Middle English Dictionary Entry
clẹ̄rtẹ̄ n.
Entry Info
| Forms | clẹ̄rtẹ̄ n. Also clerete, clarte, clarite. |
| Etymology | From clẹ̄r & OF clarté, L clāritās. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The quality of brightness, radiance; also, a bright light; also fig.; (b) magnificence, glory, splendor; also, praiseworthiness, illustriousness; (c) acuteness of mind, perspicacity.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)390 : Þe sunne haþ brihtnesse muche..Hit greueþ euere mannes eiȝe..on hire to se For hire grete clerte.
- a1350 SLeg.Brendan (Ashm 43)697 : Hi ne wende fynde in no stude so muche clerte ne liȝt.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.21.23 : The citee hath no nede of sunne..forwhi the cleerte [WB(2): clerete; L claritas] of God shal liȝten it.
- c1390 Psalt.Mariae(1) (Vrn)1200 : Heil..Of holynesse þe clarte [L iubar].
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.15.41-2 : Þer is one clarte [WBible(1): clerenesse; L claritas] of þe sunne and one clartee of þe mone and an oþer clarte of þe sternys. For þe sterre differrys fro an oþer sterne in claryte.
- a1425(?a1400) Benj.Minor (Hrl 674)43/16 : Þan byginniþ þer a maner of cleerte of þe liȝt of God for to schyne in þi soule.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)158/4 : A Charboncle..þat in the nyght ȝeueth so gret clartee & schynynge, þat it is als light as day.
- c1440(?a1396) ?Hilton Angels' Song (Thrn)18/20 : Som man, when he hase lange trauelde..in dystroynge of synnes and..hase getyn by grace..a clerete in concyence.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)25.127 : It [a miraculous hand] Was Of so Merveillous Clarte tho, so ful of brihgtenesse, & hot Schineng.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)28.213-4 : A ston That Colours it hadde Manyon..and Ech Of the Colours hadde a Clerte, and Ech Clerte A vertu.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2052 : Þe son on þe heuen Kest away his clerete [Dub: clarite] & his clippis suffirs.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)42.5 : Thou makis myrk with thi sarynes the clerte of my ioy.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)102/21 : Þe pepull myght not speke wyth hym for clerte tyll he..hulyd hys face.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)340/15 : It [sword] caste so grete claretee that it semed a flame of fire.
b
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)1236 : Þei maden a chirche ful of clarte.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Tob.13.20 : Blessid I shal be, if ther weren relikis of my sed to be seen the clerte [L claritatem] of Jerusalem.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.2.12 : Oure fairnesse and oure cleerte [WB(2): clerete] is desolate.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.405 : Y wole..þat þei see my clarite which þou hast ȝovun me.
- a1450 That ilke man (Dgb 102)70 : Tyl body and soule aȝen arn ones Mad parfyt in claryte.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)5 : We þat are prestis how to ask to knowe..not bi clerte of citees, but bi purte of feiþ.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)90/5 : Þat þe clerete of here renouns be sauid & kepte.
c
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)8/26 : The grete souereyne clerte of vndirstondyng is plente of lawe.