Middle English Dictionary Entry
bǒund(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bǒund(e n. Also bọ̄nd(e. |
| Etymology | OF bodne, bonde, boune; L bonna, bunda. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A boundary marker, a landmark; Ercules boundes, the Pillars of Hercules; (b) a boundary line, the outer limit of an area or a space; a line of demarkation; est ~, west ~, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (1288-9) Leet R.Norwich in Seld.Soc.522 : De Silvestro Siger quia subtraxit quandam bundam positam inter ipsum et Johannem de ffransham. ]
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3308 : Hercules..At bothe the worldes endes..In stede of boundes he a piler sette.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.46 : Appenyn the hilles hye..been the boundes [vr. bondes] of Westlumbardye.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5584 : He sette þere ymages of moundes Þat men clepeþ Ercules boundes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.610 : Sibellys streytes Maryners it calle, And þe boundes, þei named ben of alle, Of Hercules, for he hym silf hem sette.
- a1450 Forest Laws (Dc 335)241 : If ther be ony man that hath take a weye ony bounde of forest or rased ony thing that was sett in the stede of bounde of forest, ye shul do vs to wete of his name.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)334 : Sir Alysaunder..wanne..þe iles of the oryent to Ercules boundes.
- (1456-7) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA 81.m.7 : They can not knowe neither by evidence..nor markes or boundez in the grounde howe muche of grounde..belongeth vnto the seid brethren and sustren.
b
- [ (1316) Deed St.Peter Glo.(3) in BGAS 3859 : Quasdam perambulationes in aliquibus forestarum illarum sub certis metis et bundis in eisdem conventis factas. ]
- [ a1400(1281) Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.343 : Quod bundae..sunt de Gangestede usque Schirmere et de Schirmere usque Hundelake. ]
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.213 : Rome..þeyȝ þou nygh all fallynge be..þou schewest þy bounde, How grete þou were.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.101 : Of þe forsaide kyngdoms seuene, of here merkes, meres, and bondes [L limitibus].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.587 : The water eke hath sondri bounde After the lond wher it is founde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)170b/b : Space of londes and boundes of mansiouns ben departid with dyches.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)187a/b : Þis londe..endeþ in þe weste at þe bounde of Egipt.
- (1405) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.36 : The forsaid newe hauen..shal bene afulbonde [vr. a ful bounde]..be twen bothe parties.
- (1423) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)114/210 : And if he knowe eny persone..nought admitted to þe Crafte of Cirurgy withinne þe boundes of London..he shalle shewe without taryinge to þe Rectour of Medicyns.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.12.64 : At the termes of the nyght (that is to seyn, at the laste boundes of helle), Orpheus lokede abakward.
- (1425) Proc.Privy C.3.173 : Þe said souldeours and inhabitantes occupied to certain boundes by þame declared.
- (1434) Doc.in Dugdale Monasticon 2463 : The bounde that comyth thurgh the doune lyinge bytwene the londe of the saide priour and the saide Richard comynge to a stone stondynge with oute a diche by Dynmur wode..ys and schall be a bounde bytwene the saide priour..and the said Richard.
- (1439) Proc.Privy C.5.360 : The tounes and marches of Caleis comprehended..Guysnes..accordyng to the limites and bondes specified in the trete of Bretaygne.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.4.31 : If he passe the boundes of these forseide spaces, above or bynethe, thei seyn that the planete is 'fallyng fro the ascendent'.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)8099,8101 : Þir er þe boundes of Elandschyre..þe boundes begynnes at twede flode Vnto a place hat warnedmode.
- (c1464) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.lxv : The lymetes and the boundes of the said Spetell, within whiche boundes the said tenementz so closed were tyme of that enclosure and byfore and yet are.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)23 : Þe kyngdam of Kente, whose boundys Est and Sowþe was þe see, and norþewarde Temse.
- a1500(1396) Indent.Francisc.in RS 4.1 (Vit F.12)522 : At the Est bounde reysyng the postes..xxxiij fete, and at the West bound..Raysyng the postes..xvij fote.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)5.2.89a : The boundes or bordures of þat ciete mowe not be founde.
2.
(a) A limitation upon an immaterial thing; a limit set upon an action, a task, an art or science, an idea, etc.; a line of demarkation between elements, humors, etc.; the end of a period of time; the last of a series of numbers; (b) a moral or legal restraint; a limit set by honor, propriety, truth, one's power or authority, etc.; kepen boundes of, to stay within the limits set by (sth.), restrain oneself in accordance with; kepen boundes, restrain oneself, behave with propriety; passen boundes, break the law; passen boundes of, go beyond (truth, reason), exceed (one's authority); passen (one's) boundes, behave improperly, lose self-control; (c) an extreme of conduct.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2993 : For with that faire cheyne of loue he bond The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond In certeyn boundes [vr. boondes] that they may nat flee.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2506 : Thei be whom this art was founde To every point a certain bounde Ordeignen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)124b/a : Þat monþ hatte Januarius, for he is bounde & ȝate of þe ȝere.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)326b/b : The nombre of ten..is ende, bounde, and mere of alle simple nombres.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.314 : Þe purale, set with certeyn bounde, þorgh þe lond suld be delaied no lengere stounde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2926 : Sharpen my penne..To descryue þe fyn..Vp-on þe boundis set of my labour.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.4.45 : For ther nis nothing so late, in so schorte bowndes of this lif, that is long to abyde.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.5.117 : It is rather the simplicite of the soverein science, that nis nat enclosed nor ischet withinne none boundes.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)24b/b : Bot noȝt naturale [blode] is þat þat goþ wele fro þis within þe termez or boundez of his latitude i. brede, which if it passe it is noȝt blode but anoþer humour.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)210/23 : Þou schalt make manye particuler..chaungis in ech day dyuers from oþire, withynne þe boondis of oon and þe same general mater.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.634 : Of Abstinence he wot no bounde.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.571 : My wyl obeyed his wil..as fer as reson fil, Kepynge the boundes of my worship euere.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3601 : For al to sone þou wer drawe out of mwe, Þat koudist nat kepe at home þi boundis.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6900 : I wil nat passe my boundis neuer-a-del.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.6 : Here ben we tauȝte wel, to preise men but in mesure, and passe not þe boondis of soþ.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1673 : Whi lykede me thy yelwe her to se More than the boundes of myn honeste?
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2533 : Hir list nat fleen..With cry nor noise passed nat hir boundis, Whan that hir blood doun railled from hir woundis.
- a1450(?1404) As þe see (Dgb 102)212 : A good man..þat wel can serue..Passe not þe boundes of his powere.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)1633 : That is a king..to kepe vs vnder lawe, To put vs into prisone whenne we passe boundes.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Pseudo-F.(Dub 245)317 : Þise ordeynen þe contrarie, þat þei haue propre foode for heere mouþ þat passiþ ofte þe boundis of resoun.
c
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)130/31 : The more Maystri hit is, to know and conquere fraunchis, that holdyth the meen wey, than folargyse or auarice, that bene of two boundys.
3.
(a) Territory along a boundary, border region; (b) land contained within boundaries; also, land, region, territory.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)206 : He ssolde guo out of þe cite of Sodomme and alle þe boundes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.722 : Þei cast..Hem to refresche..Vp-on þe boundys of þe lond of Troye.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3551 : He has weddede Waynore..And wonnys in the wilde bowndis of þe weste marches.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3024 : Als fer as lasteth eny bounde Of lond, here names yit ben knowe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)242a/a : Rootes of rysshes þat groweþ in þilke places and boundes beth as grete as an arme.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3582 : Oure boundis ere barrayne & bare, & þine full of welth.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4319 : Is þar na brag in oure bondis ne bering of armes.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)66/1 : Hugh aldred..gaf. to william helie..ij acris & j half..liinge in þe bowndis of þe towne of donington.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)891 : To hounty yn ech mannys boundes, Hyt was hys wone.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)408 : Knyȝtis and kyngis..shulde defende wiþ strengþe þe lawe of crist in his boundis.
4.
Astron. The orbit of one of the planets (including sun and moon).
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.756 : Of the Planetes, the secounde Above the Mone hath take his bounde, Mercurie.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)427 : He..asselis it..With a rede golde rynge on þis aray grayuyn: A lyons heuyd..coruyn, þe bounde of a briȝt son, & a brande kene.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)54a/b : Be he war of ouermych stricture & laxacioun; þe terme or bounde be þe gode tollerance, i. suffring, of þe sikeman.
Note: Per MJW: limitation of the degree of tightness or looseness of binding. Not covered in our entry - prob. belongs with 2.(a). ?needs more specific gl.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)37b/a : Þer beþ 2 manerez of obtalmiez: Som is litel, not passyng bounde or term [Ch.(2): þe terme], bot þer is only rednez..Som is grete, passyng terme or bounde [L terminum] in magnitude in which whitnez couereþ þe apple.
Note: Per MJW: This sense not covered. Should prob. be 1.(c) anat. The outer limit of the pupil of the eye (or a more general gloss 'of an organ or part of an organ')