Middle English Dictionary Entry
chēp n.
Entry Info
| Forms | chēp n. Also chepe, cheap, chap[!], (late) chaip. |
| Etymology | OE cēap, corresp. to OI kaup, OHG kouf. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Bargaining, dickering; (b) a (good) bargain or purchase; (c) price asked or offered; þurh non ~, at no price; for negard ~, because of niggardliness; (d) value set (upon a person), estimation, worth.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 A wayle whyt (Hrl 2253)34 : Wolde hyre fere beo so freo..al for on y wolde ȝeue þreo wiþoute chep..nys non se ȝeep ne half so freo.
b
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)68 : Ech mon..mei buggen houene riche..Þat is þe wunderlukeste chep [vr. ware] þat eni mon efre funde.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1314 : He made..a market to crye, Alle þat cheffare wolde chepe, chepis to haue Ay for a peny of pris.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)31799 : Ærst aswond þat corn..þat no mihtest þu þurh nene chep finde neouwer na bred.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)72 : Cheep: Precium.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)820 : To no man schuld hyt be sold Half swych a chepe!
d
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)385 : & heo wes a cheuese, hire cheap wes þe wrse.
2a.
(a) god chep(e [adapted from the OF prep. phrase à bon marché and used chiefly adverbially], a favorable bargain, purchase, sale, or price; to god chepe, at low cost, cheaply; ben god chep, be inexpensive or cheap; bīen better ~, buy (sth.) on more favorable terms or more cheaply; haven (maken) better ~, buy or get (sth.) more cheaply; sellen god ~ (yeven god ~), sell (sth.) cheaply; taken better ~, take (sth.) on more favorable terms; etc.; (b) god chep(e, without any ado, easily; als (god) chep, as easily, as well; (c) as a surname.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)779 : Goed chep þe shrewe [Judas] him grauntede þat him [Christ] so solde; He ne axede nouȝt a fferþing more þan þe gywes him tolde.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)405 : Tho god ȝer was aȝein i-come, and god chep of corn.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.143 : Biggers forsakeþ ȝif þey willeþ ouȝt bigge, and makeþ it as þouȝ þey wolde nouȝt þerof, to have þe bettre chepe.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)225-6 : Þat is good chep may beo dere, And deore good chep also.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)300/16 : Good chep hire flesch he[o] sold, And was euer more redi To sunge wiþ hem in lecheri.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1939 : 'Ȝe cach much sele In cheuisaunce of þis chaffer, ȝif ȝe hade goud chepez.' 'Ȝe, of þe chepe no charg,' quoþ chefly þat oþer.
- (1420) Will Durham in Sur.Soc.263 : I wille yat my brothre William haue ye forsaide landes and rentys bettir chepe yen any othir man by a reasonable some.
- (1422) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.141/27,30 : The same malt was so good chepe that the Mair..and the Aldermen..seyden that hit was a fals thing to selle her ale so dere, while þei myghten haue malt so good chep.
- (1432) RParl.4.410a : And been the saide Wolles and Merchandises solde so goode chepe in the parties foreseide, that the Merchantes strangiers..comen noght to Caleys.
- (1437) Proc.Privy C.5.75 : Yif þat þer can be founde any man þat wol take it better cheep þenne ml ml li. be yer, þat þenne he have it.
- (1437) RParl.4.509a : Ye more quantitee of Merchandis' yai bringe into yis Roialme, ye darrer it is; ye more yai byen ageyne of Merchandise of yis Roialme, ye better chepe yai make it.
- (1444) RParl.5.113b : Grete pleynte..of Wynes made nygh the seide Portz come into this londe..atte that tyme..the tonne of such Wynes solde better chepe by a gretter quantite thanne it is nowe.
- (c1447) Let.Midylton in Lin.NQ 16203 : That I myght have that lytyll place off hym yn Fulbek..so at ys worthe, or better chep.
- a1450(1410) This holy tyme make (Dgb 102)53 : Wheþer þey selle good chep or dere.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)283 : For they bringe in the substaunce of the beere..to goode chepe, not dere.
- (1471) Paston (Gairdner)5.120 : Yf that it be bettir shepe at London than it is here, I shal sende yw mony to bye wyth soch stwfe as I wull have.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)16/19 : Londone is..the beste cytee of þus londe þrowe marchaundise ryches..when skarsnees of vitaylle is throughe alle Englonde, þer is solde beste chepe.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.2940 : It is said that it is the kyngis prerogatyff To bye better chepe than anothir man..But the lawe is the contrarie.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)191/13 : They wold gyf grete cheepe the blood of the noble men, the whiche blood and reame, and it were destroied, they wold weepe thaire deth aftirward.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)51 : Betwene estere and withsontid..beestes ben lene & good chepe.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5700 : Þai leten þer hors gode chep..For nouȝt to haue & oway ride.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)9151 : Hors wel gode chepe þai founde & anon in þe sadel wounde.
- c1400 Who-so loueth endeles (Sim)37 : Þou miht als chep robbe a mon As with a lesyng lese his name.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.641 : As good chep may I dwellen here, And graunte it gladly with a frendes chere..as grucche and thanne abide.
c
- (1166) in Pipe R.Soc.922 : Walterus Godchep.
- (1312) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.94 : Hamond Godchep.
2b.
(a) light chep [for constr., cp. god chep], at a favorable price, on easy terms, cheaply; (b) prov. light chep liþer foryeldes, easy gain repays poorly; easy come, easy go.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)107b : Ȝef þu seist þu nult nawt leote þron se liht chap [Nero: cheap; OF si bon marche], ah wult ȝette mare, nempne hweat hit schule beon.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)36/24 : Take suilke [clothing] als man may finde in þe cuntre and of liht chepe bie.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)16/236 : Now and he get more, the dwill me spede..ffor that cam hym full light chepe.
b
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.30 : 'Liȝtte chepes [Hrl: chep] luþere forȝeldeþ,' Quad Hending.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)121/170 : Men say lyght chepe letherly for-yeldys.
2c.
gret chep [adapted from OF prep. phr. à grant marché]: (a) inexpensive, low-priced, cheap (because in ample supply); beǧǧen to gret ~, buy cheaply; (b) abundance, plenty, large number(s); to gret ~, in abundance.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)36/19 : Þe oþre beggeþ þe þinges, huanne hi byeþ lest worþ to greate cheape.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)31/12 : In þat lond men fynden manye fayre Emeraudes & ynowe, And þerfore þei ben þere grettere cheep [F a grant marchee].
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)136/2 : Men han gret plentee & gret chep [F bone marche] of all wynes & vitailles.
- (1472) Paston (Gairdner)5.167 : The valew of the trees in the maner..toward Swaffham xx marc gret chepe.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)80 : This yere whete was worthe iiij d. a busshell, and all maner of vetaille grete chepe, and wyne grete chepe.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Rich.(Auch)117/155 : Þe Inglische..slouȝen of hem so gret chepes, Þat þer lay michel folk to hepes.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)256/30 : Ulatours and lyeȝeres byeþ to grat cheap ine hare cort; Þe meste dierþe þet is aboute ham is of zoþnesse.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.523 : Greet prees at market maketh deere ware, And to greet cheep is holde at litel prys.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)108 : In a ȝeer of derth and in a ȝeer of greet cheep.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1974 : Of plente, and of gret famyne, Of chepe, of derthe, and of ruyne.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.713 : Men lakked ryght nought þat were lodged there; Grete chepe had þei, all maner of vitaile.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)9/19 : Men of þat contre mowun know, when þay schull haue derþe, and when gret chep. For when hit schall be dere, hit walleth scarce; and when hit schall be gret schep, hit walleþe plentwysly ynogh.
3.
Combs. chep-ale, ~ gavel, ~ sester, a tax (in kind) on the sale of ale or beer.
Associated quotations
- (1249) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.468 : Bakgavel, brewgavel, chepgavel.
- (?a1320) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 238 fn. : Est et alia consuetudo in..Sutflete. Scilicet quod quelibet domus que facit tabernam, que Anglice vocatur cheaphale, dabit curie de Suthflete dimidium sextarium cervisie de ipsa taberna.
- c1325(a1300) Cust.Bleadon200 : [Toll paid on the brewing of beer, a payment in kind:] Chepsester.
4.
Place names: (a) Chep, Chep-side, a wide street in London in which markets were held: Cheapside; (b) Est-chep, West-chep (in London); (c) see Smith PNElem. 1.84.
Associated quotations
a
- (1257) in Harben Dict.Lond.136 : The chepe [of London].
- a1350(1307) Execution Fraser (Hrl 2253)181 : Wiþ feteres..he wes to drowe ffrom þe tour of londone..þurh cheepe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.319 : Þe kyng..outlawed..his wif and his sone openliche at Londoun in Chepe [Higd.(2): the towre of London].
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.754 : A fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chepe.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.165 : A Rakere of chepe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.564 : The white wyn of Lepe That is to selle in Fisshstrete or in Chepe.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2652 : To euryche of þe tuelue gate So lay þere an heiȝe strate, Also noble..As is Chepe þat is in Lounde.
- (1441) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)258 : The seid Whit bakers mow bake..basket brede such as is sold in chepe for pore men.
- c1460 Erly in a someristide (Dub 432)152/3 : I sawe..A gentyl woman sittyng in chepe syde.
- (1471) Will York in Sur.Soc.45191 : Machon de London, pynner, in lez Chepside.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)196/30 : Þay..ȝedyn out into þe Scheppe, þat ys þe chef strete yn London.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)42 : This yere the Bysshoppe of Exceter..was be heded at the Standarde in Chepe.
- a1605(?a1500) Lond.Lickpenny (Hrl 542)73 : Then into Chepe I gan me drawne, where I sawe stond moche people.
b
- (1214) in Harben Dict.Lond.211 : Estchep.
- (c1214-22) in Harben Dict.Lond.136 : Foro de Westchep.
- (1246) in Harben Dict.Lond.211 : [Street called] Estchepe.
- (1282) in Harben Dict.Lond.136 : Vicum de Westchep.
- -?-(1449) Instrum.St.Mary in Archaeol.13199 : In quodam..taberna vocat' le Egle, situat in Westchepa.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1311-12) Freeman R.in KRec.18 ()194 : Johannes Monek de Wenchiape.
Note: New form: Also..(in name) -chiape.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 4.(c). See J.K. Wallenberg, Place Names of Kent, p. 608: "Wincheap Street in the City of Canterbury probably means a 'place of accommodation for (the peasants') waggons'..Wincheap Gate is one of the gates of Canterbury, and Wincheap Street is the local name of the street leading from this gate..The original *wægncēap was probably the space at Wincheap gate just outside the town wall."--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1479) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 59/22)p.56 (60/5) : Send me..a fur of calabyr ffor mysselfe yf yt be gode cheper þare.
Note: Were it not for the comparative ending, would appear to belong to sense 2b.(a); if the ending is not an error, it would seem to show the word in the process of being reanalyzed as an adjective (i.e. modern English cheap adj., 'inexpensive').