Middle English Dictionary Entry
affinitẹ̄ n.
Entry Info
| Forms | affinitẹ̄ n. Also affenite, offinite & (error) afunte. |
| Etymology | OF afinité & L affīnitās |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Relationship by marriage (as distinguished from blood relationship); a kinship between families which results from a fornication committed by a member of one family with a member of the other; also, the relationship between married persons, wedlock; (b) kinship of any kind; (c) association, fellowship, companionship, alliance; (d) a connection or interacting relationship between parts of the body (or between body and soul).
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 *Rwl.Statutes [OD col.] (Rwl B.520)lf.80b : Ȝif þe schirreue of þe stude were, of his lignee ore þoru ani affinite, ateinaunt to þilke askare ore partable in his askinge.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)68/1924 : Ȝef þou..hast flesches mone, By lawe Alle here sybbe affinite To þe for þan schel drawe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.29 : Þese tweyne were y-ioyned to gidres boþe by kynrede and affinite [L genere et affinitate].
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)7378-9 : Or ȝyf he with a woman synne Þat sum of hys kyn..haþ ley here by..Þe more plyȝt ys þat lecchery..He calleþ hyt an affynyte; Affynyte hyt makeþ all an ende, hys blode þarto no more may wende.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Lev.18.14 : Ne thow shalt goo to the wijf of hym the which is ioyned to thee thurȝ affynyte [L affinitate].
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Say.Nightingale (Trin-C R.3.20)369-70 : Ful nyghe of kyn by consanguynyte, And eeke his spouse by affynytee, I mene as þus baffynyte of grace.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)228/17 : When thei do matrimonye, that pees be reformede or conformede by a-lye and affinite be-twyn pertyes.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)561/37 : Pees was on both sides concludit, by þe affinite and wedlok of Kyng Henry and Dame Kateryn, Kyng Charles doughter.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)128.121 (v.2:p.333) : Octauianus and Antonius [were] conceyuyd togedyr by a funte [read: afinite; L affinitate], for Antonius had to wyfis [read: wyfe] Octauians sustyr.
- a1500 12 PTrib.(2) (Rwl C.894)400 : All þo þat arne alyed to þe by kynred or by affynite.
b
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ruth 3.13 : If he wole take thee bi riȝt of affynyte [L propinquitatis jure; WB(2): bi riȝt of nyȝ kyn], the thing is wel doo.
- (c1425) Doc.Lynn in Nrf.Archaeol.6226 : Ȝe shal swere þat ȝe shal..spare no man for drede ne frendship ne affynyte.
- (1444) RParl.5.121a : He shall not for fraude ne affeccion, alyaunce ne affinite, for love ne for hate..yeve no maner Counsell unto the seid Baillifs.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1055/13 : For favoure, love, nother affinite, there sholde be none other but ryghtuous jugemente.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.303 : They trowen that I have had affinyte [L affines fuisse] to malefice or enchauntement.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)97/4 : Þer may na full sawghtling be made till ilkane hafe drunken oþer blude; and on þe same wyse es it of affinitee [OF aliance] makyng amanges þam, for accorde or affinitee [OF lacord et lalliance]..es noght bot if it be made on þat wyse.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9081 : Paris..the prinse [come out of Pers] louit, Þat of faith & afinytie were festnet togedur.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)95b/b : Nefresis..haþ afynyte wiþ þe euel þat hatte colica passio.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)281a/b : Þer is so gret affinite bitwen houes, clees, and hornes.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)152/14 : If þat ony of þe veynes organik..be kutt, it is drede of sodeyn deeþ..for affinite of þe herte.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)95/11 : Þer is an affynyte and neiȝborehode and a knytting togidere of oure soul to þe bodi.
2.
Coll. (a) Persons related by marriage; (b) blood relatives; (c) companions, associates, confederates.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.907 : The fourthe spece is the assemblee of hem that ben of hire kynrede or of hem that ben of oon affynytee.
- a1400 CMSoul (Bod 923)273 : To telle pleynly wheþer he was..of kynne or of affinite; or a straunger.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)6 : Affinitees, frendis, subgectis, allies, and alle wellewilleris.
b
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)96/556 : The third is incest, that is when a man synnes Fleshly with..any othir that is of his affinite, Gastely or bodili.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)180 : Þer com hir fader so fre Wiþ al his affinite.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.128 : He made a resygnacion To his brother, next heyr by degre, And next allye of his affinite.
- a1425 St.Anthony (Roy 17.C.7)117/26 : At þe last he forgate hys fadyr ryches & al hys affynyte.
- (1443) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xxxvi : They ben supportid be the sheryf and other of her affynyte.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1984 : Ful gret ioy was of þat nouelte, And specyaly to alle ther offynyte.
- (1450) Doc.in Kingsford EHist.Lit.(CotR 2.23)360 : Þat he woll voyde all the false progeny and afynyte of the Duke of Southefolke.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)7 : Whome all, with many other of thare afinite, the saide Kynge of Scottis lete arrest.
c
- (1429) RParl.4.345b : Alle the Commenes of the same Forest and Hundredes, of oon affinite in malice and riot.
- (1429) RParl.4.360a : Certeyn persones..bene inhabitant continuelly..with Merchauntz straungiers of her affinite and conscent.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)69 : He and his affynytes that weren off his secte coniecten and conspirden..the deeth off the kyng.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1235 : Alle þe folke of his affinite at fresch ware vnwondid..to þe fliȝt foundid.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)360/31 : Þe Duke of Awmarle..& þe Duk of Surrey..& oþir moo of her afinite, were accorded..to sle þe King.
- (1461) Paston (Gairdner)3.292 : In cas that any of myn olde enemyes..with theyr affenyte labur the Kyng and Lords unto my hurt.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)803 : I walke all lanys & weys to myn affynyte.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)28 : The Duke of Surrey, the Duke of Excester..and oþer moo of ther affynite were accorded to sle the kynge at Cristmas.