Middle English Dictionary Entry
chīldlī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | chīldlī adj. |
| Etymology | OE cildlīc |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Characteristic of, or natural to, a child or youth; like an infant, child, or youth; ~ carnalite, the body of a child; (b) befitting a 'child of God'; (c) childish, foolish, trivial.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)30/139 : On his cildlicen unfernysse heo [Martha] hine [Christ] baðede..and swaðede and roccode.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Tob.1.4 : No childli thing he dide in deede.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3020 : Forto loke upon his cheke And sen his childly manere eke, He was a womman to beholde.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.3143 : This yonge child..in hir armys..In childli wise on hir gan to smyle.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.161r : This lady .. accused of spousebreche .. putte hure dome vpon the quarell of batell, which a yong childelyche man that she hadde brought with hure oute of Engelond toke vpon him in hure side ayenst her accusour that was a man huge and strong as a gyaunt.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)1095 : I was ryght yong..But..After my yonge, childly wyt..I besette hyt To love hir in my beste wyse.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)107/295 : A! now I ffele in my body be Parfyte God and parfyte man, Havyng al schappe of chyldly carnalyte.
b
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)76/116 : A childely fer..With A longyng love in oure lord.
c
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)80/25 : To abide longe about þe preuyng herof, hit semeþ me to childlich a dede, for..no man seiþ þe contrarie.
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)64 : Myn vnwar yowthe kneew nat what it wroghte..Wherfore I, wrecche, curse may..The seed and fruyt of chyldly sapience.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)9550 : She..Alle chyldly thyngys dede despyse, Or ellys them treuly she dede applye..to goddys seruyse.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)168 : Which alle now seid thingis..schewen hem silf not oonli to be childeli fantasies, and ungroundable fyndingis, but also including falsehedis.