In verbs inherited from OE:(a) From OE ā-: a-biden, a-breken, a-fallen, a-reren, a-risen, a-senden, a-waken, a-winnen, and many others. (b) From OE on-: a-biden (also an-biden), ppl. a-knoue(n (also……

From early ME a prep., derived from unstressed an before nouns, adjs., and advs. beginning with a consonant [OE on, an]. (a) Orig. noun phrases: a-beggeþ, a-bedde, a-blode, a-clokke, a-dai(es,……

Occasional variant of i- [OE ge-] in past ppls. and in some other words, as anough beside inough, enough; aware beside iware. …

(a) In vb., ppl., adj.: aboute- beren, to carry (sth.) hither and thither; aboute- brennen, envelop (sth.) in flames; aboute- clothed, covered by clothing, enveloped, wrapped about; aboute- comen……

(a) above- comen, to come upon, fall upon, attack; above- bringen, above- leden, bring upon, visit upon; above- growen, grow on the land; (b) higher on the written page; earlier in a document……

Only in words taken (a) directly from Latin, as ad-ducen, ad-juren, ad-mitten, or (b) from Latinized Old French, as a(d)-joinen, a(d)-journen, a(d)-monesten. In ME, ad- has no meaning, except as it……

Only in af-(h)ingred starved, and afirst thirsty (vr. of of-thirst, a-thurst). …

Only in words taken from Latin or from Latinized OF, as af-fect, af-firmacioun, af-fluence, a(f)-fiaunce. In ME, af- has no meaning, except as it distinguishes af-fect from ef-fect, af-fluence from in……

Ahead (in space); afore- rider, one who rides ahead of the main body of an army, ?a scout, ?one of the vanguard. …

(a) Forward (in space); aforn- rider, one who rides ahead of an army; ?a scout, ?one of the vanguard; (b) previously (in time); (c) at any earlier place in a book or document; aforn- rehersed……

Verbal cpds.: (a) after- bending, the second bending, a bending back (of a bow); prob., the shaping process which gives the ends a curvature the reverse of that at the center; after- berende, bearing……

Only in words taken from Latin or Latinized Old French, as al-legorie, al-legacioun, a(l)-lien, a(l)-louen. In ME, al- has no meaning except as it distinguishes a(l)-lien from re-lien, al-legacioun fr……

With the superl. of an adj. or adv.: of all, very; alrebest, best of all, (the) very best; alre-erest, alder- first, on alre-erst, first of all; alder- hext, highest or greatest of all; alder- last……

(a) Prior member of cpd. advs. & preps. whose second member begins with a vowel: an-ent [OE on efen], an-inne [OE on innan], an-under, an-uppe, etc. [cp. the pre-consonantal variant in a-bǒute, abǒve……

(a) In several nouns: an-sene appearance, an-velt anvil, an-wald power; (b) in the adj. an-lich 'like, similar' and its derivatives anlicnesse & anlicni. …

(a) In words inherited from OE: an-biden, an-elen kindle; (b) in words not attested in OE with this prefix, but occurring in early ME up to c1225: an-belȝen, an-bursten; also an-ēlen kindle, an-hongen……

Examples: an-amelen, anclosen, an-egren, an-ointen, anjoinen, anvie. …

Only in words from Latin or Old French, as in a(n)-nexen, a(n)-nullen, a(n)-nunciacioun. …

(a) In the nouns an(d)-ȝit, an(d)-let, and-seche, an(d)swere; (b) in the adjs. an(d)-sete, an(d)-weard; in the verbs and-ȝǣten, an(d)-sweren. …

In several words taken from L or ML, as ante-cedent, ante-cessor, ante-theme, anti-cipacioun. …

In several words taken from ML, as anti-crist, anti-dotarie, anti-phonere, anti-pope. …

Only in words taken from Latin or Latinized Old French, as a(p)-paraunce, a(p)-penden, a(p)-perceiven, ap-plicacioun, ap-probacioun. In ME, ap- has no meaning except as it distinguishes a(p)-penden fr……

Only in words from Latin or Latinized Old French, as a(s)-sessen, a(s)-senten, a(s)-signen, as-sumpcioun, a(s)-suren. In ME, as- has no meaning except as it distinguishes a(s)-senten from con-senten,……

In verbs of motion or direction: (a) meaning 'away', as in at-blenchen, at-bresten, at-flen, at-wappen, at-winden; (b) meaning 'toward, to', as in at-feng accepted, at-gon approach (beside 'vanish')……

Only in words taken from Latin or Latinized Old French, as at-tempten, at-tenden, at-titlen, at-traccioun. In ME, at- has no meaning except as it distinguishes at-tenden from tenden or ex-tenden,……

Again, back; aye- asking, asking repeatedly, ?asking for the return of something; aye- comen, come back, return; aye- coming, home coming, return; aye- rechen, to return (sth.), hand back. …

(a) In front of, opposite, facing toward; ayen- coupen, intercept (sb.), stop, turn back; ayen- couping, act of blocking or intercepting; also, resistance; ayen- louken, bar the way to (sb.); ayen-……

In opposition to, against; ayens- crien, to cry out against; ayens- fighting, the act of opposing; ayens- holding, resistance; ayens- seien, forbid (sth.), prohibit; also, refuse (to do sth.); ayens-……

Stressed first member of cpd. nouns. Examples: bī-gāte, bī-girdel [OE], bī-leman, bī-live, bī-saue, bī-spel [OE], bī-stī, bī-tāle, bī-wist [OE], bī-word. …

Forming trans. verbs from intransitives, often with specialized (factitive, completive, figurative) meaning (s): (a) Inherited from OE, as bidelven, biflouen, bilaughen, bimēnen, bireusen, bishīnen,……

Unstressed first member of cpd. advs. & preps. Examples: bafte(n, bicause, bifōre(n, bihinde(n, bimong, binēthe(n, binnen, bi-north, biside(s, bi-sǒuth, bitīme(s, bitwẹ̄ne(n, bitwix(en, biyond(e,……

In verbs: (a) bifore- barren, prevent, bar; forbid; (b) bifore- comen, come into the presence of; (c) bifore- girden, to gird beforehand, provide; (d) bifore- gon, come into the presence of; (e)……

In many words taken from L or OF, or from both sources, as conceiven, concepcioun; confermen, -firmen, -firmacioun; confessen, -fessioun, -fessour; conqueren, -querour, -queste. Since the L or OF……

Against (in position, motion, direction), opposite, counter-; ?back, rear (as opposed to front, forward); countre- filet, some kind of ribbon for the head or headdress; countre- frount, countre-……

(a) With depreciative or privitive force: declinen, decresen, decrien, defamen, defectif, degraden, despeiren, desperat, desolat, etc.; (b) in words which as a whole denote something disagreeable or……

In many words, such as desarmen, descrien, desdein, deshonour, desparagen, despisen, despit. The prefix des- is synonymous with dis-(q.v.) and is frequently replaced by it in ME, esp. during the later……

In verbs, ppls., and verbal nouns taken from L and/or OF: digest, digesten, digestion, dilacioun, dilaten, diligent, diluvie, diminucioun, dimise, etc. For meanings see dē̆- and dis-. …

Med. In names of pharmaceutical preparations, or drugs, usually indicating that the herb or the like which follows is the chief ingredient: (a) dia- bardich, some kind of drug; dia- borago, a drug……

Only in some words taken from L and/or OF: difference, differren, difficultẹ̄, diffinen, diffinicioun, diffusioun. For meaning, see dis-. …

(a) In many verbs, verbal nouns, and verbal adjs. taken either from L or OF, dis- clearly has adversative or privitive force, as in disal(l)ouen, disavauntage, disavouen, discomfort, disconsolat,……

Prefix occurring only in words adopted from Latin or Old French, e.g. ējecciǒun, eloquence, eloquent, ērect, ēvicten, evidence. …

Variant of i- pref.: (a) prefix of the past ppl. in early ME and also in later Southern texts; (b) prefix of verbs in very early ME. …

Not a live prefix in ME. It survives in a small number of words from OE: ed-bōte expiation, ed-groue second growth, ed-lēn reward, ed-wīt reproach, ed-cenned reborn, ed-lǣchen to repeat, ed-wīten……

Prefix occurring only in words adopted from Latin or Old French, e.g. ef-fect, ef-ficient, ef-flūence, ef-fūsiǒun. …

Prefix occurring as a variant of en- in words whose primary element begins with a labial stop, e.g. em-baumen, em-belishen, em-brācen, em-pēchen, em-pēchement, em-perǒur, em-prīse, em-plēden. In……

Prefix of many verbs, action nouns, and agent nouns (and of some adjs.) adopted from OF or formed in ME. In OF the chief function of en- [L in-] is to form verbs from nouns and adjs. These verbs are……

Prefix of verbs, action nouns, and agent nouns in words adopted from OF, e.g. enter-chaunǧen, -comūnen, -dīten, -medlen, -mēten; enter-cǒurs, -dīt, -lūde, -prīse, -mētǒur. The original meaning of……

Prefix occurring in some learned words adopted from OF or ML (orig. Greek): e.g. epi-cicle, epi-glote, epi-lence, epi-loge, epi-thime. …

Prefix of verbs and action nouns adopted from OF, e.g. es-cāpen, es-chaunǧen, es-pleiten, es-soinen. It is not formative in ME. as- and a-, the AF variants of this prefix, occur alongside the CF……

Combining form of ethe easily, as in eth-bete, -finde, -sene, etc. …

Prefix in verbs, ppls., post-verbal nouns, etc., taken from L (often by way of OF). This prefix is not formative in ME (aside from a few nonce formations). In L the prefix occasionally has the force……

In verbs the prefix denotes (a) intensive or completive action or process, or (b) action that miscarries, turns out for the worse, results in failure, or produces adverse or opposite results. In……

Prefix in several verbs and nouns taken from OF: for-juǧǧen [OF for-jugier] condemn, convict, banish; for-lancen [OF for-lancer] flush game; for-loinen [OF for-loignier] forsake, stray from; for-f……

Prior member (a) in cpd. verbs, (b) in related action and agent nouns, and (c) in other nouns. All types are inherited from OE, but type (c) is more common in later ME. fōr(e- bears the main……

Prefixed to participles and nouns to denote several of the meanings of for(e- pref., especially action 'in advance of' (L 'prae-'), but also action 'on behalf of' (L 'pro-' and English for prep.). So……

A rare combining element or quasi-prefix expressing mutuality or translating Latin com-, co- (see gedercoming ger.) …

Very, extremely; fully, abundantly; ground filled, ground laden; ground hot. …

Prefix occasionally affixed to numerals which are multiples of ten; cp. hund- seofenteoða, etc. …

A prefix with various meanings affixed to various parts of speech: (a) in nouns from OE (rare after 1300): ibeat, ibedde, ibere, ibird, ibrotheren, iclova, icomp, idrevednesse, ifere, ifo,……

Prefix in nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs, gerunds, participles, and prepositions; also in place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.281]. It is frequent in words of OE origin: (nouns) inborgh,……

Negative prefix in nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs, participles, and gerunds. It occurs in many words of L or OF origin: (nouns) ignoraunce, imbecilite, immoderaunce, impietie, importunite,……

Intensive prefix in a few ME adjectives: ingodli, inheve, inred, inwise; also in a few adverbs: inricheli, inthorouli. …

Prefix found in nouns, adjectives, verbs, and gerunds; occurring chiefly in words from L or OF: (nouns) intercepcioun, intercession, interjeccioun, interspace; (adj.) intercise, interliniare,……

A derivational prefix, with the sense 'kingly, royal', in words from OE or in ME formations. See kinebarn n., kinebenche n., kineboren ppl., kineburgh n., kinedọ̄̆m n., kineerd n., kinehelm n., kin……

A prefix appearing in nouns of OF origin: maleaventure, malecheif, Malebouche, malefortune, malengine, malese, malfetour, maltalent, maudisour, etc.; occasionally in adjectives: malapert, maleureux……

(a) Middle, mid-; mid strem, the middle of the stream; mid theigh (leg), the middle of the thigh (leg); in the mid se (sheld), in the middle of the sea (shield); in the mid side, ?in the middle; to……

A prefix with a wide range of pejorative meanings: evil(ly, sinful(ly, wicked(ly, false(ly, unjust(ly, illegal(ly, bad(ly, harmful(ly, painful(ly, wrong(ly, incorrect(ly, mistaken(ly, unwise(ly……

A common prefix, frequent in words of OE origin, esp. verbs: ofanimen, oflien, ofrechen, ofsen, ofsenden, ofsetten, ofslen, ofstingen, ofthenchen, ofthinken, etc.; also participles: oflonged,……

A derivational prefix appearing in all parts of speech except pronouns, but most frequently in verbs. It is found in words descended from OE: (verbs) onblowen, onbrirden, onhauien, onheven [see……

A rare derivational prefix appearing chiefly in verbs of OE origin: oncnawen, ondreden [orig. *and-rǣdan], onfon, onfongen, onȝiten. It probably appears in the nouns onsaue & ontinkel and in the……

A rare derivational prefix of nouns, adjectives, and their derivatives: (of OE origin) ordal n., orgel n.(1), ortroue n., ortrouen v. & (no longer in use after 1300) orgelnesse n., ormēte adj., or……

A common prefix appearing in nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs of OE origin; imparting a sense 'out, outward, outer, forth, away': outfangene-thef, outlep, outrune, outsiht, outware (nouns)……

A derivational prefix which appears in more than 70 words inherited from OE: oferhudiȝen, ofermetto, oferten, overdriven, overet, overgangen, overhelen v.(2), overhoue, oversitten, oversleie,……

A rare prefix occurring almost exclusively in words of French or Latin origin; e.g., paramoure, parclose, pardoun (nouns); parboilen, pardounen, pargeten (verbs); paregal, parfit (adj.)……

A very rare prefix found in a few learned words: parable, parabolik, paradise, paralisie, paralitike, etc. It was not a living prefix in ME. …

A common prefix in words of French or Latin origin; e.g., percepcioun, percussioun, perjurie, permanence, perpendicle, perspicuite (nouns); perdurable, permanent, perpetrat, pertinent (adj.)……

A rare prefix found in a few learned nouns, chiefly borrowings from L or ML; e.g., pericardium, pericraneum, periferie, perimetre, periode, Peripatetike(s, peripleumonie, peritoneum, etc. It was……

A common prefix in words of Latin or French origin; e.g., precellence, precessioun, precognicion, predicament, prelacie, prerogatif, prevaricatour (nouns); precise, prefinite, prejudicial,……

A common prefix in words derived from Latin or French; e.g., probleme, processionarie, progenitour, pronosticacioun, propugnacle, prosperite, provincial (nouns); profounde, prolixe, propicious,……

A rare prefix occurring in a few ME nouns & adjectives: prothogol, prothomartir, prothonotarie; prothopaciens, prothopassive. It was not a living prefix in ME. …

A rare prefix in Middle English, signifying 'false, hypocritical, counterfeit', appearing chiefly in borrowings from Latin, but occasionally in ME formations modeled on Latin words: pseudofrere,……

A prefix found in words of French origin; e.g., purpartie, purseint, pursevaunt, purveiaunce, purveiour (nouns); purveiable (adj.); purchasen, purfilen, purloinen, purpensen, purposen (verbs)……

In many verbs and derivatives of verbs from L or OF or both, meaning 'back from', 'backwards': rebouten, recurve adj., reflecten, rejecte n., replien, retorte ppl.; 'back to (a place of origin)'……

A native prefix added usually to adjectives, occasionally to nouns, indicating incompleteness, a partial or imperfect condition, etc.: samcrisp, samded, samhale, samlerede, samred, samripe,……

An infrequent prefix, attached to adjectives, translating L con-, com-: e.g., samendighte, samenstrengthed, samenthik. …

Half: (a) in words of Latin (or OF from L) origin; e.g., in nouns: semibrefe, semidiametre, semiton; in adjectives: semicirculer, semicocte, semimature, semivif, semivocal; (b) in ME formations……

A prefix in nouns derived from OF or formed in ME, usu. denoting subordination in rank of persons: soubaili, soubaillif, soucelerer(e, soudeken, souden, souprior, sousextein, souwardein, and perh……

A prefix in words derived primarily from L, occ. from OF, or from both, often with its original meaning still discernible: (a) 'subordinate or inferior in rank' (in nouns): subcelerer,……

A prefix in words derived primarily from L, sometimes from both L and OF, infrequently from OF only, with the basic meaning 'over, above': (a) usu. in the locative sense 'above, on top of, upon', in……

A prefix in words derived primarily from OF, occas. from AL (via AF), with senses similar to those of ME super- pref., for example: (a) 'above, on top of, upon, over', in various permutations (both……

An inseparable prefix or a combining element in verbs, participles, and gerunds and a combining element in nouns and adjectives; the prefix is freq. of OE origin for the verbs, occas. of OE origin……

A prefix or combining element in many parts of speech (a) In some forty verbs, four participles, and three gerunds it has the meanings of to adv.(1) and to prep., usu. indicating motion, direction,……

A prefix in well over 200 verbs and participles, thirteen gerunds usu. derived from the verbs, and eleven nouns. The prefix has two primary meanings (a) In the great majority of the verbs and gerunds……

A combining element or quasi-prefix in a few gerunds and participles, with the meaning of tofore(n adv. sense 2. or 3.: toforeknouing, toforelivinge; toforegoing, toforeiseid, toforeitolde,……

A combining element or quasi-prefix in a few gerunds and one noun, which are either renderings of Latin nouns with the prefix com-, con- (togederspeking, togederstiring, togederstourbling) or……

A prefix in more than seventy words from L or OF originally meaning 'across, over', 'through, to the other side', 'on the other side, beyond'. The great majority of these words are nouns and verbs……

A prefix or combining element in more than thirty words, chiefly nouns and adjectives, borrowed from L or OF meaning 'three, triple' or 'triply, three times', for example: the nouns tre-foil,……