† milcefuladj.
Obsolete.
Merciful, gracious.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > compassion > [adjective] > merciful
mild-hearteOE
orefulOE
mild-hearteda1200
merciablec1225
milcefulc1225
mildfulc1225
mildheartfulc1225
milthc1300
merciful1340
milfulc1425
sparingc1480
clement1483
misericordious1483
misericordc1485
undispiteous1598
misericorsa1600
remissful1603
clementious1632
c1225 (?c1200) St. Juliana (Bodl.) 47 Ȝe beoð cristene men..merciable & milzfule.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 26 Milcefule Lauerd.
a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Titus) (1963) 91 Milcefule lauerd.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 8966 (MED) Hou miȝte of an quene be a more milsfol dede?
c1390 Castle of Love (Vernon) (1967) 543 (MED) Þou art, fader, so milsful kyng.
a1400 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 232 Wend toward vs þin milzful eȝe.
Derivatives
milcefulness n. rare
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > compassion > [noun] > mercy
milceeOE
mildheartnesseOE
oreOE
mildheartlaikc1175
mercya1225
misericordc1230
pitya1250
gracec1300
mildheadc1300
milcefulnessa1333
pietya1350
tree of mercyc1375
miserationa1382
mildc1390
piteousnessa1393
miltha1400
milthnessa1400
blithec1400
mercifulnessc1429
misericordy1479
mildfulness1489
clemence1490
clemency1553
pardon1555
pitifulness1555
milk of human kindnessa1616
mussy1823
mild-heartedness1849
a1333 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 16 Þe mylde sped in rithfolnesse To sunfole men sheu milsfolnesse.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
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adj.c1225