Middle English Dictionary Entry
Britǒun n. & adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | Britǒun n. & adj. Also Britton, Bruton, Brutin, Breto(u)n. |
| Etymology | Cp. OE Breotone (pl.) & Bryttas, Brettas; L Britōnēs; OF Breton. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A native of the British Isles, a Celt; Britones se, the Britons' (or Bretons') Sea = Brittish se, the English channel; (b) a Breton; (c) a Breton apple.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1958 : Þa Troinisce men þa temden hine to hærre, æfter Brutone Brutuns heom cleopede.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1975 : Gurmund draf out þe Brutuns & his folc wes ihaten Sexuns.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)506 : Brutons me clupede alle men þat were in engelonde.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5127 : Þe vewe þat were of hom bileued, as in cornwaile & walis, Brutons nere namore ycluped, ac waleys.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.293 : Þe lasse Bretaigne [was occupied]..efte sones by Britons þat were pursued and greued by þe Saxons in Fortigerns tyme.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.93 : Marcia, queene of Bretouns [L Britonum]..of hire þe prouince hadde þe name Mercia.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.545 : To Walys fledde the cristianytee Of olde Britons dwellyng in this ile.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)178a/b : In þat lesse Bretayne wonede, and doone ȝitte anoon vnto þis daye, bretonnes þat lefte þe more Bretayne.
- c1425(?a1400) Arthur (Lngl 55)15 : Bretones ȝaf hym þat Name Vther Pendragon.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1414 : Brestez they thyrle, Bretons of the boldeste with theire bryghte swerdez. Thare was Romayns ouerredyn.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.166r : The nexte somer eche of hem cam oute of her places and dighted hem shippes and robbed as skemours in the Brittons see, ayenst whiche were ordeyned lx shippes for to destroye the malice of hem.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1864 : Brutus folk was cald Brutones.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6464-8 : Þis lond is Bretones wynnyng..Hit schal hote þe Lesse Bretayne, And we Bretons to be cheuentayne.
- ?c1450 Trivet Constance (Harv Eng.938)p.232 : Wales, where than was the most partee of the Brytons fled.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)32/21 : Now shall we se..how thes northirne Bretons can bere theire armys.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.253 : Pereschede mony of the Britones.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)213 : In þe regne of þe riche kynge..The bolde Breton Ser Belyn.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.709 : Thise olde gentil Britons..Of diuerse auentures maden layes.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5881 : Þe kynges oost..maugre Picard and Bretoun, Breken þere þe wal adoun.
- (1439) RParl.5.31b : When the Spaynardes, Portyngalers, Bretons..brought and solde theymself here in this Reaume Greyn, Oyle, Wex, Iren.
- (1460) *Doc.Maldon1/2 f.5 : An Alyen born. Some seyde that he was a Spaynard, Some seyde that he was a breton.
- (?1463) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2 p.66 : Euery estraunger alyen that is to say Britaygne Spaynoll [etc.].
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)656 : They say many a paynym Comyng with grete power, lemosyns, bretons, [etc.].
- a1500 Orfeo (Hrl 3810)16 : In Brytayn þis layes arne ywryte..Of aventures þat fillen by dayes, Wherof Brytouns made her layes.
c
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)97 : Þe Britouns, þe Blaunderers, Braunches þe bewe.
2.
Adj. (a) Brittonic, British; (b) Breton.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.93 : Gildas..turnede þese tweie lawes out of Bretoun speche in to Latyn.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.666 : A Briton book writen with Euangiles Was fet.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.130v : The Cornysshmen he put ouer the water of Thambre, makyng that bounde betwene Englyssh and Cornyssh that is yut hederto iholde, so that Cornissh holdeth euer the Walssh Brutyn tonge.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)17 : 'Caer' yne britoun speche betokynythe a Cite.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.711 : Thise olde gentil Britons, in hir dayes, Of diuerse auentures maden layes Rymeyed in hir firste Briton tonge.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1179 : This Britoun clerk hym asked of felawes.