† aˈstart, v. Obs.
Forms: 3 asteorte, 5 asstart, 4–6 astert(e, astart(e. pa. tense 3 astirte, -orte, -urte, 4–5 astert(e, asterted.
[f. a- prefix 1 up + start v. In sense 3 prob. for atstart.]
1. intr. To start up.
| 1205 Lay. 26045 Þe eotend up a-sturte [1250 vp a-storte]. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 3399 Op a-sterte þe route anon. 1423 James I King's Q. ii. xxi, Anon astert The blude of all my body to my hert. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iii. ii. 29 Out of her bed she did astart. |
2. intr. To start into existence, happen, fall out; with dat. of the person, afterwards taken as obj., and hence trans. To happen to, befall.
| 1393 Gower Conf. II. 151 Though such an happe of love asterte. Ibid. I. 66 That thing shall never me asterte..To make her any feigned chere. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Nov. 187 No daunger there the shepheard can astert. |
3. intr. To start off, get away, escape.
| 1250 Lay. 4262 Ech man þat mihte a-steorte in to one borewe [1205 And he æt-sturte]. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 294 He seeth he may nat fro his deeth asterte. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas vii. v. 169 b, He might not asterte, He was so pursued. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. (1845) 65 You have me fettered; I may not asterte. a 1541 Wyatt Poet. Wks. (1861) 31 Let not this song from thee astart. |
b. To remove, withdraw, desist.
| c 1400 Song of Roland 68 Wyn went be-twen them, non did astert. c 1450 Lonelich Grail xxxviii. 230 But to God ȝoven preysenges, and not a-sterte. 1572 Forrest Theoph. 334 Ye shall fynde me fyrme..not onse to astarte. |
4. trans. (orig. with dat.) To escape, avoid, shun.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 1343 If ought amys mastart, [v.r. me start] Foryeve it me. c 1386 ― Friar's T. 14 Ther might astert [v.r. astirte] him no pecunial peyne. c 1450 Lonelich Grail xxxi. 404 Thanne schal thyn enemy neuere the asterte. 1575 Turberv. Venerie 138 [I] must needes please him by my death, I may it not astarte. |