Forms: 3–5 abbeye; 3–8 abbaye; 3 abbei; 4 abey; 4–7 abbay; 6 abba, abee, abbie, abbeie; 6–8 abby; 3– abbey. [a. OFr. abaïe, abeïe, abbaïe, abbeïe (mod. abbaye), Pr. abadia:—late L. abbādia, abbāthia, abbātia, n. of state, f. abbātem ABBOT. Abbey, abbathie, abbacy, all represent the same L. word, but English has differentiated abbacy and abbey, which are both included in L. abbatia, and Fr. abbaye.]
1. A monastery of religious persons secluded from the world, and under vows of celibacy, consisting of monks governed by an abbot, or of nuns under an abbess. The development of meaning was—a. the jurisdiction or benefice of an abbot, abbacy. b. the religious establishment or corporation. c. the monastic buildings. But these senses cannot always be separated.
1250. Layamon, III. 191. At Bangor was on abbey [1205 munuclif] ifulled with monekes. Ibid., III. 192. He hadde in soue abbayes [1205 on seuen hepen] sixtene hundred monakes.
1297. R. Glouc., 369. Þere, as þe batayle was, an abbey he let rere … Þat ys ycluped in Engelond, abbey of þe batayle.
c. 1300. St. Brandan, 263. Into meni o stede, and siththe into an Abbei.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XX. 599. The Erll of Murreff … hass gert bery The kyngis hert at the abbay of melross.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, liv. 154. In Abbey [Iosephe] was buryed ful Solempne, Whech Abbey of Glaystyngbery now men hald.
1534. Ld. Berners, Golden Boke of Marcus Aurel. [1546] C vi. If ye gyue an abbaye to a foole.
1536. Exhortacyon to the North, in Furnivall’s Ballads from MSS. Abbas to suppresse we haue lytyll nede.
1548. Hall, Chron. (1809), 729. With great triumph rode these ij Cardinalls together to the Abee.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 155. Then they fled Into this Abbey, whether we pursu’d them. Ibid. (1595), John, I. i. 48. Our Abbies and our Priories shall pay This expeditions charge.
1605. Camden, Remaines, 191. William Rufus loved wel to keep vacant Bishopriks and Abbies in his handes.
1639. Drumm. of Hawth., Consid. to Parlt., Wks. 1711, 186. That all bishops houses, concierges, abbays, and nunries, be made places to entertain souldiers.
1651. W. G., trans. Cowel’s Inst., 204. Whose Predecessors owed money, or had moneys owing to them in the name of their Abbies.
1759. Robertson, Hist. of Scot. (1817), 276. The Scottish monarchs had the sole right of nomination to vacant bishoprics and abbeys.
1772. Pennant, Tours in Scotiand, 255 (1774). All the monks of this abby.
1861. J. A. Wade, Melrose Abbey, 251. In 1566 the estates of the abbey were granted by Queen Mary to the earl of Bothwell, by whose forfeiture they again reverted to the crown.
2. Since the dissolution of the monasteries, popularly applied to the Abbey Church, as Westminster Abbey (in London, the Abbey); entering also into the names of private residences, which were formerly abbatial houses, as Battle Abbey, Newbattle Abbey.
1557. More, Richard III., 192 (1641). Entred the Abbie at the West end.
1584. Powel, Lloyd’s Cambria, 142. The toombe of Gerald Sitfylt in the Abbeie of Dore.
1624. Beaum. & Fl. (Bell’s ed.), Rule a wife, IV. i. 45. This would do rarely in an abby window to cozen pilgrims.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. IV. 265. The Abby at Westminster.
1712. Addison, Spectator, No. 329. 1. He had been reading my paper upon Westminster Abbey.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xi. All the steeples from the Abbey to the Tower, sent forth a joyous din.
1882. Daily News, 27 April, 4/7. In the presence of a large and representative gathering the remains of the late Mr. Darwin were yesterday interred in Westminster Abbey.
3. Scotl. The precincts of the Abbey of Holyrood, as a sanctuary for insolvent debtors.
1709. Fountainhall, Decisions, II. 518. If he offered to go back to the Abbey, and was enticed to stay and hindered to go.
a. 1776. Cock Laird (Herd’s Ballads, II. 36). When broken, frae care The fools are set free, When we make them lairds In the Abbey, quoth she.
4. Attrib. and Comb.; as abbey-church, abbey gate, vault, wall, window.
Also abbey-laborer, a laborer in the service of an abbey; abbey-lands, estates of an abbey; abbey man, a member of a monastery, a monk; abbey-monger; abbey-stead, a monastic settlement; the site of an abbey.
Also ABBEY-LAIRD, ABBEY-LIKE, ABBEY-LUBBER, q.v.
1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Hist. James V., Wks. 1711, 105. She was crowned queen of Scotland in the abby-church of Holyrood-house.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 165. Go some of you, knocke at the Abbey gate.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., I. v. 28. Abbey-labourers, not Abbey-lubbers, like their Successours in after-Ages.
1679. Prance, Add. Narrative, 30. To secure abbey-lands to their owners.
c. 1550. Bale, K. Iohan, 27. Thou art styll an abbeman.
1679. Prance, Add. Narrative, 30. It is almost incredible, what a Qualm … came over the Hearts of the stoutest abby-mongers in England.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, II. x. 175. It is a rich abbey-stede, and they do live upon the fat.
1845. Hirst, Poems, 43. ’Till in abbey-vault I sleep.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 265. I neuer came within these abbey wals.
