oppresser (s.xiv1)

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oppresser (s.xiv1)

[ gdw]

[ FEW: 7,377a opprimere; Gdf: 5,609b oppresser; GdfC: 10,236a oppresser; TL: 6,1157 opresser; DEAF:  opresser; DMF:  oppresser; TLF:  oppresser; OED:  oppress v.; MED:  oppressen v.; DMLBS: 2037a oppressare /2037b opprimere ]

p.p. oppress  23207
p.p.pl. oppriçouz  (A) 366d  

The verbs oppreindre, oppresser and opprimer are entirely synonymous and derive from the same Latin verb opprimere: oppreindre and opprimer are different vernacular developments of the infinitive form, whereas oppresser is based on the past participle form oppressus.

The literal sense of the word, related to ‘to bury or submerge (under enormous mass), to crush’ (cf. DMLBS opprimere 2037b) is rare.

v.a.

1to crush, stifle
( a.1399; MS: a.1399 )  la dite roigne fuist [...] deliveré de une enfaunte male; le quel enfaunt fuist oppressé (=by overlying) par une nurysce  104.37
2to harass, trouble, burden
( c.1360-79; MS: s.xivex )  N'est verité qui puet remeindre, Dont ont oppress le pueple meindre Du maint errour superflual  23207
( s.xiv2; MS: c.1400 )  lez malurez [...] vraiment ou taunt charche dez peynes sount oppresser [sic] (M.E. but the dampnid soules schul so be thrast adoun with so gret charge of penys) q'a peine le pee purront mover  69.22
to oppress, ill-treat (by abuse of power)
( 1397 )  considerant qe sufficiant effect de comon ley ensy oppressee par dit Johan Skypwith ovesque sez aidourz  30
( 1406 )  plusours banerettes, chivalers, et esquiers [...] doignent liverees de drape, ascun a nombre de .ccc. hommes vadletz [...] en susteignance de lour extorcenouses querelles, et pur maintenance, d'ascuns contrester, oppresser les autres a lour pleiser [...]  iii 600
( 1439 )  et issint sont ils oppressez ové graunde irraisonable mesurage de lour draps  ii 312

p.p._as_a.

1harassed, troubled, burdened
( s.xiv2; MS: c.1400 )  Coer humayne, coer bosoignable, coer expert dez meschiefs, mes oppressez dez meschiefs, combien enjoyroiez si plenté de touz iceulx averoiez?  67.19
oppressed, ill-treated (by abuse of power)
( 1384 )  les comunes des dites countees grantement endamagez et oppressez par les ditz viscontz, en abreggement de lour (=sheriffs') perde en celle partie  iii 174

p.p._as_s.

1one who is harassed, troubled, burdened
( s.xiv1; MS: c.1361 )  Jhesu de Nazareth [...] qe passa en bien fesaunt et sanaunt touz les oppriçouz du deable (Latin: sanando omnes oppressos a diabolo) (var. toutz les enprentiez del diable)  (A) 366d
one who is oppressed, ill-treated (by abuse of power)
( 1397 )  ils sont de droit tenuz, a la reverence de Dieu, a destruire tiel tirant et destruour, et de restorer et recoverer tielx oppressez et desolatz a leur estat  iii 338
apresser  depresser  empresser#1  espresser  oppreindre  oppress#1  oppresse#1  oppression  oppressour  opprimer  presser  represser 
This is an AND2 Phase 4 (N-O/U-P-Q) entry. © 2013-17 The Anglo-Norman Dictionary. All rights reserved. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdom.
oppresser