Middle English Dictionary Entry
chīldhōd n.
Entry Info
| Forms | chīldhōd n. Also -hād, -hēde, childed. |
| Etymology | OE cildhād |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The stage of life from birth to puberty or any subdivision of it; contextually: infancy, childhood, or early youth; (b) the state of being someone's offspring, childship.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20312 : He cuðen harpien wel an his child-haden [Otho: child-hode].
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)85 : Sein iohan baptist..on his childhode bicom eremite.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)67/33 : Alle ðese bebodes ic habbe ihealde fram childhade [L juventute].
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)79 : Þis meiden wes baðe federles ant moderles of hire childhade.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)85b : Schrift schal beon..to a mon ut of child hade.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)5559 : He was mi norri Fram childehed.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 9.21 : Fro childhod [L ab infantia].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.265 : Þe kynges of Egipt hadde in her childhode oþer names.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.121 : He come to Rome in childehode [L in puerili aetate] forto acuse his eme.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.437 : In his childhode he lerned of his fadir wicchecrafte.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)10.73 : Whon he childhode passeþ.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1691 : As smale children doon in hir childhede.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2635 : Fortune hath norisshed me fro my childhode.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.793 : A knyht, whom fro childhode He hadde updrawe into manhode.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.319 : The Norrice, Which fro childhode hire hadde kept.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)67a/b : Isidir seiþ..þat þere ben mony diuers ages. The firste hatte infancia, þe firste childehode, wiþouten teeþ..and dureþ seuen monthis..And childehood þat brediþ teeþ..strecchiþ & duriþ seuen ȝere..hereaftir comeþ þe secounde age þat hatte puericia, an oþir childehode, þat dureþ..oþir seuen ȝere.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)166 : Many a dede Þat iesu dude in his childehede.
- (1402) Hoccl.Cupid (Hnt HM 744)211 : Þat book scolers lerne in hir childhede, For they of wommen be waar sholde in age.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.4.14 : Fro my childhed til now Y ete not deed careyn.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Tob.1.10 : Whom he tauȝte fro ȝong childhed [L infantia] for to drede God.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)2 Tim.3.15 : Þou hast Knowyn holy writ fro þi chilhede.
- a1425 Rolle FLiving (Arun 507)414 : Þi synnes of þi childehede & al þine elde.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.298 : Bifore men have discrecioun, in þeir childhode þei ben þus begilid.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)155a/b : Bytwene childhode and springing of berde.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)203/10 : Sche..had ben hys Modyrs maydyn & holpyn to kepyn hym in hys childhod.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)53 : At a well..were in there childehode they were wonte to pleye.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)160/8 : In my childed..I hard a sermon of þe cros.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)181/28 : He..in my childehoode hath sette me in the highest estate of this werlde.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)321 : Blod, eyre..And age of chyldhood by naturall assistence..force yong corages.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)13/29 : This holy marter..in his childehede..be-gan gretely to drede his God.
b
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5885 : My modir is she, and of childhede I bothe worshipe hir and eke drede.
- c1450(?a1402) *?Trev.Reg.Princ.(Dgb 233)1a : He..aloweþ ȝoure chaste & worthi childhode to folwe þe lores of youre forfadres.
2.
(a) Behavior natural to or characteristic of a child; immaturity, innocence; (b) of adults: childish behavior, puerility, foolishness, folly.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2652 : Ðe child doð als he can; We sulen nu witen for it dede Ðis witterlike or in childhede.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.321 : Þe childe hadde so i-doo by vnkonnynge of childhode.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1786 : Sche upon childhode him tolde, that Perse, hir litel hound, is ded.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)399 : Tyme..had maad hir elde So ynly that, to my witing, She myghte helpe hirsilf nothing, But turned ageyn unto childhede.
- (1445) ?Bokenham Claudian CS (Add 11814)263/60 : For whan her childehode denye myght trespas þat thei had doo, Withoute constreynte thei tolde the truthe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4215 : Sen we chapid out of childhede & cheued to eldire, Þat we cuthe any-gates gesse betwyx gud & ill.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)139.206 (v.2:p.391) : A child .. of wauntonnesse and chyldhood had sheuyn a ston by hys nosethryl into hys heed.
- a1475 As y gan wandre (Brog 2.1)30 : What I dede me þoȝt hit swete, Ryȝt as chyldhod taȝt hit me.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)55a/a : Other said that Moyses dyde it of chyldhood and ought not to dye therfor.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)26/21 : Prayng hym for his chyldhede þat he wold haue mercy on hor.
b
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)7 : Mest al þet ich habbe idon bi-fealt to child-hade.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)82/3 : Yef wyt of þe wordle ne is bote folye..and childhede and onwyt.
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)100/167 : Þeih he [Herod] wolde fle in his childhede Þe Deth, þat mony men drede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28500 : In mi child-hede haf i wroght many thyng þat i aght noght.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3220 : Foly and childhood wol thee sheend.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.135 : He blew on hem and seide, 'Take ȝe þe Holy Goost'..Crist blew not bi childhode upon his apostlis, but bi greet witt.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2058 : Considerith, how endityng..nat accorde may With my childhode; I am so childissh ay.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)107/298 : Parfyte childhod ȝe haue A-non of ȝour hand-mayden.
3.
(a) A childlike act; (b) a foolish act or opinion.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)12577 : Mony are his childehedes..Done ar he were twelue ȝeer olde.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)113 : Whan j hadde don these tweyne chyldhodes while j hadde soukynge teeth..j bithouhte me that j wolde yit do harmes j nowe.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)4617 : Ac þer ich dede gret child-hod, Þat alto long y þer a-bod.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)207/5 : Ine fole pleȝes, ine childhedes, ine liȝthedes.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)259/28 : Zeþþe ich com to elde of uol man, ich uorlet alle mine childhedes.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)97 : Þis is not but an oþer myche childehode, for if it were so..holy clerkis in dyuynyte afore oure daies weren in ful yuel plitis whilis þei traceden out treuþis.