▪ I. † ˈmetheful, a.1 Obs.
[OE. mǽþfull: see methe n. and -ful.]
Moderate; gentle.
| c 1000 ælfric Gram. xxxviii. (Z.) 236 Humanus mæðfull oððe mennisclic. a 1225 Ancr. R. 430 Inouh meðful ich am, þet bidde so lutel. a 1240 Sawles Warde in Cott. Hom. 257 Meaðful in alles cunnes estes. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. 32 A mihti methful mai, that ous hath cast from cares colde. 13.. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. l. 557 Drink þat þou beo meþful, And lyue in hele good. c 1425 Eng. Conq. Irel. 112 He was a man methefull, suttell, & stalwarth. |
Hence † methefully a. and adv., moderate(ly); † methefulness, moderation.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 414 Non ancre ne ouh forto nimen bute gnedeliche [MS. C. meðfulliche] þet hire to neodeð. a 1300 E.E. Psalter xxxviii. 7 Loke, methfullike [mensurabiles] mi daies set þou. 1357 Methefulnesse [see methe n. 2]. |
▪ II. † ˈmetheful, a.2 Obs.
In 3 methful.
[f. OE. méðe weary + -ful.]
Weary.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter iii. 5, I am methful, for i slepe. |