† enterˈmete, v. Obs.
Forms: 3–5 enter-, entreme(t)te(n, 3 entermitti, 4–5 entremet, 5 entre-, entromytte. Also 5 intremet, 6 intermete; and see intermit, intromit.
[a. OF. entremetre (mod. entremettre), repr. two distinct Lat. formations, intermittĕre (cf. Sp. entermeter, It. intermettere) to interrupt, discontinue, in late L. also to put (something) between, and intrōmittĕre (cf. Sp. entrometer, It. intromettere) to send or admit within, introduce; f. inter between, intrō within + mittĕre to send. In ME. the word was adopted as refl. and intr. with sense ‘to introduce oneself, meddle’; in early mod. Eng. the sense ‘interpose (something, or oneself)’ was taken up from Fr., but rarely occurs. The verbs intermit, intromit, adapted from the original Lat. forms, were formerly often used in the senses of entremete, of which they may therefore to some extent be regarded as refashioned forms; now, however, they are used only in senses directly due to their Latin etymology.]
1. refl. To concern or occupy oneself, intermeddle, take part; to have dealings or intercourse. Const. in, of, with. Also, to set oneself, undertake to (do something).
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 172 Heo entermeteð hire of þinges wiðuten. a 1300 Cursor M. 7403 (Cott.) O þe kingrike al gouerning He [Dauid] entir-mett him in na dede [Trin. MS. he entermeted him of no þing in dede]. Ibid. 8759 He [Salomon] can him entermet Þe temple mak. c 1400 Rom. Rose 5949 She is neither so fool ne nyce, To entremete hir of sich vice. 1406 Hoccleve Misrule 440 Right wole eek, that I me entremete. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode iii. xxix. (1869) 151 The hand..entermeteth hire to taste and to visite so ofte the tunge. c 1440 Hylton Scala Perf. (W. de W. 1494) iii. ix, To..intermette the with worldly besynes. 1485 Malory Arthur xvi. xv, Yf ye entermete [1634 intermit] yow in this I shall slee you. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xxiii. 87 All thartes and scyences magicque wherof this lady and prestresse entromytreteth [read entromytteth] herself. c 1500 Melusine 69 That none of us shall entremete hym to doo that ye spek of. 1517 in Turner Sel. Rec. Oxf. 17 All those that entremetyde them of merchantyse should be taxed. |
b. intr. for refl.
| a 1300 Floriz & Bl. 204 Ne þer nis non so riche king Þat dorste entermeten of eni such þing. c 1300 Beket 1253 Lete him iworthe so Than entermitti of holi churche. a 1420 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1089 Our Lorde God wolde entermete Of no richesse. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. 145 To be forbode from entermeting with the Bible. 1467 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 404 That non seriaunt name nor entremet of the seid eleccion. c 1475 Partenay 215 He..loue of al shal haue wher he entermet. 1485 Malory Arthur x. xxvi, The kyng..badde hym entermete [1634 intermeet] with hym self and with his wyf and of his knyghtes. 1490 Caxton Eneydos 3 Yf ony man wyll enter-mete in redyng of hit. 1491 ― Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) 1 To entremete to recyte..suche hystoryes. 1494 Fabyan vi. clxiv. 158 That nother y⊇ one nor the other shulde intremet with the foresayd londes. 1548 Hall Chron. (1809) 88 It longeth not to clerkes to intermete of them. |
c. trans. To meddle with, be occupied upon. rare.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 161 My thought will entermete him sone. 1502 Arnolde Chron. (1811) 38 Of him that entyrmeten the thyngis aboue sayd. |
2. To mix, alternate.
| c 1530 in Pol. Rel. & Love Poems (1866) 43 Entirmet this with woo And gladnes. |
3. To put (oneself) between.
| a 1541 Wyatt Poems in Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 74 The hylles that doth them entermete Twene me, and those shene lightes. |
Hence enterˈmeting vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| c 1375 Sc. Lives Saints, Petrus 311 Four concubynes he..gerte refuse þe entremetynge Forthir till have with Agrippine. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 406 Ac for thine entermetyng here artow forsake. c 1400 Test. Love iii. (1560) 296 b/2 Thyne entremeting maners into stedfastnesse shullen be chaunged. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. xii. 220 We muste haue manye othere entermetingis with him than the entermeting of remembring oonli. 1583 T. Stocker Trag. Hist. Civ. warres II. 15 By the entermeetyng and intercession..of the Lordes here vnder named, etc. |