Middle English Dictionary Entry
conjūren v.
Entry Info
| Forms | conjūren v. Also conjǒuren, cunjouren, conjor, conger. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To charge or urge (sb.) solemnly or earnestly (to do or say sth.); adjure; ~ in godes name, ~ for cristes love, ~ bi the feith, etc.; (b) to beseech or beg (sb.), implore; (c) to make an urgent request; appeal (to sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1215 : Cayphas axede þo ȝif he godes sone were, And coniurede him in godes name þat soþe ffor to shewe.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.669 : In gode[s] name ich coniure þe, Þat þow þe soþe telle me.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)283 : Couherde, i þe coniure & comande..bi vertu of þing þat þou most in þis world louest, þatow telle me..þe soþe.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)841 : Cayphas þan..spak to him despitusly: 'I coniore þe thurgh God lyfand, Þat þou me tell..Yf þou be God son of heuen.'
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3595 : Y coniure þe Yn God þat ys persones thre, Þat þou me telle why þou syttest here.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)17503 : Þai..coniurd þaim, be godds lau, Þis words neuer mar to scau.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.14 : I conjured hym..If he were crystes creature, for crystes loue me to tellen.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5158 : He gan coniuren hem & charge..for to bene preue, So þat no wyȝt..þe fyn of her entent ne knowe.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)1165 : Sen we er coniord [vr. coniurde] forto tell þat we saw..þe selkuths þat..byfell we sall reherce.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.193 : I conjure the, Criseyde, and oon, And two, thow Troilus..That at myn hous ye ben at my warnynge.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.24.3 : Y coniure [WB(1): adiure] thee bi the Lord God of heuene and of erthe, that thou take not a wijf to my sone of the douȝtris of Chanaan.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)276/147 : I charge þe and conjure be þe sonne and þe mone, þat þou telle us and þou be goddys sone.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)171/15 : I coniure the by vertu of the fader and sone and the Holy Goste.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)302 : Gawein..hym coniured be the feith that he ought to the kynge Arthur..and praied hym..to telle [etc.].
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)363 : Merlin..coniured hym by the feith that he ought vn-to hym, whi it was that he lough.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2291 : Is Abbod..conIurede him [a monk] þat he scholde after is deþe..to him comen and tellen him..in ȝwuch stat he were.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1834 : This yonge child to coniure he bigan And seyde, 'o deere child, I halsen thee In vertu of the holy Trinitee, Tel me [etc.].'
- (?c1422) Hoccl.ASM (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)470 : By almighty god, I thee coniure Þat thow me yeue reed.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1733 : Nece, I conjure and heighly yow defende..Sle naught this man, that hath for yow this peyne!
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)85/20 : Sche coniured the Angel, þat he scholde tell hire ȝif it were he or no.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1312 : This noble quen Dydo..kneleth, cryeth..Conjureth hym, and profereth hym to be His thral.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.3413 : She coniured hym in hir mortal distresse To haue pite.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)109 : Coniuryn or cuniowryn: Conjuro, adjuro, exorcizo.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)301 : I hym coniured for that he loved beste in the worlde, that he wolde gon his wey.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)311/734 : Alas! Death, I coniure thee! my lyfe..thou take from me.
c
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)213/25 : For all that thou canst conjeoure other sey, ther shall none that is here medyll with the.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)17853 : I crye and coniure al the day On pylgrymes..And crye on hem for ther almesse.
2.
(a) To invoke or conjure up (a devil, a spirit), as by incantation or magic; (b) to exorcise (an evil spirit); (c) to engage in conjuring, recite a charm, call up spirits; (d) to bewitch (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Jas.(LdMisc 108)45 : Manie deuelene he conIurede, þat huy to him wende.
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)13 : So þe preste cam & coniured hir, & scho saide scho was dampned for scho died out of charite.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5533 : A maystyr nigromancien þat coniuryd..þorwȝ þe ffeendes crafft off helle, Twoo stronge ffeendes off þe eyr In lyknesse off twoo stedes ffeyr.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)39/11 : Þe synne of hem þat for siluer or gold doþ coniure þe deuel and makeþ þes wiche-craftes.
b
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)388/406 : Ich coniouri eov..in his name þat for us schedde is blod, Ov deuelene þat þare-inne beoth..Þat ȝe sone þarof out fleon.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)16.308 : Iosephe..him Anon Coniowred there, And the devel..Ryht Owt of the ymage isswed.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1976 : He gan conjure, So that thurgh his enchantement This ladi..Mette..Hou fro the hevene cam a lyht.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5533 : A maystyr nigromancien þat coniuryd..þorwȝ þe ffeendes crafft off helle.
- c1450 Metham Days Moon (Gar 141)151/20 : The xij. day [of the moon] ys fortunat..for them that wul calkyl and coniure.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.486 : He badd hir ayen to commaunde and coniure To make the bagge ayen to lye stille.
d
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)339 : Yee had no nede ffor to congir me..with yeur nygromancy, That have no more to vaunce me but oonly my body.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)489 : Now the devill hir spede!..She seid I had i-congerid hir.
3.
To form or enter into a conspiracy.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)4 Kings 9.14 : Thanne Hieu..coniured [WB(2): swoor to gidere] aȝeynst Joram.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)4 Kings 12.20 : His seruauntis rysen and coniureden [WB(2): sworen togidere] bytwene hemseluen.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 Eagle Magic in Tul.SE 22 (Add 34111)21/8 : I coniure þe be god of heven and of erþe..þat þow be helpyng to euery creature.
Note: Needed for date in sense 1.(a).
- a1500 BodAdd.A.106 Lapid.(BodAdd A.106)p.55 : Elyscrope is a precyous ston…&…if he be set to ye erbe yt is of his awn name, if yt erbe be well sakerd & coniured, yer sal no man sen hym yt beres yt erbe.
Note: New sense: transitive gloss for sense 2.(c)
Note: Gloss: to perform a magic ritual over (sth.) in order to imbue it with power, conjure.--per MLL
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)736 : King Hingist…Coniourd þre hundred fendes of helle Þat þai schuld make a brigge Ouer þe se forto ligge.
Note: Supplemental material
Note: Belongs to sense 2.(a).--per MLL
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may not be complete. Revised form section: Also conj(eo)ure, conjore, congir, conjouri, cunjouren; p.ppl. conjured, etc. & icongered.--per MLL