȝt þe traitour slon Wiþ min hondes tvain.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)13281 : Wiþ o word haue þei ship for gone Þat was al her worldes wone [Vsp: win].
- a1425 Welcome Lord (Add 37787)24 : Prynce in þi trone…Heyl be þou gouernour Of al þis worldus wone.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)532 : Woone, or grete plente: Copia, habundancia.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)678 : Ȝe callen him [Bacchus] kepere of þe þrote and kinde god holden And wis witiere of win þat alle won bryngus.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)13/116 : All the good thou has in wone Of godis grace is bot a lone.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)17 : Englode is vol inoȝ of frut & ek of tren…Of stel, of yre, & of bras, of god corn gret won.
- 1372 Als i lay vp-on (Adv 18.7.21)119 : For my care of michil won Sore þe sal smerte.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5649 : Hij ben ycloþed, in alle wones, Jn golde and siluer and precious stones.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)20/5 : Ȝaf nouȝt oure forfadres ȝou temporalte in grete wone & plente for ȝe schulde pray for hem?
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1685 : At his window set he Brede and water for þe wode man…Þarof ete he ful gude wane.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)353 : Of mylk have we miche whon amongus our peple.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)475 : I have of sorwe so gret won That joye gete I never non.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)10418 : Þor thurt no man þer traueyll tyne, for thresour þei fand full gud woyne [rime: stone].
- c1455 Spec.Miser.(Tak 32)876 : Wondere nowt theer fore nowther man no wyif Of teris yif I wepe greet wone.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)2311 : Off febelnesse he hadde gret wone.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)1083 : His gentillnesse was all a-way; All churlysshe maners he had in wone.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)10329 : Of harnes þou haste here gode oon, Grete and longe euerychone.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)546 : Of gold swith gret won graithes hee danne [read: ðanne].
c
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5359 : His vissares…so gret won of fisse him broȝte.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)68/547 : Þer rise stronge tempestes on loft; Of ffisch heo mihte take no wone.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)864/383 : Þat folc in þe castel…com forþ mid won Vor destourbi þe sege.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)868/443 : His wif & his breþerene hidere eke wiþ won Mid heiȝe folc come.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1269 : Were I worth al þe wone of wymmen alyue.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1429 : Of maidens was þare so gude wane Þat ilka knight myght tak ane.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)131/299 : Of parlesy war helid grete wane, And dum and defe ful mani ane.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)22/22 : Þe gude herde…lefte in þe munte ane wane of a hundrez sep and yede at seke þis ane þat was want.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)1586 : Alisaundre þey dispises…Gates þey schutte and barbicans; Þey mayntenid heom wel wiþ wayne [Weber reads: mayne].
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)557 : He hadde while he here was to hordom i-eged Gret won in þis word of wommen alive.
d
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2325 : Hwan he was king þer mouthe men se Þe moste ioie þat mouhte be: Buttinge with sharpe speres, Skirming with taleuaces…Harping and piping, ful god won.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3571 : On hymen þay gunne to falle anon, And delte strokes ful god won, Wyþ swerdes.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)20.170 : Lyf…gaf hym golde, good woon þat gladded his herte.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)12/37 : He bcoght [read: broght] folk ful grete wone, Ay seuyn oganis one, Þat ful wele wapnid were.
- c1440(?a1400) St.John (Thrn)179-81 : Þou gafe thaym welthe mare wone Þan þay euer hadde; When þay had welthe more wane þan þay euer bewanne, Þay wente home.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)652 : Þe abbay of Shaftysbury also made he, And ȝaffe londys & rentys gret won þerto.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3509 : Þe kyng clepte his treserere to hym þo anone & badde þat he shulde…take syluer & golde ryȝt gode wone & to delyuer hit to a goldesmyȝt.
- c1455 Spec.Miser.(Tak 32)143 : I wolde god hadde maade me a stone…ffor now schall I have woo greet wone.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.52 : Saveray þou schalle take þen…With powder of peper and egges gode wonne.
- a1500 Tundale (Adv 19.3.1)858 : Ofte God hath fro good men taane Her worldely ryches full grete wane Whyles [þey] were in þe worlde lyuande.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)75/1344 : Bred ne corne he ete none, But water had he good one.
- a1500 Bevis (Cmb Ff.2.38)70/318 : Mete & drynke he had gode wone.
- a1605(?a1500) Lond.Lickpenny (Hrl 542)51 : Wtout þe dores were flemings grete woon.
e
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1791 : He gripen sone a bulder ston, And let it fleye, ful god won, Agen þe dore.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2617 : Toward grimesbi, ful god won, He foren softe bi þe sti.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)778 : Þer Horn seiȝe þe mest þrang, In he rides hem a-mang & lays on wel gode won.
- c1330 KTars (Auch)49/658 : When he hadde beten hem gode won, Ȝete lay þe flesche stille so ston.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)125 : Gamelyn…drof alle his broþeres men right on an hepe; He loked as a wilde lyoun and leyde on good woon.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)1408 : Þay hewede one faste & full gud wone.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)190/1184 : But yf we fyght beter wone, Ector will slene vs euerichone.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)360 : Þo was Launfal glad and blyþe…And keste here well good won.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5474 : It is bred ful wonderly And…torneþ to brimstone And welleþ vp somtime good wone.
4.
(a) Wealth, possessions, riches; also, something at one’s disposal, property; with riche ~, sumptuously, extravagantly; haven al the world in wones, to possess much wealth or material goods; haven no ~ of, not be master of (sb.), not possess; haven to ~ o, have (sth.) in possession, own;
(b) a material benefit, boon, blessing; also, reward.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)386 : Þu miȝt segge þe ne faileþ non Gold ne seluer ne riche won.
- c1300 SLeg.Devil Serv.(Hrl 2277)42 : For he hem seide, y ne miȝte of him habbe no won; þat was his mede of his aues.
- a1350 Horn (Hrl 2253)52/906 : In a chirche of lym & ston me buriede hem wiþ ryche won.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2217 : He that stant to day alofte And al the world hath in hise wones, Tomorwe he falleth…Out of richesse into poverte.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4353 : O werldes welthe to wale and wan Sal þou haf.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22975 : Quat takens vale o iosaphat, A-mang a hundret men o wan Ne vnderstandes it noght an.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)13713 : Moises wol we alle suche stone Wheþer þei be pore or riche of wone [Vsp: rike].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4204 : My wardrop of Walyngfordhe I wate es distroyede; Wist no wy of wone bot Waynor hir seluen.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)512 : Ȝoure cursyd kyng Haþ me refft off al my þyng And off al my worldly wan.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)72 : Oþur wordliche won at wille we have.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.1370 : Thei were I-graunted of god to youre persone That ye shuld parte al this welthe and wone.
- a1500 Theoph.(RwlPoet 225)p.7 : Whan his good was al gon…Of pouerte he hym be ment…‘Be god, I hadde mekel won, And ryȝt now it is al agon In alitel throwe.’
b
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)261/15 : For þulke dede heo ne tok of no man mede ne wunne.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3755 : Es þar nakin blessing left…And fader, es þar na noþer wan?