Middle English Dictionary Entry
contāǧiǒus adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | contāǧiǒus adj. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Contaminating or contaminated (air, water); harmful, noxious; (b) contagious (disease), communicable.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)282b/a : [The dragon] bloweþ oute contagious blastes, and þere by þe ayre is corrupte and infecte, and þer of comeþ pestilence yueles.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.581 : Al þe worlde his [Cerberus's] brethe contagyous Infected hath.
- (1430-1) RParl.4.371a : Ye saide Prison..so contagious of Eyre, yat hit caused the deth of many men.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)1647 : In watir also, Contagious of nature, Be not bathyd.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)191/16 : Scabbe..is oon of þe siknes þat is contagious, for o man mai take it of anoþer.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)196/24 : [Leprosy] is oon of the syknessis þat ben contagious.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)38a/a : Obtalmia is a sikenez contagious And it passeþ gladly fro one eie to anoþer.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)115a/a : The leper..is of heritage and contagiouse i. smyttynge [L contagiosus].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)130b/a : [Gutta rosacea] is a contagiouse i. a smytynge maladye and þe first tokene to þe lepre.
2.
(a) Harmful, dangerous, pernicious; disastrous; (b) morally corrupting or corrupt; evil, wicked, sinful.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3620 : For her gynnyng was nat vertuous, An ende folweth ful contagious.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3008 : Þin affeccioun..is so perillous, So inly mortal and contagious, Þat..oon of vs moste anoon be ded.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9062 : For Enmy noon ys so perillous, So dredful, nor contagyous..As an enmy ffamylyer.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10236 : Than he wyl be-gynne a werre..Most dredful & contagyous.
b
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.12.5 : Whan I loste my memorie be the contagious conjunccioun of the body with the soule.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.3063 : Al-be his mooder off liff was recles And contagious..Yit was this poete [Euripides]..Most vertuous founden.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)284 : Þanne we schulen myche esilier forbere þe contagiose lustis and likingis.
- c1480(1422) Lydg.SD (Add 48031)50/4 : The surqvidous pride of Iulius, and the contagius Covetise entremelled with envye on the party of Pompye.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)480/44 : Owr soule be purged clene, Noo contagiusse thyng ther in be sene.
3.
Offensive, obnoxious.
Associated quotations
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.5192 : Whan other conceyue the maneer Off myn onhappis, contagious for to heer, Thei may bexaumple off me [Hercules] doon ther peyne [etc.].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.835 : His vicious lyff in ordre to reherse Wer contagious to the audience.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.120 : It is to me verray contagious To reede the batailles & the discenciouns [etc.].
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)4743 : Ye seyn, yt [the gardyn of plesaunce] ys contagious, And I, how yt ys gracious, Agreable and debonayre.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)89/10 : A leche, þogh a sike man wich is enfectid with a contagious sore crie vpon him neuer so moche forto cese of his cuttyng, he wil cese neuer þe more vn to the tyme he be hoole.
Note: Belongs to sense 1.(b).
Note: Add to gloss: also, of a sore or disease: having the potential to spread to another part of the body or become systemic, infectious.--per MLL
- c1460 Chaucer CT.Pard.(Hrl 7335)C.650 : That vengeance shal nat parte from his hous That of his othes is contageous [alt. to: cotageous; vrr. outrageous, contagious, coutrageous].
Note: vrr. Manly-Rickert, Trin-O, and Sln 1685, respectively
Note: New spelling: Also (errors) cotageous, coutrageous.
Note: New sense: add sense 4.
Note: Gloss: 4. Error for ǒutrāǧeǒus adj.--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.38rb (2.3) : In pleuresi..is gret colleccioun of superfluites of vile corrupte materes..whiche..when þe kynde ne þe kynde hete be noȝt of myȝt for to defien it..gadereth into materes contagiouse, i. attri and venymouse.
Note: ?New sense. Editor's gloss: 'purulent, poisonous'.