Middle English Dictionary Entry
champain(e n.(1) & adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | champain(e n.(1) & adj. Also chaump-. |
| Etymology | OF champaigne |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Open country; a plain; (b) ~ countrē, ~ lond; ~ heritages, inherited open country.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)546 : Ther was large contray & playn, Faire wodes & fair Champayn.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.241 : In place eek hoot and drie, In champayn eek and nygh the seis brinke By tyme vpon thy werk in vynys hie.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1226 : Towarde Castell Blanke he chesez hym the waye, Thurghe a faire champayne, vndyr schalke hyllis.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2252 : In foreste, in feelde, or in champayne, With craft or art it is tomake a strengthe.
b
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.2551 : Departyng of chaumpayne heritages Atwen the worthi & poore of the cite Bi egal porciouns.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1620 : Towardez Chartris they chese, thes cheualrous knyghttez, And in the champayne lande full faire þay eschewede.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)76/10 : Þay..come in-till a champaynne cuntree þat was all Barayne, and na hye place ne na hilles myghte be sene on na syde.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.310 : She ladde hym into a mervelous fielde, A champeyn contree, a grete wildirnesse.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)13/42 : In the feldis men darre nat come withowt his harte shal be afrayed, seeng that force and the sworde reignen..; the champaine cuntreis may be likenid to the see wherin euery man hath as grette lordeship as he hath power.
- a1605(c1471) Arriv.Edw.IV in Camd.1 (Hrl 543)28 : He toke his was thrwghe the champain contrye callyd Cotteswolde..he in playne contry and they [enemy] amongst woods.
2.
The field for combat, battlefield.
Associated quotations
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1822 : Thus he chaces the childire of þe kyngez chambire, And killez in the champanyse cheualrous knyghttez!
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)129/14 : Al the campany of the londe wolde not Suffice, har tentes and Paueillons to Piche, And lasse to fyght.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)27/10 : The eleven kynges by manly prouesse of armys toke a fayre champion, but there was slayne that morrow tyde ten thousand good mennes bodyes.
Note: Supplementary material for sense 2. (Nothing in context supports this word being champiǒun n.)
Note: New form: Also..champion.
Note: See OED champian, champion, n. and adj. (both variant forms of champaign n. and adj. and champain n.).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section (including supplement form): Also champainne, champein, champion, chaumpaine, campani; pl. champanise.--notes per MLL