Middle English Dictionary Entry
affect n.
Entry Info
| Forms | affect n. |
| Etymology | L affectus |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Capacity for being affected emotionally; capacity for willing or desiring, the will; (b) emotion, feeling; desire, inclination, emotional bent or disposition; frend of ~, a friend by inclination, a loving friend; (c) good will, affection.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)13b/a : Aungels..beþ Ihoue vp in affect [L affectu] & in wit & Irauyschite to þe inmest contemplacioun of þe loue of god.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)44 : Oure resoun or oure vndirstondyng, and oure affecte and wil ben oure moost worþi powers.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)94 : Forto be good and holi is a labour of the wil or of the affecte or of the appetite.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)212/30 : He leuez not to be ryghtful or holy, when he holdez so holynes in affecte and wil.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)97/9 : Grace of god..is sumtyme wiþynforþ..oure wil or affect to þe same enformacioun or remembraunce enclynyng and moving.
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1391 : And therto dronken hadde as hoot and stronge, As Crassus dide for his affectis wronge.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5486 : Thus kan she maken high and lowe..Fully to knowen..Freend of affect and freend of chere.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)509 : This man ouȝte loue in affect and in effect his owne bodi more than the bodi of his fadir or modir.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)98/31 : Ȝif þou..art vnpacient wyth full affecte of wretthe.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)131/7 : Ire, couetyse, and other affectes of the soulle.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)143/43 : They shul ben lerned in that kingdom with so mokel affect of love and of grace, that the leste joye shal of the gretest.
c
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)7 : Affecte, or welwyllynge: Affectus.
2.
= effect, result, effect; fulfillment (of a prayer); bringen to non ~, to make (sth.) ineffective, bring to nought.
Associated quotations
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17828 : For thow brynges hit to non affek.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.37/33 : He deseruyd to haue the affecte of his feithfull peticioun.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)246 : If þo same araies and signes..seruen not into þese now seid affectis, þei ben as for þanne bareyn and veyn.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)101.1 : Lord, here my prayere..the cloude of synnys let noght the affecte of myn askynge.
- a1525(?1469) Cov.Leet Bk.339 : This ordinaunce to take affecte after proclamacion.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. affect.