Middle English Dictionary Entry
civīl(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | civīl(e adj. Also sevile, ciwell. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Pertaining to a body politic or its members; ~ lordship, ~ might, political or secular authority or power; ~ office, public office; ~ profit, public benefit; (b) befitting a citizen; law-abiding, peaceful; neighborly (conduct).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)194a/a : Venicia..defendeþ myȝtliche sogetes aȝens enemyes and holdeþ þe comune profyte and ciuyle vndir ryȝtful lawes.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)287 : It is not to be denied but that thei [the clergy] hadden veri cyuyl lordschip vpon the xlviij citees receyued of hem in her firste endewing.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)10b : Ciuile office, þat is to seye þe office of gouernayle of citees, townes, and contrees.
- c1450(?a1402) *?Trev.Reg.Princ.(Dgb 233)3b/b : Þeyȝ he be a prince by ciuyle temporel myȝte.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)51/20 : He kepiþ þe cyuyl lordschip in comoun with summe neiȝboris.
b
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)491 : Þe bisynes which marþa made in mynistracioun of þe household..was not doon as a vertuose deede of charite for loue to god, but for worldli curtesie..and cyuyle freendschip, such as oon heþen man haþ to an oþer of his kyn.
- c1450(?a1402) *?Trev.Reg.Princ.(Dgb 233)4a/b : He that leueth by voluptuose lyf alyueth as other bestes, and by cyuyl lyf contemplatife as an angel.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)136/34 : Þerbi schal be distroied al sure..comunycacioun and togidere cyuyl bargenyng..al freendful cyuyl togidere lyuyng.
2.
civile bataille, ~ werre, a conflict between factions of a body politic or as between two such bodies within a state; civil strife or war.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.189 : A batayle civile bygan bytwene Julius and..Pompeus.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.2332 : Thes werris that callid wer cyuile.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.165 : Þer were vi civile batelles amonge the Romanes.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)3 : The anguisshes, troubles, and divisions..in this reaume be cyvyle batailes.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.150 : He maynteyned aye ciuyle warre and debate, Bytwene cytees, castelles, and countees.
3.
laue civil(e [cp. L jūs cīvīle], the code of laws and regulations of a body politic; specif., the body of Roman civil law [codified by Justinian in the 6. cent.] as distinguished from canon law and (English) common law [see laue n.].
Associated quotations
- ?c1400 Wycl.CGosp.Mark (Add 41175:Hudson)50/18,20 : Munkis..and oþere men hauynge dignetees of þe chirche schulen not here lawe cyuyl, and if þei don..þei ben cursid..and whoeuer techiþ eþer heriþ lawe ciuile in Paris..schal be cursid.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)59/8 : A profitable book of þe faculte..of lawe canoun..oþer of lawe ciuil.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.126 : Crist was dampned bi colour of lawe cyvyle.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)20 : Justices and other wyse lerned men in bothe lawes, canon and cyvile, and also off the lawe off the lande.
- (1442) Let.Coldingham in Sur.Soc.12137 : A man lerynd in the temporall lawe of England, maistre John Lethom, bachiler of lawe canon et cywell.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)100/6 : Adopcioun is a word of lawe ciuile.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)13/14 : Scolers, whanne þei bigynnen lerne grammer and..lawe cyuyle.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)53/35 : Þe oþir seid spice of gouernauncis, which prudence is clepid lawe cyuyle, such as ech rewm haþ to be reulid bi.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)26 : A grete legister of lawe positive, and canone and civille bothe.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2665 : Sevile & Canoun & al maner lawis.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section: Also civille, ciwel, sevile.--notes per MLL