Middle English Dictionary Entry
chīld-bēringe ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | chīld-bēringe ger. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Pregnancy; capacity for conceiving; (b) the act of giving birth, parturition; (c) the event of being born; (d) fig. the act of producing spiritual progeny.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)175/23 : In tyme of child berynge þe ligaturis recchiþ.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)189/14 : Pannus is a superfluite þat falliþ in a wommans face & comeþ ofte in childberyng, & also whanne hir menstrue is wiþholde.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)10346 : Samuel..and sampson..Boþe hem bare wymmen olde Þat oute of childe beryng were tolde.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)358 : Wheþer þat..oolde wymmen passid boþe childbering and passid alle fiers of fleischly lustis..mowe also make verry lawful matrymonye [etc.].
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)228/23 : When the wyfe is in chylde berynge or childebede.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)197/10 : Sarra..was barayne and Passyd the age of chyld-berynge, And She concewyd ysaac.
b
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.25.24 : The tyme of childberyng cam, and lo! twei children weren foundun in hir wombe.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ex.1.16 : Whanne ȝe schulen do the office of medewyues to Ebrew wymmen, and the tyme of childberyng schal come, [etc.].
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)43.163 : As verraylly as sche Maiden Is..And for Child beryng neuere defowlid was.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)52 : Iulia þe noble wif of Pompeye..deied of a childe berynge.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)991 : Hir modyr Casmilla..The whiche dyede of hir in chyldberynge.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.111/9 : If hit happe my wife to be i-spedde in child-beryng at Barton.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)152/38 : Haste ye the tyme of my chylde berrynge, for the doloure is to me so stronge.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)91 : It is good for child-berynge.
c
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)257/20 : If..it [deafness] comeþ of child bering [L fit a natiuitate]..it is incurable.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.37.3 : Children camen til to childberyng, and vertu of childberyng is not.
d
- ?a1425 WBible(2) Gloss.SSol.(Cld E.2)7.1 : Bi nawle and wombe is vndurstondun the plenteouse childbering of the chirche, to bringe forth the children of Crist goostly, not fleisly.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.41rb (2.3) : Þis is callede..suffocacioun of þe matrice..& it cometh of colde entreand beneþe by þe wombe ȝate, and somtyme of colde sittyng &..sometyme þorgh trauaile of childeberyng.
Note: Antedates sense (b).