▪ I. weening, vbl. n. Obs. or arch.
(ˈwiːnɪŋ)
[f. ween v. + -ing1. Cf. OHG. anawânunga ‘existimatio’, piwânunga ‘deliberatio’, MHG. wænunge, wenung(e, G. wähnung.]
1. The action of thinking, supposing, expecting, etc. In ME. often = mere opinion, surmise or suspicion (as opposed to certain knowledge).
| c 900 Bæda's Hist. iv. xix. (MS. Ca.) Þæt heo ða wenunge æt nyhstan ðurhteah. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7423 Þer wenyng þat day þey tynt. 1340 Ayenb. 113 Hit is ope substance, þet is, uirtuous and substanciel aboue onderstondingge and wenynge. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 33 Wenynge is no wysdome ne wyse ymagynacioun. 1397 Rolls of Parlt. III. 379/2 It was my menyng and my wenyng for to have do the best. c 1400 Rom. Rose 2601 Hit is but foly and wrong wenyng To aske so outrageous a thyng. c 1420 Prose Life Alex. 36 Ȝe wende hafe done till vs as ȝour eldirs didde sumtyme till kynge ȝerses, bot ȝour wenyng dessayued ȝow. 1477 Norton Ord. Alch. i. in Ashm. (1652) 22 An old Proverbe, In a Bushell of weeninge, Is not found one handfull of Cunninge. 1570 Dee Math. Pref. 2 Surmountyng the imperfection of coniecture, weenyng and opinion. 1625 Gill Sacr. Philos. i. 96 These upstart weenings are so witlesse, as they are false. a 1633 G. Herbert Outlandish Prov. 811 Weening is not measure. 1652 H. Bell Luther's Colloq. Mensalia 225 A Preacher..should..not build upon a weening,..but must bee sure of the Caus. a 1761 Law Behmen's Myst. Magn. xl. (1765) 231 It lies not in any Mans own willing, weening, running, or going to will. |
† b. Phrases. to be at or in weening: to be in a state of uncertainty or expectation. to (one's) weening: to the best of one's belief. to put in weening: to make (a person) think or believe. Obs.
| c 1275 Passion of our Lord 595 in O.E. Misc. 54 As heo stode and speken and weren at wenynge Of vre louerdes aryste and fele oþer þinge. 1375 Barbour Bruce iv. 765 Sen thai ar in sic venyng, Forouten certane vitting. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xlvi. (Anastace) 184 As he wend he had done til his wenyng Inuch. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. cviii. (1869) 57 Vn yrened j took it thee, for to my weenynge thou shuldest bere it the bettere. c 1440 Partonope 8588 Ye haue chose some new thinge, And wolde put me in wenyng That it were for good Partonope. 1481 Caxton Reynard xvii. (Arb.) 42 Nay I shal brynge you out of wenyng and shewe it you by good wytnes. |
† 2. Arrogant opinion, self-conceit. Obs. Cf. overweening.
| 1575 Fenton Gold. Epist. (1582) 88 Temporall riches bring with them pride and wening to him that hath them. 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 1016 Yong gentlemen..filled with a great weening and opinion of themselves. |
▪ II. † ˈweening, ppl. a. Obs.
[-ing2.]
1. That weens or thinks; cogitative.
| c 1391 Chaucer Boeth. iii. pr. x. (1886) 71 Yif so be þat this good be in hym by nature, but that it is diuers fro hym by wenynge resoun [sed ratione diversum]. |
2. Self-conceited, arrogant, overweening.
| 1579 Fenton Guicciard. ix. 465 The Swizzers being of nature proude and weening, became more raysed and lifted vp in minde by the estimation that others had of them. |