Middle English Dictionary Entry
compuncciǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | compuncciǒun n. |
| Etymology | ML & OF; cp. prik of conscience. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Remorse, contrition, repentance; specif., remorse for wrongdoing as felt and practiced as a means of attaining forgiveness of one's sins (followed by confession and acts of penance); fallen unto ~, taken ~; teres of ~; inward ~; swete ~; grace of ~, remorse as bestowed by the mercy of God.
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.11.8 : He ȝaf to hem a spirit of compunccioun [L compunctionis].
- c1390 Off a trewe loue (Vrn)131 : Lord, ȝif us..Verrey compungcion..Repentaunce of dedes ille.
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)290 : Ȝif he feled, be grace of vr lord, gret compunccion of his synnes.
- c1400 Prep.Euch.(Ashm 1286)124/9 : Þat he wasche hem awey wiþ teeris of conpunccioun.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)8 : Ȝif þei drawen þe peple in þe holiday..fro conpunccion of here synnes.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)13/15 : Þis creatur had contrycion & gret compunccyon, wyth plentyuows teerys and many boystows sobbyngys, for hir synnes & for hir vnkyndnesse a-geyns hir Maker.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)15/33 : Repentawns of hir synne, wyth many byttyr teerys of compunccyon.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)16/19 : Owyr Lord of hys mercy..ȝaf hir ech day..too owerys of compunccyon for hir synnys, wyth many byttyr teerys.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)210 : Þe fete þat scho weschede..with teres of compunncione.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)61 : Aristotyl seithe þat..thei be ii contrary thynges þat distroyith iche of them othir; for compunccion is modir of terres, and delites engenderyth laughynges.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)372 : For gendring of wel willing and of compunccioun, and for gendring of passional loue..and of oþere inward passiouns or affectis.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)390 : Forto haue compunccioun or repentaunce as is in knowing and remembraunce of oure synnes.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)342/37 : With inwarde compunccione and sorowe of herte þou schalt gretelye weye þe grevosetee of þine sinnes.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)148/20 : He tuke a grete compunccion in his harte.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)293/24 : Þus hur sorow was renewid and hur sawle prikkid with a swete compunccion.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)314/7 : Whi ert þou not movid with no compunccion for þi syn?
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)524/22 : He fell vnto compunccion & shrafe hym vnto a preste.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)262 : Sho leued þare in deuocioun, In prayer and conpunccioun.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)2126 : He was sett on..conpunccioun, Þat ay when he sang his messe Þe teres oute of his eyen stresse.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.143 : In whiche monastery was a man, Cedmon by name, tauȝhte by God to make dites of compuccion [L carmina compunctiva].
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.119 : Robert..with grete compunction [L corde compunctus] wente barefote to Ierusalem.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)68 : Asoile þeis þat Almiȝty God visitiþ bi for bi grace of compunccoun.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)7/6 : Wasche you and beþ clene of youre synnes by compunccion of herte, confession of mowþe, satisfaccion of werke and of dede.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)63/9 : In doyng of penaunce there be thre thynges to be considerid, scilicet, compunccion of herte, confession of mowthe, and satisfaccion by dede.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)267 : Bathid by teeris of compunccion and contricion.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)425 : Thou haste in the vij deuyls; oon sittes in thyn herte, byndyng it, that thou haste not compuncion for thy synnes.
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)39 : For somoche as thei may nat abstene, lete hem take compuncioun in their thoughtis and in their hertis.
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)47 : To have in our hertis for our synnes compunccioun, wepyng, and lamentacioun..is to vs a delitable feste of ful swete metis.
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)54 : Other spiritual labours, as wailyng and wepyng of inward compunccioun.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)53/14 : I wol not of þat consolacion þat shal take awey fro me compunccyon.
- c1590(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64(2))59.3 : Thou gafe vs drinke of the wine of compunction.
2.
Regret, compassion.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1741 : Þe sonne of life was dirked for oure goode, Whan heuene and erþe with hiȝe compunccioun Han signes schewed of lamentacioun.
3.
Puncturing, a puncture.
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)68a/b : Wondez with contusioun & fracture of þe pan persyng: som..makeþ not compressioun ne punccioun vp on þe brayne; Som forsoþ..makeþ compression & compunccioun [L compunctionem] in it.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. compunction.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Nicod.(3) (Eg 2658)35/25 : Petre came ynne sore ashamed with greet compuctioun.
Note: Additional quot., sense 1.
Note: New form.