Middle English Dictionary Entry
chīld-bed n.
Entry Info
| Forms | chīld-bed n. Also chil-. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of a woman: in ~, in labor; ben or lien in (on) ~, be confined to bed to give birth or after giving birth.
Associated quotations
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)47 : Þis þeu folgede..Seinte Marie on childbedde and on offringe and on chirche gonge.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)178/19 : Þe þre kingues..to him heo comen ase is moder a-child-bedde lay, After þat he i-bore was þane þretteþe day.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7789 : Þe king, he sede, of engelond halt him to is bedde, & liþ mid is grete wombe at reins a child bedde.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)217 : On child bed þer sche lay, Was born Of hir tristrem þat day.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)399 : Sum were in water adreynt..Wiues þer lay on childbedde, Sum ded and sum awedde.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)224/21 : Ine time þet þe wyfman lyþ a chi[l]dbedde.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4657 : Ys wyf was lyggynge on chylbedde.
- (c1400) Higd.(1) (Hrl 1900)7.517 : Elgiva myȝt conceyve no childe by the kyng and therfore heo toke that Suanus..and leyde hir silf doun as it were a child bedde and child by hir.
- a1425(c1300) NHom.(1) Nativ.(Cmb Gg.5.31)p.64 : Thare herdes come to Bethleem, And fand in chyldebede our Lauedy..And the chylde in strethe layde.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)74 : Chylde bedde, or women whan þey haue chyldryn: Decubie, puerperium.
- a1450 St.Marg.(2) (Bod 779)250 : Wher ich wist a woman in chilbed for to be.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)228/23 : When the wyfe is in chylde berynge or childebede.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.208 : Shal she in þis age in chyeldbed nov lye?
- (1473) RParl.6.51b : His said wyfe beyng then newely delyvered of child, and liyng in child bed.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)24a : To ly in chilbede: decumbere, decubare.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)206 : The foresters wyf was in chylde-bed and shulde that same nyght brynge a childe in to the worlde.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)237 : She..browte forthe a faire sone, but she dide in hir childebed.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)127/335 : I shall lyg besyde in chylbed, and grone.
- a1500 Lyth and lysten both (BodPoet e.1)p.132 : iij kynges than to branch gan led Tho to Owr Lady in hure chyldbed.