Middle English Dictionary Entry
cōf adj. (& adv.)
Entry Info
| Forms | cōf adj. (& adv.) Infl. cove, cave; adv. cof, cove, kafe. |
| Etymology | OE cāf. In later ME cof survives mostly in alliterating couplets. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Eager, bold, courageous; ~ on (sb.); ~ and kene; cant and ~; as adv.: courageously; (b) quick; ~ and quik; as adv.: swiftly, fast; quickly, promptly, soon.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19962 : Forr ȝiff we Godess bodeword..forrbuȝhenn..to kiþenn forþ Biforenn kafe & kene, Ne sinndenn we nohht strange inoh To fihhtenn ȝæn þe defell.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)16a : Alswa þe caue [Nero: coue] deouel bereð awei from cakelinde ancres & forswolheð al þe god þet ha istreonet habbeð.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)124 : If he [ðe neddre] naked man se, ne wile he him nogt neggen, Oc he fleð fro him..If he cloðed man se, cof he waxeð, For up he rigteð him redi to deren.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)166 : Nedeð ðe ðe deuel nogt..oc he fleð fro ðe so neddre fro de nakede. On ðe colðede ðe neddre is cof.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.66 : Tostus..robbed ilk a man. Þat herd Harald; fulle kene he was & kof, With folk out of þe South toward þe North drof.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1886 : Þer best was, þer wolde þey lende; & multeplyed & wel þrof & woxen riche, kant & cof [vr. kofe].
b
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)231 : Icome sum cofer, sum later.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)233 : Þa þis was isegd, þa were cofe abruden into þesternesse.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)379 : He..huþþ & stard suþe coue An secheþ paþes to þe groue.
- ?a1300 Names Hare (Dgb 86)42 : Þe coue arise.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5145 : Wawain seiȝe her coming coue.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)92/1825 : Now ich wolde ȝeue hit kof For a schiuer of a lof.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)60 : Comez cof to my corte, er hit colde worþe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)624 : Into his hous he hyȝed to Sare, Comaunded hir to be cof and quyk at þis onez.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)898 : Þay comaunded hym cof to cach þat he hade.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)42 : And also cof as þe king kende þe sawe, Newe lettres he let þe ludus bitake.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 PPl.A(1) (Eaton)7.103 : Carped of cof worde [Trin-C: Summe to plese perkyn pykide vp þe wedis].
Note: Context: Piers vows to help lost penitents on the pilgrimage to St. Truth if they help him to plow his half-acre.
Note: New phrase for sense (a).
Note: Gloss: "carpen of ~ wordes, ?to talk eagerly, speak with alacrity."--per MLL