Middle English Dictionary Entry
adversārie n.
Entry Info
| Forms | adversārie n. |
| Etymology | L adversārius adj. & n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One who opposes another, a personal enemy; also fig.; (b) an opponent in war; (c) an antagonist in personal combat, a rival; (d) of animals or things: that which is harmful or inimical to something else.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)73.11 : Þyn enemy [L inimicus] shal reproce þe, þe aduersarie [L adversarius] draw out þy name in-to ende.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3868 : Vn to Rome [Iulius] made hem tributarie..Til that fortune weex his aduersarie.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.339 : Seynt Donstoun wolde..warne hym of al þe sleiþe of his adversaries.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2720 : Ye wol venge yow of the outrage of youre aduersaries [vr. enemyes].
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1476 : Who so maketh god his aduersarie.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.34.19 : Thei that ben aduersaries wickidli to me haue not ioye on me.
- c1440 C.d'Orl.O thou Fortune (Paris fr.25458)89 : What causyth the to be myn aduersarie?
- (1443) Reg.Gild Stratford (Macdonald)37 : He shall come to the Maystir and complayne hym of his grevaunce, so that the Maystir may make ende by twene hym and his adversary.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)30/19 : Brenne þe scheppe, for Steven, þat ys our aduersary, ys þeryn.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)1 Par.18.10 : Kyng Adadezer was aduersarie to [WB(2): of] Thou.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Bar.4.6 : Ȝee ben bitaken to aduersaries.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6130 : Þei wer sworn..Her aduersaries to taken in a treyne.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)77/21 : He went ane tyme to bataile agaynes þe grete kyng, his aduersary.
- (1429) RParl.4.338b : He was taken Prisoner by ye Kynges Adversaries of Fraunce.
- (1436) RParl.4.500b : Youre Lieges..went to the See, in resistence of youre Proditours, Rebelles, and Adversaries.
- (1443) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.23252 : Our adversary of France and his oldest son that calleth himselfe Dauphin.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)92b : He is wiþ grete difficulte ouercome, þat can trewely iuge or deme boþe of his owne copie or multitude and eke of his aduersaries.
- (1450) RParl.5.204a : Youre Adversaries of Fraunce ben fully purposed..for to conquere the seid Ile.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)115 : Thai ben..able to resiste the aduersaries of this reaume.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)211/28 : vi hundred of the aduersaries were kyllide.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)147b/b : Þe kok..fiȝtiþ boldeliche for his wyfes aȝenst his aduersaries.
- a1500 The man that wol (Hrl 3542)309 : Lytil wote thy adversary wath hym shal betide.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)254b/a : Men doþ..in þe vyneȝerd houndes þat ben aduersaries to foxes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)265a/b : To wreke himself of his [the boar's] aduersary wiþ his tuskes.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Gal.51.17 : Þe flesch coueyteþ aȝeyn þe Spiryt, & þe Spiryt a-ȝeyn þe flesch; for þese beþ aduersaryes eferychone to oþer.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)107b/b : Belluale & bestiale fishez & elez ar euermore aduersariez to iuncturez [L iuncturis..aduersantur; *Ch.(2): aȝeynes joyntes].
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.529 : Dong of gees..is an aduersary To euery seed.
2.
(a) Opponent in a lawsuit; (b) an opponent in an argument or dispute.
Associated quotations
a
- (1430-1) RParl.4.375b : Adversarie ayenst ye saide Lord Audeley and Alianore hys wyf, in the saide action.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)31 : Weel a vise hym the tenaunt..that he plete to his adversarye; and but he do, he shal mone lightlych lese his lond.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)127 : Ȝif the merchaunt pleyntiff wylle prevyn after the lawe merchaunt, the tayle to be maad be his adversarie defendaunt [OF adversarye defendaunt]..be yt receyved by two men at leste of good fame.
- (a1443) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xxxvii : Ther weren her adversaries redy with men of lawe..And her adversaries sawe they myght nat have theyr desire; than they cried yn uppon my lord, that hit scholde be commyttyd into the schrevys handes.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)73/21,24 : So þis mans aduersarie..besoght hur, at sho wold labur vnto hur husband þat he wold ansswer for hym agayns his aduersarie in þe courte.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.63/6 : Þe saide aduersariis beyng absent..þe tithis of þe hey..to þabbot and Couent..we haue i-jugged.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.9.6a : Late vs haue place to be herd, & sithe oure aduersaries.
b
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)79/31 : Touching þe pouert þat oure Lord suffred, myn aduersaries & ich beþ nouȝt contrarie.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)12/5 : It semeþ þat aȝens þe foorm and schappe of ȝoure doctryne..ȝoure aduersaries wolen make chalenge.
3.
(a) The enemy of man; Devil, Satan; also fig.; (b) a spiritual foe or antagonist; an evil spirit or devil.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)238 : To ouercome hire aduersarie, þet is, þe dieuel.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)1 Pet.5.8 : Ȝoure aduersarie, the deuel, as a roryng lyoun goith aboute, sekinge whom he shal deuoure.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)128a/a : By þe whiche gospellis, armes and wepene now of oure aduersarie is Iput of.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)57/8 : Þou aduersaie [read: aduersarie; L satana], fleiȝe fro me.
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)58 : The keene assautes of thyn aduersarie Me wole oppresse.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)104/14 : Arme not þin aduersarie aȝens þee.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)170 : He ne þoleþ þet..non aduersari ous asayli þet we ne moȝe ouercome.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)647 : I wold beseche..That I myht onys myn aduersarye se Wych wyth me fyhtyth & me wold peruerte.
- a1500 GRom.(Add 9066)25 : Mankynde was fyrste in the state of Innocencie, and had gyven of god spirituall richesse, to with-stonde his aduersaries.