Middle English Dictionary Entry
certain n.
Entry Info
| Forms | certain n. |
| Etymology | From adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A fixed or appropriate time; (b) a fixed amount or number; (c) a fixed sum of money; a stipulated tribute, stipend, fee, etc.; (d) a mass for the dead to be held at a fixed date.
Associated quotations
a
- (1422) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.128/231 : Þe Pye atte Quenhith..were goode to be closed a nyght and open a day at certein of þe Clokke by your better avyse.
- c1500 Cleges (Ashm 61)162 : With þer chylder pley þei dyde, And after euensong went to bede At serteyn of þe nyght.
b
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)49/60 : Ȝif..any of þe brotherhede haue nede for to borwe a certein of seluer.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1024 : Bisechyng hym to lene hym a certeyn Of gold.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)20.265 : Of lewed and of lered þe lawe wol and axeth A certeyn for a certeyne, saue onelich of freres.
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)30 : Þese labureres..maken couenant..for to do truly þer labur for a serten of hire.
- (1440) Visit.Alnwick196 : Thomas Hervy..gafe to the saide bedemen and bedewoman a certeyn of rent in Londone.
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)24/23 : Þe kyng and þe lorde of þe grounde..schul haue þerof a certeyn of moneye.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)181/18 : Þer was ane vsurer þat lent a certayn of mony vnto a selerer.
- a1525(?1422) Cov.Leet Bk.42 : The maiour shall chose xlti viii personez..oute of euery warde a certayn.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)31 : Draw a sertayn of yolkis of eggis throughe a strener.
c
- (1392) Will in Bk.Lond.E.210/10 : To þe presonis of newgat, a serteyn by þe weke duryng on ȝere; & to þe powre Mesellis, a serteyn A-weke duryng on ȝere.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.39 : For pes he [Eilred] þam bisouht, to gyf þam a certeyn. Fyue þousand pound of siluer þe Danes kyng toke.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.81 : We holde us not more perfit than ony other, ne non suffragies selle for a certeyn bi ȝere.
- (1422) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.130/274 : Faching of water and wasshing of clothes..for whiche he maketh men to pay a certeyn to þe Toure.
- (1423) *Cov.Survey Commons : Payeng a certen to the Chambur ȝerly, as they mow acorde.
- (1425) MSS Middleton in HMC107 : Ilke a man pay for hisse quantite of hise bestes a serten to the kyrke, that is for to sey, a peny for ilke a best.
- -?-(1435) Doc.in Power Craft Surg.313 : That the seid persoone ȝeue to the iiij maistris her fees & a certein to the box.
d
- (1444) Paston2.64 : Certeynes [to be performed every Friday for the souls of William Paston and Agnes his wife].
- (1466) Paston (Gairdner)4.231 : To the parson of Hungate..for a certeyn unto Mighelmesse next after the said yere day.
2.
(a) A definite but unspecified number (of persons, things, years, etc.), a certain number; (b) a certain amount or quantity; a share; (c) a certain extent of space or time.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3367 : Hise nayles lyk a briddes clawes weere, Til god relessed hym a certeyn yeres.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3193 : A poure scoler..koude a certeyn of conclusions.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1524 : This marchant is to Parys gon To borwe..A certeyn frankes.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.596 : She to soper com..With a certein of hire owen men.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)15/18 : Alexander..& a certane of menȝe wit hym habade.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)338 : The brigge..aftir a certein of ȝeeris..beganne to appeire.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)17306 : And of my meyne tak what ȝow leste, and pyketh owt a certeyn of the beste!
- a1450 St.Etheldr.(Fst B.3)392 : A pestelens..wolle..take away..a certeyn of vs.
- (1450) Paston2.146 : The qweche spynner he sente..to certeyn of his trustid men.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1709 : Ector [was absent]..by coursse..Assignet by his souerayne & certen hym with.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)3 : Þat same noe with certeyn of his frenschip in a litil schip seyled in to itayle.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)12/29 : Augustin with certeyn of his felawschip went on-to him.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)541/10 : With a certeyn men of Armes.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)541/20 : Baudewyn..with a certeyn men.
- (1467) Paston (Gairdner)4.265 : I let slype a sertyn of whelpys.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)62 : Every gode towne fonde a certayne of men.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)63 : The Duke of Orlyaunce went over the see to Caleys with a certayne lordys.
b
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)111 : He shuld delyuer a sertayne of þe remenaunte to þe forsaid suers.
- c1450(?1436) Siege Calais (Rome 1306)27 : The wolles and the merchandise, And other godes [of Calais]..Eche [of the attacking force] shulde haue a certeine.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)10.185 : Sycomor wylde a certeyn is to take, And boyle hit so.
- a1500 Rule Serve Ld.(Add 37969)12/26 : Þe amener shall take of euery standarde or grete mete..at þe first cours a sertayne..and put it in þe almes dysshe.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4754 : Every time hath his certein. So moste it nedes thanne abide Til..Tarquinius made unskilfully A werre.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)193 : Nigh hem were non a certeyn of compace [vr. certeyn space], But onely they, as fer as y couthe se.
3.
The fact or truth; meaning or significance; also, real nature.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.140 : Blinde fortune..Wherof the certain noman knoweth.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)225 : Þe sarysyne wente to hys maumet..'Sey þou me þe certeyn of alle, wheþer y shal or y ne shalle.'
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)466 : Þer beyn so many dremys yn veyne, Þat no man wote no certeyn But þey þat beyn with god prive.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.286 : Þe certeyn wite he wold, what þe clergi him hette.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)16117 : When Osewald wyste þe certeyn Þat Cadwalyn was turnd ageyn.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)1892 : To dispute þat wole I not dwelle, Any sortayn [?read: sertayn] þer-of to telle.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)25108 : A cheker he made..of whiche þe chekkys weren..on chek of gold, anothir of yvery; thus was the Sertein of þe cheker by & by.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)112/9 : Þe Pope..desiring for to haue þe very certeyn of þis mater, cleped on-to him a ful wise man.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)6600 : And shortly to say yow the certayn, he dyed anon withynne a day or twayne.
4.
(a) Certainty, assurance; comen to ~, have a successful outcome; (b) putten at a ~, constrain to a certain destiny.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1000 : Deeth..cometh ofte sodeynly, and no certeyn what tyme it shal be ne in what place.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.200 : Ther is no certein forto winne: For lord and knave al is o weie, Whan thei be bore and whan thei deie.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9166 : But þat þey wroght, hyt was yn veyn, For hyt come to no certeyn.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)15.78 : How there-Offen the Certeyn knew sche there?
b
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.299 : Purveaunce faileþ noght ne flitteþ, Þat euery þing so at a certayne pytteth.
5.
(a) Reliance, confidence; (b) security.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8497 : He broȝte þys ermyte to swyche certeyne, Þat to hys celle he turned aȝeyne.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.3088 : In Fortune ther may be no certayn, Vpon whos wheel al brotilnesse is foundid.
b
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)6.153 : They shal haue payne and potage and make hem-self at ese, For it is an vnresonable Religioun þat hath riȝte nouȝte of certeyne.