Middle English Dictionary Entry
brẹ̄m(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | brẹ̄m(e adj. |
| Etymology | OE brēme famous, illustrious. The meanings 'grim, fierce, etc.' probably arise in reference to warfare. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. brim adj.
1.
(a) Splendid, glorious, wondrous; (b) huge, great; big, sturdy.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)792 : Þe Admiral hire nam to quene, Þilke feste was wel breme.
- a1350 Weping haueþ (Hrl 2253)40 : Brudes bryht..of blisse heo beyen, þis briddes breme.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1387 : Hire louely lemman hade swiche los wonne..wiþ so breme dedus.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)863 : Vchonez blysse is breme and beste.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1314 : The kyng..Segh a batell full breme fro þe burghe come..vppon proude stedys.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)1020 : Your seemely make Shall bere such a barn in a brem tyde, Þat..Allso wide as þis worlde shall welden his reigne.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)18 : Þe child..was a big bold barn & breme of his age.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2300 : A sweuene..þat þer com..a brem numbre of bestes þat a lyoun ladde.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3767 : Ful manlich on þe morwe were his men greiþed, of bold mennis bodiesse a ful breme ost.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4700 : A boye hire ȝaf a buffet with a breme ore, so þat hire lif neiȝ hade sche lore.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11874 : The horse..was so borly of brede & of brem heght.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.130 : Was non of þe rasskayle aredy full growe To bere ony breme heed as a best aughte.
2.
(a) Bright, brilliant; gay; (b) of sound: clear, loud; gay; (c) of mental faculties: lucid; vigorous, powerful.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)383 : Heuene and erþe he [God] ȝeueþ shining, And sunne and mone and sterren breme.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)61 : When..eueri feld is ful of flours, And blosme breme on eueri bouȝ Oueral wexeþ miri anouȝ.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3861 : Þis bold william saw his blod so breme.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1563 : Ymagry..Of bestes and babery breme to beholde.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)533 : Hee sei þere..þe bryght god brem too beholde, Þe gaye god of Egipt glisiande bright.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)615 : A brem brasen borde bringes hee soone, Imped in ivory.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)1053 : I beholde A brem sterre & a bryght.
b
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1601 : There watz blawyng of prys in mony breme horne.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2200 : Þene herde he of þat hyȝe hil..a wonder breme noyse. Quat! hit clatered in þe clyff..What! hit wharred & whette as water.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)503 : Þere we mowe..gret joie here Of brem briddene song.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12468 : Pale wintur..briddes abatid of hor brem songe.
- c1650(a1450) Death & L.(Pcy)34 : For breme [song] of the birds & breath of the fflowers.
c
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)10.55,56 : In Monnes Brayn he [Inwit] is most and mihtiest to knowe; þer he is Bremest, But ȝif blod hit make. For whonne Blod is Bremore þen Brayn, þen is Inwit I-bounde.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.224 : Þow studyest..How euere beste or brydde hath so breme wittes.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)10/28 : In tyme of sleep a mannys inward bodily wittis ben breemest and to wirche rediest.
3a.
(a) Of persons: grim, fierce, cruel; -- also as noun; (b) of actions: fierce, furious, savage, vehement; (c) of suffering: violent.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7197 : Herode..wass grill & gramm & breme & bollȝhen.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1141 : To a-bate þe bost of þat breme duke.
- c1390 KTars (Vrn)819 : Þe soudan..Þat was so breme [Auch: stout] and bolde.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)264/199 : Þeih he [Satan] beo breme and wood, Loke þat þou beo Meke of Mood.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4003 : Esau coms brem and brath.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23930 : On min aun last dai..be þan mi hald O gain þat brem [i.e. Satan] þat es sa bald.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)1452 : Þey hew on helmes with swerdes kene; Þey ne wolde stynt, þey were so breme.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)1092 : Bi his cheer he say him wrooþ; So loked he euer breme [Göt: brime] & looþ.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1380 : With a bustous launce he berez hym thurghe, Þat þe breme..appon þe bente lyggez.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1157 : Þanne bi-gan þe batayle, breme for þe nones.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)538 : Fader, ich nyme ȝeme Of þis strif þat is so breme.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)229 : Hit watz a brem brest and a byge wrache.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)430 : Oure souerayn..vpbraydes þis burne vpon a breme wyse.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9632 : Brem was þe batell vpon both haluys!
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.80 : Neiþer bragger ne boster for no breme wordis.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)882 : Some dampnede Launfal þere..Hare tales were well breme.
c
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)346 : Þoȝ þou daunce as any do, Braundysch & bray þy braþez breme..þou moste abyde þat he schal deme.
3b.
(a) Of animals: ferocious, savage; ~ as bor (bere), fierce as a boar (bear); (b) horrible.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1686 : Bestes wilde..ac þe bremest best þe beres me semen, þe gon most grisli to eche gomes siȝt.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4899 : Þe sargantz þat ware brem [Göt: brim; Trin-C: breme] als bare.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1580 : He [the boar] hade hurt so mony byforne..Þat breme watz [&] brayn-wod bothe.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)69/403 : He come in breme als any bare, And askid what, deuil, þai did þare.
- c1440(a1350) Isumb.(Thrn)170 : The bankes were fulle ferre bytwene, And watirs breme als bare.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1236 : A felle semble, With Baners breme als bare.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)266 : Be-syde hym come þan sir Evwayne, Breme as Any wilde bore.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2560 : My swete hert, now mow we no more In þise breme bere-felles a-boute here walke.
4.
Of a judge: stern, merciless.
Associated quotations
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.28 : Crist..sal dem..sa bes he brem Tille thaim that sinful cumes thar.
- c1450 In þee god (Lamb 853)31 : Þens schalt þou come us alle to deme..With..visage breme.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)77.45 : Thai make him sharpe til thaim, and breme to punysch thaim.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)237/290 : Sir [Cayphas], ye ar a prelate..be not to breme; Sich men of astate shuld no men deme.
5.
Of persons: moved by desire or sympathy.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)202 : Ich granti wel þat he us deme; Vor þeȝ he were wile breme & lof him were niȝtingale..Ich wot he is nu suþe acoled.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)500 : For of golnesse is al þi song..Þu art wel modi and wel breme.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3687 : Whan þis worthi ȝong prince..This woman sigh..in him multiplied thoughtes breeme.
6.
(a) Raging (waters); tempestuous, severe (storm, season); (b) raging, fierce (fire, flame); (c) sharp, cruel (thorns).
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)67/260 : Þat day was hem no grace y lent, For stormes þat were so breme.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5068 : Breme wynter with his frostis hore.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)923 : Ȝe witen þat weduringe chaungeþ: Now broun and now briht and now breme stormys.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12503 : With blastes full bigge of the breme wyndes.
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.184 : The noyse of peple up stirte thanne at ones, As breme as blase of straw iset on-fire.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)860 : Þe ffyre..was blasound of brunstone with a brem lowe.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1854 : Þe deuel sodanly made to seme A house brynnand in fyre breme.
c
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)548 : In the kynges dyademe Sit þe þorn þat is so breme.
7.
Rugged, rough (land) [see Smith PNElem. 1.48].
Associated quotations
- (1332) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10189 : Hen. de Bremelond.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2145 : Til þou be broȝt to þe boþem of þe brem valay.