Middle English Dictionary Entry
agasten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | agasten v. Also agesten, ageasten. Ppl. agast, ogast, agastid. |
| Etymology | Cp. OE gǣstan (rare); the short vowel prob. developed in the ppl.; for pref. a- cp. afēred, afright. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. gasten.
1.
(a) To frighten or terrify (sb.); deter (from doing sth.); (b) to become frightened, be fearful or afraid, to fear.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6451 : Þat folc hit agaste, tunes hit aweste.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)28/453 : His lokunge on ageasteð [Tit: agasteð] þe.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)57a : Þe eateliche deoflen schulen ȝet ageasten [Nero: agesten] ham wið hare grennunge.
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)97 : Swyþe deork it was, þat he ne say riȝt nouȝt, ne no-þing him ne a-gaste.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5556 : Þus þe king aþelston agaste þo is fon.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)2929 : To armes..euerichon! Þe Sarrazins we willen agast [rime: fast].
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3395 : This hand that Balthasar so soore agaste Wroot 'Mane techel phares' and namoore.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3410 : Sarazyns þay habbeþ sore agaste.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)2 Par.32.18 : He ful out sounnede, that he agaste hem [L terreret eos] and take the cite.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4278 : No dreem..may so myn herte agaste [rime: faste].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3716 : A barli cake..al this host so sore agaste, That I awok for pure drede.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.280 : Thanne is it good..al þat agasteth pryde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3920 : Þi proude wordis..a gaste me riȝt nouȝt.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.321 : The torment..agasteth othere to don felonyes.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)188/6 : The deueles..agasten hem with strokes of thonder blastes.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1171 : What may it be That me agasteth in my drem?
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3971 : After his deythe, his spirite in peyne abouȝt dude gone And agast sore men bothe nyȝt & day.
- c1450 Wimbledon Serm.(Hat 57)22/10 : Also god sendiþ hem siknesse ofte to a gaste oþir men, lest þei folwdyn her synnys.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)195/8 : Þouȝ at sum tyme he rebuke þe trespacers..forto agaste hem.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)208/32 : Two dragones..they ladde a-bowte townes..for to agaste the peple.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(LdMisc 108)95 : Þat watur wax al-so, þat Cristofre sore agaste [Hrl: him sore agaste] To a-drenche þat child.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (Hrl 2277:Wright)p.22 : Tho hurden hi..gret beting and noyse y-nouȝ..So that Brendan agaste sore, and him blescede faste.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1722 : Al þat lond sore agaste.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2424 : The rynges..And eek the dores clatereden ful faste, Of which Arcita somwhat hym agaste.
2.
Ppl. agast, terrified, frightened, aghast; fearful, afraid; -- (a) alone or with of phrase; ~ of lif, afraid for (one's) life; in mortal fear; (b) with inf. phrase or that clause; (c) with lest clause.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)556 : Þat blod sprong out with gret strem; þo weren þe schrewes a-gaste.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1805 : Þer nas non..þat sore agast nas.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)461 : That God wole for-don the world, we muwe be sore agaste.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)1287 : Nas neuer noþer of oþer agast.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)118.120 : Feche my flesshes in þi drede, for y was agaist [L timui] of þy iugementz.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1778 : Tvo white beres..him agast maked.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2931 : The ground agast was of the light.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3834 : He was agast so of Nowelys flood.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)212/29 : Þerfore manie men ben agast for to lete hem blood.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.295 : He þat eet of þat seed shulde be euere trewe..& nouȝt agast but of gyle one.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)1653 : He makes hys frendes agaste.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)383 : The fals knight, his broþer, of Gamelyn was agast.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.647 : Þe leuene..made hem sore agast.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.12.13 : The hare was nat agast of the hound.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)20 : Þat ȝe ben not agast of hem þat sleen þe body.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2442 : I am nothynge agaste.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)70/18 : Bees noȝte agaste of þam.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)15580 : Þe kyng had wonder, & was agast [Petyt: ogast].
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)12.404 : Of here lyves they weren Agaste.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)856 : Be not a-gaste of þe grete curse.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2870 : Of hurre lyff þey weron sore agast.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)6064 : Kyng R. hyyd þedyr ffaste, þe Sarezynes ffor to make agaste.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)263/927 : Petyr, þou slepyst fast..Of my deth ȝe Are not Agast.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)265/975 : Of ȝow I am ryth nowth A-gast.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)6321 : They were agaste of treson.
b
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)2.187 : Gyle doþ him to go a-gast for to dyȝe.
- c1390(1377) Death Edw.III (Vrn)51 : Þat made þe gode schip neuer agast To vndertake a þing of charge.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1644 : Euere I am agast..That I shal lede now so murye a lyf..That I shal han myn heuene in erthe heere.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.893 : Manes..Shal ben agast that Grekes wol hem shende.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1534 : He was agast To love, and for to speke shamefast.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)15/505 : Domysday þat pagent xal hyth; who se þat pagent, may be agast to grevyn his lord god.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)28/184 : I am agast that we get som fray Betwixt vs both.
- a1500 9 PPGod(3) (Hrl 1706)376 : Moche more schuldeste þou be agaste to synne byfore þi god.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.178 : He mot bien alwey agast, lest he lese that.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)2555 : I am ful fore agast thare-fore, Lest myn landys been lore.
3.
To surprise, astonish, or confound (sb.); ben agast, be surprised, etc.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1249 : Swa swiðe godes grace agaste ant ageide ham, þet euch an biheold oðer as heo bidweolet weren.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)250 : Of her fairehede he was agast.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)prol.8/1 : Broþer, þou hast a-gast me sumwhat wiþ þyn argumentys.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)45a/b : Obstupefacio: make a gaste or merueyled.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)63a/a : Stupeo: to wondren or be agaste.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)36/449 : This water in hast eft will I tast; Now am I agast, It is wanyd a grete dele.
4.
Associated quotations
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)169/15 : Ne beo ȝe nout so ouerswuðe agest [vrr. igast, agast; L spiritualis, OF en esperit], þet ȝe uorȝemen ðet bodi; ne eft so tendre of ðe bodie, þet [etc.].