Middle English Dictionary Entry
comment n.
Entry Info
| Forms | comment n. Also coment. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An expository treatise; (b) a comment or explanation; pl. a body of comments, a commentary or exposition.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)43/5 : Galion seiþ in þe eende of his coment, coold is moost greuous [etc.].
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.50v : Stipticite is on of þe 9 sauowrs. Se afterward in þe coment, i. exposycyon, of þe Antidotarye of Nichol', 7 c.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)5b/a : As Galien saide in þe ende of his comente or exposicioun [L commenti] of þe forseide alleggede amphorum.
- c1475 Babies' Bk.(Hrl 5086)7 : Alle of tendre age In curtesye Resseyve shulle document, And vertues knowe, by this lytil coment.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.361 : Aristotle..tauȝte faire and noble spekynge, as it is specialliche i-sene in his Commentis Homerici [Higd.(2): Omericalle commentes].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)335b/a : I haue y sewed soþenesse and trouþe and y folowed þe..sawes and commentes of holy seyntes and of philosopheres.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)4 : An c textys, drawen vpon the dictis and conceytys of..famous poetys..with an c commentys therevpon, callid exposicyons or glosis vpon the seyde textys.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.132 : An other þat vs lent Many a good coment an many an holy exortacyon..in that book.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.429 : Iosephus founde a comente [Trev.: queynte craft; L commentum] , in whom [L quo] he made clothes moiste, and hongede theym on the walles; the Romanes seenge that, supposede theyme to haue water habundantely un to drynke..
Note: New sense: "Stratagem, plan, scheme."
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)8.131 : Kynge Richarde..was crownede at Wynchestre..askynge after that solennite doen, as by reason of a commende, what thynge that he [King John] hade ȝiffen afore or solde, every title and instrumente made þeron beynge voyde.
Note: [Trev.: Þe kynge axede aȝe al þat was to forehonde liȝtliche i-ȝeve oþer grevousliche i-solde and acounted for þe sorte al þe fruyt þat was i-fonge in þe meme tyme, and sparede for no covenant noþer for chartre..noþer for instrument; L Post cujus coronationis solemnia quicquid prius leniter datum aut graviter venundatum fuerat repetiit nomine commendati..cessante pacto titulo et instrumento quocumque.] L trans. After the solemnities of his coronation, he demanded back by the authority of a ? whatever before had been lightly given or gravely sold..whatever pact, title and instrument having been made void.
Note: Is this the word?