methinksv.

Brit.

/mɪˈθɪŋks/,

/miːˈθɪŋks/, U.S.

/miˈθɪŋks/,

/məˈθɪŋks/

Inflections: Past tense methought Brit.

/mɪˈθɔːt/,

/miːˈθɔːt/, U.S.

/miˈθɔt/,

/məˈθɔt/,

/miˈθɑt/,

/məˈθɑt/.

Forms: Present tense

α. Old English me þinceþ, Old English me þinceð, Old English me ðincþ, Old English me ðincð, Old English me þynce (subjunctive), Old English me þynceþ, Old English me þynceð, Old English me þyncð, Old English me ðyncð, Old English–early Middle English me þincð, Old English–early Middle English me þingð, Old English–Middle English me þincþ, late Old English me ðing (perhaps transmission error), late Old English me ðingð, Middle English me þenkeþ, Middle English me þenkiþ, Middle English me thenketh, Middle English me thenkith, Middle English me thenkth, Middle English me thinck, Middle English me thingth, Middle English me thinȝth, Middle English me thinket, Middle English me thuncheth, Middle English me thunketh, Middle English me thynchith, Middle English me thynckyþ, Middle English me thyngyt, Middle English me thynkeht, Middle English methynkith, Middle English me thynkth, Middle English me thynkygh (perhaps transmission error), Middle English me thynkyt, Middle English me thynkyth, Middle English methynkyth, Middle English me thynthith, Middle English me þincheþ, Middle English me þinchez, Middle English me þinȝh (perhaps transmission error), Middle English me þingþ, Middle English me þingth, Middle English me þinh (perhaps transmission error), Middle English me þinkeþ, Middle English me þinkez, Middle English me þinkiþ, Middle English me þinkþ, Middle English me þinkyþ, Middle English me þunched, Middle English me þuncheþ, Middle English me þuncheð, Middle English me þuncþ, Middle English me þunkeþ, Middle English meþyngyt, Middle English meþynkeþ, Middle English–1600s me thinketh, 1500s mee thinketh, 1500s me thinkythe, 1500s–1600s 1800s– methinketh, 1700s mee thynckethe (pseudo-archaic).

β. Middle English me þenk, Middle English me þenke, Middle English me thenk, Middle English me thenkyn (transmission error), Middle English me thinc, Middle English me thynk, Middle English me þink, Middle English me þunch (see note below), Middle English me þynk, Middle English–1500s me think, Middle English–1500s me thinke, Middle English–1700s methink, 1500s mee think, 1500s mee thinke, 1500s me thyncke, 1500s me thynke, 1600s methynk; Scottish pre-1700 me think, pre-1700 methink, pre-1700 me thynk, pre-1700 methynk.

γ. Middle English me þinkes, Middle English–1600s me thinkes, 1500s me thincks, 1500s methynkes, 1500s–1600s mee thinkes, 1500s–1600s mee thinks, 1500s–1600s methinkes, 1500s– me thinks, 1500s– methinks, 1600s mee thincks, 1600s me thinckes, 1600s methings; Scottish pre-1700 me thinkes, pre-1700 methinkes, pre-1700 1700s– me thinks, pre-1700 1700s– methinks; U.S. regional (now rare) 1900s– methinks.

δ. 1500s mithinks, 1500s my think, 1500s my thinke, 1500s my thynke, 1600s mythinks, 1600s–1700s my thinks.

ε. 1600s meethink'st.

Past tense

α. Old English–Middle English me þuhte, Old English–Middle English me ðuhte, Middle English methoght, Middle English me thoghte, Middle English me thoȝt, Middle English me thoughtte, Middle English me thouȝte, Middle English me thouth, Middle English methowut, Middle English me ðhugte, Middle English me þoghte, Middle English me þoȝt, Middle English me þohte, Middle English me þough (perhaps transmission error), Middle English me þouȝth, Middle English me þougthe, Middle English me þouthe, Middle English me þuȝte, Middle English me ðuȝte, Middle English–1500s me thoght, Middle English–1500s me thoughte, Middle English– me thought, 1500s–1600s mee thought, 1500s– methought; Scottish pre-1700 meethought, pre-1700 me thocht, pre-1700 methocht, pre-1700 me thoght; U.S. regional (now rare) 1900s– methought.

β. 1500s–1600s my thought.

γ. 1600s me thoughts, 1600s–1700s methoughts.

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: me pron.¹, think v.¹

Etymology: < me pron.¹ (compare sense 2a at that entry) + think v.¹, originally as a simple syntactic collocation, in later use apprehended as a single word.Although the impersonal use of think with indirect objects other than me persisted until the early 17th cent. (see think v.¹), the syntax of this collocation seems to have become to some extent obscure already in Middle English. Hence it underwent various alterations of form. The present tense (β) form me think apparently shows substitution of the first person singular inflection, perhaps resulting from identification of the verb with think v.¹ (compare Middle English forms with thenk , þenk , etc.); the pronoun was perhaps still apprehended as some kind of indirect object. The form me þunch in Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) 1649, 1651 (see quot. c1275 at sense aα. ), is probably to be regarded as a variant (with inverted spelling of h for þ ) of the α form me þuncþ found elsewhere in this text rather than as an early example of the β forms (the expected first person form would be þunche ). The Middle English forms me þinchez (c1300 in texts in MS. Laud Misc. 108) and me þinkez (c1330 (c1250) Floris & Blauncheflur (Auch.)) probably show use of the graph z for /θ/, rather than γ forms. The 16th– and 17th–century forms (present tense δ) my think , my thinks , and (past tense γ) my thought probably result from the homophony of the reduced forms of me and my (see etymological note s.v. my adj.); the explanation suggested by N.E.D. (1906), that they might be attempts to restore normal syntax by taking think and thought as nouns, seems unconvincing. The unique form meethink'st (see quot. a1616 at sense aε. ) seems to show assimilation to the second person singular ending. The curious past tense (β) form methoughts, used in the 17th and the first half of the 18th cent., probably owes its -s to the analogy of the present tense methinks.

Now archaic, poetic, and regional.

impersonal. (Used with subordinate clause or parenthetically.)

a. In the present tense: ‘it seems to me’.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > supposition, surmise > as I suppose [phrase]

methinkseOE

I weenc1175

afraid1530

I fancy1672

dare say1749

α.

eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) xxiv. 54 Me þincð þæt hit hæbbe geboht sume swiðe leaslice mærðe.

lOE King Ælfred tr. St. Augustine Soliloquies (Vitell.) (1922) i. 22 Eaðre me þincð þeah myd sceðpe [perh. read scipe] on drigum lande to farande þonne me þynce mid ðam eagum buta[n] þara gescea[d]wisnesse æ[ni]gne creft to geleornianne.

a1225 (?c1175) Poema Morale (Lamb.) 5 in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 161 (MED) Vnnet lif ich habbe iled and ȝet me þingþ ilede.

c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) 1649 (MED) Me þunch þat þir forleost þat game.

c1330 (c1250) Floris & Blauncheflur (Auch.) (1966) 42 (MED) He nis no marchaunt, as me þinkez.

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. 2785 (MED) With such gladnesse I daunce and skippe, Me thenkth I touche noght the flor.

1447 O. Bokenham Lives of Saints (Arun.) (1938) 2 And yet me thinkyth it were pete That my werk were hatyd for me.

1533 T. More Debellacyon Salem & Bizance i. ix. f. lxiiii Me thynketh it somwhat more ciuilite..a lytell merely to mokke hym, than..seryousely to preace vppon hym.

1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 10 There is a Hopper (mee thinketh) ouer the toppe of the Oast.

1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie iv. iv. 177 When they oppose their Me thinketh vnto the orders of the Church of England.]

1607 S. Hieron Remedie for Securitie in Wks. (1620) I. 439 Me thinketh this motiue should not be without effect.

a1770 T. Chatterton Compl. Wks. (1971) I. 301 Meethynckethe, wee bee notte yn Englyshe Londe.

1866 Catholic World Feb. 622/2 But methinketh, sir, there are two things which, wise and learned as you are, you are yet ignorant of, and these are a woman's heart and a Catholic's faith.

β. c1330 (?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) 613 He of mi loue vnder-nome were..Me þenke y no myȝt it him nouȝt werne.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 16332 Me thinc it es noght sua.1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 385 It war resone me think ȝhe suld haif part.1564 W. Bullein Dialogue against Fever Pestilence f. 12 Me thinke I see twoo men in long gounes, with short beardes at the gates.1720 C. Shadwell Sham Prince iv. 184 Methink I long to know what sort of Women your Good-for-nothings are?1796 J. Cottle Poems 91 Methink I hear some frowning Warrior say, ‘With such unmanly thoughts, away! away!’1898 T. Hardy Wessex Poems 191 Ha, ha—go away! 'Tis a tale, methink, Thou joker Kit!γ. a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 431 (MED) Me þinkes, bi his menskful maneres & his man-hede, þat he is kome of god kin.1562 P. Whitehorne tr. N. Machiavelli Arte of Warre vii. f. ciii^v Nor me thinkes that there resteth other to tell you, then certaine generall rules.1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing iii. ii. 15 Me thinkes you are sadder. 1661 A. Marvell Let. 27 June in Poems & Lett. (1971) II. 33 'Tis methinks an unpleasing businesse.1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 6. ⁋5 Respect to all kind of Superiours is founded methinks upon Instinct.1780 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting (ed. 2) IV. vii. 135 Methinks a strait canal is as rational at least as a mæandring bridge.1863 N. Hawthorne Our Old Home I. 166 Methinks a person of delicate individuality..could never endure to lie buried near Shakespeare.1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus Poems xciii. 1 Lightly methinks I reck if Caesar smile not upon me.1908 L. M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables xxxiv. 391 Anne, methinks I see the traces of tears.1991 M. Nicholson Martha Jane & Me (1992) viii. 72 They are only jealous, methinks.δ. 1530 E. Crome in J. Strype Eccl. Memorials (1721) III. App. x. 20 And my think that this manner of praying dooth not dysanull..purgatorye.a1625 J. Fletcher Mad Lover ii. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. C/1 My thinks madam, A Gentleman should keepe his word.1699 R. Cocks Diary 4 Jan. in Parl. Diary (1996) 11 Mythinks it is a great hardship to be reckoned a tra[i]tour for only adhering to ones naturall prince.1707 S. Centlivre Platonick Lady iv. 47 No I thank you Zir, my Belly's full evads, my thinks this is a huge vine House.ε. a1616 W. Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) ii. iii. 251 Meethink'st thou art a generall offence, and euery man shold beate thee.

b. In the past tense: ‘it seemed to me’.

ΚΠ

α.

OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) xxxvii. 7 Me ðuhte þæt we bundon sceafas on æcere & þæt min scef arise & stode upprihte.

a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 13 And ȝif ic nadde, me ðuhte þat hit nas naht wel betowen, ðar ic hit idon hadde.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) 8171 Me thoght [a1400 Vesp. me thoght] to night on þis-kyn wise, Þat we war bath in paradise.

c1500 (?a1475) Assembly of Gods (1896) 343 Me thought he was gayly dysgysyd at that fest.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Judges vii. 13 Me thoughte a baken barlye lofe came rollinge downe to y^e hoost of y^e Madianites.

1651 H. More Second Lash of Alazanomastix in Enthusiasmus Triumphatus (1656) 309 I dream'd thus. Methought I was at a friends house in the rode betwixt London and Scotland.

1715 A. Pope Temple of Fame 42 While thus I stood..One came, methought, and whisper'd in my Ear.

1832 Ld. Tennyson Dream Fair Women xx, in Poems (new ed.) 127 At last methought that I had wandered far In an old wood.

1878 H. Phillips Poems from Span. & Ger. 48 Methought my days were ended.

1939 J. Joyce Finnegans Wake 403 Methought..I heard at zero hour as 'twere the peal of vixen's laughter among midnight's chimes.

1944 Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. ii. 19 Methought, I thought. This old form is rare, but is still heard here and there. Methinks is not heard.

1958 I. Murdoch Bell (1984) xii. 160 Me thought it was impossible that all manner of things should be well.

β. ?1504 S. Hawes Example of Vertu sig. bb.ii My thought it was an heuenly syght.1621 M. Wroth Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania 435 Then my thought I saw he had commission.γ. a1616 W. Shakespeare Richard III (1623) i. iv. 9 Me thoughts that I had broken from the Tower.1620 H. Wotton Let. in Reliquiæ Wottonianæ (1651) 413 The draught of a Landskip on a piece of paper, me thoughts masterly done.1673 F. Kirkman Unlucky Citizen 181 I had..coyned several new English Words, which were onely such French Words as methoughts had a fine Tone wieh them.1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 63. ¶3 Methoughts I was transported into a Country that was filled with Prodigies.1751 tr. Female Foundling I. 30 The inward Satisfaction which I felt, had spread in my Eyes I know not what of melting and passionate, which methoughts I had never before observed.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2001; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	methinks
释义	methinksv. Brit. /mɪˈθɪŋks/, /miːˈθɪŋks/, U.S. /miˈθɪŋks/, /məˈθɪŋks/ Inflections: Past tense methought Brit. /mɪˈθɔːt/, /miːˈθɔːt/, U.S. /miˈθɔt/, /məˈθɔt/, /miˈθɑt/, /məˈθɑt/. Forms: Present tense α. Old English me þinceþ, Old English me þinceð, Old English me ðincþ, Old English me ðincð, Old English me þynce (subjunctive), Old English me þynceþ, Old English me þynceð, Old English me þyncð, Old English me ðyncð, Old English–early Middle English me þincð, Old English–early Middle English me þingð, Old English–Middle English me þincþ, late Old English me ðing (perhaps transmission error), late Old English me ðingð, Middle English me þenkeþ, Middle English me þenkiþ, Middle English me thenketh, Middle English me thenkith, Middle English me thenkth, Middle English me thinck, Middle English me thingth, Middle English me thinȝth, Middle English me thinket, Middle English me thuncheth, Middle English me thunketh, Middle English me thynchith, Middle English me thynckyþ, Middle English me thyngyt, Middle English me thynkeht, Middle English methynkith, Middle English me thynkth, Middle English me thynkygh (perhaps transmission error), Middle English me thynkyt, Middle English me thynkyth, Middle English methynkyth, Middle English me thynthith, Middle English me þincheþ, Middle English me þinchez, Middle English me þinȝh (perhaps transmission error), Middle English me þingþ, Middle English me þingth, Middle English me þinh (perhaps transmission error), Middle English me þinkeþ, Middle English me þinkez, Middle English me þinkiþ, Middle English me þinkþ, Middle English me þinkyþ, Middle English me þunched, Middle English me þuncheþ, Middle English me þuncheð, Middle English me þuncþ, Middle English me þunkeþ, Middle English meþyngyt, Middle English meþynkeþ, Middle English–1600s me thinketh, 1500s mee thinketh, 1500s me thinkythe, 1500s–1600s 1800s– methinketh, 1700s mee thynckethe (pseudo-archaic). β. Middle English me þenk, Middle English me þenke, Middle English me thenk, Middle English me thenkyn (transmission error), Middle English me thinc, Middle English me thynk, Middle English me þink, Middle English me þunch (see note below), Middle English me þynk, Middle English–1500s me think, Middle English–1500s me thinke, Middle English–1700s methink, 1500s mee think, 1500s mee thinke, 1500s me thyncke, 1500s me thynke, 1600s methynk; Scottish pre-1700 me think, pre-1700 methink, pre-1700 me thynk, pre-1700 methynk. γ. Middle English me þinkes, Middle English–1600s me thinkes, 1500s me thincks, 1500s methynkes, 1500s–1600s mee thinkes, 1500s–1600s mee thinks, 1500s–1600s methinkes, 1500s– me thinks, 1500s– methinks, 1600s mee thincks, 1600s me thinckes, 1600s methings; Scottish pre-1700 me thinkes, pre-1700 methinkes, pre-1700 1700s– me thinks, pre-1700 1700s– methinks; U.S. regional (now rare) 1900s– methinks. δ. 1500s mithinks, 1500s my think, 1500s my thinke, 1500s my thynke, 1600s mythinks, 1600s–1700s my thinks. ε. 1600s meethink'st. Past tense α. Old English–Middle English me þuhte, Old English–Middle English me ðuhte, Middle English methoght, Middle English me thoghte, Middle English me thoȝt, Middle English me thoughtte, Middle English me thouȝte, Middle English me thouth, Middle English methowut, Middle English me ðhugte, Middle English me þoghte, Middle English me þoȝt, Middle English me þohte, Middle English me þough (perhaps transmission error), Middle English me þouȝth, Middle English me þougthe, Middle English me þouthe, Middle English me þuȝte, Middle English me ðuȝte, Middle English–1500s me thoght, Middle English–1500s me thoughte, Middle English– me thought, 1500s–1600s mee thought, 1500s– methought; Scottish pre-1700 meethought, pre-1700 me thocht, pre-1700 methocht, pre-1700 me thoght; U.S. regional (now rare) 1900s– methought. β. 1500s–1600s my thought. γ. 1600s me thoughts, 1600s–1700s methoughts. Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: me pron.¹, think v.¹ Etymology: < me pron.¹ (compare sense 2a at that entry) + think v.¹, originally as a simple syntactic collocation, in later use apprehended as a single word.Although the impersonal use of think with indirect objects other than me persisted until the early 17th cent. (see think v.¹), the syntax of this collocation seems to have become to some extent obscure already in Middle English. Hence it underwent various alterations of form. The present tense (β) form me think apparently shows substitution of the first person singular inflection, perhaps resulting from identification of the verb with think v.¹ (compare Middle English forms with thenk , þenk , etc.); the pronoun was perhaps still apprehended as some kind of indirect object. The form me þunch in Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) 1649, 1651 (see quot. c1275 at sense aα. ), is probably to be regarded as a variant (with inverted spelling of h for þ ) of the α form me þuncþ found elsewhere in this text rather than as an early example of the β forms (the expected first person form would be þunche ). The Middle English forms me þinchez (c1300 in texts in MS. Laud Misc. 108) and me þinkez (c1330 (c1250) Floris & Blauncheflur (Auch.)) probably show use of the graph z for /θ/, rather than γ forms. The 16th– and 17th–century forms (present tense δ) my think , my thinks , and (past tense γ) my thought probably result from the homophony of the reduced forms of me and my (see etymological note s.v. my adj.); the explanation suggested by N.E.D. (1906), that they might be attempts to restore normal syntax by taking think and thought as nouns, seems unconvincing. The unique form meethink'st (see quot. a1616 at sense aε. ) seems to show assimilation to the second person singular ending. The curious past tense (β) form methoughts, used in the 17th and the first half of the 18th cent., probably owes its -s to the analogy of the present tense methinks. Now archaic, poetic, and regional. impersonal. (Used with subordinate clause or parenthetically.) a. In the present tense: ‘it seems to me’. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > supposition, surmise > as I suppose [phrase] methinkseOE I weenc1175 afraid1530 I fancy1672 dare say1749 α. eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) xxiv. 54 Me þincð þæt hit hæbbe geboht sume swiðe leaslice mærðe. lOE King Ælfred tr. St. Augustine Soliloquies (Vitell.) (1922) i. 22 Eaðre me þincð þeah myd sceðpe [perh. read scipe] on drigum lande to farande þonne me þynce mid ðam eagum buta[n] þara gescea[d]wisnesse æ[ni]gne creft to geleornianne. a1225 (?c1175) Poema Morale (Lamb.) 5 in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 161 (MED) Vnnet lif ich habbe iled and ȝet me þingþ ilede. c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) 1649 (MED) Me þunch þat þir forleost þat game. c1330 (c1250) Floris & Blauncheflur (Auch.) (1966) 42 (MED) He nis no marchaunt, as me þinkez. a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. 2785 (MED) With such gladnesse I daunce and skippe, Me thenkth I touche noght the flor. 1447 O. Bokenham Lives of Saints (Arun.) (1938) 2 And yet me thinkyth it were pete That my werk were hatyd for me. 1533 T. More Debellacyon Salem & Bizance i. ix. f. lxiiii Me thynketh it somwhat more ciuilite..a lytell merely to mokke hym, than..seryousely to preace vppon hym. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 10 There is a Hopper (mee thinketh) ouer the toppe of the Oast. 1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie iv. iv. 177 When they oppose their Me thinketh vnto the orders of the Church of England.] 1607 S. Hieron Remedie for Securitie in Wks. (1620) I. 439 Me thinketh this motiue should not be without effect. a1770 T. Chatterton Compl. Wks. (1971) I. 301 Meethynckethe, wee bee notte yn Englyshe Londe. 1866 Catholic World Feb. 622/2 But methinketh, sir, there are two things which, wise and learned as you are, you are yet ignorant of, and these are a woman's heart and a Catholic's faith. β. c1330 (?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) 613 He of mi loue vnder-nome were..Me þenke y no myȝt it him nouȝt werne.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 16332 Me thinc it es noght sua.1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 385 It war resone me think ȝhe suld haif part.1564 W. Bullein Dialogue against Fever Pestilence f. 12 Me thinke I see twoo men in long gounes, with short beardes at the gates.1720 C. Shadwell Sham Prince iv. 184 Methink I long to know what sort of Women your Good-for-nothings are?1796 J. Cottle Poems 91 Methink I hear some frowning Warrior say, ‘With such unmanly thoughts, away! away!’1898 T. Hardy Wessex Poems 191 Ha, ha—go away! 'Tis a tale, methink, Thou joker Kit!γ. a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 431 (MED) Me þinkes, bi his menskful maneres & his man-hede, þat he is kome of god kin.1562 P. Whitehorne tr. N. Machiavelli Arte of Warre vii. f. ciii^v Nor me thinkes that there resteth other to tell you, then certaine generall rules.1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing iii. ii. 15 Me thinkes you are sadder. View more context for this quotation1661 A. Marvell Let. 27 June in Poems & Lett. (1971) II. 33 'Tis methinks an unpleasing businesse.1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 6. ⁋5 Respect to all kind of Superiours is founded methinks upon Instinct.1780 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting (ed. 2) IV. vii. 135 Methinks a strait canal is as rational at least as a mæandring bridge.1863 N. Hawthorne Our Old Home I. 166 Methinks a person of delicate individuality..could never endure to lie buried near Shakespeare.1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus Poems xciii. 1 Lightly methinks I reck if Caesar smile not upon me.1908 L. M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables xxxiv. 391 Anne, methinks I see the traces of tears.1991 M. Nicholson Martha Jane & Me (1992) viii. 72 They are only jealous, methinks.δ. 1530 E. Crome in J. Strype Eccl. Memorials (1721) III. App. x. 20 And my think that this manner of praying dooth not dysanull..purgatorye.a1625 J. Fletcher Mad Lover ii. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. C/1 My thinks madam, A Gentleman should keepe his word.1699 R. Cocks Diary 4 Jan. in Parl. Diary (1996) 11 Mythinks it is a great hardship to be reckoned a tra[i]tour for only adhering to ones naturall prince.1707 S. Centlivre Platonick Lady iv. 47 No I thank you Zir, my Belly's full evads, my thinks this is a huge vine House.ε. a1616 W. Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) ii. iii. 251 Meethink'st thou art a generall offence, and euery man shold beate thee. View more context for this quotation b. In the past tense: ‘it seemed to me’. ΚΠ α. OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) xxxvii. 7 Me ðuhte þæt we bundon sceafas on æcere & þæt min scef arise & stode upprihte. a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 13 And ȝif ic nadde, me ðuhte þat hit nas naht wel betowen, ðar ic hit idon hadde. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) 8171 Me thoght [a1400 Vesp. me thoght] to night on þis-kyn wise, Þat we war bath in paradise. c1500 (?a1475) Assembly of Gods (1896) 343 Me thought he was gayly dysgysyd at that fest. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Judges vii. 13 Me thoughte a baken barlye lofe came rollinge downe to y^e hoost of y^e Madianites. 1651 H. More Second Lash of Alazanomastix in Enthusiasmus Triumphatus (1656) 309 I dream'd thus. Methought I was at a friends house in the rode betwixt London and Scotland. 1715 A. Pope Temple of Fame 42 While thus I stood..One came, methought, and whisper'd in my Ear. 1832 Ld. Tennyson Dream Fair Women xx, in Poems (new ed.) 127 At last methought that I had wandered far In an old wood. 1878 H. Phillips Poems from Span. & Ger. 48 Methought my days were ended. 1939 J. Joyce Finnegans Wake 403 Methought..I heard at zero hour as 'twere the peal of vixen's laughter among midnight's chimes. 1944 Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. ii. 19 Methought, I thought. This old form is rare, but is still heard here and there. Methinks is not heard. 1958 I. Murdoch Bell (1984) xii. 160 Me thought it was impossible that all manner of things should be well. β. ?1504 S. Hawes Example of Vertu sig. bb.ii My thought it was an heuenly syght.1621 M. Wroth Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania 435 Then my thought I saw he had commission.γ. a1616 W. Shakespeare Richard III (1623) i. iv. 9 Me thoughts that I had broken from the Tower.1620 H. Wotton Let. in Reliquiæ Wottonianæ (1651) 413 The draught of a Landskip on a piece of paper, me thoughts masterly done.1673 F. Kirkman Unlucky Citizen 181 I had..coyned several new English Words, which were onely such French Words as methoughts had a fine Tone wieh them.1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 63. ¶3 Methoughts I was transported into a Country that was filled with Prodigies.1751 tr. Female Foundling I. 30 The inward Satisfaction which I felt, had spread in my Eyes I know not what of melting and passionate, which methoughts I had never before observed. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2001; most recently modified version published online June 2022). < v.eOE
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