Middle English Dictionary Entry
cāpen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | cāpen v. |
| Etymology | OE capian |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To gaze, stare; ~ after, look for (sth.), hunt, seek; (b) ? = gapen, to be open; of a hedge: have an opening.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)238 : He capede euere upward toward heouene an heiȝ.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3444 : This Nicholas sat euere capyng [vr. gapyng] vprighte.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3473 : This Nicholas..euere caped vpward into the eyr.
- a1413 Chaucer TC (Mrg M 817)5.1133 : Longe may þey seche Er þat þei fynde þat þei after cape [vr. gape].
- (?c1422) Hoccl.ASM (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)350 : In my mynde is ther no thoght..than serche a way how deeth eschape, But y in veyn ther-aftir looke and cape.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.558 : She sholde hym nought escape, Ne lenger don hym after hire to cape [vrr. kape, gape].
b
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)8 : And som..Leyd wit & lustis all, to such Iapis as Hurlewaynes meyne in every hegg that capes.