Mahound
(məˈhuːnd, məˈhaʊnd)
Forms: a. 3 Mahum, Mahun, 4, 6 Mahoune, 4–6, 8 Mahoun, 5 Mahon(e, Mawhown, Machoun, 5, 7 Mahown(e, 6–7 Macon; β. 4 Mahount, 6 Mahownd(e, Machound, 7 Mauhound, 6– Mahound.
[Early ME. Mahun, Mahum, a. OF. Mahun, Mahum, Mahom, shortened form of Mahomet. Cf. Mahomet, maumet.]
1. The ‘false prophet’ Muhammad; in the Middle Ages often vaguely imagined to be worshipped as a god. (Cf. Mahomet 1.) Now only arch.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. 187/101 Þes þef us wole ouer-come; Mahun, ȝware is þi miȝte? a 1300 Cursor M. 7458 Moght i euer wit me wit him ming..I suld him sla, bi sir mahun! [Gött. saint mahoune]. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 4939 Þe ymage of Mahoun y-mad of golde Wiþ þe axe smot he oppon þe molde. a 1400 Octouian 1092 The Sarsyns cryde all yn fere To hare God Mahone To help her geaunt in that fyght. 1460 Towneley Myst. xxii. 408 Now by mahowne, oure heuen kyng. c 1540 J. Redford Mor. Play Wit & Sci. (Shaks. Soc.) 11 By Mahowndes bones,..by Mahowndes nose. 1591 Harrington Orl. Fur. xvi. liv. 125 By Macon and Lanfusa he doth sweare. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. vii. 47 The Carle did fret And fume..And oftentimes by Turmagant and Mahound swore. 1600 Fairfax Tasso xii. x. 215 Praised (quoth he) be Macon, whom we serue. 1605 Tryall Chev. v. ii. in Bullen O. Pl. (1884) III. 344 And Mahound and Termagant come against us, weele fight with them. 1735 Pope Donne Sat. iv. 239 The Presence seems, with things so richly odd, The mosque of Mahound, or some queer Pagod. 1825 Scott Talism. iii, Down with Mahound, Termagaunt, and all their adherents. 1849 James Woodman iv, The very approach of a follower of Mahound, however, was an abomination to the good nun. |
† 2. gen. A false god; an idol. (Cf. maumet.) Obs.
| c 1205 Lay. 230 Ah heo nom þene mahum [c 1275 mahun], þe heo tolden for godd. Ibid. 8079 Þer stoden in þere temple ten þusend monnen..bi-foren heore mahun. c 1400 Destr. Troy 4312 The false goddes in fere fell to þe ground; Bothe Mawhownus & maumettes myrtild in peces. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 17224 [Avarice loq.] Ley doun thy skryppe and thy bordoun, And do homage to my Mahown! c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 1554 A grete dragon Wham alle that landes folk held god and thare mahon. |
† 3. A monster; a hideous creature. Obs.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 7758 There met hym þis Mawhown, þat was so mysshap, Euyn forne in his face, as he fle wold. 1598 Florio, Mamau, a machound, a bugbeare, a raw-head and bloodie bone. |
† 4. Sc. Used as a name for the devil. Also transf. as a term of execration applied to a man. Obs. (? exc. dial.).
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiii. 82 And wisshed..That disshes and dobleres bifor this ilke doctour, Were molten led in his maw and Mahoun amyddes. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xxvi. 6 Me thocht, amangis the feyndis fell, Mahoun gart cry ane dance Off schrewis. Ibid. xxvii. 3 Nixt that a turnament wes tryid, That lang befoir in hell wes cryid, In presens of Mahoun. 1578 N. Baxter Calvin on Jonah Ep. Ded. 3 In the pestilent pollicies of that Mahound Matchiavile. 1794 Burns The De'il's awa 3 The De'il cam fiddling thro' the town, And danc'd awa wi' the Exciseman; And ilka wife cry'd, ‘Auld Mahoun, We wish you luck o' your prize, man’. |
† 5. attrib. or adj. Muslim, heathen.
| 1624 Fletcher Rule a Wife iv. iii, My pagan cozen, My mighty Mahound kinsman, what quirk now? Ibid. v. v, Who's this? my Mauhound cousin? |