† methefuladj.1
Obsolete.
Respectful, humane; moderate, temperate; gentle.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > restrained or moderate behaviour > [adjective]
methelyeOE
i-meteOE
methefulOE
attempre1297
measurablec1330
temprea1340
temperatec1380
temperantc1384
attemperatec1386
attemperelc1386
chastea1400
mannered1435
measureda1450
moderatea1450
well-measuredc1450
attempered1474
modest1548
sober1552
measurely1570
temperable1619
contemperate1647
submissive1753
managed1770
self-contained1838
inexplosive1867
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > kindness > gentleness or mildness > [adjective]
stillc825
tamec888
nesheOE
mildeOE
softOE
lithea1000
daftc1000
methefulOE
sefteOE
meekc1175
benign1377
pleasablea1382
mytha1400
tendera1400
unfelona1400
mansuetea1425
meeta1425
gentlec1450
moy1487
placablea1522
facile1539
effeminate1594
silver1596
mildya1603
unmalicious1605
uncruel1611
maliceless1614
tender-hefteda1616
unpersecutive1664
baby-milda1845
rose water1855
turtlish1855
unvindictive1857
soft-boiled1859
tenderful1901
soft-lining1967
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > weariness or exhaustion > [adjective]
wearyc825
asadc1306
ateyntc1325
attaintc1325
recrayed1340
methefula1350
for-wearya1375
matea1375
taintc1380
heavy1382
fortireda1400
methefula1400
afoundered?a1425
tewedc1440
travailedc1440
wearisomec1460
fatigate1471
defatigatec1487
tired1488
recreant1490
yolden?1507
fulyeit?a1513
traiked?a1513
tavert1535
wearied1538
fatigated1552
awearya1555
forwearied1562
overtired1567
spenta1568
done1575
awearied1577
stank1579
languishinga1586
bankrupt?1589
fordone1590
spent1591
overwearied1592
overworn1592
outworn1597
half-dead1601
back-broken1603
tiry1611
defatigated1612
dog-wearya1616
overweary1617
exhaust1621
worn-out1639
embossed1651
outspent1652
exhausted1667
beaten1681
bejaded1687
harassed1693
jaded1693
lassate1694
defeata1732
beat out1758
fagged1764
dog-tired1770
fessive1773
done-up1784
forjeskit1786
ramfeezled1786
done-over1789
fatigued1791
forfoughten1794
worn-up1812
dead1813
out-burnta1821
prostrate1820
dead beat1822
told out1822
bone-tireda1825
traiky1825
overfatigued1834
outwearied1837
done like (a) dinner1838
magged1839
used up1839
tuckered outc1840
drained1855
floored1857
weariful1862
wappered1868
bushed1870
bezzled1875
dead-beaten1875
down1885
tucked up1891
ready (or fit) to drop1892
buggered-up1893
ground-down1897
played1897
veal-bled1899
stove-up1901
trachled1910
ragged1912
beat up1914
done in1917
whacked1919
washy1922
pooped1928
shattered1930
punchy1932
shagged1932
shot1939
whipped1940
buggered1942
flaked (out)1942
fucked1949
sold-out1958
wiped1958
burnt out1959
wrung out1962
juiced1965
hanging1971
zonked1972
maxed1978
raddled1978
zoned1980
cream crackered1983
the world > life > the body > bodily height > [adjective] > having (a certain kind of) stature
methefulc1390
statureda1460
OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 236 Humanus, mæðfull oððe mennisclic.
a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 139 Sobrietas..þat is, maðe; Ðies makeð þanne maðful ðe was to grady.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 222 Inoh meðful ich am þe bidde se lutel.
a1350 in G. L. Brook Harley Lyrics (1968) 36 Weole is come..þourh a mihti, methful mai.
c1390 Cato's Distichs (Vernon) 557 in F. J. Furnivall Minor Poems Vernon MS (1901) ii. 602 Drink þat þou beo meþful.
a1525 Eng. Conquest Ireland (Trin. Dublin) (1896) 112 (MED) He was a man methefull, suttell, & stalwarth.
Derivatives
methefully adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > moderateness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adjective]
evenlya1200
methefully?c1225
renable?1305
reasonablea1325
measurablec1330
skillwisea1340
moderatea1398
temperate1398
meetlya1400
measurablyc1450
rationablec1475
competent1535
midway1573
modest1582
sober1619
medious1657
slack1662
meeverly1819
low key1941
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > restrained or moderate behaviour > [adverb]
methelyeOE
methefully?c1225
measurelyc1350
temprelyc1386
moderatelya1398
attemperately1525
temperately1525
modestlyc1550
castigately1707
soberly1849
chastenedly1873
?c1225 Ancrene Riwle (Cleo.: Scribe B) (1972) 303 Nan ancre noch neome bute meðfulliche [c1230 Corpus meaðfulliche] þet hire to neodeð.
a1400 Psalter (Vesp.) xxxviii. 7 in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1896) II. 170 Loke methfullike [L. mensurabiles] mi daies sete þou.
a1450 Serm. (Cambr. Dd.11.89) in Jrnl. Eng. & Germanic Philol. (1916) 15 415 Now crist us grante our lyues fode; Methfulliche with milde mode, So to fonge..Þat we ne fallen in no glotenye.
methefulness n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > restrained or moderate behaviour > [noun]
i-metOE
hovec1175
metc1175
methec1175
measurec1225
measure?c1225
temperancea1340
methefulnessc1350
temperurec1380
mannera1382
mannernessa1382
sobernessc1384
attemperancec1386
measurablenessa1400
amesingc1400
meanheada1425
mediocrity?a1425
moderation?a1425
moderancea1460
temperancy1526
mean1531
modesty1531
temperature1536
measure-keeping1556
moderateness1571
moderature1574
sobriety1582
mediety1583
moderacy1601
temperateness1609
reserve1660
medium1693
soft pedal1899
met1932
c1350 Apocalypse St. John: A Version (Harl. 874) (1961) 36 (MED) By þe lyoun [is betokened] strengþe, By þe Oxe meþfulnesse & mesure.
a1400 Ancrene Riwle (Pepys) (1976) 140 Þencheþ opon þe meþfulnesse of jesu crist whan he henge opon þe rode.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2001; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
† methefuladj.2
Obsolete.
Weary, tired.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > weariness or exhaustion > [adjective]
wearyc825
asadc1306
ateyntc1325
attaintc1325
recrayed1340
methefula1350
for-wearya1375
matea1375
taintc1380
heavy1382
fortireda1400
methefula1400
afoundered?a1425
tewedc1440
travailedc1440
wearisomec1460
fatigate1471
defatigatec1487
tired1488
recreant1490
yolden?1507
fulyeit?a1513
traiked?a1513
tavert1535
wearied1538
fatigated1552
awearya1555
forwearied1562
overtired1567
spenta1568
done1575
awearied1577
stank1579
languishinga1586
bankrupt?1589
fordone1590
spent1591
overwearied1592
overworn1592
outworn1597
half-dead1601
back-broken1603
tiry1611
defatigated1612
dog-wearya1616
overweary1617
exhaust1621
worn-out1639
embossed1651
outspent1652
exhausted1667
beaten1681
bejaded1687
harassed1693
jaded1693
lassate1694
defeata1732
beat out1758
fagged1764
dog-tired1770
fessive1773
done-up1784
forjeskit1786
ramfeezled1786
done-over1789
fatigued1791
forfoughten1794
worn-up1812
dead1813
out-burnta1821
prostrate1820
dead beat1822
told out1822
bone-tireda1825
traiky1825
overfatigued1834
outwearied1837
done like (a) dinner1838
magged1839
used up1839
tuckered outc1840
drained1855
floored1857
weariful1862
wappered1868
bushed1870
bezzled1875
dead-beaten1875
down1885
tucked up1891
ready (or fit) to drop1892
buggered-up1893
ground-down1897
played1897
veal-bled1899
stove-up1901
trachled1910
ragged1912
beat up1914
done in1917
whacked1919
washy1922
pooped1928
shattered1930
punchy1932
shagged1932
shot1939
whipped1940
buggered1942
flaked (out)1942
fucked1949
sold-out1958
wiped1958
burnt out1959
wrung out1962
juiced1965
hanging1971
zonked1972
maxed1978
raddled1978
zoned1980
cream crackered1983
a1400 Psalter (Vesp.) iii. 5 in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1896) II. 132 I am methful [v.r. methuf; L. soporatus], for i slepe.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2001; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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adj.1OEadj.2a1400