English

Proper noun

Mensk

1. (dated) Alternative form of Minsk

English

Alternative forms

• menske, mennesc, menniske

Adjective

mensk ‎(comparative more mensk, superlative most mensk)

1. (obsolete) Honourable. [14th-15th c.]

Noun

mensk ‎(uncountable)

1. (now rare, archaic) Dignity, honour. [from 13th c.]
   • 2015, LT Wolf, The World King (fiction), ISBN 978-1-312-37454-6:

     … it’s not about mensk as they say it is, but it is truly about some twisted, dumb, and unmanly pride.

Verb

mensk ‎(third-person singular simple present mensks, present participle mensking, simple past and past participle mensked)

1. (obsolete) To honour, dignify. [13th-16th c.]
   • c. 1385, William Langland, Piers Plowman, III:

     Ȝit I may as I myȝte · menske þe with ȝiftes / And mayntene þi manhode · more þan þow knoweste.

Related terms

• mense
• mensch

Middle English

Alternative forms

• menske

Etymology

From Old Norse menskr ‎(“human”), from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz ‎(“human”). Cognate with Old English mennisc ‎(“human”). More at mennish.

Adjective

mensk

1. honorable, praiseworthy; beautiful; human

   More mensk it is manliche to deie þan for to fle couwarli — William of Palerne, 1375

Noun

mensk (plural mensken)

1. honor, repute; kindness, dignity, humanity; beauty, fairness

   Ase feole siðen as þu ouerkimest him, ase feole crunen, þet is to seggen, ase feole mensken of misliche murhðen. — Ancrene Wisse, c1230

   (but as many times as you overcome him, as many crowns, that is to say, so many honors of various joys.)

   Amid te menske of þi neb, þet is, þe fehereste deal … — Ancrene Wisse, c1230

   (Amid the beauty of thy face, that is, the fairest part …)

   To saue ᵹour mensk, I wol ᵹow telle tiᵹtly what turn sche as wrouᵹt. — William of Palerne, 1375

Verb

mensk (third-person singular simple present mensketh, present participle menskende, simple past and past participle mensked)

1. to honor, glorify, worship

   It sall ger hir be ful fain / To mensk oure goddes with al hir main. — Northern Homily Cycle, 1425

Related terms

• menskful

References

• mensk in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• Middle English Dictionary