Obs. Forms: 1 ʓieme, ʓyme, 2–5 ȝeme, 3–5 yeme, 4 yem, ȝeeme, 5 yeeme, eme. [OE. ʓíeme fem. (also ʓíemen), f. OTeut. gaum-: see next. Cf. OS. gôma fem., attention, entertaining, feast, banquet, OHG. gouma (MHG. goume) fem., observation, feasting, opulence, ON. gaumr masc., gaum fem., (care see GOME2).] Care, heed, attention. In yeme, in one’s care, in charge.
c. 893. Ælfred, Oros., III. xix. 134. Hie þæs wealles nane ʓieman ne dydon. Ibid. (c. 897), Gregory’s Past. C., v. 44. Ʒif we ðonne habbað swæ micle sorʓe & swæ micle ʓieman urra nihstena swæ swæ ure selfra.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 117. He is iset to þon þet he scal ouerscawian mid his ȝeme þa lewedan.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 344. Wiðuten ȝeme of heorte.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7015 (Cott.). Tene yeir had he þe folk in yeme [other MSS. to ȝeme].
b. In ME. almost always in phr. to nim or take yeme: to take note, notice, observe; to give heed, attend; to heed, care; to take heed, take care, be careful (corresponding to various senses of YEME v.).
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 19. Nimað ȝeme nu … hwilche ȝife he us ȝefeð. Ibid., 75. Numeð nu ȝeme þerto, and ic ou wile seggen word efter word.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 77. Þe heuenliche leche seinte poul nimeð ȝeme of ure saule sicnesse.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 78. Nimeð ȝeme hu wel he seið.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 649. We nimeþ ȝeme of manne bure An after þan we makeþ ure.
c. 1290. Beket, 1942, in S. Eng. Leg., 162. Holi churche … Þat geth al-mest nouþe to grounde bote god nime ȝeme þar-to.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 17536. For goddes luue tas yeme Quat yee sai.
13[?]. K. Alis., 7415 (Linc. Inn MS.). Pors gan abak renne And nom þiderward ȝeme And loked toward heore crye.
1340. Ayenb., 54. Nim yeme of þe guodes þet þou dest oþer miȝt do.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. VII. 14. Þe Neodi and þe Nakede nym ȝeeme hou þei liggen.
1421. Hoccleve, Lerne to Dye, 521. They … list take no yeeme Vn-to the ende which mighte hem profyte.
1426. Audelay, Poems, 12. He that sayth he lovys his Lord, on hym take good eme.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 7085. Had she kept furth hir way, He wold of hir haue take no yeme.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 582. Ȝit biddes he to þaim take ȝeme.
