Middle English Dictionary Entry
cǒnning ppl.
Entry Info
| Forms | cǒnning ppl. Also cunning, connand, cunnand. |
| Etymology | Ppl. of cǒnnen. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Possessing skill in a profession, art, or craft; skilled, skillful, expert, competent; ~ in, of, (upon), versed in (sth.); (b) clever, shrewd.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)653 : Ful conyng was sche & coynt & couþe fele þinges of charmes [etc.].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.439 : Þis was a kunnynge [L peritus] astronomer, and knewe by þe sterres þat circumcided men schulde destroye his kyngdom.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.46 : To chesen an Aldirman, wyse and wittye, able and konyng to reulen and gouern þe company.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.2437 : Thogh I be noght al cunnynge Upon the forme of this wrytynge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)172a/a : Children of Aradyan..ben..conniyng [L erudite] in bataile of þe see.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)169/28 : If þe leche be kunnynge, þe pacient mai lyue.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)20/13 : A cunand wright..forto make A faire palas.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.331 : Ye loveres! for the konnyngeste of yow..Hym tit as often harm therof as prow.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)2 Par.8.18 : Iram sente to hym..schippis and schippe men kunnyng of the see.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)5a/b : The condiciouns þat beþ required in þe Cirurgien beeþ foure..þat he be a lettred man..expert or cunnynge..witty or wise..wel þewed.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)173b/a : Places in þe whiche apotecaries..ben nouȝt so gode ne connynge in euery þing.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)6.63 : Oon of thi workers..That kunyngest is of his felous alle.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)558 : For I sall sette kepers, full conaunde & noble..To..martyre hys knyghtes.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)64 : Medee was on of the konnyngest women of sorserye that euer was.
- (1449) Will York in Sur.Soc.30147 : I will yat..an honest and a kunnyng prest..synge for my soule.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3134 : Brenne was yn speche curteys, & konnynge [vr. konand] knyght by many weys.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)335/463 : Now knyghtis þat are conant, with þis catyf ȝe care; The liffe of þis losell in youre list is it laide.
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer Pity (Benson-Robinson)97 : Though I be not konnynge for to pleyne, For Goddis love, have mercy on my peyne!
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5202 : Knightes full kene & konyng of werre.
- (1467) Acc.Howard in RC 57173 : The konyngeste makere of schepes [i.e. ships].
b
- c1450(?a1402) *?Trev.Reg.Princ.(Dgb 233)13a/a : Schrewes..þeiȝ þei mowe be kyunnynge, falce & guyle fole, þei mowe not be prudentes.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)1400 : Now, confessour..connynge þow moste be: Wayte þat þow be slegh & fel To vnderstonde hys schryft wel.
2.
Possessing knowledge; learned, erudite, expert, competent; experienced, wise; ~ clerk, a scholar; ~ in (of) lore, clergie, the sciences; ~ and wis, learned and wise.
Associated quotations
- 1372 Als i lay vp-on (Adv 18.7.21)102 : I [Jesus] sal ben so simple & to men so conning, Þat most partize of þe puple Sal wiln maken me king.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2917 : Þat comli quen hade a prest, a konyng man of lore.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.37 : In oure tyme oon Ieronimus, a preost, a wise man and a konnynge [L doctissimus] in þre longages, tornede holy writt out of þe Hebrew.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.69 : [Gerebertus] was þe firste þat took Agabus [read: abacus] of Sarsyns, and ȝaf rules þerynne þat mowe unneþe be understonde of þe kunnyngeste men of þe craft.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.35 : Icham I-knowe þer Cunnynge Clerkes schul Couche be-hynde.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Abp.& N.(Phys-E)p.93 : God tholes god men to falle, For he wil that þai stither rise And be cunna[n]d in his seruise.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)3.343 : Ac ȝow failled a cunnyng clerke þat couthe þe lef haue torned!
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)1227 : Thre kynges..Fful connand men of clergy.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.970 : Men shal fynde As worthi folk withinne Troie town, As konnyng and as parfit and as kynde, As ben bitwixen Orkades and Inde.
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)57/29 : Damesele Conande and Wysse, þat es callede Meditacyone.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3177 : The konyngeste cardynall that to the courte lengede Knelis to þe conquerour.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)8/30 : He was wele lered & connand in all þe seuen sciences.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)38/19 : He was a passyng kunnyng man, and a sotell, in all þe poyntes þat langed to phisic.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)251 : An oþer lijk kunnyng and lijk holi writer, or kunnynger and holier þan he was.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)86/40 : Þai wyll na counsell have of oþer þat es better & conander þen þai.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)30.9 : Of Alle Scienses he was konnenge.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2485 : I know me so konyng in the clene Artis [etc.].
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)17/4 : Whan he weneþ or troweþ hymself be more worþ þan he is..or þat he weneþ hymself conynger þan he is.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)98 : Maystres disputyng in scole, on is connyngg', a nothyr ys a fole..vnus ist sapiens alius stultus.
- (c1450) Let.Oxf.in OHS 35294 : The Duke of Gloucestre..graunted unto us all his latyn bokes, to the..increce of Clergy and connyng menn.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)197 : If thou be wittier and kunnynger than eny othere men ben in tho maters..for gretter and strenger evydencis which thou hast [etc.].
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.35.80a : The chaunceler with othir kunnyng men of lawe as iustices and sergeauntes.
- a1500 Parton.(1) (RwlPoet 14)5104 : She ys well nortured, conyge and wyse.
3.
Of actions: (a) wise; (b) skillful.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2144 : Þe real emperour..him thonked of þat konyng cunseyl & his kynde wille.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)270b/a : The þridde manere [spider], by connynge composicioun and worching, weueþ ful sotille webbes.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.97 : Hir uschere, That coude his office doon in connyng wis.
4.
Having refinement of character or conduct; ~ of curtesie.
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4810 : Þe grettest lordes of þat land..konyngest of kurtesie.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3690 : He maked hym [Nero] so konnyng and so souple, That longe tyme it was er..any vice dorste in hym vncouple.
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)51/13 : Þe Haly Goste sall sende two maydyns þat ere conande: the one es callede rightwysnes and þe toþer..luffe of clennes.