Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Swelten


Swelten (v.) - to faint, to die, to destroy, to cause to perish, to put to death.


Wondrede yeond that wald; iwundede cnihtes ouer-al. sixti hundred thar weoren; to-tredene mid horsen. beornes ther swelten; blodes at-urnen. straehten after stretes; blodie stremes.

- Layamon, fl.1200: Brut (MS Cotton Caligula) (1205)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Vitremyte


Vitremyte (n.) - woman's cap, a sort of cap made of pasteboard, which was put on the heads of witches when led to punishment.


And she that helmed was in starke stoures,
And wan by force townes stronge and toures,
Shal on hir heed now were a vitremyte;
And she that bar the ceptre ful of floures
Shal bere a distaf, hire cost for to quyte

- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Canterbury tales (1387-1394)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Monday, October 29, 2007

Tolter


Tolter (adv.) - unsteadily, totteringly.


Before his face ane apill hang also
Fast at his mouth apon a tolter threde
Quhen he gapit it rokkit to and fro
And fled as it refusit hym to fede

- Henryson, Robert: Orpheus and Eurydice (1480)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Friday, October 26, 2007

Targe


Targe (n.) - a small shield [interestingly, a small targ was a "target"].


Upon an amblere esily she sat,
Ywympled wel, and on hir heed an hat
As brood as is a bokeler or a targe;
A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large,
And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe.

- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Canterbury tales (1387-1394)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Thursday, October 25, 2007

Derf


Derf (adj.) - brave, powerful, difficult, hard.


Miles 2: So late lede hym belyve and lenge her no lenger,
To ser Pilate oure prince oure pride will we prayse.

Miles 3: Yoa, he may synge or he slepe of sorowe and angir,
For many derfe dedes he has done in his dayes.

Miles 4: Now wightly late wende on oure wayes,
Late vs trusse vs, no tyme is to tarie.

- Anonymous: The York plays (1440)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Triacle


Triacle (n.) - a remedy, healing medicine.


Loke thow suffre hym to seye, and sithen lere it after;
For thus witnesseth his word; worche thow therafter.
For Truthe telleth that love is triacle of hevene:
May no synne be on hym seene that that spice useth.

- Langland, William: The vision of Piers Plowman (1377-1379)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Eylen


Eylen (v.) - to trouble, afflict.


And whan that pertelote thus herde hym roore,
She was agast, and seyde, herte deere,
What eyleth yow, to grone in this manere?
Ye been a verray sleper; fy, for shame!
And he answerde, and seyde thus: madame,
I pray yow that ye take it nat agrief.

- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Canterbury tales (1387-1394)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Monday, October 22, 2007

Deprave


Deprave (v.) - to slander, depreciate, to distort.


Ther that meschief is gret, Mede may helpe.
And thow knowest, Conscience, I kam noght to chide,
Ne to deprave thi persone with a proud herte.
Wel thow woost, wernard, but if thow wolt gabbe,
Thow hast hanged on myn half ellevene tymes,
And also griped my gold, and gyve it where thee liked.

- Langland, William: The vision of Piers Plowman (1377-1379)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Friday, October 19, 2007

Vernage


Vernage (n.) - a strong white wine from Italy.


So that among the hetes stronge
In stede of drinke I underfonge
A thoght so swete in mi corage,
That nevere Pyment ne vernage
Was half so swete forto drinke.
For as I wolde, thanne I thinke
As thogh I were at myn above,

- Gower, John: Confessio amantis (1390-1393)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Thursday, October 18, 2007

Quyten


Quyten (v.) - to requite, repay, settle, satisfy.


Nay, quod the somonour, lat hym seye to me
What so hym list; whan it comth to me lot,
By god! I shal hym quiten every grot.
I shal hym tellen which a greet honour
It is to be a flaterynge lymytour;

- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Canterbury tales (1387-1394)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Mormal


Mormal (n.) - a cancer or gangrene, a disease of the feet and shins.


He koude rooste, and sethe, and broille, and frye,
Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye.
But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me,
That on his shyne a mormal hadde he.
For blankmanger, that made he with the beste.

- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Canterbury tales (1387-1394)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html


Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Glede


Glede (n.) - a glowing coal.


This is the werste, I dar me nat bywreyen,
And wel the hotter ben the gledes rede,
That men hem wrien with asshen pale and dede.

- Chaucer, Geoffrey: Troilus and Criseyde (1385)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Monday, October 15, 2007

Besaunt


Besaunt (n.) - a gold coin named from Byzantium.


To spoyle the spilt folke spar scholde none
Geten girdeles & ger gold & goode stones
Byes broches bryght besauntes riche
Helmes hewen of gold hamberkes manye
Kesten ded vpon ded was deil to byholde

- Anonymous: The siege of Jerusalem (1390-1400)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Friday, October 12, 2007

Prime


Prime (n.) - a copy of the handkerchief of St. Veronica (the traditional name of the woman who wiped the Saviour's face).


The water shal aslake and goon away
Aboute pryme upon the nexte day.
But robyn may nat wite of this, thy knave,
Ne eek thy mayde gille I may nat save;

- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Canterbury tales (1387-1394)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Thursday, October 11, 2007

Ramage


Ramage (adj.) - wild, (of a hawk) living in the branches.


Bot whan reson is put aside And will governeth the corage,
The faucon which that fleth ramage
And soeffreth nothing in the weie,
Wherof that he mai take his preie,
Is noght mor set upon ravine,
Than thilke man which his covine
Hath set in such a maner wise:

- Gower, John: Confessio amantis (1390-1393)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Waithing


Waithing (v.) - to hunt, fish.

Waithing (n.) - game, sport, what is taken in hunting or fishing.


And he war hungrie, outher for fauour, or feid,
Bot in his breith he weryit thame to deid.
Swa happinnit him in waithing as he went,
To meit ane foxe in middis off the way.

- Henryson, Robert: The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian (1450)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Vernicle


Vernicle (n.) - a copy of the handkerchief of St. Veronica (the traditional name of the woman who wiped the Saviour's face).


An hundred of ampulles on his hat seten,
Signes of Synay and shelles of Galice,
And many a crouch on his cloke, and keyes of Rome,
And the vernicle bifore, for men sholde knowe
And se bi hise signes whom he sought hadde.

- Langland, William: The vision of Piers Plowman (1377-1379)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Monday, October 8, 2007

Druerie


Druerie (n.) - love, affection, also the object of affection, also a jewel.


That were betre to be laft,
Among the whiche is wicchecraft,
That som men clepen Sorcerie,
Which forto winne his druerie
With many a circumstance he useth,
Ther is no point which he refuseth.

- Gower, John: Confessio amantis (1390-1393)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Friday, October 5, 2007

Whilom


Whilom (adv.) - sometimes, formerly, at times.


ffro thennes forth he rideth vp and down,
And euery thyng com hym to remembraunce
As he rood forby places of the town
In which he whilom hadde al his plesaunce.
"Lo, yonder saugh ich last my lady daunce,
And in that temple with hire eyen clere
Me kaughte first my righte lady dere.

- Chaucer, Geoffrey: Troilus and Criseyde (1385)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Thursday, October 4, 2007

Atteynt


Atteynt (v.) - convicted, affected with sorrow.


What woo that thei wroghte hym no wiyot wolde haue wende it.
His true titill thei toke thame no tome for to attende it,
But as a traitour atteynted thei toled hym and tuggid hym,
Thei schonte for no schoutis his schappe for to schende it,
Thei rasid hym on rode als full rasely thei rugged hym.

- Anonymous: The York plays (1440)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Bale


Bale (n.) - honour, dignity among men.


Than a ryche man of Rome relyede to his byerns:
"It sall repent vs full sore and we ryde forthire!
ghone are bolde bosturs at syche bale wyrkez;
It befell hym full foule at am so fyrste namede."

- Anonymous: The alliterative Morte Arthure (1440)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Rasse


Rasse (n.) - a raised mound or eminence, a cairn of stones.


Bot yet the styffest to start bi stoundez he made,
Til at the last he watz so mat he myght no more renne,
Bot in the hast that he myght he to a hole wynnez
Of a rasse bi a rokk ther rennez the boerne.

- Anonymous: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1400)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html



Monday, October 1, 2007

Menske


Menske (n.) - honour, dignity among men.


Loo lord, such arrore amange them thei haue
It is grete sorowe to see, no seeg may it sese.
It is no menske to youre manhed that mekill is of myght
To forbere such forfettis that falsely are feyned,
Such spites in especiall wolde be eschewed in your sight.

- Anonymous: The York plays (1440)


The Middle-English Word of the Day is selected from Mayhew and Skeat's
"Concise Dictionary of Middle English."
As found on Greg Lindahl's website
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/concise/concise.html

The example text was found at the Middle English Collection of the University of Virginia Library.
http://etext.virginia.edu/collections/languages/english/mideng.browse.html