Geoffrey Chaucer
Poet and author, c. 1343-1400
Cited as Chaucer. — 1029 quotations
A
O fair Creseide, the flower and A per se Of Troy and Greece.
Able
A many man, to ben an abbot able.
Adaw
A man that waketh of his sleep He may not suddenly well taken keep Upon a thing, ne seen it parfitly Till that he be adawed verily.
Affray
Smale foules a great heap That had afrayed [affrayed] me out of my sleep.
Again
Albeit that it is again his kind.
Altogether
Altogether they went at once.
Apiked
Full fresh and new here gear apiked was.
Arm-gret
A wreath of gold, arm-gret.
Astony
This sodeyn cas this man astonied so, That reed he wex, abayst, and al quaking.
At one
If gentil men, or othere of hir contree Were wrothe, she wolde bringen hem atoon.
Athamaunt
Written in the table of athamaunt.
Atones
Down he fell atones as a stone.
Atrede
Men may the olde atrenne, but hat atrede.
Attame
And right anon his tale he hath attamed.
Back
A bak to walken inne by daylight.
Balk
Tubs hanging in the balks.
Bawdy
It [a garment] is al bawdy and to-tore also.
Bell
As loud as belleth wind in hell.
Benim
Ire . . . benimeth the man fro God.
Bib
This miller hath . . . bibbed ale.
Bit
The foamy bridle with the bit of gold.
Blast
Toke his blake trumpe faste And gan to puffen and to blaste.
Bode
The owl eke, that of death the bode bringeth.
Body
Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe (=call), Mars yren (=iron), Mercurie quicksilver we clepe, Saturnus lead, and Jupiter is tin, and Venus coper.
Boot
He gaf the sike man his boote.
Both
To whom bothe heven and erthe and see is sene.
Brast
And both his yën braste out of his face.
Brawn
Formed well of brawns and of bones.
Brouded
Alle his clothes brouded up and down.
Browdyng
Of goldsmithrye, of browdyng, and of steel.
Bugle horn
And drinketh of his bugle horn the wine.
Bumble
As a bittern bumbleth in the mire.
Carl
The miller was a stout carl.
Case
By aventure, or sort, or cas.
Catel
“For loss of catel may recovered be, But loss of tyme shendeth us,” quod he.
Champerty
Beauté ne sleighte, strengthe ne hardyness, Ne may with Venus holde champartye.
Charge
A carte that charged was with hay.
Chest
He is now dead and mailed in his cheste.
Chesteyn
Wilwe, elm, plane, assch, box, chesteyn.
Christianity
To Walys fled the christianitee Of olde Britons.
Ciclatoun
His robe was of ciclatoun, That coste many a Jane.
Clepe
That other son was cleped Cambalo.
Clomb
The sonne, he sayde, is clomben up on hevene.
Colored
The lime rod, colored as the glede.
Coltish
He was all coltish, full of ragery.
Compass
The tryne compas [the threefold world containing earth, sea, and heaven. Skeat.]
Conspiracy
When shapen was all his conspiracy From point to point.
Contek
Contek with bloody knife.
Contubernal
Humble folk ben Christes friends: they ben contubernial with the Lord, thy King.
Corage
To Canterbury with full devout corage.
Corny
A draught of moist and corny ale.
Courage
So priketh hem nature in here corages.
Courtepy
Full threadbare was his overeste courtepy.
Crinkle
The houses crinkled to and fro.
Cure
Of study took he most cure and most heed.
Cut
Now draweth cut . . . The which that hath the shortest shall begin.
Dainty
I ne told no deyntee of her love.
Full many a deynté horse had he in stable.
Dance
Of remedies of love she knew parchance For of that art she couth the olde dance.
Danger
In dangerhad he . . . the young girls.
Dangerous
My wages ben full strait, and eke full small; My lord to me is hard and dangerous.
Dapple
His steed was all dapple-gray.
Dead
I deme thee, thou must algate be dead.
Deem
Claudius . . . Was demed for to hang upon a tree.
defy
I defy the surety and the bond.
Deign
Him deyneth not to set his foot to ground.
Delicacy
He Rome brent for his delicacie.
Deliver
Wonderly deliver and great of strength.
Depart
Till death departed them, this life they lead.
And here is gold, and that full great plentee, That shall departed been among us three.
Desolate
I were right now of tales desolate.
Despitous
He was to sinful man not despitous.
Destruction
This town came to destruction.
Dike
He would thresh and thereto dike and delve.
Diligence
And each of them doth all his diligence To do unto the festé reverence.
Dishevele
Dishevele, save his cap, he rode all bare.
Disparage
Alas! that any of my nation Should ever so foul disparaged be.
Dispraise
Dispraising the power of his adversaries.
Distemper
When . . . the humors in his body ben distempered.
Dock
His top was docked like a priest biforn.
Doggerel
This may well be rhyme doggerel, quod he.
Doomsday
I could not tell till doomsday.
Dote
He wol make him doten anon right.
Double-tongue
Now cometh the sin of double-tongue, such as speak fair before folk and wickedly behind.
Doughty
Sir Thopas wex [grew] a doughty swain.
Drecche
As man that in his dream is drecched sore.
Drenche
In the sea he drenched.
Dress
At all times thou shalt bless God and pray Him to dress thy ways.
To Grisild again will I me dresse.
Drie
So causeless such drede for to drie.
Drought
The drought of March hath pierced to the root.
Ease
They him besought Of harbor and or ease as for hire penny.
Eftsoon
And, if he fall from his capel [horse] eftsone.
Eger
The egre words of thy friend.
Eld
As sooth is said, eelde hath great avantage.
Elvish
He seemeth elvish by his countenance.
Embassador
Stilbon, that was a wise embassadour, Was sent to Corinth.
Embroude
Embrowded was he, as it were a mead All full of fresshe flowers, white and red.
Enchafing
The wicked enchaufing or ardure of this sin [lust].
Endlong
The doors were all of adamants eterne, I-clenched overthwart and endelong With iron tough.
He pricketh endelong the large space.
Engine
A man hath sapiences three, Memory, engine, and intellect also.
Entryng
So great an entryng and so large.
Examine
Examine well your own thoughts.
Facound
Her facound eke full womanly and plain.
Fallow
Who . . . pricketh his blind horse over the fallows.
False
[He] hath his truthe falsed in this wise.
Farce
His tippet was aye farsed full of knives.
Fare
She ferde [fared] as she would die.
The warder chid and made fare.
Farthing
In her cup was no farthing seen of grease.
Feature
What needeth it his feature to descrive?
Fellowship
The sorrow of Noah with his fellowship.
Femininity
O serpent under femininitee.
Ferly
Who hearkened ever such a ferly thing.
Fetis
Full fetis was her cloak, as I was ware.
Finding
After his friends finding and his rent.
Flesh
With roasted flesh, or milk, and wastel bread.
Flockmel
That flockmel on a day they to him went.
Flotery
With flotery beard.
Foothot
Custance have they taken anon, foothot.
Forblack
As any raven's feathers it shone forblack.
Forbruise
All forbrosed, both back and side.
Forby
To tell her if her child went ought forby.
Forfete
And all this suffered our Lord Jesus Christ that never forfeted.
Forgo
For sith [since] I shall forgoon my liberty At your request.
Form
As in a form sitteth a weary hare.
Forold
A bear's skin, coal-black, forold.
Forthink
That me forthinketh, quod this January.
Fortread
In hell shall they be all fortroden of devils.
Forward
Tell us a tale anon, as forward is.
Forwrap
All mote be said and nought excused, nor hid, nor forwrapped.
Fother
Of dung full many a fother.
Founder
For which his horse fearé gan to turn, And leep aside, and foundrede as he leep.
Fraken
A few fraknes in his face.
Fret
The sow frete the child right in the cradle.
A fret of gold she had next her hair.
Fructuous
Nothing fructuous or profitable.
Galoche
Nor were worthy [to] unbuckle his galoche.
Game
God loved he best with all his whole hearte At alle times, though him gamed or smarte.
Gan
This man gan fall (i.e., fell) in great suspicion.
The little coines to their play gunne hie (i. e., hied).
Gay
Why is my neighbor's wife so gay?
Gent
All of a knight [who] was fair and gent.
Her body gent and small.
Gestour
Minstrels and gestours for to tell tales.
Ghost
And he gave up the ghost full softly.
Gipser
A gipser all of silk, Hung at his girdle, white as morné milk.
Gird
To slay him and to girden off his head.
Gite
She came often in a gite of red.
Glede
The cruel ire, red as any glede.
Glimpse
Some glimpsing and no perfect sight.
Gnar
He was . . . a thick gnarre.
Good
He hath made us spend much good.
Grace
Yielding graces and thankings to their lord Melibeus.
Grain
He cheweth grain and licorice, To smellen sweet.
Grange
And eke an officer out for to ride, To see her granges and her bernes wide.
Grave
With gold men may the hearte grave.
Grinte
[He] grinte with his teeth, so was he wroth.
Grucche
What aileth you, thus for grucche and groan.
Gruf
They fellen gruf, and cryéd piteously.
Gun
As swift as a pellet out of a gunne When fire is in the powder runne.
Gye
Discreet enough his country for to gye.
Had
For him was lever have at his bed's head Twenty bookes, clad in black or red, . . . Than robes rich, or fithel, or gay sawtrie.
I hadde levere than my scherte, That ye hadde rad his legende, as have I.
Hair
Then read he me how Sampson lost his hairs.
Half
The four halves of the house.
Hall
Full sooty was her bower and eke her hall.
Hals
Do me hangen by the hals.
Halse
O dere child, I halse thee, In virtue of the Holy Trinity.
Han
Him thanken all, and thus they han an end.
Hardy
Hap helpeth hardy man alway.
Harlot
He was a gentle harlot and a kind.
Harness
A gay dagger, Harnessed well and sharp as point of spear.
Harrow
Harrow! alas! here lies my fellow slain.
Haunt
That other merchandise that men haunt with fraud . . . is cursed.
Of clothmaking she hadde such an haunt.
Haw
And eke there was a polecat in his haw.
Heap
The wisdom of a heap of learned men.
Heart-spoon
He feeleth through the herte-spon the pricke.
Height
[He] spake these same words, all on hight.
Hele
Hide and hele things.
Helm
She that helmed was in starke stours.
Hent
This cursed Jew him hente and held him fast.
But all that he might of his friendes hente On bookes and on learning he it spente.
Her
On here bare knees adown they fall.
Hereafterward
Thou shalt hereafterward . . . come.
Herne
Lurking in hernes and in lanes blind.
Hete
But one avow to greate God I hete.
Hight
The great poet of Italy, That highte Dante.
He had hold his day, as he had hight.
Himself
It comprehendeth in himself all good.
Hine
Bailiff, herd, nor other hine.
Ho
The duke . . . pulled out his sword and cried “Hoo!”
An herald on a scaffold made an hoo.
Hold
This noble merchant held a noble house.
Ne have I not twelve pence within mine hold.
homecoming
Kepeth this child, al be it foul or fayr, And eek my wyf, unto myn hoom-cominge.
Hote
There as I was wont to hote Arcite, Now hight I Philostrate, not worth a mite.
Hurtle
And he hurtleth with his horse adown.
Idiot
Weenest thou make an idiot of our dame?
Impossible
“Madam,” quoth he, “this were an impossible!”
Impress
Such fiendly thoughts in his heart impress.
Infortuned
I, woeful wretch and infortuned wight.
Ingot
And from the fire he took up his matter And in the ingot put it with merry cheer.
Ink
Make there a prick with ink.
Inn
When he had brought them into his city And inned them, everich at his degree.
Inne
And eke in what array that they were inne.
Insolent
Insolent is he that despiseth in his judgment all other folks as in regard of his value, of his cunning, of his speaking, and of his bearing.
Inspire
When Zephirus eek, with his sweete breath, Inspirèd hath in every holt and heath The tender crops.
Inwith
This purse hath she inwith her bosom hid.
Is
For thy is I come, and eke Alain.
Aye is thou merry.
Itch
My mouth hath itched all this long day.
Judgment
I oughte deme, of skilful jugement, That in the salte sea my wife is deed.
Juise
Up [on] pain of hanging and high juise.
Keen
A bow he bare and arwes [arrows] bright and kene.
Keep
I kepe not of armes for to yelp [boast].
Kemb
His longe hair was kembed behind his back.
Kind
He knew by kind and by no other lore.
Knot
I shoulde to the knotte condescend, And maken of her walking soon an end.
Knowleche
We consider and knowleche that we have offended.
Kon
Ye konnen thereon as much as any man.
Kyke
This Nicholas sat ever gaping upright, As he had kyked on the newe moon.
Kythe
For gentle hearte kytheth gentilesse.
Lace
His hat hung at his back down by a lace.
Vulcanus had caught thee [Venus] in his lace.
Lack
She swooneth now and now for lakke of blood.
Lancegay
In his hand a launcegay, A long sword by his side.
Land
A poor parson dwelling upon land [i.e., in the country].
Largess
Fulfilled of largesse and of all grace.
Latten
He had a cross of latoun full of stones.
Laund
In a laund upon an hill of flowers.
Lay
Of the sect to which that he was born He kept his lay, to which that he was sworn.
The throstle cock made eke his lay.
Lesson
Emprinteth well this lesson in your mind.
Let
He was so strong that no man might him let.
He . . . prayed him his voyage for to let.
Let me alone in choosing of my wife.
This irous, cursed wretch Let this knight's son anon before him fetch.
He . . . thus let do slay hem all three.
Letter
None could expound what this letter meant.
Leve
God leve all be well.
Leven
Wild thunder dint and fiery leven.
Levesel
Behind the mill, under a levesel.
Lewd
For if a priest be foul, on whom we trust, No wonder is a lewed man to rust.
Lief
Full lief me were this counsel for to hide.
I am not lief to gab.
Light
It made all their hearts to light.
Line
Of his lineage am I, and his offspring By very line, as of the stock real.
Livery
A Haberdasher and a Carpenter, A Webbe, a Dyer, and a Tapicer, And they were clothed all in one livery Of a solempne and a gret fraternite.
Loath
Full loth were him to curse for his tithes.
Long
The labor which that longeth unto me.
Looking
All dreary was his cheer and his looking.
Loos
Good conscience and good loos.
Lording
Therefore, lordings all, I you beseech.
Louk
There is no thief without a louk.
Lovely
Many a lovely look on them he cast.
Lussheburgh
God wot, no Lussheburghes payen ye.
Lust
In the water vessel he it cast When that him luste.
Luxury
Luxury is in wine and drunkenness.
Magic
An appearance made by some magic.
Maid
Christ was a maid and shapen as a man.
make
For in this world no woman is Worthy to be my make.
Mansion
The eight and twenty mansions That longen to the moon.
Mantelet
A mantelet upon his shoulders hanging.
masculine
Thy masculine children, that is to say, thy sons.
Maslin
Mead eke in a maselyn.
Master
Throughout the city by the master gate.
Mastery
I will do a maistrie ere I go.
Mat
When he saw them so piteous and so maat.
Mauger
A man must needs love maugre his heed.
Mead
A mede All full of freshe flowers, white and reede.
Mean
He wooeth her by means and by brokage.
Measurable
Of his diet measurable was he.
Men
Men moot give silver to the poure friars.
A privy thief, men clepeth death.
Meridian
Tables . . . to find the altitude meridian.
Merit
Here may men see how sin hath his merit.
Merry
His merie men commanded he To make him bothe game and glee.
Mew
Full many a fat partrich had he in mewe.
Milksop
To wed a milksop or a coward ape.
Minister
I cry out the on the ministres, quod he, That shoulde keep and rule this cité.
Minute
Four minutes, that is to say, minutes of an hour.
Miracle
When said was all this miracle.
Mirror
She is mirour of all courtesy.
Misbede
Who hath you misboden or offended?
Misdepart
He misdeparteth riches temporal.
Mister
In youth he learned had a good mester.
But telleth me what mester men ye be.
Mite
For in effect they be not worth a myte.
Mo
An hundred thousand mo.
Monster
A monster or marvel.
Mood
Till at the last aslaked was his mood.
Morality
Of moralitee he was the flower.
Taketh the morality thereof, good men.
More
He gat more money.
Morrow
We loved he by the morwe a sop in wine.
Mot
He moot as well say one word as another
The wordes mote be cousin to the deed.
Men moot [i.e., one only] give silver to the poore freres.
Moule
Let us not moulen thus in idleness.
Mow
Our walles mowe not make hem resistence.
Mullock
All this mullok [was] in a sieve ythrowe.
Murmur
They murmured as doth a swarm of bees.
Nail
His nayles like a briddes claws were.
He is now dead, and nailed in his chest.
Naked
Thy power is full naked.
Nale
Great feasts at the nale.
Narcotic
Nercotykes and opye (opium) of Thebes.
nay
And eke when I say “ye,” ne say not “nay.”
Ne
He never yet no villany ne said.
No niggard ne no fool.
Needs
A man must needs love mauger his head.
Negative
No wine ne drank she, neither white nor red.
Neven
As oft I heard my lord them neven.
Newfangle
So newfangel be they of their meat.
Nice
But say that we ben wise and nothing nice.
Nicety
The miller smiled of her nicety.
Nigromancien
These false enchanters or nigromanciens.
Nim
This canon it in his hand nam.
Noble
Thou nobledest so far forth our nature.
Nonce
The miller was a stout carl for the nones.
Nortelry
Nortelry . . . learned at the nunnery.
Not
Not one word spake he more than was need.
Nouthe
But thereof needeth not to speak as nouthe.
Novice
No poore cloisterer, nor no novys.
Obey
My will obeyed his will.
Observance
At dances These young folk kept their observances.
Observe
He wolde no such cursedness observe.
Occupy
Woe occupieth the fine [end] of our gladness.
Of
And told to her of [by] some.
Offend
Who hath you misboden or offended.
Offering
[None] to the offering before her should go.
One
Men may counsel a woman to be one.
The rich folk that embraced and oned all their heart to treasure of the world.
Onloft
She kept her father's life onloft.
Or
Maugre thine heed, thou must for indigence Or steal, or beg, or borrow thy dispence.
But natheless, while I have time and space, Or that I forther in this tale pace.
Oratory
An oratory [temple] . . . in worship of Dian.
Ordain
The stake that shall be ordained on either side.
Order
These ordered folk be especially titled to God.
Ordinance
They had made their ordinance Of victual, and of other purveyance.
Orpiment
Our orpiment and sublimed mercurie.
Other
Other of chalk, other of glass.
Each of them made other for to win.
Ounce
By ounces hung his locks that he had.
Ounding
Ounding, paling, winding, or bending . . . of cloth.
Outraye
This warn I you, that ye not suddenly Out of yourself for no woe should outraye.
Overest
Full threadbare was his overeste courtepy.
Overlie
A woman by negligence overlieth her child in her sleeping.
Override
The carter overridden with [i. e., by] his cart.
Pace
Or [ere] that I further in this tale pace.
Parage
We claim to be of high parage.
Parament
Lords in paraments on their coursers.
Paramour
For par amour, I loved her first ere thou.
Parde
He was, parde, an old fellow of yours.
Particular
Seken in every halk and every herne Particular sciences for to lerne.
Partridge
Full many a fat partrich had he in mew.
Party
I will be true judge, and not party.
Pellet
As swift as a pellet out of a gun.
Pencil
With subtile pencil depainted was this storie.
Perch
As chauntecleer among his wives all Sat on his perche, that was in his hall.
Perilous
For I am perilous with knife in hand.
Person
A fair persone, and strong, and young of age.
Perturb
Ye that . . . perturb so my feast with crying.
Philosophy
[Books] of Aristotle and his philosophie.
Then had he spent all his philosophy.
Pickerel
Bet [better] is, quoth he, a pike than a pickerel.
Pight
[His horse] pight him on the pommel of his head.
Pinch
Full seemly her wimple ipinched was.
Piteous
She was so charitable and so pitous.
Plain
We with piteous heart unto you pleyne.
Descending fro the mountain into playn.
Plane
He planed away the names . . . written on his tables.
Play
As Cannace was playing in her walk.
“Nay,” quod this monk, “I have no lust to pleye.”
Please
I pray to God that it may plesen you.
Plenty
Houses of office stuffed with plentee.
Plight
To bring our craft all in another plight
Ply
As men may warm wax with handes plie.
It would rather burst atwo than plye.
Pock
Of pokkes and of scab every sore.
Point
And there a point, for ended is my tale.
A lord full fat and in good point.
He told him, point for point, in short and plain.
Poke
They wallowed as pigs in a poke.
He poked John, and said “Sleepest thou ?”
Popelote
So gay a popelote, so sweet a wench.
Port
And of his port as meek as is a maid.
Portass
By God and by this porthors I you swear.
Post
Unto his order he was a noble post.
Pray
And to his goddess pitously he preyde.
And as this earl was preyed, so did he.
Preach
That Cristes gospel truly wolde preche.
Precious
Lest that precious folk be with me wroth.
Prenticehood
This jolly prentice with his master bode Till he was out nigh of his prenticehood.
Pretend
For to what fine he would anon pretend, That know I well.
Prick
Who pricketh his blind horse over the fallows.
The season pricketh every gentle heart.
Prime
They sleep till that it was pryme large.
Primer
As he sat in the school at his prymer.
Principle
Nature in your principles hath set [benignity].
Prize
I will depart my pris, or my prey, by deliberation.
Proffer
I reck not what wrong that thou me profre.
Proll
Though ye prolle aye, ye shall it never find.
Properly
Now, harkeneth, how I bare me properly.
Prose
I speak in prose, and let him rymes make.
Prow
That shall be for your hele and for your prow.
Publish
Published was the bounty of her name.
Pulpit
I stand like a clerk in my pulpit.
Pure
The pure fetters on his shins great.
Purge
When that he hath purged you from sin.
Purpose
He will his firste purpos modify.
Put
This present dignity, In which that I have put you.
Let us now put that ye have leave.
Quad
Sooth play, quad play, as the Fleming saith.
Quaint
Clerks be full subtle and full quaint.
Qualm
thousand slain and not of qualm ystorve [dead].
Queen
In faith, and by the heaven's quene.
Quell
The ducks cried as [if] men would them quelle.
Quern
They made him at the querne grind.
Quick
Not fully quyke, ne fully dead they were.
Quit
There may no gold them quyte.
The blissful martyr quyte you your meed.
Quod
“Let be,” quod he, “it shall not be.”
Rakestale
That tale is not worth a rakestele.
Ransack
To ransack in the tas [heap] of bodies dead.
Rath
Why rise ye up so rathe?
Rather
Thou shalt, quod he, be rather false than I.
Rave
In our madness evermore we rave.
Read
Redeth [read ye] the great poet of Itaille.
Well could he rede a lesson or a story.
Reave
He golden apples raft of the dragon.
Rebel
Whoso be rebel to my judgment.
The murmur and the churls' rebelling.
Receive
Receyven all in gree that God us sent.
Reck
Then reck I not, when I have lost my life.
Reckon
“Parfay,” sayst thou, “sometime he reckon shall.”
Reconcile
The church [if defiled] is interdicted till it be reconciled [i.e., restored to sanctity] by the bishop.
Recourse
Unto my first I will have my recourse.
Rede
I rede that our host here shall begin.
My sweven [dream] rede aright.
There was none other remedy ne reed.
Redoubting
In redoutyng of Mars and of his glory.
Redress
The common profit could she redress.
Refrain
His reason refraineth not his foul delight or talent.
Refreyd
Refreyded by sickness . . . or by cold drinks.
Refuse
That never yet refused your hest.
Reign
[God] him bereft the regne that he had.
Rein
This knight laid hold upon his reyne.
Rejoice
I me rejoysed of my liberty.
Relent
He stirred the coals till relente gan The wax again the fire.
Religious
One of them is religious.
Remember
Remember you of passed heaviness.
And well thou wost [knowest] if it remember thee.
Reneye
For he made every man reneye his law.
Rent
Death, that taketh of high and low his rent.
Repair
I thought . . . that he repaire should again.
Replete
When he of wine was replet at his feast.
Repletion
Repleccioun [overeating] ne made her never sick.
Replication
Withouten any repplicacioun.
Report
There is no man that may reporten all.
Reporter
Of our tales judge and reportour.
Rethor
If a rethor couthe fair endite.
Retrograde
And if he be in the west side in that condition, then is he retrograde.
Revel
This day in mirth and revel to dispend.
Revelous
Companionable and revelous was she.
Reverence
If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence.
And each of them doeth all his diligence To do unto the feast reverence.
Reward
Take reward of thine own value.
Rewel bone
His saddle was of rewel boon.
Rhyme
A ryme I learned long ago.
Ribible
All can be play on gittern or ribible.
Riches
Against the richesses of this world shall they have misease of poverty.
Richesse
Some man desireth for to have richesse.
Ride
To-morrow, when ye riden by the way.
Riding
When there any riding was in Cheap.
Right
Unto Dian's temple goeth she right.
Right as it were a steed of Lumbardye.
He should himself use it by right.
Rightwiseness
In doom and eke in rightwisnesse.
Rimey
[Lays] rimeyed in their first Breton tongue.
Ring
Now ringen trompes loud and clarion.
Upon his thumb he had of gold a ring.
Riot
Venus loveth riot and dispense.
Ris
As white as is the blossom upon the ris.
Rive
I shall ryve him through the sides twain.
Roam
He roameth to the carpenter's house.
Roast
He could roast, and seethe, and broil, and fry.
A fat swan loved he best of any roost [roast].
Roll
Full oft in heart he rolleth up and down The beauty of these florins new and bright.
Man shall not suffer his wife go roll about.
Room
No roomer harbour in the place.
Root
When a root is of a birth yknowe [known].
Rote
Well could he sing and play on a rote.
till he the first verse could [i. e., knew] all by rote.
Roty
Well bet is rotten apple out of hoard, Than that it roty all the remenant.
Roun
Another rouned to his fellow low.
Rouncy
he rode upon a rouncy as he could.
Rout
And ever he rode the hinderest of the route.
In all that land no Christian[s] durste route.
Ruby
Of rubies, sapphires, and pearles white.
Ruck
The sheep that rouketh in the fold.
Rue
God so wisly [i. e., truly] on my soul rue.
Work by counsel and thou shalt not rue.
Rumble
The people cried and rombled up and down.
Delighting ever in rumble that is new.
Run
“Ha, ha, the fox!” and after him they ran.
Rust
If gold ruste, what shall iron do?
Ruth
It had been hard this ruth for to see.
Sad
Yet of that art they can not waxen sad, For unto them it is a bitter sweet.
Sadly
In go the spears full sadly in arest.
Sadness
Her sadness and her benignity.
Saffron
And in Latyn I speak a wordes few, To saffron with my predication.
Salue
There was no “good day” and no saluyng.
Sanguine
Of his complexion he was sanguine.
In sanguine and in pes he clad was all.
Sapphire
Of rubies, sapphires, and of pearlés white.
Satin
Cloths of gold and satins rich of hue.
Save
God save all this fair company.
Savor
She shall no savor have therein but lite.
By sight, hearing, smelling, tasting or savoring, and feeling.
Scape
Out of this prison help that we may scape.
Scarce
The eldest scarcely five year was of age.
Scath
But she was somedeal deaf, and that was skathe.
Scatter
And some are scattered all the floor about.
School
As he sat in the school at his primer.
Science
All this new science that men lere [teach].
Scorn
His fellow, that lay by his bed's side, Gan for to laugh, and scorned him full fast.
Scourge
Sharp scourges of adversity.
Scripture
I have put it in scripture and in remembrance.
Secre
To be holden stable and secre.
Sect
As of the sect of which that he was born, He kept his lay, to which that he was sworn.
Secular
I speak of folk in secular estate.
Seek
To seek Upon a man and do his soul unrest.
Seemly
He had a seemly nose.
Semblant
His flatterers made semblant of weeping.
Sentence
Tales of best sentence and most solace.
Septentrion
Both East West, South and Septentrioun.
Sepulture
Drunkeness that is the horrible sepulture of man's reason.
Sergeant
The sergeant of the town of Rome them sought.
Sermon
What needeth it to sermon of it more?
Servant
In my time a servant was I one.
Serve
To serve a lady in his beste wise.
Serviceable
Courteous he was, lowly, and servysable.
Set
Tables for to sette, and beddes make.
Sew
I will not tell of their strange sewes.
Shaft
His sleep, his meat, his drink, is him bereft, That lean he wax, and dry as is a shaft.
Shamefast
Shamefast she was in maiden shamefastness.
Shape
When shapen was all this conspiracy, From point to point.
I will early shape me therefor.
Shapely
Shaply for to be an alderman.
Shave
His beard was shave as nigh as ever he can.
Shaw
Gaillard he was as goldfinch in the shaw.
She
She loved her children best in every wise.
Shear
On his head came razor none, nor shear.
Shed
Such a rain down from the welkin shadde.
Sheen
This holy maiden, that is so bright and sheen.
Shepen
The shepne brenning with the blacke smoke.
Shield
God shield that it should so befall.
Shift
To which God of his bounty would shift Crowns two of flowers well smelling.
Some this, some that, as that him liketh shift.
Ship
In withholding or abridging of the ship or the hire or the wages of servants.
Shiver
Of your soft bread, not but a shiver.
There shiver shafts upon shields thick.
Shode
Full straight and even lay his jolly shode.
Short
The life so short, the craft so long to learn.
Shout
Shouting of the men and women eke.
Shower
In drought or else showers.
Shrew
A man . . . grudgeth that shrews [i. e., bad men] have prosperity, or else that good men have adversity.
Shrift
In shrift and preaching is my diligence.
Shright
She cried alway and shright.
Sib
Your kindred is but . . . little sib to you.
Sicker
When he is siker of his good name.
Believe this as siker as your creed.
Sickerly
But sikerly, withouten any fable.
Sickly
My people sickly [with ill will] beareth our marriage.
Signify
He bade her tell him what it signified.
Sike
That for his wife weepeth and siketh sore.
Similitude
Man should wed his similitude.
Sin
Sin that his lord was twenty year of age.
Sing
On every bough the briddes heard I sing.
They should sing if thet they were bent.
Singular
And God forbid that all a company Should rue a singular man's folly.
Sire
Jankin thet was our sire [i.e., husband].
Sited
[The garden] sited was in fruitful soil.
Sith
Sith thou art rightful judge.
Sithen
Fortune was first friend and sithen foe.
Siththen
Siththen that the world began.
Skill
For great skill is, he prove that he wrought.
Skink
Bacchus the wine them skinketh all about.
Sky
[A wind] that blew so hideously and high, That it ne lefte not a sky In all the welkin long and broad.
Slack
That through your death your lineage should slack.
They will not of that firste purpose slack.
Slay
With this sword then will I slay you both.
Slidder
To a drunk man the way is slidder.
Slide
With good hope let he sorrow slide.
Sliding
That sliding science hath me made so bare.
sloggy
Somnolence that is sloggy slumbering
Sluggardy
Idleness is rotten sluggardy.
Sluttish
Why is thy lord so slutish, I thee pray.
Slyly
Honestly and slyly he it spent.
Smock
In her smock, with head and foot all bare.
Snew
It snewed in his house of meat and drink.
Snib
Him would he snib sharply for the nones.
Snow
The field of snow with eagle of black therein.
Soberly
[He] looked hollow and thereto soberly.
Sojourn
Home he goeth, he might not longer sojourn.
Soken
Great sooken had this miller, out of doubt.
Solace
In business of mirth and of solace.
To make his steed some solace.
Solemn
His feast so solemn and so rich.
Solemnity
With much glory and great solemnity.
Some
Some man praiseth his neighbor by a wicked intent.
Some in his bed, some in the deep sea.
Son-in-law
To take me as for thy son in lawe.
Sond
Ye have enough, parde, of Goddes sond.
Sooth
The sentence [meaning] of it sooth is, out of doubt.
The sooth it this, the cut fell to the knight.
Sophime
I trow ye study aboute some sophime.
Sorrow
How great a sorrow suffereth now Arcite!
Sorry
All full of chirking was this sorry place.
Sort
By aventure, or sort, or cas [chance].
Souded
O martyr souded for virginity!
Sound
Soun[d]ing in moral virtue was his speech.
A bagpipe well could he play and soun[d].
Soun[d]ing alway the increase of his winning.
Source
Therefore right as an hawk upon a sours Up springeth into the air, right so prayers . . . Maken their sours to Goddes ears two.
Where as the Poo out of a welle small Taketh his firste springing and his sours.
Sourde
Now might men ask whereof that pride sourdeth.
Sovereign
At Babylon was his sovereign see.
Sovereignty
Woman desiren to have sovereignty As well over their husband as over their love.
Space
While I have time and space.
This ilke [same] monk let old things pace, And held after the new world the space.
Spaniel
As a spaniel she will on him leap.
Spare
Her thought that a lady should her spare.
Sparkle
As fire is wont to quicken and go From a sparkle sprungen amiss, Till a city brent up is.
A mantelet upon his shoulder hanging Bretful of rubies red, as fire sparkling.
Sparth
He hath a sparth of twenty pound of weight.
Speak
Till at the last spake in this manner.
And French she spake full fair and fetisely.
Spectacle
Poverty a spectacle is, as thinketh me, Through which he may his very friends see.
Speech
O goode God! how gentle and how kind Ye seemed by your speech and your visage The day that maked was our marriage.
Spice
The spices of penance ben three.
Spill
And gave him to the queen, all at her will To choose whether she would him save or spill.
That thou wilt suffer innocents to spill.
Spire
An oak cometh up a little spire.
Spirit
The four spirits and the bodies seven.
Spoon
“Therefore behoveth him a full long spoon That shall eat with a fiend,” thus heard I say.
Spousal
Boweth your head under that blissful yoke . . . Which that men clepeth spousal or wedlock.
Spouse
This markis hath her spoused with a ring.
Spout
Who kept Jonas in the fish's maw Till he was spouted up at Ninivee?
Spreynd
When spreynd was holy water.
Spring
Till well nigh the day began to spring.
Springe
He would sowen some difficulty, Or springen cockle in our cleane corn.
Spur
And on her feet a pair of spurs large.
Spurn
[The bird] with his foot will spurn adown his cup.
The miller spurned at a stone.
Stable
And to her husband ever meek and stable.
Stalk
To climb by the rungs and the stalks.
Into the chamber he stalked him full still.
Stamp
These cooks how they stamp and strain and grind.
Stand
It stands as it were to the ground yglued.
Wite ye not where there stands a little town?
Star
His eyen twinkled in his head aright, As do the stars in the frosty night.
stare
For ever upon the ground I see thee stare.
start
And maketh him out of his sleep to start.
At a start he was betwixt them two.
Starve
In hot coals he hath himself raked . . . Thus starved this worthy mighty Hercules.
Stead
In stead of bounds, he a pillar set.
Steadfastness
To prove her wifehood and her steadfastness.
Steal
Maugre thy heed, thou must for indigence Or steal, or beg, or borrow, thy dispense.
Steep
His eyen steep, and rolling in his head.
Stem
His head bald, that shone as any glass, . . . [And] stemed as a furnace of a leed [caldron].
Stent
Then would he weep, he might not be stent.
And of this cry they would never stenten.
Sterling
So that ye offer nobles or sterlings.
Stern
The sterne wind so loud gan to rout.
Steven
Ye have as merry a steven As any angel hath that is in heaven.
They setten steven for to meet To playen at the dice.
Steward
Worthy to be stewards of rent and land.
Stick
And sticked him with bodkins anon.
Sticked
And in the sand her ship sticked so fast.
Stint
They can not stint till no thing be left.
Stirrup
Our host upon his stirpoes stood anon.
Stirt
They privily be stirt into a well.
Stoke
Nor short sword for to stoke, with point biting.
Stoor
O stronge lady stoor, what doest thou?
Stope
A poor widow, somedeal stope in age.
Store
His swine, his horse, his stoor, and his poultry.
Stour
She that helmed was in starke stours [fierce conflicts].
Stout
With hearts stern and stout.
Straw
I set not a straw by thy dreamings.
Streit
Pyrrhus with his streite sword.
Strenger
Two of us shall strenger be than one.
Strength
All his [Samson's] strength in his hairs were.
Stretch
And stretch forth his neck long and small.
Strip
And strippen her out of her rude array.
Before the folk herself strippeth she.
Stroke
Ye mote with the plat sword again Stroken him in the wound, and it will close.
Stub
Stubs sharp and hideous to behold.
Stubborn
And I was young and full of ragerie [wantonness] Stubborn and strong, and jolly as a pie.
Stumble
There stumble steeds strong and down go all.
Sturdy
This sturdy marquis gan his hearte dress To rue upon her wifely steadfastness.
Style
High style, as when that men to kinges write.
Sublimatory
Vials, crosslets, and sublimatories.
Submit
Ye ben submitted through your free assent.
Substance
These cooks, how they stamp, and strain, and grind, And turn substance into accident!
Subtilty
To learn a lewd man this subtility.
Such
And in his time such a conqueror That greater was there none under the sun.
Sue
For yet there was no man that haddle him sued.
Suffisance
He could in little thing have suffisaunce.
Sundry
With many a sound of sundry melody.
Surcoat
A long surcoat of pers upon he had..
Surement
Every surement and every bond.
Sursanure
Of a sursanure In surgery is perilous the cure.
Suspect
Suspect [was] his face, suspect his word also.
Sustain
Every pillar the temple to sustain.
Swain
Him behoves serve himself that has no swain.
Swap
All suddenly she swapt adown to ground.
Swearing
Idle swearing is a cursedness.
Sweat
It made her not a drop for sweat.
Sweet
To make his English sweet upon his tongue.
Sweven
I defy both sweven and dream.
Swich
Swich things as that I know I will declare.
Swim
[Streams] that swim full of small fishes.
Swink
Or swink with his hands and labor.
To devour all that others swink.
Swough
He sigheth with full many a sorry swough.
Syllable
Withouten vice [i. e. mistake] of syllable or letter.
Symphony
With harp and pipe and symphony.
Tabard
In a tabard he [the Plowman] rode upon a mare.
Taffeta
Lined with taffeta and with sendal.
Taille
Whether that he paid or took by taille.
Take
He took me certain gold, I wot it well.
Tale
Therefore little tale hath he told Of any dream, so holy was his heart.
Talent
They rather counseled you to your talent than to your profit.
Tarry
Tarry us here no longer than to-morrow.
Taste
Taste it well and stone thou shalt it find.
Teach
I shall myself to herbs teach you.
And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach.
Tear
And yet for thee ne wept she never a tear.
Tell
Of which I shall tell all the array.
I ne told no dainity of her love.
Tent
Within his tent, large as is a barn.
Term
I can not speak in term.
Test
Our ingots, tests, and many mo.
Tester
The shields bright, testers, and trappures.
Testif
Testif they were and lusty for to play.
Than
Thanne longen folk to gon on pilgrimages.
thank
Full sooth is said that love ne lordship, Will not, his thanks, have no fellowship.
“Graunt mercy, lord, that thank I you,” quod she.
Thar
What thar thee reck or care?
That
Upon a day out riden knightes two . . . That one of them came home, that other not.
That I have done it is thyself to wite [blame].
I saw to-day a corpse yborn to church That now on Monday last I saw him wirche [work].
Thedom
Evil thedom on his monk's snout.
Theme
My theme is alway one and ever was.
There
A knight there was, and that a worthy man.
Spend their good there it is reasonable.
Thereabout
What will ye dine? I will go thereabout.
Thereagain
If that him list to stand thereagain.
Therebefore
Many a winter therebiforn.
Therefor
With certain officers ordained therefore.
Therein
He pricketh through a fair forest, Therein is many a wild beast.
Thereto
Her mouth full small, and thereto soft and red.
Therewith
To speak of strength and therewith hardiness.
Therewithal
And therewithal it was full poor and bad.
Thew
For her great light Of sapience, and for her thews clear.
They
Jolif and glad they went unto here [their] rest And casten hem [them] full early for to sail.
Thick
Were it as thick as is a branched oak.
Thief
There came a privy thief, men clepeth death.
Thilk
Thou spake right now of thilke traitor death.
Thin
My tale is done, for my wit is but thin.
Thing
And them she gave her moebles and her thing.
In the garden [he] walketh to and fro, And hath his things [i. e., prayers, devotions] said full courteously.
Hearkening his minstrels their things play.
Thirl
That with a spear was thirled his breast bone.
Thirst
With thirst, with cold, with hunger so confounded.
Tho
This knowen tho that be to wives bound.
To do obsequies as was tho the guise.
Thole
So much woe as I have with you tholed.
Thraldom
Women are born to thraldom and penance And to be under man's governance.
Thrall
The fiend that would make you thrall and bond.
Threat
Of all his threating reck not a mite.
Thresh
He would thresh, and thereto dike and delve.
Thriftily
A young clerk . . . in Latin thriftily them gret [greeted].
Thrifty
Her chaffer was so thrifty and so new.
I sit at home, I have no thrifty cloth.
Throatboll
By the throatboll he caught Aleyn.
Throne
The noble king is set up in his throne.
Throw
I will with Thomas speak a little throw.
Thrustle
When he heard the thrustel sing.
Thumb
Upon his thumb he had of gold a ring.
Thurghfare
This world is but a thurghfare full of woe.
Thurrok
Small drops of water that enter through a little crevice into the thurrok and into the bottom of a ship.
Tickle
The world is now full tickle, sikerly.
Tickleness
For hoard hath hate, and climbing tickleness.
Tide
What should us tide of this new law?
Till
He . . . came till an house.
Time
The time wasteth [i. e. passes away] night and day.
Tiptoe
He must . . . stand on his typtoon [tiptoes].
To
Then longen folk to go on pilgrimages, And palmers for to seeken strange stranders.
There was great showing both to and fro.
To-break
With nose and mouth to-broke.
To-rend
The wolf hath many a sheep and lamb to-rent.
Tofore
Toforn him goeth the loud minstrelsy.
Toll
Well could he [the miller] steal corn and toll thrice.
Tongue
To make his English sweet upon his tongue.
Tool
Him that is aghast of every tool.
Tortuous
Infortunate ascendent tortuous.
Toty
My head is toty of my swink to-night.
Touch
Storial thing that toucheth gentilesse.
Tragedy
Tragedy is to say a certain storie, As olde bookes maken us memorie, Of him that stood in great prosperitee And is yfallen out of high degree Into misery and endeth wretchedly.
Trais
Four white bulls in the trays.
Trance
He fell down in a trance.
Trap
Steeds . . . that trapped were in steel all glittering.
She would weep if that she saw a mouse Caught in a trap.
Trave
She sprung as a colt doth in the trave.
Traverse
Men drinken and the travers draw anon.
Treachery
Be ware, ye lords, of their treachery.
Treacle
Christ which is to every harm treacle.
Tread
The hard stone Under our feet, on which we tread and go.
Treason
The treason of the murthering in the bed.
If he be false, she shall his treason see.
Treasure
This treasure hath fortune unto us given.
Treat
And, shortly of this story for to treat.
Tregetour
Divers appearances Such as these subtle tregetours play.
Trench
In a trench, forth in the park, goeth she.
Trespass
I you forgive all wholly this trespass.
Tress
Her yellow hair was braided in a tress.
Tretable
By nature debonaire and tretable.
Trey
Seven is my chance and thine is cinq and trey.
Tributary
[Julius] unto Rome made them tributary.
Trice
Out of his seat I will him trice.
Trickle
His salt tears trickled down as rain.
Trill
Bid him descend and trill another pin.
Trip
This horse anon began to trip and dance.
Trow
So that ye trow in Christ, and you baptize.
A better priest, I trow, there nowhere none is.
Truelove
Under his tongue a truelove he bore.
Truss
It [his hood] was trussed up in his wallet.
Tull
With empty hands men may no hawkes tull.
Turn
Had I not done a friendes turn to thee?
Twin
The life out of her body for to twin.
Tyranny
“Sir,” would he [Seneca] say, “an emperor mote need Be virtuous and hate tyranny.”
Uncouth
Harness . . . so uncouth and so rich.
Uncunning
I am young and uncunning, as thou wost [knowest].
Undermeal
In undermeals and in mornings.
Undern
In a bed of worts still he lay Till it was past undern of the day.
Undernime
He the savor undernom Which that the roses and the lilies cast.
Underpitch
He drank and well his girdle underpight.
Underspore
Give me a staff that I may underspore.
Understand
Speaketh [i. e., speak thou] so plain at this time, I you pray, That we may understande what ye say.
Undertake
Keep well those that ye undertake.
Unrest
Is this, quoth she, the cause of your unrest!
Unright
Nor did I you never unright.
Unsad
O, stormy people, unsad and ever untrue.
Unscience
If that any wight ween a thing to be otherwise than it is, it is not only unscience, but it is deceivable opinion.
Unthank
Unthank come on his head that bound him so.
Untime
A man shall not eat in untime.
Unware
The unware woe of harm that cometh behind.
Unweld
Our old limbs move [may] well be unweld.
Unwemmed
With body clean and with unwemmed thought.
Up
Up rose the sun, and up rose Emelye.
Fortune . . . led him up and down.
Upon
Our host upon his stirrups stood anon.
Uprun
The young sun That in the Ram is four degrees uprun.
Upsodown
In man's sin is every manner order or ordinance turned upsodown.
Usage
In eld [old age] is both wisdom and usage.
Use
I am so used in the fire to blow.
Usure
Foul usure and lucre of villainy.
Utterest
To the utterest proof of her courage.
Vane
Aye undiscreet, and changing as a vane.
Vanish
The horse vanished . . . out of sight.
Vapor
The vapour which that fro the earth glood [glided].
Variant
He is so variant, he abit [abides] nowhere.
Venery
I love hunting and venery.
Vernicle
A vernicle had he sowed upon his cap.
Vessel
[They drank] out of these noble vessels.
Vice
Withouten vice of syllable or letter.
Villainy
He never yet not vileinye ne said In all his life, unto no manner wight.
Virago
Virago . . . serpent under femininity.
Virelay
Of such matter made he many lays, Songs, complains, roundels, virelayes.
Virtue
I made virtue of necessity.
Voice
He with a manly voice saith his message.
Void
Void anon her place.
Volage
They wroughten all their lust volage.
Vouchsafe
If ye vouchsafe that it be so.
Wade
When might is joined unto cruelty, Alas, too deep will the venom wade.
Wafer
Wafers piping hot out of the gleed.
Wait
“But [unless] ye wait well and be privy, I wot right well, I am but dead,” quoth she.
Waive
He waiveth milk, and flesh, and all.
To waive from the word of Solomon.
Wall
The king of Thebes, Amphion, That with his singing walled that city.
Wallet
[His hood] was trussed up in his walet.
Wan
My color . . . [is] wan and of a leaden hue.
Wang
So work aye the wangs in his head.
Wanger
His bright helm was his wanger.
Wanton
A wanton and a merry [friar].
Not with wanton looking of folly.
Ware
She was ware and knew it bet [better] than he.
God . . . ware you for the sin of avarice.
Warish
My brother shall be warished hastily.
Your daughter . . . shall warish and escape.
Warrant
That show I first my body to warrant.
Waste
The time wasteth night and day.
Wastel
Roasted flesh or milk and wasted bread.
Way
I shall him seek by way and eke by street.
Wayment
Thilke science . . . maketh a man to waymenten.
Weal
God . . . grant you wele and prosperity.
Wed
Let him be ware, his neck lieth to wed [i. e., for a security].
Ween
I have lost more than thou wenest.
Wel-begone
Fair and rich and young and wel-begone.
Welk
Mot thy welked neck be to-broke [broken].
Welkin
On the welkne shoon the sterres lyght.
Well
Well nine and twenty in a company.
Wem
Withouten wem of you, through foul and fair.
Wench
Lord and lady, groom and wench.
She shall be called his wench or his leman.
Went
To the church both be they went.
Wern
He is too great a niggard that will wern A man to light a candle at his lantern.
Wet
Have here a cloth and wipe away the wet.
What
What for lust [pleasure] and what for lore.
What should I tell the answer of the knight.
Whatso
Whatso he were, of high or low estate.
Wher
Men must enquire (this is mine assent), Wher she be wise or sober or dronkelewe.
Wherefore
But wherefore that I tell my tale.
Wherein
Her clothes wherein she was clad.
Whether
Now choose yourself whether that you liketh.
Which
And which they weren and of what degree.
While
This mighty queen may no while endure.
Satan . . . cast him how he might quite her while.
Whilere
Helpeth me now as I did you whilere.
Whilom
Whilom, as olde stories tellen us, There was a duke that highte Theseus.
Whistle
So was her jolly whistle well ywet.
White
Come forth, my white spouse.
Whither
That no man should know . . . whither that he went.
Who
[He] should not tell whose children they were.
Whole
[She] findeth there her friends hole and sound.
Whom
And every grass that groweth upon root She shall eke know, and whom it will do boot.
Wide
The chambers and the stables weren wyde.
Wielding
To have them in your might and in your wielding.
Wife
On the green he saw sitting a wife.
Wight
She was fallen asleep a little wight.
Every wight that hath discretion.
'T is full wight, God wot, as is a roe.
Will
A wife as of herself no thing ne sholde [should] Wille in effect, but as her husband wolde [would].
Willful
In willful poverty chose to lead his life.
Wimple
Full seemly her wympel ipinched is.
Wind
In his terms so he would him wind.
Wink
He must wink, so loud he would cry.
Winning
Ye seek land and sea for your winnings.
wise
To love her in my beste wyse.
Wisse
Ere we depart I shall thee so well wisse That of mine house ne shalt thou never misse.
Wit
Thou wost full little what thou meanest.
We witen not what thing we prayen here.
When that the sooth in wist.
Wite
Though that I be jealous, wite me not.
There if that I misspeak or say, Wite it the ale of Southwark, I you pray.
With
That with these fowls I be all to-rent.
Withal
Fy on possession But if a man be virtuous withal.
Withhold
To withhold it the more easily in heart.
Without
I wolde it do withouten negligence.
The people came unto the house without.
Withsay
If that he his Christendom withsay.
Wive
Wherefore we pray you hastily to wive.
Wlatsome
Murder is . . . wlatsom and abhominable to God.
Woe
O! woe were us alive [i.e., in life].
Woe was this knight and sorrowfully he sighed.
Wonder
After that he said a wonder thing.
Wone
Their habitation in which they woned.
To liven in delight was all his wone.
Wood
Our hoste gan to swear as [if] he were wood.
Woodbind
A garland . . . of woodbind or hawthorn leaves.
Woodness
Woodness laughing in his rage.
Working
The word must cousin be to the working.
Worse
Or worse, if men worse can devise.
Worship
A man of worship and honour.
Worshipful
[She is] so dear and worshipful.
Worst
I have a wife, the worst that may be.
Worth
He worth upon [got upon] his steed gray.
It was not worth to make it wise.
Worthy
Full worthy was he in his lordes war.
Worthy women of the town.
Would
Right as our Lord hath would.
Wrastle
Who wrastleth best naked, with oil enoint.
Wraw
With this speech the cock wex wroth and wraw.
Wray
To no wight thou shalt this counsel wray.
Wreak
He should wreake him on his foes.
Wreaker
The stork, the wrekere of avouterye [adultery].
Wrench
His wily wrenches thou ne mayst not flee.
Wretchedness
Eat worms and such wretchedness.
Wright
He was a well good wright, a carpenter.
Wring
[His steed] so sweat that men might him wring.
Wrong
When I had wrong and she the right.
Wroth
Revel and truth as in a low degree, They be full wroth [i. e., at enmity] all day.
Wrought
Alas that I was wrought [created]!
Wry
Wrie you in that mantle.
This Phebus gan awayward for to wryen.
Yë
From his yën ran the water down.
Y-
That no wight mighte it see neither yheere.
Neither to ben yburied nor ybrent.
Yard
If men smote it with a yerde.
The bitter frosts with the sleet and rain Destroyed hath the green in every yerd.
A yard . . . inclosed all about with sticks In which she had a cock, hight chanticleer.
Ycleped
It is full fair to ben yclept madame.
Ye
Ye ben to me right welcome heartily.
Year
Of twenty year of age he was, I guess.
Yede
All as he bade fulfilled was indeed This ilke servant anon right out yede.
Yell
They yelleden as feendes doon in helle.
Yellow
Her yellow hair was browded [braided] in a tress.
Yelp
I keep [care] not of armes for to yelpe.
Yeoman
A yeman hadde he and servants no mo.
Yeomanly
Well could he dress his tackle yeomanly.
Yerne
My hands and my tongue go so yerne.
Yet
Ne never yet no villainy ne said.
Yex
He yexeth and he speaketh through the nose.
Yfere
As friends do when they be met yfere.
Yield
To yelde Jesu Christ his proper rent.
Yis
“Yis, sir,” quod he, “yis, host.”
Yoke
Boweth your neck under that blissful yoke . . . Which that men clepeth spousal or wedlock.
Yore
As it hath been of olde times yore.
You
Ye go to Canterbury; God you speed.
Young
For he so young and tender was of age.
Yourself
Of which right now ye han yourselve heard.
Ywis
“Ywis,” quod he, “it is full dear, I say.”