Dictionary

mete en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /miːt/

Etymology

From Middle English meten, from Old English metan (“to measure, mete out, mark off, compare, estimate; pass over, traverse”), from Proto-West Germanic *metan, from Proto-Germanic *metaną (“to measure”), from Proto-Indo-European *med- (“to measure, consider”). Cognate with Scots mete (“to measure”), Saterland Frisian meete (“to measure”), West Frisian mjitte (“to measure”), Dutch meten (“to measure”), German messen (“to measure”), Swedish mäta (“to measure”), Latin modus (“limit, measure, target”), Ancient Greek μεδίμνος (medímnos, “measure, bushel”), Ancient Greek μέδεσθαι (médesthai, “care for”), Old Armenian միտ (mit, “mind”).

Meanings

1. (transitive, usually, with “out”) To dispense, measure in order to dispense, allot (especially punishment, reward etc.).
   • For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 7:2:
   • Every generation metes out substantially the same punishment to those who fall far below and those who rise high above its standards. 1929, Kirby Page, Jesus Or Christianity A Study In Contrasts, page 31:
   • the Power that fashions man Measured not out thy little span For thee to take the meting-rod In turn, 1870s Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Soothsay, lines 80-83
   • Match'd with an agèd wife, I mete and dole Unequal laws unto a savage race 1833, Alfred Tennyson, Ulysses:

Forms

Deriveds

bemete · unmeted · evenmete · metewand · mete out · meter · metely · metage · metster · meteyard

Translations (21)

pl wymierzyć (To dispense) · kmr ceza kirin (To dispense) · fi mitata (To measure) · fi jakaa (To dispense) · kmr pîvan (To measure) · pl pomierzyć (To measure) · sv mäta (To measure) · es extender (To dispense) · cs odměřit (To measure) · sv måtta (To dispense) · pl wymierzać (To dispense) · pl mierzyć (To measure) · kmr siza dan (To dispense) · la mētior (To measure) · pl zmierzyć (To measure) · cs měřit (To measure) · cs přidělit (To dispense) · es medir (To measure) · la tribuō (To dispense) · es dispensar (To dispense) · bg отмервам (To measure)

mete en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /miːt/

Etymology

From Middle English mete, from Old French mete (“boundary, boundary marker”), from Latin mēta (“post, goal, marker”). Cognate with the second element in Old English wullmod (“distaff”).

Meanings

1. A boundary or other limit; a boundary-marker; mere.

Forms

Translations (5)

la līmēs (boundary or other limit) · bg гра́ница (boundary or other limit) · la limbus (boundary or other limit) · la terminus (boundary or other limit) · bg преде́л (boundary or other limit)

mete en · ADJ · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /miːt/

Etymology

From Middle English mete, imete, from Old English mǣte, ġemǣte (“moderate, suitable”). More at meet.

Meanings

1. (alt-of, obsolete) Obsolete spelling of meet (“suitable, fitting”).
   alt of meet
   • I could not finde any man for whose name this booke was more agreable for hope [of] protection, more mete for submission to iudgement, nor more due for respect of worthynesse of your part and thankefulnesse of my husbandes and myne. 1570, Margaret Ascham, Roger Ascham, The Scholemaster, foreword:

Forms