Middle English Dictionary Entry
clingen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | clingen v. Forms: p. clang; pl. clǒnge, clungen; ppl. i)clǒnge(n, iclung(en, clǒng, clǒnghe, clinged, clinked. |
| Etymology | OE clingan; clang, clong; clungon; clungen. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. clengen v.(2).
1.
(a) To stick together, cohere, congeal, harden; of dirt, soil: harden into clods; of a bird's bill: cling shut; also, make (sth.) stick together, harden (sth.), congeal; (b) to stick (to sth.), adhere; of an insect: fasten (upon sb.); ?also, make (sth.) adhere; (c) ~ in, ?to press in, rush in [?or var. of clinken]; (d) ~ in, ?to stick in, oppress.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 Evang.(Dlw 22)553/135 : Hire bile bi-ginnis hard to clinge.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)2355 : Ȝif þat lond is ffordryed ouȝt, oþer hard oþer yclonge, Me mot sende reyn.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 38.38 : Clottis weren clunge togidere [WB(2): weren ioyned togidere; L compingebantur].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.63 : Salt veynes mulleþ and woseth oute humours, and moysture i-dried and i-clunge by hete of þe sonne.
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)318 : In cloddres of blod his her was clunge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)197b/a : Gluwe..holdeþ so fast and so is y clonge þat it is nought y broke wiþ water ne wiþ Iren.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)200b/b : Erþe y bounde & y clonge [Tol: clonge] togideres is a clotte, and if it is y falle and departed it is pouder.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4699 : Þe erth it clang for drught and hete.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)143 : Þe hote sunne clyngeþ þe cLay.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2899 : Mery it is in sonnes risynge..Wayes faireþ, þe clayes clyngeþ [LinI: clyng].
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)909 : Þeo nessche clay hit makiþ clyng.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)82 : Clyngyn, or styrkyn: Rigeo.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)84b : As ȝif þou haddist on þyn oo side hul..or more or myre or clynged [vrr. clyngynge, clynkyd] or clofen weies.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)372/26 : What fayrehede bryngeþ þe hote sommertyde to the erthe þat is byfore clongen with þe colde froste of wynter?
b
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)1620 : Þe blude kelyng Gert his clathes fast to him clyng.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Abp.& N.(Phys-E)p.88 : His skin was klungen to the bane, For fleische apon him was thar nane.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4569 : Þair hidd was clongun [Göt: clungen; Trin-C: clongen] to þe ban; Sua lene sagh i neuer nan.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5955 : Hungre flees..clang on man and best.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.373 : A uegge in hit [a cut for grafting] ther most be pitte aforn, That, hit puld out, the tre theron may clinge [L adstringi].
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)347/315 : His clothis..tille his sidis I trowe þei clyng, For bloode þat he has bledde.
c
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1865 : Sir Clegis clynges in, and clekes anoþer.
d
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24204 : Losin i haf al help and hald; Care clinges in mi hert cald.
2.
(a) Of the body or part of the body: to shrivel up, dry up, waste away, wither; ?also, make (sb.) shrivel up, etc.; (b) of a corpse: to shrivel, waste away; ~ in clei (clottes), ~ under clei, waste away in the ground, molder as a corpse; also, make (a body) shrivel; (c) of a plant: to wither; of timber: shrink; also, make (sth.) shrivel or shrink.
Associated quotations
a
- c1150 Wenne Wenne (Roy 4.A.14)p.214 : Wenne, wenne..clinge þu, alswa col on heorþe.
- c1300 SLeg.Pilate (Hrl 2277)215 : So longe he laie in prisoun in hunger and in pyne Þat his lymes clonge awei, his bodie gan al fordwyne.
- ?c1335 Elde makiþ me (Hrl 913)p.171 : I clyng, i cluche, i croke, i couwe.
- ?c1335 Swet ihc hend (Hrl 913)p.81 : Al we beþ iclung so clai.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)508 : His berd hongeþ to his kne; He is yclongen [vr. clong] also a tre.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2524 : Betere is ous forto die..in fiȝte þan her-inne clynge & drie & daye for hunger riȝte.
- c1390 NHom.Abp.& N.(Vrn)272 : Pale and clongen was his fas.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20747 : His arms war al clungen [Trin-C: clongen] dri.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.50 : Whan þow clomsest for colde or clyngest for drye.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)823 : His fete waxes calde, his bely clynges.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)114 : Clyngyn, or chrynkyn: Rigeo.
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(1) (Sln 1853)p.29 : My bonys were stronge..But now thei clynge, and waxe all drye.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)729 : To dethe yche on he xall hem dyte here wyvys in preson cast to clynge.
b
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1619 : Þah þu ligge dead & clinge, Þi deþ nis naþt [read: nawt] to none þinge.
- c1305 Als i me rod (LinI 135)8 : A litel mai bigan to singge: 'the clot him clingges [?read: clingge]'.
- c1390 Nou Bernes (Vrn)54 : He ȝiue vs grace..for to amende þat we mis-do, In Clei or þat we clynge and cleue.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)857 : Oure corses in clottez clynge.
- a1425 Ȝyf liȝt (Roy 17.A.27)p.52 : That I be nouȝt in clottus clunge.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)18/226 : When ȝour caren is y-cluggun [read: y-clunggun] and cast into clay.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)158/2819 : I wyste neuere man..so seyn, in clay tyl he were clonge.
- c1450 As y gan wandre (Lamb 853)68 : And in coold clay now schal y clinge.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)751 : I may wofully wepe and wake In clay tylle I be clongyn cold.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)347/430 : Alas! why were I not dead to day, Clought and Clongen vnder Clay!
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4581 : Four-ten ers stand o quete; þe seuen o þam..war sa clungun [Trin-C: clongen], dri and tome.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8764 : Quils he was timerand to þis thing, To-quils þis tre bigan to cling.
- (1435) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)193 : [Measures..wrought of dry and] clonghe [timber..when sealed and put to use and are] clong [are deficient in measure].
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.319 : That is whan their huske is drie & clonge.
- a1450 Rich.(Cai 175/96:Weber)1385 : Off tymbyr grete, schydys clong [Brunner: long], He leet mak a tour ful strong.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)113a : But loke þat schip tymber haue þe double tyme to drye & to clynge þen eny oþer tymber haþ.
3.
To shrink in fear or sorrow, recoil, be disheartened; of the heart: be cast down, be afraid.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)743 : Nu þu miȝt, hule, sitte & clinge.
- a1300 I syke (Dgb 2)17 : His frendis werin [vr. aren] al of-ferde; þei clungin [vr. clyngeþ] so þe cley.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)12227 : His werdes i mai noght vnderli, Mi hert es clungen for to here [Trin-C: Myn hert clyngeþ him to here].
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3053 : For þee I clynge in carys colde.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)48/164 : My hert doth clynge and cleue as clay.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Trin-C.R.14.45 Recipes (Trin-C R.14.45) 123/17 : Forto make staunchegrey þat seruyth for scryveners for swagyng of letters. Take þe faire poudir of chalk and faire whete floure..and þe white of an ey..and..make hit inne hevyn cakes, and ley þem in þe sonne to dryen..until þey be clonggyn as hard as stonys.
Note: Glossary: "clonggyn ppl. adj. 'shrivelled up, hardened'."
Note: Postdates ?sense 1.(a). New spelling (ppl.) = clonggin.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.41vb (2.3) : Somtyme in þis sekenes þai waxen so contract, i. so clongen & schronkelede togeder, & here myȝtes ar so benomen hem, þat here hed & knees gon togeder, and þai lese speche..and þai seme as þai schulde die, and often so don.
Note: Additional quot., sense 2.(a). Editor's gloss: clongen, v. pa. ppl. 'shriveled up'.