Middle English Dictionary Entry
yǒng man phr. & n.
Entry Info
| Forms | yǒng man phr. & n. Also (early) ȝunchmon, ȝeongman, hwungman, iungman, (acc.) ȝungnemon & (in surname) ywoneman & (?error) ȝangman; pl. yongmen, etc. & (WM) ȝeongmen, (N) giungmen, (early dat.) ȝeongum men. |
| Etymology | From yǒng adj. & man n.; also cp. OE phrase geong mann. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A man who is young, young man; an adolescent;—often contrasted with olde man; also in proverbs and prov. expressions;
(b) a man, usu. young, serving as an attendant upon a person of higher rank; also, one received into a religious order before taking vows, a novice;
(c) in vocative use;
(d) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)73/16 : Cnuca hi to smale duste, syle dicȝan on wine, ȝeongum menn fif cuceleras fulle…& wifun iiii cuceleras fulle, litle cyldum anne.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)119/16 : Wið þat ȝeong man healyde si nim þeos wyrt…cnuca mid risele.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)67/25 : Hit seið on ða hali goddspelle þat an riche iungman cam to Crist.
- a1250(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Mdst A.13)84/111 : Sholde nefre hwungman wyuen him to iuele.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5270 : Carrais…bad ælcne ȝungne mon þe weorces nalde ȝeomen.
- c1275 Hwan þu sixst on leode (Clg A.9)7 : Hwan þu sixst on leode…Ȝunch mon lieȝer…Wo þere þeode.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1828 : Hi seye an aungel…a ffayr ȝong man as hit were, Ycloþed in white cloþes.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3457 : She koude eke Wrastlen…With any yong man, were he neuer so wight.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.19.20 : The ȝung man seith to hym: ‘I haue kepte alle these thingis fro my ȝouthe; what ȝit failith to me?’
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)324/14 : In anoþir maner a ȝonglinge schal be fedde and a ȝong man and in anoþir maner þe olde man.
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)19247 : He fel dun…dede riȝt tare; þe giung men hinte þe caroigne þare.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)442 : Some ȝohng man For þi bewte sall begyle þe þan.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)46/27 : The fistule gutte byfalleþ in þe fyngers of ȝong men, and oft-tymes of ȝong wymmen.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)539 : Ȝunge manne: Adolescens, adolescentulus.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)3855 : Þou art so feyr a yungman, Me were full loth þe for to greue.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)942 : Huo wole a cherched child chese for hardy, Or a ȝoung man meek þat mirþe couaiteþ?
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)59 : Þi felawis bischops lere þei at þe to haue not wiþ hem childer so curhid, nor ȝeng men kembid.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)8/4 : We wer fourty ȝeong men ynfere and herden of a holy man þat was yn þys contre.
- a1500 MS Cmb.Ff.5.48 in Halliwell D.950 : Ther may we sum ȝang man fynde That is both curtesse and hynde.
- ?a1500 Qworle in (Sln 1210)40 : Qworle in tho qwew go lyghtly; Qwene I was a ȝong man so dyd I.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2925 : Yong men & yepe, yenerus in hert, Rauisshe hom Radly & þaire rede turnys.
b
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)3.201 : Emperours…Þoruȝ ȝeftis han ȝonge men to renne & to ride.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)757 : Loke how my ȝonge men leden here lyf.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)893 : Alle his wighte ȝonge men, the king forȝaf here gilt.
- (c1430) Paston (EETS)1.13 : In my cuntre…is þe povre hous of Bromholm of þe same ordre in wheche arn diuers vertuous yongge men, monkes clad and vn-professyd.
- (?c1450) Paston (EETS)2.337 : As for þe yong man þat I sent to yow I trost to God he xal plese my mayster and yow in tyme to com, but…I wold not…þat ye receyvyd hym att þis tyme, and whan my mayster com hom xuld refuse hym.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)86/18 : The prynce sholde chese his counceillours…Shall it not be among the yong men? Nay.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Eccl.11.9 : Glade þou, ȝunge man, in þi waxyng age.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)1 Pet.5.5 : Ȝe ȝonge men, be ȝe suget to eldre men.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)5712 : He says ‘þou yhung man, be glad and blithe In þi yhouthede þat passes swithe.’
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1826 : ‘Ȝung man,’ quod ioachym, ‘I wyl trewly Telle þe now euen lyk as yt is.’
d
- (1235) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames397 : Roger Yungeman.
- (1290) Close R.Edw.I155 : John Yungeman.
- (1298) Let.Bk.Lond.B (Gldh LetBk B)82 : William le Ywoneman.
- (1315) Nickname in LuSE 55102 : Will. Godyongman.
- (1338) Nickname in LuSE 55199 : Joh. Yongman.