converten

• coverten

From Old French convertir.

converten (third-person singular simple present converteth, present participle convertende, convertynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle converted)

1. to change, transform
   • Wycliffe Bible 1 Machabeis.9.40-41:

     And thei risiden to hem fro buyschementis, and slowen hem, and many woundid fellen doun, and the residues fledden in to hil, and thei token alle the spuylis of hem; and weddyngis weren conuertid in to mourenyng, and vois of her musikis in to weilyng.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • c. 1434-1443, Eleanor M. Carus-Wilson, editor, The Overseas Trade of Bristol in the later Middle Ages‎^[1], Bristol Record Society, published 1937, page 82:

     Alice and to the sayd chyldern atte their comyng in to Englond. Notwythstondyng the said William Water and John Shypward alle yf they have bene ofte tymes required by the said suppliantz to make lyvere of thes said godes and marchandyses to hem or eny of hem they hafe refused and yet refusen and converten thes said godes and marchandises to their owen propre use and profyt to a grete anyentysment of the sayd suppliantz.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. to change one's perspective, ideology, attitude, beliefs
   • Chaucer, The Physician's Tale 212:

     Al wolde he from his purpos nat converte

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • Wycliffe Bible Ezechiel.3.20:

     Forsothe if thou tellist to the wickid man, and he is not conuertid fro his wickidnesse, and fro his wickid weie; sotheli he schal die in his wickidnesse, but thou hast delyuerid thi soule.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   1. to change religious faith
      • Chaucer, The Second Nun's Prolouge 414-419:

        But they, converted at hir wise loore, Wepten ful soore, and yaven ful credence Unto hire word, and cryden moore and moore, "Crist, Goddes Sone, withouten difference, Is verray God -- this is al oure sentence -- That hath so good a servant hym to serve

        (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   2. to turn, direct attention towards
      • c. 1483 [1859], Guillaume de Guileville, translated by William Caxton, edited by Katherine Isabella Cust, The Booke of the Pylgremage of the Sowle‎^[2], B. M. Pickering, page 25:

        Take hede now, and to thy felfe conuerte, And fee what wretchydnefle is the withynne, Er deth take oute thy lyf of thyn herte

        (please add an English translation of this quotation)

3. to change direction, turn
   • Wycliffe Bible 1 Machabeis.10.72:

     Axe thou, and lerne who Y am, and othere that ben in help to me, and whiche seien, that youre foot may not stonde ayens oure face, for thi fadris weren conuertid in to fliyt twies in to her lond.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

This entry needs an inflection-table template.

• English: convert

• “converten”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.