Middle English Dictionary Entry
conflict n.
Entry Info
| Forms | conflict n. Also conflit, conflute. |
| Etymology | L conflictus & OF conflit. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An armed encounter, a battle; (b) a struggle; a quarrel; (c) an attack or assault, as of temptation; (d) agony.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)296 : Let first appare..that he be stronge..With confidence in conflict.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)113 : Aftir many conflictes in which he had the wers, at the last he ovircam hem.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)31/32 : Thes peeple..hathe been sum-tyme yn conflycte of batelle to walssh men.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.411 : Now the drede of theire goode withdrawethe theim from the exercise of conflictes.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.23 : Pirrus the kynge was deuicte in the secunde batelle and conflicte [L prælio].
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)93 : Conflyte or warre: Conflictus.
b
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)13 : She had a gret conflitt and batayle in kepyng of hir virginite.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.1037 : The grete conflicte be-twyxe the lordes and hir Ryght in þe parlemente.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)131.202 (v.2:p.345) : In the tyme of conflyct with the heretykys, .. he and a conuers of the Cistrens comyn to a cherche.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)137 : Many conflictes were betwix the emperesse and the Kyng.
c
- a1425 St.Anthony (Roy 17.C.7)135/43 : Þe co[n]flute of deuelles.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)374 : A man..may abide the conflicte of all vices, but this [lechery] he moste flee.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)91/1 : One temptacyon or tribulacion goinge awey, anoþer comeþ, yea, som tyme þe first conflicte yit duryng.
d
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)86.12 (v.2:p.100) : I shal seen hem whom to seen I gretely desire, martirs in her conflict [cp. L (Acta Sanctorum 14 May (May v.3 (1680):281D)): cognoscens quia sancti Christi athletae agonizantur in martyrio].