† forlinev.
Obsolete.
intransitive. To degenerate.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > worse > [verb (intransitive)] > in quality or character
forworthc1000
wearc1275
spilla1300
defadec1325
pall?c1335
forlinec1374
sinka1500
degender1539
degener1545
degenerate1545
dwindle1598
degenerize1606
disflourish1640
deflourish1656
waste1669
tarnish1678
devolve1830
honeycomb1868
bastardize1878
slush1882
c1374 G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (1886) iii. pr. vi. 61 Þat they ne sholden nat owtrayen or forlynen fro the vertuus of hyr noble kynrede.
c1374 G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. iii. metr. vi Thanne nis ther no forlyned wyht but yif he norysse hys corage vn to vyces.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online September 2018).
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v.c1374