Middle English Dictionary Entry
commenden v.
Entry Info
Forms | commenden v. Also comenden. P. & ppl. com(m)ended, com(m)end. |
Etymology | L commendāre & OF comender. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) To entrust (sth. to sb.) for safekeeping; put (sb.) in (someone's) care; (b) to commend (oneself, etc., to God, a saint), put in trust or under protection; (c) to give (one's) compliments (to sb.), salute.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.10.28 : Anent Magmas it shal commende [WB(2): bitake to kepyng; L commendabit] his vesseles.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)263 : He..kissid the mayde, and comendid hir to the duchesses of Lancastir..for to lede hir to Kaleys.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)184/10 : I haue kepte the tresoure þat þou haste commendid to me.
b
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)88/8 : He..saise deuote praiers and commendez [Tit: recommendynge] him till his godd.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.MG (Hnt HM 111)134 : Vn-to yow tweyne I my soule commende, Marie and Iohn, for my sauuacioun!
- (c1438) MKempe B (Add 61823)229/20 : Þei cowde no bettyr chefsyawns þan comendyn hem-self & her schip to þe gouernawns to owr Lord.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1091 : Whan he hym had commendyd To petyr and poule, his hors he nam.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)3.1272 : Whan þou commended Ion me on-too, Where that þou heyng on the blody tree.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)27/10 : Now byn they to god commendyd.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)79/200 : To ȝow ffadyr and modyr I me comende.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)9/23 : All þyng þat he dyd, he commendyd hit to Saynt Andrew.
c
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4015 : Þai come to þis conquirour, comend him as driȝtin.
- (1463) Paston (Gairdner)4.81 : Ryght worchepful ser..I comend me to you.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)9/22 : Be not familier to eny womman, but generaly commende alle gode wommen to god.
1b.
To commit or consign (oneself or sb. to the Devil).
Associated quotations
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)110/33 : Þai þat will commend þer selfe vnto þe devull, þai giff hym power of þaim.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)22/469 : Ordand ther is my stall, with sathanas..Euer ill myght hym befall that theder me commend This tyde.
2.
(a) To recommend (sb. to another); also fig.; (b) to present (sth.) as worthy, meritorious, or in a favorable light.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.12.43 : He..comendide [L commendavit] him to alle his freendis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.8.8 : Mete comendith [L commendat] vs not to God.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.669 : The olde payens..commendeden and vseden the vertu of pacience.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1 : Clannesse who so kyndly cowþe comende, And rekken up all þe resounz þat ho by riȝt askez [etc.].
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.3.5 : If oure wickidnesse comende [L commendat] þe riȝtwisnesse of god, what schal we sayn?
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4267 : Anticristes lawe þai sal comend..And forbede ilk man þat þai noght halde Þe newe lawe.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)42a/b : Þe collirie of myrre is gretely commended.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)93 : Þei comenden here owen lawes..& putten goddis lawe & treue prechouris þer-of bihynde.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Lamb 633)193/16 : The ije caus is that matremony ys to be comend is the oldennysse of hit.
3.
(a) To compliment or praise (sb.); (b) to approve of or praise (sth.), extol; (c) ben to ~, to be praiseworthy or commendable.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Cor.3.1 : Bigynne we eftsoone for to comende or preise vs silf?
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.1024 : She ne stente This mayde and eek hir brother to commende..So wel, that no man koude hir pris amende.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.602 : Patroclus, Whiche was in armys passyngly famus..And fer comendid for his gentilles.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)8/32 : Þese men comenden and preisen me wheryn it semyþ to hem þat þei discomenden and dispreisen me.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)255 : He commendid the Kyng of his feith and treuth, that he held evir with the Cherch ageyn the Antipope.
- c1475 Babies' Bk.(Hrl 5086)104 : Yiff..eny wihte Lyst yow kommende that better be thanne yee..thanke him withe herte free!
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)10/22 : He was gretly commendet for his wyse vnswar.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)43 : For the whiche victory..he was hily commendid by all the empire.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)47/5,7 : He þat commendiþ him self is not preued..but whom god commendiþ.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.76 : Youre wifhode he comendeth with the beste.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.2707 : Lawe, Thurgh which the wronges ben withdrawe And rihtwisnesse stant commended.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2607 : Of wommen I sih foure there, whos name I herde most comended.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.994 : Hem to seen, the peple hath caught plesance, Commendynge now the markys gouernance.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)4.158 : And Witt acorded þer-with and comended his wordes.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)12.276 : Fond ich neuere..That clergie of cristes mouth comended was euere.
- (c1400) Gower PP (Eg 2862)373 : To thin erthli pris..Which everi man is holde to commende, I, Gower..This lettre unto thin excellence y sende.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)42/1 : Poul comendiþ þe coming of Crist & þe lowe meking in his manhed.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.217 : They..wonder wel speken..Of hire..and hire manere Comendeden.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)34/6 : Þay commedid gretly the conseille of Demostines.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)659 : Philip..Comendid mekill his knyȝt-hede.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.22 : To comende The grete vertu whiche is vyrgynyte.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)11.7 : Here the prophet comendis the prechynge of crist.
c
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)19/693 : In couetise of martirdom He was to commende witerli.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.6358 : Nou herkne a tale..Hou maidenhod is to commende.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.72 : Ac ȝit is clergye to comende.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.4023 : Also faste as þe kyng was stille..Hercules..Seide his counseil was heȝly to commende.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)52.1128 : A prowd Man was he, but not to Comende for Chevalre.
4.
(a) ~ to kepen, to give (sb. sth.) to take care of; (b) to offer (sth.) as a favor.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)112/25 : Þan þe jayler..put hir in a fayr chawmbyr, schetyng þe dor wyth a key & comendyng hys wyfe þe key to kepyn.
b
- c1475 Babies' Bk.(Hrl 5086)120 : Yif that youre lorde his owne coppe lyste commende To yow to drynke, ryse vp whanne yee it take.