ormæte

Old English

Alternative forms

  • ormete, ormēte

Etymology

From or- (without) +‎ mǣte (average, moderate, mean). Akin to Old English metan (to measure).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈorˌmæː.te/

Adjective

ormǣte

  1. huge, excessive, enormous, extravagant, limitless, boundless
    • c. 1000, Ælfric of Eynsham (tr.), Hexameron of St. Basil:
      Hwæt ðā God ġeworhte ðurh his wunderlīċan mihte eall nytencynn on heora cynrynum, and ðā wildan dēor ðe on wudum eardiað, and eall ðæt fīðerfōte byð of ðǣre foresǣdan eorðan, and eall wyrmcynn ðā ðe crēopende bēoð, and ðā rēðan lēon, ðe hēr on lande ne bēoð, and ðā swiftan tigres, and ðā syllican pardes, and ðā eġeslīċan beran, and ðā ormǣtan ylpas.
      Then, through his wonderful might, God created all the kinds of animals according to their kinds, and the wild animals that dwell in the woods, and all the four-footed creatures of the aforementioned earth, and all the kinds of creeping reptiles, and the savage lions, which do not live here, and the swift tigers, and the marvelous leopards, and the fearful bears, and the huge elephants.
    • Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church
      ...ðā ðā hǣðenan āhēowon þæt trēow mid ormǣtre blisse, þæt hit brastliende sāh tō ðām hālgan were, hetelīċe swīðe. Þā worhte hē onġēan ðām hrēosendum trēowe þǣs Hǣlendes rōde tācn, and hit ðǣrrihte ætstōd, wende ðā onġēan, and hrēas underbæc, and fornēan offēoll ðā ðe hit ǣr forcurfon.
      Then the heathens cut down the tree with great joy, so that, rustling, it fell towards the holy man very violently. Then he made the sign of the Savior's cross to the falling tree, and it immediately stood still, turned around, and fell backwards, and almost fell upon those who had previously cut it.
  2. intense

Declension

Adverb

ormǣte

  1. immensely, excessively