Middle English Dictionary Entry
yēp(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | yēp(e adj. Also yap(e, ȝep(e, ȝap(e, ȝop(e, ȝhepe, (N) yiape, yhape & (early) ȝeap(e, ȝeope, ȝæp(e, ȝiep(e, geape, geope, giepe & (in names) yeape, yope, yhepe; pl. ȝepis. |
| Etymology | OE gēap, gǣp, gēp. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Mentally agile, sharp-witted, astute, clever; also, as noun: clever fellows [quot. a1225];
(b) full of stratagems, wily; also, full of sleights, crafty, cunning; of a hunting hound: good at scenting prey; as noun: a beguiler; also [quot. a1250], a sly creature;—used in fig. context;
(c) alert, vigilant, wary; attentive, careful; also, as noun: one who is watching, the alert one; ~ ayen, on guard against (sth.);
(d) demonstrating ingenuity or skill, cleverly devised; of words: astutely chosen, artful.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)133/31 : Yfeleð swyðe eall eorðe wæstme, & unrihtwisnysse mycele wexeð wide geond wurlde…& se þincð nu wærrest & geapest þe oðerne mæig beswican & his æhte him of anymen.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8937 : He wass full ȝæp & wis To swarenn & to fraȝȝnenn.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)79/18 : For ðare euele ȝewune ne ðincð hit hem no misdade, ac bieð ihealden for wise menn and for ȝeape.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)465 : He nis noþer ȝep [Jes-O: yep] ne wis Þat longe abid þar him nod nis.
- a1325 SLeg.Magd.(1) (Corp-C 145)33 : Martha was ȝep wiþ alle, wis, and swiþe queinte, Þeruore heo hadde god inou & riche was in eche pointe.
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)619 : He bigan tounes to bilde; þer in he sett men wel ȝepe þis lond riȝt forto kepe.
- ?a1350 Guy(3) (Wales 572)30 : Riche he [Earl of Warwick] was of grete puer, Wys and yaap als ye sall.
- c1390 Disp.GM & Devil (Vrn)449 : Þe riche Mon, wher he is, Holden is boþe ȝep and wys.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5370 : A wis man es þi sun ioseph, In al egypti es nan sa yepe.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)3274 : Yhe haue yhape men him for to yheme.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)1651 : Bvt, confessour, be wys and ȝop, And sende forth þese to þe byschop: Alle þat smyteþ prest or clerk, And hem þat worcheþ wycked werk.
- c1450(?a1370) Winner & W.(Add 31042)119 : He was ȝongeste of ȝeris and ȝapeste of witt.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)3986 : He wyst well how thrytty wore ordand for ȝape men hym to ȝeme.
b
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)131/8 : An fox…is geapest ealra deora.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13499 : Her wass wiss Filippe sleh & ȝæp & haȝherr hunnte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13505 : An hunnte takeþþ der Wiþþ hise ȝæpe racchess.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)195 : Here ich ȝiu sende alse shep amang wulfes; beoð þenne ȝiepe…alse þe neddre.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)185/12 : Þeose ȝape [Cai: geape] children…willes & waldes toteoreð hare claðes forte habbe neowe.
- a1250 Ancr.(Tit D.18)10/10 : Hwen ho haues ileid, ne con bute cakelin; Ah hwat biȝetes ho þrof? Cumes te ȝeape ananriht & reaues hire hire eaire.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6487 : Þæt iherde Uortiger, ȝæp mon & swide war.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)829 : He [fox] bo ȝep an suþe snel.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9019 : Haf he ben forwit neuer sa yepe Fra þan i tell him for a nape.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13231 : With-in a yere…þat yepe was with child.
c
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)193 : Beð giepe and warre, and wakieð and biddeð ȝiu to gode þat he ȝiue ȝiu ȝepshipe and warshipe ȝiu wið to werien.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)195 : Þe man hindreð his agene soule…þe is gredi uppen woreld richeise and gredi him to pinende [read: winende] and ȝiep him to biwitiende.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)89/35 : Bie ȝeap aȝean alle ðe ðohtes ðe ic ȝeu hier te-fore nænnede, and wiðstond hem al swa ðu woldest aȝeanes al so fele dieulen.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)772 : Þou schalt kepe mi sone Gij…Loke, Herhaud, þat tow him kepe & þine felawes þat ben ȝepe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)796 : And þat þe ȝep underȝede þat in þe ȝate syttez, He ros up ful radly and ran hem to mete.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)18 : God hym ȝeuyth to aungelys ful ȝep and ful ȝare.
d
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13503 : Rihht he toc Natanaæl Wiþþ hise ȝæpe wordess Rihht alls an hunnte takeþþ der Wiþþ hise ȝæpe racchess.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)24703 : Þe contres quar britons duellde Yitte þe cristendum þai helde; Þe lede þai helde als wise and yiape.
- c1450(?a1370) Winner & W.(Add 31042)75 : Ane hathell vp stondes…With ane helme on his hede…And one heghe on þe hatte ane hattfull beste, A lighte lebarde and a longe, lokande full kene, Ȝarked alle of ȝalowe golde in full ȝape wyse.
2.
(a) Physically agile, skilled at a physical activity, adroit; nimble, active, quick; vigorous, lively; also, youthful in appearance or manner; also, used fig. of the new year [quot. c1400(?c1390), 1st];
(b) keen to act, impetuous; eager (to do sth.), zealous; of a ship: ?ready to set sail, prepared.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)144/5 : Þe ȝape [Cai: geope; Cleo: ȝeope] wreastlere nimeð ȝeme hwet turn his fere kunne nawt þet he wið wreastleð.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5699 : Of mani þai hadde helme & heued Sone fro þe bodi weued; Þe to & fourti weren ȝep…Þe to þousand todriuen and slawe, Þai hadden in a litel þrawe.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1193 : Alisaundre was swiftest and ȝep, And on Bulcyfal lepe.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.17 : Þow art ȝonge and ȝepe and hast ȝeres ynowe Forto lyue longe and ladyes to louye.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)11.287 : Whil þow ert ȝong and ȝep and þy wepne kene, Awreke þe þerwith on wyuynge.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)60 : Wyle nw ȝer watz so ȝep þat hit watz nwe cummen, Þat day doubble on þe dece watz þe douth serued.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)951 : Bot vn-lyke on to toke þo ladyes were, For if þe ȝonge watz ȝep, ȝolȝe watz þat oþer.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)3812 : I rede…That we sende oure Messager, Wise and ȝepe…to Troye Cite.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)270 : While I was ȝonge in my ȝouthe and ȝape of my dedys, I was als euerrous in armes as ouþer of ȝoure-seluen.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3304 : I þat was ȝustirday so ȝape & ȝemed all þe werld To day am dreuyn all to dust, to dolour & paynes.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)357 : Faire freikes vppon fote was ferly to se, So ȝonge and so yepe.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)458 : An holi man schal cristni eov…he wole beo ȝep and eke rad…To cristni manie he wole beo glad.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3983 : Wel fast after him þai come…Gij to aseylen þai wer ȝep.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)1027 : Þis was neuer sene beforne; To tell salome scho was full yhape.
- a1425 Nicod.(1) (Add 32578)1796 : Þai lay in droupand drede And non so ȝhepe a worde to ȝelle.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17936 : Let go caste a taylage…And gadir hit faste on gret hepis, For thei wol haue shippes ȝepis.
- a1450 Serm.Pater N.(Cmb Dd.11.89)237 : God vs clepeth his owene schep, and vs to ȝemen he is euere ȝep.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2201 : Mast hiȝe ȝe ere hersid…And now sa ȝape [Dub: ȝope] men as ȝe þe ȝatis has stoken.
- a1500(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Dub 213)818* : Ȝitte takez he…twelf tried childer…hys chevalry to lede; And fair enformed þam of fight & fetez of armez For ȝapest in hys awne yoke ȝarly to drawe.
3.
In surnames and place names [see gēap adj. in Smith PNElem. 1.197].
Associated quotations
- (1200) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames396 : Richard Yap.
- (1241) Select Pleas Forest in Seld.Soc.1373 : Ricardo le Yepe de Ragere.
- (1263) Close R.Hen.III260 : Thomas le Yepe.
- (1299) Close R.Edw.I288 : Adam le Yap of Hanleye.
- (1301) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)79 : Yeapeham, Yapham, Ȝapham.
- (1316) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)183 : Yapecroft.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3160 : Clement le Ȝep.
- (1328) Sub.R.Der.in Der.ANHSJ 3046 : Thom le Yope.
- (1332) Sub.R.Bdf.in Suf.GB 18128 : Agnes le Yhepe.
- (1332) Sub.R.Bdf.in Suf.GB 18128 : Andreas le Ȝhepe.