Haro

Haro (interj.) - a cry for assistance raised in Normandy by any one wronged.

Bot now syn thou has teyndid thyne,
Now will I set fyr on myne.
We! out! haro! help to blaw!
It will not bren for me, I traw;

- Anonymous: The Towneley plays (1460)

Pronunciation: /Aru/

Key
/A/ a in father
/r/ r in red
/u/ oo in boot

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

The approximate pronunciation is determined using Carol Hamill's Middle English Pronunciation Guide
and noted using upon the ASCII-IPA Standard
http://www.island.net/~hamill/medieval/mepronunc.html
http://www.kirshenbaum.net/IPA/

Avoy

Avoy (interj.) - exclamation of surprise, fear, remonstrance.

Yet of his look for feere almoost I deye;
This caused me my gronyng, doutelees.
Avoy! quod she, fy on yow, hertelees!
Allas! quod she, for, by that God above,
Now han ye lost myn herte and al my love.

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

Pronunciation: /@vOI/

Key
/@/ a in sofa
/v/ v in very
/OI/ oy in boy

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

The approximate pronunciation is determined using Carol Hamill's Middle English Pronunciation Guide
and noted using upon the ASCII-IPA Standard
http://www.island.net/~hamill/medieval/mepronunc.html
http://www.kirshenbaum.net/IPA/

Buxum

Buxum (adj.) - obedient, ready, willing, courteous.

Be it worthly wroght even at thyne awne will,
For fadir, att thi bidding am I buxum and bayne.
Now wightely agayne will I wende
Vnto my discipilis so dere.

- Anonymous: The York plays (1440)

Pronunciation: /buksum/

Key
/b/ b in boy
/u/ oo in boot
/k/ k in kin
/s/ s in hiss
/m/ m in make

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

The approximate pronunciation is determined using Carol Hamill's Middle English Pronunciation Guide
and noted using upon the ASCII-IPA Standard
http://www.island.net/~hamill/medieval/mepronunc.html
http://www.kirshenbaum.net/IPA/

Roode

Roode (n.) - the cross, gallows.

Ac hadde I maistrie and myght - God woot my wille!
And whan I come to the kirk and sholde knele to the Roode
And preye for the peple as the preest techeth

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

Pronunciation: /roUd@/

Key
/r/ r in red
/oU/ o in note
/d/ d in dog
/@/ a in sofa

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

The approximate pronunciation is determined using Carol Hamill's Middle English Pronunciation Guide
and noted using upon the ASCII-IPA Standard
http://www.island.net/~hamill/medieval/mepronunc.html
http://www.kirshenbaum.net/IPA/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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