Obs. Forms: 1 upstiʓan, 3–4 vpstiyhe, 5 up-stiȝe, vpsty; 3–4 vpsteghe, vpstei, 4 upstey, 4–5 vpstey. [OE. upstíʓan (UP- 4), = WFris. opstige, MDu. opstigen (Du. opstijgen), OHG. ûfstîgan (G. aufsteigen), ON. uppstíga (MSw. up-, opstigha, Sw. uppstiga, Da. opstige).] intr. To rise or mount up; to ascend.
a. 900. Cynewulf, Crist, 464. Ærþon upstiʓe ancenned sunu.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., John i. 51. ʓe ʓeseoð … Godes englas upstiʓende & nyþer-stiʓende ofer mannes sunu.
c. 1300. E. E. Psalter ciii. 9. Vpsteghes hilles, and feldes doun gas.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 203. How he [sc. Christ] vprais, how he vpstey, Many man on stad and sey.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xxxii. 26. Leeue me, forsothe now vpsteyeth the morewetide.
c. 1400. Love, Bonavent. Mirr., iii. (Gibbs & Sherard MSS.). Þe syght of hier sone myghtyly to heuene upstyynge.
Hence † Upstying vbl. sb. Obs.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter ciii. 3. [He] Þat settes þin vpsteghing kloude [v.r. upstiying þine þe kloude].
a. 1325. Prose Psalter lxxxviii. 18. Our vp-steiȝeing ys of our Lord.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 86. After good constellacioun of þe mone, & his remuynge fro nusant sterrys, and his prosperyte of his vpstiyng.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, I. 152. Yn þys vpsteyng þat ys callet þe assencyon.
