Middle English Dictionary Entry
consolāciǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | consolāciǒun n. Also consolation. |
| Etymology | OF & L |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A feeling of relief from sorrow or distress; consolation, comfort, encouragement; taken ~; yeven ~; (b) a feeling of gratification, satisfaction, or pleasure.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.834 : So longe han they conforted hire, til she Receyued hath..The emprentyng of hir consolacioun Thurgh which hir grete sorwe gan aswage.
- (1421) Let.in Ellis Orig.Let.ser.2.185 : Thankyng God..for the gretist gladnesse and consolation that ever come unto my herte.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.14.3 : He þat expownys scripturis, he spekys to men to edificacyoun and exhortacyoun and consolacyoun.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)410/752 : Loue to his herte gaff consolacioun.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)44 : The which wordes..shull yeve vs matere off grete consolacion and comfort.
- ?a1450 Whane that phebus beemes (Cleo C.4)4 : My harte dyd reioysse..My dull sprytes receuyd consolacyoun.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)10/302 : Lazarus, In whos..habytacion Cryst was logyd..and ofte tyme toke þer consolacion.
b
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.1130 : Nembroth wex famous, Takyng in herte gret consolacioun, That..he was so glorious.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)1/24 : Than wil I..beginne þis werk..to þe plesauns and consolation of þis gentil woman.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)724 : I woll tell a tale to yeur consolacioune.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1096 : Fawnus was with-out wyff..Without consolacioune, pensyff offt.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.2550 : A pure priest..In good praier was all his consolacioun.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)11/10 : Suche outwarde comfort is a gret hindring of inwarde & hevenly consolacion; and þerfore we owe to wake & to praie.
2a.
(a) The act or fact of giving encouragement or comfort, or an instance of it; wordes of ~; speken ~; (b) invigoration.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4321 : To go with hym for consolacioun.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1102 : For a molestacioune Ther was noon othir remedy but a consolacioune.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.IVMass (Trin-C R.3.21)471 : Fyue tymes sothly he dyd appere To hys dyscyples for consolacion.
- c1475 St.Anne(2) (Trin-C R.3.21)636 : The consolacion of all wrechys.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)87/8 : Be-ware that the consolacion be noȝt to feynyngly spokyn..ne that the correccion be noȝt to scharppe.
- a1500(c1445) Lydg.Mir.Edmund (Ashm 46)331 : The lord..By his mercifful consolacioun Made blood appeere in the chyldes fface.
- a1605(c1422) Hoccl.Compl.(Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)311 : A wofull man..to whome words of consolation Reason gave.
b
- a1456 Affter þe stormy tyme (Trin-C R.3.20)20 : At whiche tyme [spring] nuwe mutacyoun To alle grene thinges doþe consolacyoun.
2b.
bok of ~, of ~, Boethius' treatise De Consolatione Philosophiae.
Associated quotations
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5661 : That may these clerkis..see In Boece of Consolacioun.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)84 : Boys seith in the iii. booke of Consolacion, that the felicite off the Epicuriens shulde be called vnfelicite.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.1 : This subtile matere of boecius Heere in þis book of consolacioun.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)152/15 : Boyce in the boke of consolacioun seyth, that this Nero makyd his brodyr to be slayn.
3.
A source of encouragement or consolation; ben ~ to (sb.); yerde of ~, staff of one's comfort.
Associated quotations
- c1390 Psalt.Mariae(1) (Vrn)174 : Of correccioun..Þou art staf, and eke ȝerde Of consolacioun.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.708 : Men seyn, 'to wrecche is consolacioun To have another felawe in hys peyne.'
- (?a1430) Hoccl.Ad SS (Hnt HM 744)4 : Holy goost..O thow benigne consolacioun Of heuy folk!
- (?1430) Paston2.33 : The favour of your good lordshepe in comfort and consolacion of your pouere prestes.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)7342 : Peyne and tribulacyoun Ben to hym consolacioun.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)267/1046 : Of ȝour swete sone..jhesu, Þat was ȝour dayly solas, ȝour gostly consolacyon.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)225/10 : Almes deedes..stondeþ in this profit..for hem that were wickyd..it is ȝit consolacion and mede.
- a1500(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Stw 952(1))16536 : The ffyrste Consolacion that I ffynde, O blyssede Lady, ys only in the.
- 1532(?a1405) Lydg.FCourt.(Thynne)152 : She alone is consolacion To al that arne in mischefe and in nede.
4.
(a) Prosperity, welfare; (b) escape from danger; salvation.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400 Dream Bk.(2) (Sln 1609)p.78 : To seen pottis ful of watir be-toknith consolacioun & plente.
- c1475(1459) Pros.Yorkists in EHR 26 (Roy 17.D.15)514 : For your syngulere welth and for the generall consolaccion of alle this contre.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Lamb 633)192/22 : A fornicatour..whan he..covettith a woman fleshely, his dissolacion Radir þan his consolacioun he seth.
b
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)316 : Ther is now no consolacioun..For ȝe of dethe stonde vp on the brinke.
- a1500 Craft Dying (Rwl C.894)409 : Euery man boþe good & euell..seith Crist put in þe crosse, the good man to his consolacion, the euell man to his confusion.