Middle English Dictionary Entry
yester-night adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | yester-night adv. Also yesterniȝt, yestirnith, yesturnighte, yisternight, yistrenight, ȝesterneite, ȝisternight, ȝusterniȝt, ȝustirniȝt & ȝersteneniȝt. |
| Etymology | OE gistran-niht, gystran-niht; also cp. ME yester- (as in yester-dai adv.) & night n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
During the night preceding the present day, last night, (on) yesterday night; as ~.
Associated quotations
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)143/3088 : Wel þe grete þat ilche kniȝt, Þat sopede wiþ þe ȝerstene niȝt.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)148 : Ȝester neite wan we had fiȝt…A þousent þer we putte to fliȝt.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)15988 : Ne sal he neuer vp-rise eft…Ar sal þis cok vp-rise was skald yisternight [Frf: ȝuster-niȝt; Göt: ȝisternight; Trin-C: ȝustir nyȝt].
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.221 : Wher ben hire armes and hire eyen cleere That yesternyght this tyme with me were?
- (a1450) Paston (Gairdner)2.119 : Yistre nyght my Lord Welles come to Boston.
- (1462) Paston (EETS)1.282 : The Kyng lay at Cambryge as yestyr-nyth to Sandwyche ward.
- c1475 Guy(4) (Cai 107/176)9832 : We were departyd yesternyȝt.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)992 : Yesturnyghte settynge by Jason Full swettely lokyd he me vppon.