courteous, a.
(ˈkɔətjəs, ˈkɜːtjəs)
Forms: α. 3–5 cortes, -eis, eys, 4 -ays(e, (-ez, superl. corteyst); β. 3–5 curtais, (4 -aiss, -us), 4–6 -aise, ays(e, -as, -es, -eis(e, -eys(e, (5 -ase, -ace, -is, superl. curtast, 6 curteiz, -ese, -ess, -yse, -uus, currteyse); γ. 4–6 courteis, -eys(e, 5–7 -es; δ. 5–6 curt-, courtois, -oys(e, (5 -oyus); ε. 6 curteous(e, -ious, corteous, 6–7 courtious, 6– courteous.
[a. OF. corteis, curteis (later cortois, courtois) = Sp. cortés, It. cortese, deriv. of corte, curt, court, court + Romanic suffix -ese (-es, -eis), repr. L. -ensis: the corresponding L. type being *cohortensis, cōrtēsis. In Eng. the typical form from 14th c. is court-, after later F. (whence also Caxton's courtois); by confusion of suffixes, -eous has been substituted for -eis from the 16th c.]
1. Having such manners as befit the court of a prince; having the bearing of a courtly gentleman in intercourse with others; graciously polite and respectful of the position and feelings of others; kind and complaisant in conduct to others.
| c 1275 xi Pains of Hell 389 in O.E. Misc. 155 Hug is his rihte nome And he is curteys and hendy. a 1330 Roland & V. 18 A knight ful curtays. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1298 Comly mayde of kynges kende, þe corteyst þat i knowe. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 99 His sone a yong Squier, Curteis he was, lowely, and seruysable. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vi. x, The curteyst knyghte..and mekest vnto all ladyes and gentylwymmen. 1483 Cath. Angl. 87 Curtas, curialis. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon i. 38 A good man, sage, curtois & valyaunt. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge ii. 803 A swete faire gentilwoman, curtes and comly. 1526 Tindale 1 Cor. xiii. 4 Love suffreth longe, and is corteous. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxii. 214 The lady..was ryght sage and courtoys. 1563 Homilies ii. Matrimony (1859) 508 If thou lovest him only because he is gentle and curtess. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. i. 167 Be kinde and curteous to this Gentleman. 1625 Bacon Ess., Goodness (Arb.) 209 Gracious, and Curteous to Strangers. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. iv. ii. §28 King Henry the fourth..though curteous, was not servial to the Pope. 1720 De Foe Capt. Singleton iii. 49 We found the natives always very free and courteous. 1859 Tennyson Lancelot & Elaine 554 With smiling face arose..a Prince..Gawain, surnamed The Courteous. |
† b. Const. of. Obs.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iv. 17 Curteis of speche. 1575 Laneham Let. (1871) 19 Curteiz of behauiour. 1624 Heywood Gunaik. iv. 182 Our English women are more curtious of their bodies than bloodie of their mindes. |
† c. Of superiors: Gracious. Obs. (or absorbed in the general sense.)
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 54/21 An Eorl þare was in poile þat was corteys and hende. c 1340 Cursor M. 11973 (Trin.) Ihesus þat was so curteise. c 1360 Deo Gratias 41 in E.E.P. (1862) 129 Almyhti corteis crouned kyng, God graunt vs grace to rule vs so. 1393 Gower Conf. III. 190 Pite maketh a king curteise Both in his worde and in his dede. c 1430 Hymns Virg. (1867) 57 Oure curteis crist, oure king riale. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 149/1 Fayr brother, god is more curtoys than ye be. 1578 Ps. cvi. in Gude & Godlie Ballates (1878) 100 Courtes and kynde till all men is the Lord. 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. xxi. vi. 172 A lady..excelling a number, and yet in so high an estate right curteous. 1813 Scott Trierm. i. i, Courteous as monarch the morn he is crown'd. |
† d. Of inferiors: Politely respectful or deferential. Obs. (or absorbed in the general sense.)
| c 1450 Bk. Curtasye 163 in Babees Bk. (1868) 305 Be curtayse to god, and knele doun On bothe knees with grete deuocioun. |
e. As a formula of address; orig. to superiors = Gracious, gentle, benign. arch.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. A. 433 ‘Cortayse quen’ þenne s[a]yde þat gaye. c 1440 York Myst. xvii. 313 Nowe curtayse kynges, to me take tent. 1598 Marston Sco. Villanie x. H iij b, Say (Curteous sir) speakes he not movingly. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. ii. 185 Haue with you Prince: my curteous Lord adew. 1660 Barrow Euclid Pref. 1 If you are desirous, Courteous Reader [etc.]. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 1 Courteous Companions, sometime since, to tell you my Dream..was pleasant to me, and profitable to you. |
† f. absol. (Cf. fair, gentle, etc.) Obs.
| c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2411 Comaundez me to þat cortays, your comlych fere. 1393 Gower Conf. II. 78 It maketh curteis of the vilain. |
2. transf. Of personal qualities, words, actions, etc. † courteous prison (F. prison courtoise, It. prigione cortese): honourable imprisonment (obs.).
| a 1300 Cursor M. 2256 (Cott.) Bot dryghtin dere þat ai es hend A curtais wrak on þam he send. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 512 Cortays wordez. 1474 Caxton Chesse iii. vi. H v, Hit is sayd in a comyn prouerbe curtoyse langage & wel saying is moche worth and coste lytyl. 1509 Fisher Fun. Serm. C'tess Richmond Wks. (1876) 29 Full curtayse answere she wolde make to all that came vnto her. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. lxi. [lxiv.] 205 He was set in a courtoyse pryson, so that he coulde not departe when he wolde. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 287 Taken..and..committed into Curtoyse prison in the Tower. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. vi. 31 When her curteous deeds he did compare. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. v. iv. 75 This is call'd the retort courteous. 1872 E. Peacock Mabel Heron II. ii. 25 A kind and courteous letter. 1883 G. Lloyd Ebb & Flow I. 50 In her most courteous tones. |
† b. Of things personified. Obs.
| 1575 Gascoigne Pr. Pleas. Kenilw., Some courteous winde come blowe me happy now. 1580 Sidney, etc. Ps. cxlviii, Ambitious mountaines, curteous hills. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. v. i. 179 Thankes, courteous vvall. |