hething

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Middle English[edit]

Noun[edit]

hething

  1. contempt
    • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Reeve's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 4109-4110:
      ‘Allas,’ quod Iohn, ‘the day that I was born!
      Now are we drive til hething and til scorn.’
      ‘Alas,’ said John, ‘the day that I was born!
      Now are we driven to contempt and to scorn.’

Scots[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English hething, from Old Norse hæðing (a scoffing), from háðung (scorn, shame, disgrace).

Noun[edit]

hething (uncountable)

  1. (obsolete) Contempt; mockery; scorn.

References[edit]