Middle English Dictionary Entry
cō̆pīe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cō̆pīe n. Also cope, coopy. |
| Etymology | OF copie & ML cōpia. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Plenty, abundance; great quantity or numbers.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.301 : Þis Spayne..haþ grete copy and plente of castell.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)82b/b : Copie or plente forsoþ of medicinez sedatyuez ȝe had aboue in þe tretys of apostemz.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)165b/b : Copie i. plente of frendez.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)92b : He is wiþ grete difficulte ouercome þat can trewely iuge or deme boþe of his owne copie or multitude and eke of his aduersaries.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)371 : In þe copye of grete delytes I haue be a wrecche, and in þe grete passynge mesure of þe ȝiftes of grace I haue be voyde and drye.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)438/12 : He garte opyn þe kyngis tresurie and sent a grete copye þeroff into þis yle.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)8.44 (v.1:p.88) : In the first bataile was youen hym from heven the spirite of wisdam which yafe hym copie of eloquence habundantly.
2.
(a) A written account or record; an original composition or text (real or presumed); (b) a transcript or copy (as of a letter, deed, statute, or book).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.293 : The barons..Of þing þat þei wild ask bad him þe copie bere.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)220/19 : Her endith þis tretys, for God toke hym to hys mercy þat wrot þe copy of þis boke, &, þow þat he wrot not clerly..he in hys maner of wrytyng & spellyng mad trewe sentens.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)1388 : Yit is þere a copie for comunes..How sum tellen tidingz at home vppon þaire benches..And lyen on þe lordz.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)1683 : There is a copie of couetise, how conscience is revled Whenne he [hath] gadrid a greete bagge..And wrongfully y-wonne hit þorough wiles of his hert.
- a1456 Shirley TContents(1) (Add 16165)15 : Þis litell booke with myn hande wryten I haue..And sought þe copie in many a place To..doon hit bynde In þis volume.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)270 : If this be trewe..that Esdras bi inspiracioun wrote, withoute eny copi, alle the v bokis of Moyses.
- a1500 Trental St.Greg.(2) (Adv 19.3.1)193 : Be it trowe or be it fals, It is os the cope [vr. coopy] was.
b
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.46 : We shuld sende ȝow a kopy of our statuz.
- (1404) Will York in Sur.Soc.4527 : Chargyng ham..that what tyme yat the oyer ryghtwis heire..have nede of any of yos dedis or evidences, that thai be not de[ny]yed to have copies or syght of hem.
- (?1404) LRed Bk.Bristol2.183 : For to ȝeve waravnt to the maystres..and more sykerly to do to kepe the seyde ordynavnces, The copye of thoo beth to hem delyverid enselyd with the sele of the offyce of the Mayeralte off Bristow.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.172 : Yn rewarde ȝoven to þe Clerke of þe seide John Carpenter, for to have a copie of þe coupers markes of london.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1697 : Troilus..fond..The copie of a tretys and a lettre, That Ector hadde hym sent to axen red.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Esth.4.8 : He ȝaf to Athac the copie [L exemplar] of the comaundement.
- (1437) *Proc.Chanc.PRO ser.C 1 file 9no.157 : Agnes sued to John Bolton thanne beyng clerk of the seid court..for to haue a verray trewe copie of the seid rekouerere.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)92 : Copy of a thynge wretyn: Copia.
- (1440) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.23234 : Of the said supplicacion, signed copyes be closed with in.
- (1444) RParl.5.110a : And that Shirref..nother Coroner take by colour of his Office..for makyng of any retourne or Panell any thyng, and for the copy of a Panell iiii d.
- (c1450) Let.Oxf.in OHS 35285 : The copy off the testament..off the most noble prince.
- (1463) Paston (Gairdner)4.68 : A writte to a tache Mr. John P. the yongere, wherof I sende you a copy closed herin.
- (1469) Stonor1.105 : I pray you..to bryng with you the cope of all thos dedes.
- a1470 Ordin.War Hen.V in RS 55.1 (Lnsd 285)471 : He wolle that the copie be gyven to every lord and governour of men in the foresaid oste.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)215/15 : Herode..toke þes bokys..and made forto bren hom..ȝet wer þer good men and wyse þat had copies of þes bokes.
- a1500(1428) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)40 : I pray you..sendeth me a cope of my lordes letters closed in youres for my more redy instruccion.
- -?-(1435) Doc.in Power Craft Surg.315 : Bi a copi had out of the original of the mater.
3.
Associated quotations
- (c1434) *Anc.Pet.(PRO)307.15339 : Thomas Squyer..was sesyd of a mees with a yerde lond..to halde hit of the Abbot of Abyndon by copy of courte, after customne..of the maner of Appulford.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4934 : I wil and graunte to the seid Jenete Whitwelle my yeeris that I haue be copy in the medwe at Babwelle.