Middle English Dictionary Entry

commū̆ne n.
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Entry Info

Forms commū̆ne n. Also comun(e, com(m)oun, com(m)on, com(m)en, com(m)in, cominge.
Etymology OF com(m)une & ML commūnia; partly from adj.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
A commonwealth; a community, town; also, the people of such a body politic; the ~ of the land.
Show 14 Quotations
2.
The body of freemen (of a country, city, etc.), the common people, the citizenry; the third estate of a commonwealth (as distinct from the nobility and the clergy).
Show 11 Quotations
3.
A fellowship or brotherhood, as of a religious community or of devotees; the communion of the saints.
Show 8 Quotations
4.
(a) The right to use land held in common, as for pasturing cattle; ~ of pasture; fre ~; (b) land held in common by a community; the common.
Show 9 Quotations
5.
Misc. uses: (a) eccl. the usual mass or a part of it (as distinct from the propre mass of a specific festival); (b) a body of ordinary soldiers; (c) something that is shared; (d) usual living expenses, sustenance; (e) ?a conference; place of ~.
Show 6 Quotations
6.
In adverbial phrase: in commune [OF en comune & L in communi]: (a) jointly, in common, in equal shares; (b) together, along with others; (c) in harmony; (d) in general, generally; universally; (e) in public, publicly; also, in the ~.
Show 28 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • (c1384) WBible(1) TL (F&M)683 : First ben sett sondaies and ferials togider, and after that the sanctorum, both comyn and propre togider, of al þe ȝeer.
  • (c1384) WBible(1) TL (F&M)696 : Here endith the Propre Sanctorum and now bigynneth the Commoun Sanctorum.
    • Note: New sense and combination for sense 5.(a).
    Note: Gloss: ~ sanctorum, a listing of the psalms, collects, and lessons which vary with the day for feasts of a particular class, such as the martyrs, apostles, etc.
  • c1450(1438) GLeg.Matthew (GiL133) (Eg 876) 693/189 : He [St. Matthew] knowlechid hymself a publican. The tother euuangelistes..bicause of shame and for worship of the euangelist putte not that name in comune [F leur nom commun; L nomen uulgatum], but as it is wreten 'The rightwis man is furst acusour of hymself,' and Seint Matheu named hymself publican for that he wolde shew that none that is conuerted shulde haue mistruste of his sauacion, sethe he was made sodenly fro a publican apostell and euuangelist.
    • Note: Editor: "that name in comune: leur nom commun P2, nomen uulgatum LgA, 'the usual title'; the nearest senses offered by MED for 'in comune' are 'generally' and 'in public'."
    Note: Context: the other evangelists are unwilling to reveal publically that Matthew is a publican, even though he has done so himself to show that Christ's salvation is possible for all, since he himself was once a publican, but now is an apostle. In the Latin version, 'commun' is an adjective as is the French 'uulgatum'. Neither version expresses quite what the Middle English does.
    Note: Additional quot. for sense 6.(e).

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