Middle English Dictionary Entry
agnus (dei) n. or phr.
Entry Info
| Forms | agnus (dei) n. or phr. Also angnus, awnus day. |
| Etymology | ML |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Lamb of God [i.e. Jesus]; a figure of a lamb used as an emblem of Jesus; (b) a part of the Mass beginning with the words 'Agnus Dei'.
Associated quotations
a
- (1459) Paston (Gairdner)3.178 : A gentlewoman..with a whelp in hir honde and an Awnus Day abought hir nec.
- (1467) Paston (Gairdner)4.263 : My master gaff her iij Agnus Dei of goolde.
- (1471) Will York in Sur.Soc.45194 : Item j Agnus Dei of berall..Item..j nodir Agnus.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)312 : This Agnus Dei born of a pur virgyne.
b
- ?a1425(a1400) Brut-1377 (Corp-C 174)313/19 : And whan Agnus Dei was do..al..sworen þat same othe.
- a1450 As I went on Yole (Sln 2593)p.309 : Jankyn at the Angnus beryt the pax brede.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)46/8 : As he was afore the Agnus Dei, the olde frere loked on hym how he brake the oste.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15148 : One Masse boke..endith with the sequence Sanctus and Agnus.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)8 : Bi twex þe consecracioun and Agnus Dei.