Middle English Dictionary Entry
yēve n.
Entry Info
| Forms | yēve n. Also ȝive, ȝife, geve, give, gif(e, (in cpd.) -ive & (early) ȝeve, ȝef(e, ȝefu, ȝeove, ȝifu, ȝieve, geove, geofe, giwe, giefu, (infl.) ȝifæ & (in place names) ȝewe, ȝene(s)-, gheve, gheive, ghive, ghyne, -iffe & (error) ȝene; pl. ȝives, etc. & (early) ȝeven, ȝefven, ȝeoven, ȝiven, ȝifæ, geofe, gife, (gen.) ȝeva, ȝefenæ & (in cpds.) -iv(i)s. |
| Etymology | OE gifu, giefu, geofu, geafu; also cp. ME yēven v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. iyeve n., toyeves adv., & yift(e n.
1.
(a) That which is given or offered freely; a gift, present; wille ~; yeve(s kisti, generous in gift-giving;
(b) the act or action of giving.
Associated quotations
a
- a1126 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1125 : He wæs underfangen mid wurðscipe & ealle hine iæfen micele gife & mære.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)112/8 : He gelefde þæt æighwyle þe him ænige geofe geafen, bereowsunge on his life dyde, þæt he swa mihte.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)128/20 : Jobes gebroðre & gesustren…comen him to & hine gefrefrodan…& him geofe geafen.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)6/20 : Ȝif ic æniȝ þare ȝyfæ habbe þe ðu ȝyrnende bist, nelle ic [ðe] unrodsiæn.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)30/210 : Ich…wule…wið kinewurðe ȝeoues ȝelden ow hehliche ower ȝong hider.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)38/15 : Hwuch-se ich am, þurh godes grace ich hit am, wil-ȝeoue unoseruet, þet he haueð me iȝettet, for ȝelde hit him seoluen.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)188/22 : Suleð godd his grace? Nis grace wil ȝeoue?
- a1250 Lofsong Louerde (Nero A.14)213 : Wið þi luft erm, þet is, wið þine worldliche ȝeouen, hold up min heawed, ðet ich þurh to muche wone ne falle i fulðe of sunne.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)467 : Ȝirne we to þane kinge ȝeuen suiðe gode.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2033 : Cniht he wes kene, & he wes ȝeua [Otho: of ȝeftes] custi.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2427 : Brennes bi-ȝet muchel feoh & feire hit dælde; Nes he noht ȝælpinde ah he wes ȝeue-custi.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5136 : He heom…ȝef ȝiues swiðe gode.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)105/19 : Þe Vox of ȝisceunge haueð þeose hwelpes…Oker, festschipe, prinschipe [read: priuschipe] of ȝeoue [Cai: geoue] oðer of lane.
2.
(a) A grant or bequest of property;
(b) a dowry; morn ~ [OE morgen-gifu], morwe ~ [see also morn n. 3.(c) & morwe n. 2.(d)].
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Ðas is se gife: fram Medeshamstede to Norðburh; & swa to ðet stede þet man cleopeð Folies, [etc.].
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Ic bidde ealle þa ða æfter me cumen…þet ure gyfe mote standen.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Ic Wulfere kyning mid þas kyningas & mid eorles & mid heorotogas & mid þægnas þas ge witnesse mines gifes…ic hit festnia mid Cristes mel.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)202 : He heold þe stronge castles þurh staðele his fader ȝefe.
b
- 1123 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1123 : On þa ilca tyma ferden þes eorles sander men mid un sæhte fram kyng, na of his gyfe naht ne rohton.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1428 : Siðen men hauen holden skil First to freinen ðe wimmanes wil, Or or men hire to louerd giue For wedding or for morgen-giwe.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.142 : Þis morwȝyve [vrr. morwe-ȝyve, morow-ȝyfe, more gif] is clepid of clerkes, dower of bodily sutilte.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)343 : Moryve [Win: Morryve]: Dos.
3.
(a) A gift given as a reward;
(b) a contribution of money, goods, etc. given as tribute;
(c) ~ silver, a customary feudal rent; ~ werkes, tasks performed to satisfy a feudal obligation; aker ~, ?a rent based on acreage; neue yeres ~, a customary feudal rent paid at New Year’s Day; yeres ~ [see yeres yeve phr. (a)].
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)57/7 : Herodias mid beheafdunge hine acwealde & swa mæres mannes deað to gyfe hire dohter hleapunge underfeng.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)45 : Þer ne þerf he habben kare of ȝefe ne of ȝelde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)897 : Þa hefde Brutus þa ȝeue þat Diana hi bi-heihte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12332 : Þe king for his gomene ȝæf him ȝeuen gode.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2715 : Bringeð me her rihtte gold & gersume, ȝeoue and eower ȝisles.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2725 : Þeos swiken…ȝarekeden heore ȝeouen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11315 : Ich wulle beon þin under-ling…þas ȝeuen ich finde þe wulle æue[r]-alche ȝere.
c
- (1305-11) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 2 ()31 : De lx s., xi d. de certa consuetudiine que vocatur yevesilver ad festum S. Mich.
- (1305-11) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 2 ()31 : Yevewerkes, scilicet de dono.
- (1381) in Sundby Dial.Wor.()133 : Yeueseluer.
- (a1400) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 231 : [A tenant by ancient enfeoffment] debet dare ad consuetudinem illam quae vocatur newyeresgive vij d. et ob. sed contradicit.
- (a1400) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 2105 : De auxilio franci plegii, xij s. Akergeve iiij li., v s., x d., ob. cum pleg’.
4.
An offering to God.
Associated quotations
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)112/6 : Hit is awriten þæt se hehlice God hateð unrihtwisre gyfe.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)74 : Lutel lac is gode lof þet kumeð of gode wille, And ec-lete muchel ȝeue [Trin-C: ȝieue] of þan þe herte is ille.
5.
(a) A benefit, spiritual gift, personal endowment, etc. bestowed by God; also in epistolary formula [quot. 1155]; yeres ~ [see yeres yeve phr. (c)];
(b) the bestowal of a benefit by God or the Holy Spirit, grace.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)32/25 : Se larðeaw byð culfre cepe, þe nele þa gyfe þe him God forgeaf buten his gearnungen oðre mannen bute sceatte nytte don.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)59/25 : Matheus is Ebreisc name þæt is…on Ænglisc ‘Forgyfen’ oððe ‘Gegoded’; God hine gegodede swa þæt he…him forgeaf þa gyfe þæt he awrat þa forme Cristes boc.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)98/9 : God wiðstandeð þan ofermodan, & þan eadmedan he syllð his giefe.
- (1155) Chart.Hen.II in Hall EME (Hrl Charter 3.B.49)11 : H’ þurh godes ȝefu ænglelandes king, gret ealle mine bissceopas.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)28/10 : Þæt ȝetel is haliȝ þurh ðone Halȝæ Gast on his seofenfealde ȝyfe.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)82/25 : Æfre he bið ȝyfende his ȝyfæ þam ðe he wyle, ac he his þing ne wonæð.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)128/31 : Þe Almihtiȝ Drihten nele þæt mon his ȝefenæ nænne þanc nyte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5361 : Þe tale off seoffne maȝȝ Þa seoffne ȝifess tacnenn Þatt Godess Gast uss ȝifeþþ her.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)17 : He…ȝef us seodðan ane muchele ȝef…he ȝef us ane heȝe ȝefe.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)19 : Crist us ȝef moni freo ȝene [read: ȝeue].
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)107 : Swiche giues and none iuele sendeð lemene fader mankin.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)71/6 : Hier after cumð an oðer godes ȝiue, ðe is icleped consilium, þat is, ræd.
- a1250 HMaid.(Tit D.18)11/141 : Meidenhad is tat an ȝeoue iȝettet te of heouene.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1386 : Mani kirnels of a tre mast, Gain gifes o þe holi gast.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23370 : Þaa sele þat sal leng in heuen In bodi sal haf gifes seuen.
- a1425 God þat art of mihtes (Add 37787)2 : Þe seuen ȝifes of þe holigost I prey þat þou heue me.
b
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)74/32 : Se Halge Gast…is gehaten ‘Paraclitus’, þæt is, ‘Frefrigend’, for þan þe he gefrefreð þære bereowsigendra heortan þurh his gyfe.
- c1175(OE) Bod.Hom.Nicod.(Bod 343)8/11 : Þær mon embe God smeað, ðær bið þæs Gastes ȝifu.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)86/14 : God on hire wunæð þurh his gastlice ȝyfæ.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13796 : Tatt wass þurrh þe gife off Godd Þatt he toc wiþþ þe Laferrd Swa raþe.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)27/16 : Ȝef ȝe habbeð ei god idon, þonkið him of his ȝeoue.
- a1250 Lofsong Louerde (Nero A.14)215 : Wiþ-uten þine ȝeoue ne mai þe nou luuien.
6.
A gift given in expectation of a desired return, an inducement; yer ~, a payment or bribe repeated annually; yeres ~ [see yeres yeve phr. (b)].
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3840 : He ȝæf þæn hæhste…ȝefuen swiðe riche.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9294 : Þe eorl…bæd alcne ohte gome þat he him sculde to cume, for gold and for seolure & for oðere ȝiuen gode.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)357 : He ne moucte no more liue, For gol ne siluer, ne for no gyue.
- a1475 PPl.A(1) (Ashm 1468)3.89 : Ȝeriuys [vr. ȝerius; Trin-C: Fuyr shal…forbrenne…Þe hous and þe hom of hem þat desiren To haue ȝeftis for here seruice].
7.
A promise, pledge.
Associated quotations
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2882 : Ich giue þe a giue Þat euere more, hwil ich liue, For hire shal-tu be with me dere.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.155 : It salle not so, Richard, I wille þe gif a gyue: þou salle hold forward, if þou wost þat I lyue.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)13481 : Þorow þem ys Rome…Halden hed of al þe werd, & so schal be, y gyue ȝow a gyue, Al so longe as y may lyue.
8.
In place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.43]; morn ~; morwe ~ [see also morwe n. 4.(a)].
Associated quotations
- (1240) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)276 : Morghynelond.
- (c1248) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)519 : Morgheyve.
- (1270) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)519 : Morghyuemear.
- (1300) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)276 : Morȝenescroft.
- (1316) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)276 : Le Moreweȝenefanne.
- (1347) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.) ()519 : Morniffehaghe.
- (c1350) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)186 : Le Moregheueplace.
- (1403) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)339 : Le Moreȝewe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)112/370 : Ȝif þu frend bi-ȝete..loke þat þu him þeine mid alle kennes þiues.
Note: Margaret Laing has plausibly suggested that þiues here, taken by MED under theu n.(1), is rather a plural form of yeve n., with substitution of þ for ȝ (and þeine likewise a form of yeinen v., q.v.) See "Confusion 'wrs' Confounded: Litteral Substitution Sets in Early Middle English Writing Systems," Neuophilologische Mitteilungen 100:3 (1999), 267-8.