Middle English Dictionary Entry
affraien v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | affraien v.(1) Ppl. affraied, afraid, afreid, affred, affarid. |
| Etymology | OF esfräer, effräer, esfrëer, effrëer. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To attack (sb.); invade (a country); also, to reproach (sb.); (b) to harrass; (c) to brawl or riot.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 Bi west (Vrn)33 : Ful fersliche Riȝt wol vs affray, And blame vs for vr mis-lyuing.
- (c1396) Doc.in Bk.Lond.E.234 : Richard langeford with other mo vneknowen..asawt madyn..to þe ȝomen of Schordych..& hem foule afrayedyn.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.23 : Oseth, þe Danes kyng, com Inglond to affray.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2214 : Þus war þai warned ilka day, When any fase wald þam affray.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2274 : His knihtis..Spoilled ther castellis..Wher that contre, vnwarli thus affraied, Hadde neuer afforn in bataile been outraied.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)9847 : Þis ys o greth cause..That relygyous gouernaunce ys so sore affrayid, For dew correccyouns ben al put aweye.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3437 : Wyþ grete stones þey [the Britons] hem affrayed.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1084 : The kyng had no knawlache..Of the folke so furse þat hym affray wold.
- (1467) Paston (Gairdner)4.283 : I have ben affrayd ther befor this tyme..and I can not wele gide ner rewle sodyours.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)11.143 (v.1:p.111) : She feryd that .. hir husbonde had ben afraied somwhere on the see or els drenkelid.
- a1475 As I stod in (Brog 2.1)64 : Thanne thei wyll the lyȝtly afray.
b
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.3832 : Contrarious Fortune his power gan affraie.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1092 : Wyntir colde affrayeth somer flourys.
c
- a1525(?1461) Cov.Leet Bk.319 : That not non of thaym from hensforth be so hardy to affraye or quarell with-yn the same our Citee..or any other vnlawfull dede to do.
2.
To arouse or awaken (sb.), excite or disturb (with anger, love, etc.).
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2859 : And thus thenkende thoghtes fele, I was out of mi swoune affraied.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1780 : Wythinne an oure of þe myȝt [read: nyȝt] an entre þay hade, Ȝet afrayed þay no freke.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)91 : In this sesoun delytous, Whan love affraieth alle thing.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3113 : Thanne Bialacoil, affrayed all [OF Lors s'est Bel-Acueil effraes], Seyde, 'Sir, it may not fall.'
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)296 : Smale foules a gret hep..had affrayed me out of my slep Thorgh noyse and swetnesse of her song.
3.
(a) To frighten (sb.), disturb (sb.) deeply, to alarm; ppl. affraied, frightened; -- often with of; (b) to be afraid; -- also with of.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)1646 : Now goþ Gij sore desmaid, His woundes him han iuel afreyd.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)217 : Thus he wole afraien al that ther is inne.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)151/624 : Of þet he hadde her ydo He was affrayde.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2158 : He þat of þe white beres so bremli was a-fraied.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2436 : Al affraied, þay sterte al nakede til hure þar sche was.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4475 : Be ye affrayed of me that am youre freend?
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3400 : Withinne his herte affraied, A thousend time..he wissheth after deth.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.455 : Nedelees..he thoghte hire for taffraye.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.174 : Þe noyse dredfulle & grete, It affraied þe Sarazins.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Gal.5.12 : Wolde God he were y-kut awey þat affrayeþ ȝou þus.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3044 : Beth no-thyng dismayed, In ȝouresilf displesed nor affrayed.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3821 : All afrayed [OF en esfreor] in his risyng..He ran anoon as he were wood.
- a1425 Christ.Belief (LoC 4)9/345 : Þe mightfulheade of his goddheade also glowand gleme gloriefied his face; forþi at þe sight of him þai were affaryd..
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)283 : He was na-thyng affrayede [Cmb: afreyd] Of þe fers knyght.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)41 : Hercules..dyde so notable dedes of armes that he affrayed all the peple off hell.
- a1450 Spec.Guy (Cmb Dd.11.89)685 : Affred [Auch: Who-so is aferd of his trespaz].
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8429 : Sho was affrayet full foule with a fuerse dreme.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)17 : Loke ye shadow not the watur..for hyt ys a thynhe wyche wyl a fray þe fyche, and yf he be a frayd he wyl not byt.
- (1456) Paston (Gairdner)3.77 : I have somwhat affrayed them.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)4/115 : All ffendys of here xal be Affrayde.
- a1500(?c1400) EToulouse (Cmb Ff.2.38)581 : Y dud nothyng but yow to affray.
b
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)7812 : To come sleightly he scholde fonde..So þe barons þem nought mispaye, Ne þe comun folk affraye.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)2587 : She gan affray of this sodeyn caas And ryseth vp in a grete raas.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)3968 : A stroke smote he Vpon Sornogoure helme so gay, So spetuosly that he gan affray, And stonyed ther-wyth he was gretly.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475 Brm.Abraham (Brm)233 : Thy meke wordys, chyld, make me afrayed.
Note: Additional quote(s)
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)72/349 : Thy meekenes, chylde, makes mee affraye.
Note: New spelling