Middle English Dictionary Entry
corporāl adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | corporāl adj. Also corporel. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of the human body; bodily, physical; ~ oth, an oath ratified by touching a sacred object; (b) material, physical; (c) alch. embodied.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6757 : Swynke he with hondis corporell, And not with hondis espirituell.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4560 : Þai cause all vnkindnes & corperall lustis.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)329 : Dryven..From the place of blyss perpetuall In-to labours and sekenes corporall.
- (1466-7) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA 88.m.4 : The said Margarete..and eueriche of theim..by their corporall othes sware all the Comountez aboue-rehersed.
- a1500 With notis (Voss Germ.Gall.Q.9)p.42 : Nat only entrid she myn audience With her subtile tunes musicall, but euer..she possedid all with all thapertynence of service corporall.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)68 : In manyfest necessite the bretherne be not bownde to corporalle abstinence or bodily fastyng.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)130b/a : Som fourme is spiritual and som corporal and bodyliche, & som corporal fourme is heuenliche and som elementliche.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)7 : Aungels & men, þat ben two pryncipal creatures þat he made euere, þe toon spiritual & þe toþir corporal.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.312 : Noght onely þinges corporall Bot also formes in-materiall He seeth.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)55/30 : Make thi marchaundises that thei maye be spirituall and nat corporall, and vndir that fourme thi wynnynge shal be good.
- a1500 Abbrev.Elucid.(Pen 12)37/14 : For þer is no creature corporall that hathe power to se an angell in his propur likenesse..therfore bothe angelis and oþer spiritis take them a corporall substaunce in the eyre when they com, that the corporat bodies of the erthe may haue power to se them.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)859 : Nobyll Theology, and Corporall Physyk.
c
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)58b : Sublimacione we make for causis three. The fyrste cause is to make the bodye spirituall, The seconde that the spirit may corporall be And become fix with it & consubstanciall.
2.
Secular, temporal; ~ possessioun, possession of the temporal rights of a benefice.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.798 : The synne of thefte is..in two maneres, corporel and spirituel, as for to take thy neighebores catel agayn his wyl..Espirituel thefte is sacrilege, that is to seyn, hurtynge of holy thynges.
- (1444) RParl.5.75a : Also to do write to the Archedecon of London..to induct the seid persone so chosen, yn corporell possession of the said House or Hospitall.
- a1500(c1435) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)50 : The seid clerke is institute and induct in corporal possession.