morn
(mɔːn)
Forms: 1 morᵹen, marᵹen, mer(i)ᵹen, merien (also in oblique forms morᵹn-, morn-, marn-), 2 marȝan, moreȝen, 2–3 marȝen, 3 mærȝen, marhen, mor(e)ghen, 2–4 morȝen, (4 moryhen); 3 marwen, morwhen, 3–5 morwen, 4 morewen, 5 morewane, morwyn, morwoun, morwynge; 3–5 morun, 4 moroun, 4–5 moren, 5 moron, moryn; 4–7 morne, 3– morn. See also morrow.
[Com. Teut.: the OE. forms represent three distinct types, each of which is represented in one or more of the other Teut. langs. (1) OE. morᵹen (inflected also morᵹn-, morn-) = OFris. *morgen, morn, OS. morgan (MLG., MDu., Du. morgen), OHG. morgan (MHG., mod.G. morgen):—OTeut. *murgano-z, represented also, with variation of suffix, by ON. morgunn, -onn (Sw. morgon, Da. morgen). (2) OE. myrᵹen- (in the comb. myrᵹenlic) = ON. myrginn, Goth. maurgin-s:—OTeut. *murgino-z. (3) OE. marᵹen, męrᵹen = MDu. margen, mergen, ON. merginn (OSw. marghan):—OTeut. *margano-z, -ino-z. The word in all forms retains the masculine gender.
The affinities outside Teut. are doubtful. Some refer the word to the pre-Teut. root *merk- to be dark; but the absence of consonant-ablaut, as well as the inappropriateness of the sense, seems to render this view less probable than the alternative hypothesis that the root is *mergh-, represented by Lith. mirgu to twinkle, margas parti-coloured.
The present monosyllabic form descends, partly at least, from the OE. contraction in oblique cases, morne, mornes for morᵹ(e)ne, morᵹ(e)nes. (The same contraction existed in ON.) But it may also in part represent the result of a process of contraction starting from ME. morwen, the intermediate forms being morun, moren, etc.
The ME. forms that retain the final n are for convenience placed here, though many of them might with equal propriety be referred to morrow. In MSS. it is often doubtful whether the word is morn or moru = ‘morrow’.]
1. The beginning of the day, dawn, sunrise. Only poet.: often personified.
| Beowulf 1077 Syþðan morᵹen com. Ibid. 2103 Merᵹen. c 1400 Destr. Troy 9141 Hit semyt by sight of sitters aboute, As the moron mylde meltid aboue, When ho hasted with hond þe hore for to touche. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxliv. 298 The morne aroos, the day gan spryng. 1592 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 454 Like a red morne, that euer yet betokend Wracke to the sea-man, tempest to the field. 1637 Milton Lycidas 187 While the still morn went out with Sandals gray. 1792 Wordsw. Descr. Sk. 405 'Tis morn: with gold the verdant mountain glows. 1830 Tennyson Ode to Memory 70 What time the amber morn Forth gushes from beneath a low-hung cloud. 1852 M. Arnold Parting 86 Thy high mountain platforms, Where Morn first appears. |
| fig. 1813 Shelley Q. Mab ix. 38 Yet slow and gradual dawned the morn of love. 1852 M. Arnold Empedocles i. ii. 167 The first faint morn Of life. |
b. The east; ‘the land of dawn’.
| 1642 H. More Poems (1647) 31 A trimly decked Close Whose grassie pavement wrought with even line Ran from the Morn upon the Evening-close. 189. Baring-Gould Hymn, ‘On the Resurrection morning’ iii, For a while the wearied body Lies with feet toward the morn. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad iii, And you will list the bugle That blows in lands of morn. |
c. northern morn (
poet. nonce-use): the aurora borealis (
cf. morning 4 b).
| 1842 Tennyson Morte d'Arthur 139 The great brand..Shot like a streamer of the northern morn. |
2. The early part of the day; morning. Now chiefly
poet.| Beowulf 2450 Symble bið ᵹemyndᵹad morna ᵹehwylce eoforan ellorsið. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xx. 1 Ar in merne [Vulg. primo mane]. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 115 Wa þere þeode..þer þa aldormen etað on erne marȝen ulaȝeliche [Eccl. x. 16]. c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 33 On good-man was þat ferst uut-yede bi þe Moreghen for to here werkmen in-to his winyarde. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 493 Myryly on a fayr morn, monyth þe fyrst. 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 4 In morun atte messe. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xv. 164 For sume of hem, worschipe the Sonne,..or the first thing that thei meeten at morwen. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. iii. 1 About vj. houris at morne. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. iv. ii. 1 Deere trouble not your selfe: the morne is cold. 1629 Milton Christ's Nativ. i, This is the Month, and this the happy morn Wherein [etc.]. 1750 Gray Elegy xxviii, One morn I miss'd him on the custom'd hill. 1859 Tennyson Marr. Geraint 157 But Guinevere lay late into the morn. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad iv, Morns abed and daylight slumber Were not meant for man alive. |
| fig. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, iv. iv. 16 Say that right for right Hath dim'd your Infant morne, to Aged night. 1602 ― Ham. i. iii. 41 And in the Morne and liquid dew of Youth, Contagious blastments are most imminent. |
b. In phrases, as
at († on) morn and (at, † on) even (also eve and morn), etc.;
morn by morn, morning after morning, occurring every morning;
from morn to (or till) night, etc., all day long;
† good morn, a salutation (see further
good a. 10 c).
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter liv. 18 On efenne on marne & on midne deᵹ. a 1300 Cursor M. 6385 It come at morn and euening. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1208 ‘God moroun, sir Gawayn’, sayde þat fayr lady. a 1400–50 Alexander 4769 Fra morewane to þe mydday merely þai spring. c 1450 Holland Howlat 195 At euyn and at morn. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 660 He would fight, yea From morne till night. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 742 From Morn To Noon he fell, from Noon to dewy Eve, A Summer's day. 1781 Cowper Truth 509 Herself, from morn to night, from night to morn, Her own abhorrence. 1816 J. Wilson City of Plague ii. iii. 48 A morn and even, And through the dismal day, that fierce aspect Glared on the city. 1827 Keble Chr. Y., Even. viii, Abide with me from morn till eve. 1847 Tennyson Princess vii. 30 Morn by morn the lark Shot up and shrill'd in flickering gyres. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad vi, Buy them, buy them: eve and morn Lovers' ills are all to sell. |
3. The next morning. Hence, the day after to-day or the day mentioned;
= morrow 2.
[
Com. Teut.:
cf. Goth. du maurgina, G.
morgen, etc.]
† a. Without article. Chiefly with
prep. as
on morn or
upon morn.
Obs. exc. in
to-morn dial. (See also
a-morrow 2.)
| Beowulf 2484 Þa ic on morᵹne ᵹefræᵹn mæᵹ oðerne billes ecgum on bonan stælan. c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives iii. 584 Se læce him cwæð to . Ne lyfastu oð æfen . þa cwæð basilius. hwæt ᵹif ic bide meriᵹenes. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1161 Abraham up on morȝen stod. a 1300 Cursor M. 3345 On morn wit godds beniscon Was mai rebecca lede o ton. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 7104 Þai war on morne to durham boun. |
† b. other morn (
Sc.): the next day but one.
| 1572 tr. Buchanan's Detect. Mary Q. Scot. T ij b, He hes prayit me to remane vpoun hym quhill vther morne. |
c. the morn: the morrow. Now only
Sc. and
north. dial.| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 79 A þe marȝen [the good Samaritan] bitahte him twa peneȝes to spenen on him. a 1300 Cursor M. 2917 Abraham went him, on þe morn, To þat sted. c 1300 Havelok 811 On þe morwen, hwan it was day, He stirt up sone. a 1440 Sir Degrev. 1337 Sire Degrivaunt on the morwoun Com aȝe to the thorun. 1485 Caxton Paris & V. (1868) 42 Tyl on the morne at nyght. 1508 Dunbar Poems v. 18 Scho slepit quhill the morne at none, et rais airly. 1544 in Tytler Hist. Scot. (1864) II. 401 My lord Governor tuke to be advised while the morne at even. 1887 P. M'Neill Blawearie 133 Mother's away for the morn's meat. 1888 Barrie Auld Licht Idylls viii. 171 Ay, Bell, the morn's the Sabbath. |
d. the morn: used
advb. (
orig. in the
accus.)
= to-morrow, on the morrow. Now only
Sc.| a 1300 Cursor M. 11532 Þe morun quen þai risen ware,..þai tok þair leue. 1340 Ayenb. 46 Þane morȝen huanne he zet ate gemene: his arowe vil ope þet cheker al blody. 1461 Rolls of Parlt. V. 476/2 And the morne, the xvi day of Decembre, my Lord Chaunceller opened..the matiers above-seid. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 299 Cum the morne to the Court and do my counsall. 1569 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 669 To tak jornay the morne the aucht day of this instant. 1621 Gude & Godlie Ball. App. i. (S.T.S.) 234 This day thow was ane King with Croun, The morne cummis deith withouttin dreid. 1788 Burns ‘There was a lass’ ii, But Duncan swoor a haly aith That Meg should be a bride the morn. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxiii, He wad be glad if I wad eat a reisted haddock..at breakfast wi' him the morn. 1869 C. Gibbon R. Gray iv, I'll see how ye're getting on the morn or neist day. |
† e. More explicitly,
the morn after.
Obs.| 14.. Gregory's Chron. in Hist. Coll. Citizen London (Camden) 110 The kyng sende hem worde yf they wolde delivery the towne on the morne aftyr, be the oure of mydnyght..he wolde accepte hyt [etc.]. Ibid. 112 Onne the morne aftyr Syn Symonnys day and Jude. 1483 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 253/2 From the afore written morne next after Seint Hillarie day. 1560–1 Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot. i. (1621) 2 The Assembly appointed, the laird of Dunn..to conveen the morn after the preaching. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 55 The morne thairefter the gentillmen war honourabillie burieit in the kirk yaird. |
f. the morn's morn(ing, night, etc.
= to-morrow morning, night, etc. Also used
advb. Sc.| 1816 Scott Antiq. xi, Till the morn's morning. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie lx, Your Leddyship's brother..will be here betimes the morn's morning. 1889 Barrie Window in Thrums xx. 193 Jamie, I'll no hae ye to sit aside me the morn's nicht. |
4. attrib. and
Comb. a. In the sense of ‘morning’, as
morn-devotion,
morn-dew,
morn-drink,
morn-light,
morn milk,
morn-prayer,
morn rising,
morn sleep,
morn-song;
† morn-bell, a bell rung as a call to matins or to early mass;
† morn-mass = morrow-mass;
† morn-priest, the priest celebrating early mass; also similative, instrumental, and objective, with
adjs. and
pples., as
morn-bright,
† morn-dawning,
morn-like,
morn-loved,
morn-waking.
| 1568–9 in Fabric Rolls York Minster (Surtees) 115 To Nicholas Richerdson for a rope to the *morne bell, 3s. |
| 1642 H. More Song of Soul iii. iii. xlv, She sees his blazing *morn⁓bright eye. |
| 1645 Rutherford Tryal & Tri. Faith (1845) 269 A glimmering of *morn-dawning light. |
| 1600 Fairfax Tasso i. xv, Godfrey..then his *morne deuotions sed. |
| 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iii. xii. 9 The *Morne-dew on the Mertle leafe. |
| a 1440 Sir Eglam. 381 Hys *morne-drynke he had tane. |
| Beowulf 917 Ða wæs *morᵹenleoht scofen and scynded. c 1205 Lay. 17946 Þat we i þan morȝen-liht mæȝen come forð riht forn at Meneue. |
| 1593 Nashe Christ's T. 71 b, Your *morne-like christall countenaunces shall be netted ouer. |
| 1606 Drayton Eglog. ii. Poems D 2, The *morn-lou'd Mary⁓gould. |
| 1511 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scotl. IV. 180 For offerand to tua *morne missis and at the hie miss. |
| a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. ix. 36 Whittore then the *moren mylk. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 358 An Anlaas and a gipser al of silk Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne Milk. |
| 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. ii. iv. 71 If that be sin, Ile make it my *Morne-praier, To haue it added to the faults of mine, And nothing of your answere. |
| 1466 in Archæologia L. i. 44 Item j nothir Riddyll be hynde the *morne preste in the quere. |
| 1601 Holland Pliny I. 13 [Mercurie hath] the *morne rising in Aquarius, but very seldome in Leo. |
| a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. Wks. 1846 I. 175 And tharefore qwyetness, after the reullis of phisick, and a *morne sleap was requisite for My Lord. |
| 1601 Deacon & Walker Spirits & Divels 339 His Euen-song and *Morne-song, they are one and the same. |
| 1593 Lodge Phillis (1875) 21 And Phillis hath *morne-waking birdes, Hir risinges for to honour. |
† b. In the sense of ‘to-morrow’, as
morn-day,
morn-while.
Obs.| 971 Blickl. Hom. 213 Godes man ne sceolde be þan morᵹendæᵹe þencean, þylæs þæt wære þæt [etc.]. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xl. (Ninian) 462 Þai.. bad þare til þe morne-day. a 1450 Cursor M. 5993 (Fairf.), Moises prayed þe morne day & alle þe fleys ware a-way. |