a. Forms: α. 3–5 cortes, -eis, -eys, 4 -ays(e, (-ez, superl. corteyst); β. 3–5 curtais, (4 -aiss, -us), 4–6 -aise, ays(e, -as, -es, -eis(e, -eys(e, (5 -ase, -ace, -is, superl. curtast, 6 curteiz, -ese, -ess, -yse, -uus, currteyse); γ. 4–6 courteis, -eys(e, 5–7 -es; δ. 5–6 curt-, courtois, -oys(e, (5 -oyus); ε. 6 curteous(e, -ious, corteous, 6–7 courtious, 6– courteous. [a. OF. corteis, curteis (later cortois, courtois) = Sp. cortés, It. cortese, deriv. of corte, curt, court, COURT + Romanic suffix -ese (-es, -eis), repr. L. -ensis: the corresponding L. type being *cohortensis, cōrtēsis. In Eng. the typical form from 14th c. is court-, after later F. (whence also Caxton’s courtois); by confusion of suffixes, -eous has been substituted for -eis from the 16th c.]
1. Having such manners as befit the court of a prince; having the bearing of a courtly gentleman in intercourse with others; graciously polite and respectful of the position and feelings of others; kind and complaisant in conduct to others.
c. 1275. xi Pains of Hell, 389, in O. E. Misc., 155. Hug is his rihte nome And he is curteys and hendy.
a. 1330. Roland & V., 18. A knight ful curtays.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1298. Comly mayde of kynges kende, þe corteyst þat i knowe.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 99. His sone a yong Squier, Curteis he was, lowely, and seruysable.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VI. x. The curteyst knyghte … and mekest vnto all ladyes and gentylwymmen.
1483. Cath. Angl., 87. Curtas, curialis.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, i. 38. A good man, sage, curtois & valyaunt.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, II. 803. A swete faire gentilwoman, curtes and comly.
1526. Tindale, 1 Cor. xiii. 4. Love suffreth longe, and is corteous.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lxii. 214. The lady … was ryght sage and courtoys.
1563. Homilies, II. Matrimony (1859), 508. If thou lovest him only because he is gentle and curtess.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., III. i. 167. Be kinde and curteous to this Gentleman.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Goodness (Arb.), 209. Gracious, and Curteous to Strangers.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., IV. ii. § 28. King Henry the fourth … though curteous, was not servial to the Pope.
1720. De Foe, Capt. Singleton, iii. 49. We found the natives always very free and courteous.
1859. Tennyson, Lancelot & Elaine, 554. With smiling face arose … a Prince … Gawain, surnamed The Courteous.
† b. Const. of. Obs.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. IV. 17. Curteis of speche.
1575. Laneham, Lett. (1871), 19. Curteiz of behauiour.
1624. Heywood, Gunaik., IV. 182. Our English women are more curtious of their bodies than bloodie of their mindes.
† c. Of superiors: Gracious. Obs. (or absorbed in the general sense.)
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 54/21. An Eorl þare was in poile þat was corteys and hende.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 11973 (Trin.). Ihesus þat was so curteise.
c. 1360. Deo Gratias, 41, in E. E. P. (1862), 129. Almyhti corteis crouned kyng, God graunt vs grace to rule vs so.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 190. Pite maketh a king curteise Both in his worde and in his dede.
c. 1430. Hymns Virg. (1867), 57. Oure curteis crist, oure king riale.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 149/1. Fayr brother, god is more curtoys than ye be.
1578. Ps. cvi. in Gude & Godlie Ballates (1878), 100. Courtes and kynde till all men is the Lord.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXI. vi. 172. A lady … excelling a number, and yet in so high an estate right curteous.
1813. Scott, Triermain, I. i. Courteous as monarch the morn he is crown’d.
† d. Of inferiors: Politely respectful or deferential. Obs. (or absorbed in the general sense.)
c. 1450. Bk. Curtasye, 163, in Babees Bk. (1868), 305. Be curtayse to god, and knele doun On bothe knees with grete deuocioun.
e. As a formula of address; orig. to superiors = Gracious, gentle, benign. arch.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 433. ‘Cortayse quen’ þenne s[a]yde þat gaye.
c. 1440. York Myst., xvii. 313. Nowe curtayse kynges, to me take tent.
1598. Marston, Sco. Villanie, X. H iij b. Say (Curteous sir) speakes he not movingly.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., V. ii. 185. Haue with you Prince: my curteous Lord adew.
1660. Barrow, Euclid, Pref. 1. If you are desirous, Courteous Reader [etc.].
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 1. Courteous Companions, sometime since, to tell you my Dream … was pleasant to me, and profitable to you.
† f. absol. (Cf. fair, gentle, etc.) Obs.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2411. Comaundez me to þat cortays, your comlych fere.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 78. It maketh curteis of the vilain.
2. transf. Of personal qualities, words, actions, etc. † Courteous prison (F. prison courtoise, It. prigione cortese): honorable imprisonment (obs.).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2256 (Cott.). Bot dryghtin dere þat ai es hend A curtais wrak on þam he send.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 512. Cortays wordez.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, III. vi. H v. Hit is sayd in a comyn prouerbe curtoyse langage & wel saying is moche worth and coste lytyl.
1509. Fisher, Fun. Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. (1876), 29. Full curtayse answere she wolde make to all that came vnto her.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. lxi. [lxiv.] 205. He was set in a courtoyse pryson, so that he coulde not departe when he wolde.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 287. Taken … and … committed into Curtoyse prison in the Tower.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. vi. 31. When her curteous deeds he did compare.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., V. iv. 75. This is call’d the retort courteous.
1872. E. Peacock, Mabel Heron, II. ii. 25. A kind and courteous letter.
1883. G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, I. 50. In her most courteous tones.
† b. Of things personified. Obs.
1575. Gascoigne, Pr. Pleas. Kenilw. Some courteous winde come blowe me happy now.
1580. Sidney, etc. Ps. cxlviii. Ambitious mountaines, curteous hills.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., V. i. 179. Thankes, courteous vvall.
