Middle English Dictionary Entry
cōarten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | cōarten v. Also coharte. Ppl. coart(ed, coherted. |
| Etymology | L coartare. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. cohercen v.
1.
(a) To press or hold (things) together, compress; (b) to confine (sth.); check (reins); (c) to condense (a body of laws).
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3067 : Þe licour schal her chawlys so coharte Þat asonder þei schal nat departe.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)144b/a : When he wil go to sege..be it [rupture] holde aboue And coarte.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.1131 : Bynd hem so that they may not deuyde; Wit papir best & leest ar they coarted.
- a1500 Of spayn (Corp-O 226)32 : The spirite is..with his body so constraynyd..nature doth hem [body and soul] coarte.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)114a/b : Ofte tymes þai [morphee & tetre] appere in wynter, after Auicen, Ffor þy þat cold coarteþ i. constreyneth & deriuateþ sich materiez to þe skyn.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)125b/b : [Gutta rosacea] is a contagious sikenez..it is multiplied in wynter & in cold..for cold coarteþ mych or most þe vapour.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)392/893 : He koude the reynes coarten and restreyne Of such as lyued by fals robberye.
c
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.323 : Iustinianus..coartede the lawes of the Romanes..within oon volume of xij bookes.
2.
(a) To press upon (sb.), harass; ~ in nede, to distress; (b) to coerce (sb.); compel or force (sb. to do sth. or to a course of action); keep (sb. from sth.); (c) of things: obtain (sth.) by force; coart to be, exist of necessity; coarted of, forcibly diverted from (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.379 : So narwe he gan hem to coharte Þat her wardis he made a-sondre parte.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)24829 : Deth..gan so streytly me coharte That the soule mot departe.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)37 : Though he were coarted and driven in grete nede, his house wold he nat selle.
b
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.54/12 : Be watyr he was coartid to make his passage.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)31 : He..coartyd and constreyned meny oone to sese ffrom the pursuyt off the comvne riht.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)57 : Mawgre hem, they were compelled and coartyd to do hit.
- (c1447) Let.Midylton in Lin.NQ 16200 : That they be coartyd, as lawe wyll.
- (1450) RParl.5.173b : That no persone..be compelled, nor in no wyse distreynt or coherted, to take the ordre of Knyghthode by ll yere nowe next folowyng.
- (1462) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2 p.54 : Coarte hem to do hit for the availle of the Kyng.
- (c1462) Stonor Suppl.7 : Hit was here own goode will at all tymys, nevere coartyd þer to by the seyd Thomas Hampton.
- (1463) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2 p.67 : The seid Comyns to enjoye thair olde ffredome..and nott to be cohartyd to the contrarye.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22:N&W)38/1160 : Many of youre saide trew liege people be ouercome by youre aduersaries of Fraunce, and many a thousand peple of nobles and others coherted .. be force ayest theire hertis wille and entent to become homagiers to your saide aduersarie.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.2131 : Dyues by deth was streitly coarted Of his lyffe to make a soden translacioun.
- (c1475) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.lxxviii : To be coarted to be bownde in dyversse severall oblygacyons.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.68ra : Samuel said to Saul, 'Why hast thou put me fro my reste, for to aryse?' And Saul said, 'I am coarted therto, for the Phylysteis fight ayenst me and God is goon fro me.'
- a1500(a1475) Ashby Dicta (Cmb Mm.4.42)482 : Ye shul be kepte from grete grame And from al dishonour and vice coarted, And to grete worship þere-by exalted.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)29/157 : Thilke persones broughten in answere..not coarted by payninge dures.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4405 : Nature..wil nat be guyed be no reyne To be coarted of hir due riȝt.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.306 : Sith þinges..Ben noght coart to be..tho same þinges be Noght for to comen of necessite.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)71/12 : Loue weried is not wery, and loue arted is not coarted.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)144b/a : When he wil go to sege, be he borne..And coarte or payne not hym selfe [Ch.(2): streyne hym; L non coartet se].
Note: New subsense for sense 1.
Note: Gloss: "Refl. to exert or strain oneself."--per MLL