† digne, a. Obs.
Also α. 4 dingne, dyngne, 5 dign, dynge, 5–6 dygne, 6 Sc. ding, dyng. β. 4–5 deyn(e.
[ME. digne, a. F. digne (11th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), early ad. L. dignus worthy. The form deyn might represent an OF. *dein, inherited form of dignus: but cf. dain a.]
1. Of high worth or desert; worthy, honourable, excellent (in nature, station, or estimation; cf. dignity 1, 2).
| 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 132 Þe digne sege ywys..þat at London now ys. 1340 Ayenb. 109 Þe þri uerste benes of þe pater noster..byeth þe heȝeste and þe dingneste. a 1400–50 Alexander 882 Darius þe deyne [Dubl. MS. digne] Empereure. Ibid. 1958, I, sir Dari, þe deyne [Dubl. MS. digne] and derfe Emperoure. c 1440 York Myst. xxviii. 1 Beholde my discipulis þat deyne is and dere. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour ii. 5 It is an higher and more digne thinge forto praise and thanke God. 1513 Douglas æneis xiii. ix. 67 Of conquerouris and soueran pryncis dyng [rime kyng]. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 367 With diamontis ding, and margretis mony one. 1578 Ps. cvi. in Scot. Poems 16th C. II. 107 Declair..Thy nobill actes and digne remembrance. |
2. Worthy, deserving. Const. of (to), or inf.
| a 1375 Joseph Arim. 252 Cum þou hider, Iosaphe; for þou art Iugget clene, And art digne þer-to. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶715 Hem þat ȝeuen chirches to hem þat ben not digne. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas iv. ix. (1544) 106 a, To write also hys triumphes digne of glorye. c 1450 Merlin 583 Ye be full digne to resceyve the ordre of chiualrie. a 1555 Lyndesay Tragedie 86 In France..I did Actis ding of Remembrance. 1643 Prynne Open. Gt. Seale 6 The state of the Church is come unto this, that she is not digne to be governed But of ill Bishops. |
3. Befitting, becoming, appropriate, fit. Const. to, unto, of, for.
| c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1738 Lucretia, Hyre cuntinaunce is to here herte digne. c 1386 ― Man of Law's T. 680 O Domegyld, I haue non englisch digne Vnto þy malice and þy tyrannye. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. xi. 7 Lande lene, or fatte, or drie, is for it digne. 1504 W. Atkynson tr. De Imitatione iii. liv, Gyue dygne & moost large graces to the hye goodnes of god. 1549 Chaloner Erasmus on Folly K ij a, All the worlde..offreth me..farre dearer and more digne sacrifices, than theirs are. |
4. Having a great opinion of one's own worth; proud, haughty, disdainful; esp. in phr. as digne as ditch-water (cf. ‘stinking with pride’), as digne as the devil. Cf. dain a.
| 1340–70 Alisaunder 313 Þe menne of þat marche..were so ding of þeir deede, dedain þat they had þat any gome under God gouern hem sholde. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 517 He [the Parson] was nat to synful man despitous Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne. c 1386 ― Reeve's T. 44 She was as digne [Harl. Lansd. deyne] as water in a dich, as ful of hoker and of bismare. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 355 For wiþ þe princes of pride þe prechours dwellen; þei ben digne as þe devel þat droppeþ fro heuene. Ibid. 375 Þer is more pryue pride in prechours hertes þan þer lefte in Lucyfer er he were lowe fallen; þey ben digne as dich water. |