maynful

Middle English

Alternative forms

• mainful, manfull, meinful, meinfule

Etymology

From mayn +‎ -ful.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmæi̯nful/

Adjective

maynful

1. Potent, effective, tough; having much power.
   • c. 1200, Þe Liflade ant te Passiun of Seinte Margarete:

     Ah leve ȝe, Ich reade oƿ, o þe liviende Godd, mihti ant meinful ant euch godes ful, þe hereð þeo þe Him cleopieð to, ant heovene-ȝetes openeð!

     But believe, you, I advise you, in the living God, mighty and powerful and full of all good, who hears all who call to him, and the gates of heaven will open!

2. (rare) Shining, light; having much brightness.
   • c. 1375, the "Pearl Poet", Perle, lines 1093–1094:

     Ryȝt as þe maynful mone con rys / Er þenne þe day-glem dryue al doun

     Right as the shining moon is rising / Just as the day's gleam drives all down

Descendants

• English: mainful

References

• “mainful, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-08-11.