a. (sb.) Obs. Forms: 1 ʓeap, (ʓep), 3 ȝeap, ȝæp, ȝiap, ȝiep, 3–5 ȝep, (4 ȝhepe, ȝeep, yeepe, 6 epe), 4–5 ȝepe, yepe. See also YAP a. [OE. ʓéap open, wide, spacious, curved, crooked, vaulted, crafty, astute; repr. OTeut. root gaup-, and prob. related to ON. gaupn hollow made by both hands held together, hollow of the foot, two-hands-ful, etc. (cf. geypna to encompass): see GOWPEN and YEPSEN.]
1. Cunning, crafty, sly, wily.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. iii. 1. Seo næddre wæs ʓeappre þonne ealle þa oðre nytenu.
c. 1000. Life St. Neot, in Cockayne, Shrine (1864), 14. An fox þe is ʓeapest ealra deora.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 280. Þe ȝeape wrastlare nimeð ȝeme hwat turn his fere ne cunne nout, þet he mid wrastleð. Ibid., 362. Þeos ȝeape children þet habbeð riche uederes,… tetereð hore cloðes forto habben neowe.
2. Prudent, wise, sagacious, shrewd, astute.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., III. 184. Cild acenned wis, milde, ʓeap, ʓesæliʓ.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 193. Beð ȝiepe, and warre, and wakieð.
c. 1205. Lay., 7581. Julius Cesar He wes ȝep and swuðe i-wær.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5370. A wis man es þi sun ioseph, In al egypti es nan sa yepe [MS. Gött. ȝep].
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 3812. That we sende oure Messager, Wise and ȝepe.
c. 1485. Digby Myst., IV. 724. Iohn, your cosyn, most virtuus & ȝepe.
3. Active, nimble, brisk, alert; bold, daring.
c. 1205. Lay., 21503. Cheorles ful ȝepe Mid clubben swiðe græte.
13[?]. Guy Warw. (A.), 3983. Gij to aseylen þai wer ȝep.
13[?]. Sir Beues (A.), 88. Maseger, be ȝep and snel.
13[?]. Gosp. Nicod. (A.), 1796. Þai lay in droupand drede And non so ȝhepe a worde to ȝelle.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 17. Þow art ȝonge and ȝepe and hast ȝeres ynowe, Forto lyue longe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 11265. Þai kepyn the cloyse of this clene burgh, With ȝep men at þe yatis ȝarkit full þik.
c. 1515. Scottish Field, 491 (Chetham Misc. II.). And of Yorkshire a yong knight, that epe was of deedes.
B. absol. as sb.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 66. Kumeð þe coue [MS. T. cumes te ȝeape] anonriht & reueð hire hire eiren.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 796. For aungels hit wern, & þat þe ȝep vnder-ȝede þat in þe ȝate syttez.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 13231. With-in a yere … þat yepe was with child.
Hence † Yephede [-HEAD], † Yepleȝȝc [-LAIK]. † Yepship [-SHIP], cunning; astuteness, sagacity.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Josh. ix. 16. Eall heora ʓeapscipe wearð ameldod Israhela bearnum.
c. 1200. Ormin, 2523. Ȝho wass, wiss to fulle soþ, All full … Off soþ clænleȝȝc, off god ȝæpleȝȝc.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 193. Þe apostel … muneȝeð us to þrie þinges, On is ȝiepshipe, þat oðer is wakienge, þe þridde is bede. Ibid., 195. He notede þe naddre ȝiapshipe.
c. 1205. Lay., 2760. Heo færden mid ȝeapscipe & mid wisdome.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 683 (Jesus MS.). Þanne erest cumeþ his yephede Hwenne hit is alremest on drede.
