Piers Ploughman (Wright)/Glossary
GLOSSARY.
- [The figures in the following Glossary refer to the page of the text. Words preceded by a †, occur only in the Creed. A.S. and A.N. distinguish the two different languages of which our own is composed, Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman.]
A.
a, prefixed to verbs of Anglo-Saxon origin, has sometimes a negative, sometimes an intensative power: before nouns and adjectives it represents on and at, as, a-brood, a-fore (æt-foran), a-rowe (i. e. on a row), a-loft (i. e. on high), &c. In words of Anglo-Norman origin, it answers to the prepositions, a, ab, ad, of the original Latin words
a (A.N.) 355, ah! (an interjection)
abidynge (A.S.) 413, patient
abiggen (A.S.) 35, 127, abien, 58, abugge, 122, abye, 164, abyen, 393, to make amends for, to atone for. pret. s. aboughte, 168, 190, 231, 268. part. past, abought, 392
abite (A.S.) 331, to bite, nip
a-blende (A.S.) 377, a-blynden, to blinde, dazzle. pret. s. a-blente, 388
abosten (A.N.) 126, to assault
abouten, aboute (A.S.) about
a-brood (A.S.) abroad
ac (A.S.) but, and
a-cale (A.S.) 393, cold. It occurs in the Romance of the Seven Sages (Weber, p. 59):
That night he sat wel sore a-kale,
And his wif lai warme a-bedde.
accidie (A.N.) 99, sloth, a fit of slothfulness
acombren (A.N.) to embarrass, bring into trouble
acorden (A.N.) to agree, accord
acorse, acursen (A.S.) 375, to curse. acorsed, 375, accursed
acoupen (A.N.) 272, to blame, accuse. (for acoulpen)
a-drad (A.S.) 397, afraid
a-drenchen (A.S.) 198, to drown
afaiten, 291, affaiten 81, 119, (A.N.) to tame
a-feren (A.S.) 395, 435, to frighten, drive away. a-fered, 376, afraid, terrified
affraynen (A.S.) 347, to ask, question, interrogate
afore (A.S.) before
aforthe (A.S.) 129 is unclear], to afford
afrounte (A.N.) to encounter, attack, accost rudely. pret. s. afrounted, 425
a-fyngred (A.S.) 133, 176, 283, 403, a-hungered, hungry
a-furst (A.S.) 176, 283, a-thirst, thirsty. The two forms, a-fyngred and a-furst, appear to be characteristic of the dialect of the counties which lay on the Welsh border. They occur once or twice in MS. Harl. 2253, which, in my Specimens of Lyric Poetry, I have shown to have been written in Herefordshire. They also occur in several other manuscripts which may probably be traced to that part of England. In the Romance of Horn, in the MS. just mentioned, we have the lines:—
Horn set at grounde,
Him thohte he wes y-bounde,
He seide, Quene, so hende,
To me hydeward thou wende.
Thou shench us with the vurste,
The beggares bueth a-furste.
i. e. the beggars are thirsty. Whitaker gives a very remarkable translation of a-furst and a-fyngred, i. e. frost-bitten, and with aching fingers. Ritson has no less inaccurately explained a-furste in the Romance of Horn, by at first: the Cambridge MS. of this Romance, earlier and better than the MS. Harl., reads:—
Thu gef us with the furste,
The beggeres beoth of thurste.
ayein (A.S.) again, in return for. ayeins, against, towards
a-gulte (A.S.) 273, 313, 318, 365, to fail in duty towards any one, offend, sin against
aiels (A.N.) 314, forefathers
†aisliche (A.S.) 471, fearfully. The Anglo-Saxon egeslice
aken (A.S.) to ache. pret. pl. oke, 359
al (A.S.) all. pl. alle, gen. pl. alre, aller. oure aller fader, 342, the father of us all. your aller heed, 424, head of you all
a-leggen (A.N.) 207, to allege
a-liry (A.S.) 124, across, cross-legged
alkenamye (A.N.) 186, alchemy
allowen (A.N.) 294, to allow, approve
a-loft (A.S.) 378, on high
almarie (A.N.) 288, a cupboard
almesse (A.S.) alms
a-lough, a-logh (A.S.) 241, 242, below
†aloute (A.S.) 495, to salute
als (A.S.) also
a-maistren, a-maistryen (A.N.) to overcome, be master of
amenden (A.N.) to make amends for
amercy (A.N.) to amerce
amortisen (A.N.) 314, to amortize, to give property in mortmain
ampulle (A.N.) 109, a small vessel containing holy water or oil
an (A.S.) 2, on
ancres (A.S.) 3, 308, anachorites, monks who live in solitude. It is applied to nuns, in the early English Rule of Nuns. See Reliquiæ Antiquæ, vol. ii, p. 1
and (A.S.) the conjunction, is frequently used in the sense of if. and men crye, 362, if men cry
aniente (A.N.) 365, to destroy, annihilate, reduce to nothing
anoon (A.S.) anon
anoy (A.N.) annoyance
†anuel (A.N.) 475, an annuity: a yearly salary paid to a priest for keeping an anniversary
apayen (A.N.) 123, to satisfy, to please
apeiren (A.N.) 80, 111, 125, 127, 141, to lessen, diminish, impair
apertli (A.N.) openly
appenden, apenden (A.N.) 17, to belong, appertain to
apposen (A.N.) 18, 43, 252, 318, to raise questions, to object
arate (A.S.) 208, 283, to rate, scold, correct (the A.S. aretan?)
arayen (A.N.) to array
arere (A.N.) backwards, back
arwe, pl. arewes (A.S.) 438, an arrow
arst (A.S.) 287, first, erst
ascapen (A.N.) to escape
askes (A.S.) ashes
asondry (A.S.) 358, separated
aspare (A.N.) 303, to spare
aspien (A.N.) to espy. part. s. aspied, 350
assaien, assaie (A.N.) 334, 336, to assay, try
assetz (A.N.) 362, assets sufficient to pay the debts or legacies of a testator. A law term
assoille (A.N.) 57, 188, 407, 419, to assoil, absolve, to explain or solve
astronomien (Lat.) an astronomer
a-thynken (A.S.) 374, to repent
attachen (A.N.) 40, to attach, indict
atte (A.S.) at the. atte nale, 124, at the ale, a corruption of the Saxon, æt þan ale
attre (A.S.) 243, poison, venom
a-tweyne (A.S.) in two
aught (A.S.) something, anything, everything
auncer (A.N.) 90, a small vessel or cup. In Low-Latin it is called anceria. See Ducange, s. v., who quotes from a charter of the date of 1320 the words, Una cum cuppis, anceriis, tonis, et aliis utensilibus
auntren (A.N.) to venture, adventure, pret. s. auntrede, 382, auntred, 435
auter, pl. auteres (A.N.) altar
avarouser (A.N.) more avaricious
aventrous (A.N.) 370, adventurers, adventurous persons
aventure (A.N.) an adventure, an accident. an aventure, 47, by adventure, by chance
avoutrye (A.N.) adultery
avowen (A.N.) to make a vow
avowes (A.N.) vows, promises
awaiten (A.N.) 346, to watch, wait. a-wayte, 193, to see or discover by watching
awaken (A.S.) to awake. pret. s. awaked, 396, awakned, 424, a-wook, 147, part. past, awaked, 425
awreken (A.S.) to avenge, revenge. part. pas. a-wroke, 129
†awyrien (A.S.) 490, to curse, execrate
axen (A.S.) 71, to ask. pret. s. asked, 81
ay (A.S.) ever, always
B.
bakstere (A.S.) 14, 47, a woman who bakes
bale (A.S.) 70, 209, 381, 371 (?), evil, mischief, punishment
†bale (A.S.) 490, a bon-fire (rogus)
baleisen (A.N.) 87, to beat with a rod
balled (A.S.) 436, bald. balled reson, 176, a bald reason, a bare argument
ballok-knyf (A.S.) 302, a knife hung from the girdle
bannen, banne (A.N.) 18, 143, 167, 310, to ban, curse, banish. pret. s. banned, 173
banyer (A.N.) 321, a banner-bearer, standard-bearer
barn (A.S.) 353, a child
baselarde (A.N.) 61, 302, a kind of large dagger, carried in the girdle
batauntliche (A.N.) 286, hastily. Cotgrave gives the Fr. phrase, il arriva tout batant, he came very hastily
baude (A.S.) a bawd
baudy (A.N.) 88, dirty, applied to garments. Thus in Chaucer, Cant. T. l 16102:—
His overest sloppe it is not worth a mite
As in effect to him, so mote I go.
It is al baudy and to-tore also.
baw (A.S.) 210, 419, an interjection of contempt. Whitaker says that the word is still used in Lancashire, and that "the verb means alvum levare"
bayard (A.N.) 72, a term for a horse. It means properly a bay horse
beau-peere (A.N.) 383, a common title for a monk. "Beau-pere, titre que l'on donnoit aux religieux." Roquef.
beche (A.S.) a beech-tree
bede, pl. bedes (A.S.) prayer. Our modern word beads is derived from this word, because it was by such articles, hung on a cord, that our forefathers reckoned the number of their prayers
bedeman (A.S.) 45, a person who prays for another
†been (A.S.) 493, bees
beigh (A.S.) pl. beighes, rings, bracelets, collars
bekene (A.S.) 363, a beacon
†beldyng (A.S.) 483, building. belded, 483, built
†bellyche (A.N.) 461, fairly
bel-sire (A.N.) 168, grandfather, or rather, an ancestor
belwe (A.S.) 222, to bellow
ben (A.S.) to be. pres. pl. arn, aren or ben, we beth, 391, ye aren, 301, they arn, 375. subj. sing. weere, 15, 19, 417, pl. were. what she were, 19
bene (A.S.) a bean, †pl. benen (A.S.) 495, beans
†beneson (A.N.) 489, blessing
†beouten (A.S.) 489, without
beren, bere (A.S.) to bear. pr. s. he berth, 341. pret. s. bere, 54, bar, 28, 109, pl. baren, 98. part. pas. born, y-bore, 377
bergh (A.S.) 112, a hill, mount
bern (A.S.) 416, a barn
best, beest, pl. beestes (A.N.) a beast, animal
bet (A.S.) 389, better
bete (A.S.) 375, to beat. pret. s. bette, 184, 436. part. pas. y-bet
bete (A.S.) 131, to amend, heal, abate. that myghtt not bete my bale (Sir Amadas, l. 46), that might not amend my misfortune. bete his nede (Rom. of Alexand. l. 5065, in Weber), to satisfy his need
bettre (A.S.) better
bi- or be- is a very common prefix to words in our language derived from the Anglo-Saxon, and has chiefly an intensative power, although it modifies the meaning in various degrees. Many verbs are no longer known, except in this compound form. Thus we have:—
- bi-dravelen (A.S.) 88, to slobber or slaver on anything
- bi-fallen (A.S.) to befal, happen. pr. sing. bifel
- bi-yete (A.S.) begetting, offspring
- bi-ginnen (A.S.) to begin. pret. s. bi-gonne, 106
- bi-heste (A.S.) 50, a behest, command
- bi-hest (A.S.) 432, a promise
- bi-holden (A.S.) to behold. pr. sing. biheeld
- †bi-hirnen (A.S.) 488 (?)
- bi-hoten (A.S.) to promise. pres. s. bi-hote, 104. pret. s. bi-highte, 81, 345, 389. bi-hote God, 133, an exclamation
- bi-knowen (A.S.) 13, 45, to know, recognize, acknowledge. pret. s. bi-knewe, 404, part. past, bi-knowe, 370
- bi-love (A.S.) 184, false love (?)
- bi-loven (A.S.) 130, to make friends (?)
- by-menen (A.S.) to signify. pret. s. by-mente, 370
- by-nymen (A.S.) to take from. part. past, by-nomen, 62
- bi-quasshen (A.S.) 384, to crush to pieces
- bi-reve (A.S.) 132, to take from, bereave
- bi-rewe (A.S.) 242, to rue
- bi-seken, bi-sechen, 18 (A.S.) to beseech. pret. bi-soughte. part. pas. bi-sought
- bi-semen (A.S.) to appear
- bi-seggen (A.S.) to reproach, insult. part. past, bi-seye, 437
- bi-sherewen (A.S.) 75, to curse
- †be-slomered, 476, bedaubed
- bi-snewed (A.S.) 301, snowed over, covered with snow
- bi-speren (A.S.) 303, to lock up
- bi-tiden (A.S.) to happen to, betide
- bi-wicchen (A.S.) 405, to bewitch
bicche (A.N.) 98, a bitch
bidden, bidde (A.S.) to pray, to ask, beg, to require, to order. pres. s. he bit, 308, 188. pret. s. bidde, bad, pl. beden, 372, 404. part. act. biddynge. (if he) bede, 157
bidder (A.S.) pl. bidderes, an asker, petitioner
biden (A.S.) 387, 428, to bide, wait. part. past, boden
bienfait (A.N.) a benefit
bi-girdle (A.S.) 156, a bag to hang at the girdle, a purse
bi-hynde (A.S.) behind
bikere (A.S.) 429, to skirmish, fight
†bild (A.S.) 460, a building
bile (A.S.) a bill
bynden (A.S.) to bind. pret. s. bond, 352. part. pas. bounden
bisie (A.S.) busy
bismere, bismare (A.S.) 82, 413, infamy, reproach, disgrace
biten, bite (A.S.) 446, to bite, urge. pres. s. bitit, 225. pret. s. boot, 82
byte (A.S.) 381, a morsel, bit
bi-time (A.S.) betimes
bittre (A.S.) 393, bitterly
bi-yonde (A.S.) beyond: when used indefinitely it signifies beyond sea, ultra mare
blancmanger (A.N.) 252, a made dish for the table. Receipts for cooking it are given in most of the early tracts on cookery
bleden (A.S.) to bleed. pret. s. bledde, 402, 415
blenche (A.S.) 112, to draw back
blende (A.S.) 181, to blind. blent, blinded
†blenying (A.S.) 468, blistering
bleren (A.S.) to blear, to make a person's sight dim, impose upon him. bler-eighed, 367, blear-eyed
blisse (A.S.) joy, happiness
blisful (A.S.) joyful, full of happiness, blessed
blody (A.S.) 129, 213, by blood, of or in blood
bloo (A.S.) blue
blosmen (A.S.) to blossom. pret. blosmede
blowen (A.S.) to blow. pret. s. blewe, blew. part. past, y-blowe, 360
blustren (A.N. ?) 108, to wander or stray along without any particular aim
bochier (A.N.) a butcher
†bode ( ) 493 (?)
bolden (A.S.) to encourage, embolden
bole (A.S.) a bull
bolk (A.S.) 100, a belching
bollen, bolne (A.S.) to swell. pres. s. bolneth, 84
book, pl. bokes (A.S.) a book
boold (A.S.) 373, bold
boon (A.S.) a bone
boor (A.S.) a boar
boot (A.S.) a boat
boote (A.S.) 70, 139, 189, 209, 233, 266, help, reparation, amendment, restoration, remedy
bootne (A.S.) to restore, remedy. part. pas. bootned, 128
boot-les (A.S.) 369, without boots
borde (A.S.) table. Hence the modern use of the word board when we speak of "board and lodging"
bord-lees (A.S.) 239, without table
borgh, 70, 143, 181, 346. borugh, 426, 439, pl. borwes, 19 (A.S.) a pledge, surety. s. in obj. case, borwe, 285
borwen (A.S.) 71, to give security, or a pledge to release a person or thing, to bail, to borrow. pret. s. borwed
bosarde (A.N.) 189, a worthless or useless fellow. It is properly the name of a worthless species of hawk, which is unfit for sporting; and is thus used in Chaucer's version of the Romance of the Rose, l. 4033:—
This have I herde ofte in saying,
That man ne maie for no daunting
Make a sperhawke of a bosarde.
The original is,—
Ce oï dire en reprovier,
Que l'en ne puet fere espervier
En nule guise d'ung busart.
bosten (A.S.) to boast. part. past, y-bosted, 351
bote-lees (A.S.) 381, without remedy
botenen (A.N.) to button. †part. past, y-botend, 468, buttoned
bothe (A.S.) both. The genitive, botheres, of both, occurs. hir botheres myghtes, 340, the might of both of them. hir botheres right, 371, the right of each of them.
botrasen (A.N.) 113, to make buttresses to a building
bouchen (A.N.) 5, to stop people's mouths (?)
bouken (A.S.) 274, 306, to buck (clothes)
bour (A.S.) a bower, chamber
bourde (A.S.) a game, joke
bourdynge (A.N.) 297, jesting
bourn, g. bournes (A.S.) a stream or river
bowe (A.S.) 112, a bough, branch
bown (A.S.) 37, ready
boy (A.S.) 6 (?)
boye (A.S.) 214, a lad servant
breden (A.S.) to breed. pret. pl. bredden
brede (A.S.) breadth
breed (A.S.) bread
breeth (A.S.) 388, breath
breken (A.S.) to break, tear. pret. s. brak, 388. part. pas. y-broken, broke, y-broke, 416
breme (A.S.) 241, vigorous, fierce, furious. Chaucer, C. T. l. 1701, speaking of Arcite and Palamon, says they—"foughten breme, as it were bolles two," fought as fiercely as two bulls. In the Romance of Sir Amadas (Weber, p. 250) a person is described as coming "lyke a breme bare," like a fierce boar. It appears to be most commonly applied to animals. In the Towneley Mysteries, p. 197, Anna says to Cayphas, "Be not to breme," be not too fierce
brennen, brenne (A.S.) 360, to burn. pret. s. brende, 367. part. pas. brent
bresten (A.S.) to burst, pret. s. brast, 127
brevet (A.N.) 5, a little brief or letter
brewestere (A.S.) 14, 47, a woman who brews
brid, pl. briddes (A.S.) a bird
bringen (A.S.) to bring. pret. s. broughte, broghte. part. past, y-brought, broght, 235
brocage (A.N.) 33, 289, a treaty by a broker or agent. It is particularly applied to treaties of marriage, brought about in this way. In Chaucer's Romance of the Rose, l. 6971, Fals Semblant says,—
I entremete me of brocages.
I maken pece, and mariages.
So in the Miller's Tale (C.T. 3375), it is said of Absolon,
He woweth hire by mene and by brocage,
And swor he wolde ben hir owne page.
That is, he wooed her by the agency of another person, whom he employed to persuade her to agree to his wishes.
broches (A.N.) brooches, jewels.
broches, 362, matches (?)
brocour (A.N.) 31, 32, 45, 84, a seller, broker, maker of bargains
broke (A.S.) a brook
brok, pl. brokkes (A.S.) 119, an animal of the badger kind
brol (A.S.) 55, 494, 495, a child, brat. Reliquiæ Antiquæ, ii, 177:—
Whan hi commith to the world, hi doth ham silf sum gode,
Al bot the wrech brol that is of Adamis blode.
brood (A.S.) broad
brotel (A.S.) 153, weak, brittle, unsteady
†brothels (A.S.) 496, wretches, men of bad life. In the Coventry Mysteries (Ed. Halliwell, p. 308), the term is applied to the damned who suffer punishment in hell:—
In bras and in bronston the brethellys be brent,
That wene in this werd my wyl for to werke.
In another play in the same collection, p. 217, it is applied to the woman taken in adultery:—
Com forthe, thou bysmare and brothel bolde.
brouke (A.S.) 209, to enjoy, use, to brook
brugg, pl. brugges (A.S.) a bridge
bruneste (A.S.) brownest
buggen, bugge (A.S.) 412, to buy. pres. pl. biggen. pret. boughte. part. act. buggynge, 410
bummen (A.S. ?) 90, to taste (?)
burde (A.S.) 44, 404, a maiden, damsel, lady
burdoun (A.N.) 108, a staff
burel (A.N.) a kind of coarse brown woollen cloth. burel clerkes, 191. Tyrwhit (Glos. to Chaucer) thinks this means lay clerks. In the Canterbury Tales, l. 7453, the friar says:—
And more we se of Goddis secré thinges,
Than borel folk, although that thay ben kinges,
We lyve in povert and in abstinence,
And borel folk in riches and dispence.
The hoste says (l. 15440)—
Religioun hath take up al the corn
Of tredyng, and we burel men ben schrympes.
Borel folk and borel men evidently mean laymen
burgage (A.N.) 48, lands or tenements in towns, held by a particular tenure
burgeise (A.S.) burgess, inhabitant of a borough
burghe (A.S.) 135, burgh, town
burghe (A.S.) castrated, applied to a hog. burghe swyn, 34, a barrow hog
burjonen (A.N.) 299, to bud, or spring
burn (A.S.) pl. burnes, a man. buyrn, 341, 346
†burwgh (A.S.) 458, a castle, palace, or large edifice
busk, pl. buskes (A.S.) 223, a bush
busken (A.S.) 44, 167, to busk, go, to array, prepare
buxom (A.S.) obedient. buxomnesse, obedience
C. K.
caas (A.N.) case
cacchen (A.S.) 236, to catch, take. part. past, caught, 361
cachepol (A.S.) 372, 373, a catchpole
kaiser, kayser (A.S.) 404, an emperor
cammoke (A.S.) 414, a weed more commonly known by the name of rest-harrow (anonis)
kan (A.S.) can
capul, caple (A.N.) 354, pl. caples, 415, 416, a horse (said to be derived from the Low-Latin caballus)
caractes (A.N.) 233, characters
cardiacle (Gr.) 266, 430, a disease affecting the heart
careful (A.S.) pl. carefulle, 403, full of care
carien (A.S.) to carry
caroyne, careyne (A.N.) carrion, flesh, a corpse
carpen (A.N.) 356, 400, to talk, chat, tell. part. pas. y-carped, 313
†cary (A.N. ?) 475, a kind of coarse cloth
casten (A.S.) to cast
catel (A.N.) 70, 78, 175, 437, goods, property, treasure, possessions
cauken (A.S. ?) 223, 241, a technical term, applied to birds at their time of breeding. It is found in the St. Albans Book of Hawking, 1496, sign. A. i.; "And in the tyme of their (the hawks') love, they calle, and not cauke."
kaurymaury, 81, care, trouble?
†cautel (A.N.) 469, a cunning trick
kaylewey ( .) 334 (?)
kemben (A.S.) 174, to comb
kene (A.S.) sharp, earnest
kennen, kenne (A.S.) 355, 396, 410, to teach, pres pl. konne, 3. imperat. kenne (teach), 20. pret. kenned, 67, 241, kennede, 409
kepen, kepe (A.S.) to keep, to abstain, 60. pret. pl. kepten, 235, 404. have kepe this man, 352, have this man to keep
kernelen (A.N.) 113, to embattle a building, build the battlements
kerse (A.S.) 174, cress
kerven (A.S.) to carve. †part. past, y-corven, 460
kerver, 184, a sculptor
cesse (A.N.) 375, to end, cease
kevere (A.N.) 445, to recover
kex (A.S.) 361, the dried stalk of hemlock
chace (A.N.) 351, to race, to go fast
chaffare (A.S.) 131, 292, 301, 305, 338, to deal, traffic, trade
chaffare (A.S.) 3, 31, 85, 268, 305, merchandise
chalangen (A.N.) to challenge, claim. chalangynge, 82. chalanged, 87
chapitle (A.N.) a chapter
†chaple (A.N.) 485, a chapel
chapman (A.S.) a merchant, buyer
†chapolories (A.N.) 483, chapelaries
†charthous (A.N.) 490, Carthusians
chastilet (A.N.) a little castle
chatre (A.N.) 287, to chatter
chauncelrie (A.N.) chancery
cheke (A.S.) 68, the cheek, maugree hire chekes, 68. We have in Chaucer, maugré thin eyen, maugré hire hed, &c. See Tyrwhit's Gloss, v. Maugre. One of these instances is exactly analogous to the passage of Piers Ploughman (C. T. l. 6467):—
And happed, al alone as sche was born,
He saugh a mayde walkyng him by-forn,
Of which mayden anoon maugré hir heed,
By verray fors byraft hir maydenhed.
cheker (A.N.) the exchequer
chepen (A.S.) 296, to buy
chepyng (A.S.) 68, 135, market, sale
cherl (A.S.) 210, pl. cherles, 337, 375, a serf, peasant, churl
†cherlich (A.N.) 485, richly, sumptuously
chervelle (A.S.) 134, chervil, a plant which was eaten as a pot-herb (cerefolium)
chese (A.S.) 296, to choose
cheeste, cheste (A.S.) 33, 169, 253, dissension, strife, debate
cheve (A.N.) 375, to compass a thing, to succeed, or bring to an end, to obtain, adopt. pres. s. cheveth, 287. pret. pl. cheveden, 3, chewe, 381, 439. lat hem chewe as thei chosen, let them take as they choose
chewen (A.N.) 26, 490, to eschewe
chibolle (A.N.) 134, a kind of leek, called in French ciboule
chicke, pl. chicknes, 67 (A.S.) a chicken
chevysaunce (A.N.) 92, 426, an agreement for borrowing money
chiden (A.S.) to chide
child (A.S.) a child. gen. pl. childrene, 72
chymenee (A.N.) 179, a fire-place
chirie-tyme, 86, cherry-time
chyvelen (A.S. ?) 88, to become shrivelled
†chol (A.S.) 464, the jowl
kidde, see couthen
kirk (A.S.) a church
kirtel (A.S.) a kirtle, frock
kissen (A.S.) 395, to kiss. pret. s. kiste, 394
kith, kyth (A.S.) 55, 324, 400, relationship, family connection. to kith and to kyn, 268, to family connection and kindred
kitone (A.N.) kitten, young cat
clawe (A.S.) 274, to brush, to stroke
clene (A.S.) pure, clean. clenner, 410, purer. clennesse, purity, cleanness
clepen, clepe (A.S.) to call. pret. cleped, 436. part. pas. cleped, 174
clergie (A.N.) science, clergy
clerk (A.N.) pl. clerkes, gen. pl. clerkene, 72, a scholar
cler-matyn (A.N.) 135, a kind of fine bread
cleven (A.S.) to split, cleave (intransitive). pret. s. cleef, 373
cleymen (A.N.) 389, to claim. pret. s. cleymede, 430
cliket (A.N.) 114, a kind of latch key. cliketten, 114, to fasten with a cliket. Tyrwhit explains the word simply as meaning a key—but in Piers Ploughman it is put so in immediate apposition with the word key, that it must have differed from it. In Chaucer, C. T. 9990, et seq. it appears to be the key of a garden gate:—
This freissche May, that I spake of so yore,
In warm wex hath emprynted the cliket
That January bar of the smale wiket,
By which into his gardyn ofte he went;
And Damyan, that knew al hir entent,
The cliket counterfeted prively.
In a document of the date 1416, quoted by Ducange, v. Cliquetus, it is ordered that, Refectorarius semper teneat hostium refectorii clausum cum cliqueto
clyngen (A.S.) 276, to shrink, wither, pine. Reliq. Antiquæ, vol. ii, p. 210:—
When eld me wol aweld, mi wele is awai;
Eld wol keld, and cling so the clai.
clippe (A.S.) 359, 394, to embrace, enfold
clips (A.N. ?) 377, an eclipse
clyven (A.S.) 367, to cleave, stick to
clokken (A.N.) 45, to limp or hobble, to walk lamely
clomsen (A.N.) 276, to shrink or contract. A verb used often in the Wycliffite Bible. In Prompt. Parv. aclomsid.
clooth (A.S.) cloth
clouch (A.S.) pl. clouches, a clutch
clouten (A.S.) to patch, mend. part. past, y-clouted, 120
clucche (A.S.) 359, to clutch, hold
knappe (A.S.) 133, a knop, a button
knave (A.S.) 14, 66, a servant lad
†knoppede (A.S.) 476, full of knobs
knowelichen (A.S.) to acknowledge. pret. s. kneweliched, 239, 407. part. act. knowelichynge, 400
knowes (A.S.) 98, knees
knowen, knowe (A.S.) 408, to know, pres. pl. knowen. pret. s. knew, 232. pl. knewen, 237. part. pas. knowen, knowe
coffe (A.S. ?) 120, a cuff
†cofrene (A.N.) 455, to put in a coffer
coghen (A.S.) 367, to cough
coke (A.S.) a cook
cokeney (A.N.) 134, some kind of meager food, probably a young or small cock, which had little flesh on its bones. This meaning of the word (which has been misunderstood) may be gathered from a comparison of the passage in Piers Ploughman with one in the "Turnament of Tottenham," where the writer intended to satirize the poorness of the fare:—
At that fest were thei servyd in a rich aray,
Every fyve and fyve had a cokeney.
Heywood, in his Proverbs, part i, chap. xi, gives a proverb in which the word is evidently used in the same sense, and appears to be intentionally contrasted with a fat hen:—
—Men say,
He that comth every daie shall have a cocknaie,
He that comth now and then, shall have a fat hen;
But I gat not so muche in comyng seelde when,
As a goode hens fether or a poore egshell.
I think that cokenay in Chaucer is the same word, used metaphorically to signify a person without worth or courage (C. T. 4205):—
And when this jape is tald another day,
I sal be hald a daf, a cokenay.
coker (A.S.) 120, a short stocking, or glove, a sheath
coket (A.N.) 135, a kind of fine bread
cokewold (A.N.) 75, a cuckold
cole (A.N.) 134, cabbage
coler (A.N.) a collar
collen (A.N.) 203, to embrace, put one's arms round a person's neck, in French, accoller
colomy (A. .) 267 (?)
colvere (A.S.) 319, a dove, pigeon
come (A.S.) 416, to come. pres. s. he comth, 18, 332. pret. s. cam, kam, coom, 168, com, 400. pl. comen, 438, come, 235, 237, 430, coome, 416, coomen, 438. subj., til he coome, 328, er thei coome, 353
comsen (A.N.) 23, 24, 49, 77, 81, 119, 136, 152, 244, 372, to begin, commence, to endeavour. pret. s. comsede, 402, 403. comsynge, 382
comunes (A.N.) 80, 420, commons, allowance of provision
confus (A.N.) confused
congeyen, congeien (A.N.) 258, to give leave, dismiss
congie (A.N.) 258, leave
konne (A.S.) 401, 408, 437, to learn, know. pres. s. kan. pret. kouthe, 411, koude. subj. in case that thow konne, 424, and thou konne, 397, if thou know. pret. act. konnyng, 206, knowing
konnynge (A.S.) 409, knowledge, science, cunning
contenaunce (A.N.) 2, 203, appearance, gesture, carriage
contrarien (A.N.) 367, to go against, vex, oppose
contree (A.N.) a country
contreve (A.N.) to contrive. contreved, contrived
conying (A.N. ?) a rabbit
copen (A.N.) 51, to cover with a cope, like a friar
coppe (A.N.) 44, 191, a cup, basin
coroune (A.N.) a crown
corounen (A.N.) to crown. part. p. y-corouned
cors (A.N.) 295, the body
corsaint (A.N.) 109, a relique, the body of a saint
corsen (A.S.) 305, to curse
corsede (A.S.) cursed. corseder, 421, more cursed, worse
cost (A.N.) 33, 151, 376, a side, region
costen (A.N.) to cost. pret. s. costed, 13. part. pas. costned, 13
cote (A.S.) 152, a cottage, cot
coten (A.N.) 51, to dress in a coat
†cotinge (A.S.) 468, cutting
coupable (A.N.) 366, guilty, culpable
coupen (A.N.) to cut out, fashion (?) part. past, y-couped, 370
courben (A.N.) 19, 28, to bend, stoop
courtepy (A.N.) 82, 128, a short cloak of coarse cloth
couthen (A.S.) 87, to make known, discover, publish. pret. kidde, 103, 269
†couuen (A.S.) 473, perhaps an error in the old printed text for connen
coveiten (A.N.) to covet
covent (A.N.) 428, a convent
coveren (A.N.) 238, to recover
cracchen (A.S.) 211, 322, to scratch
crafte (A.S.) craft, art. crafty-men, 121, artisans
creaunt (A.N.) 239, believing
crepen (A.S.) to creep. pret. s. crope, pl. cropen
cryen (A.N.) to cry. pret. s. cried, cryde, 374, pl. cryden, cride
croft (A.S.) a small inclosed field, a croft
crokke (A.S.) 412, a pot, pitcher, vessel of earthenware
†crom-bolle (A.S.) 476, a crum-bowl
crop (A.S.) 332, 334, the head or top of a tree or plant; hence the expression "root and crop," still in use
cropiers (A.N.) the housings on the horse's back
croppen (A.S.) 319, to eat (said of a bird), to put into its crop or craw
crouche (A.N.) 109, a cross. Hence is derived the name of the Crutched Friars
†crouken (A.S.) 495, to bend
†crucchen (A.S.) 495, to crouch
cruddes (A.S.) curds
cruwel (A.N.) 269, cruel
ku, pl. kyen (A.S.) 125, a cow
kulle (A.S.) 344, kille, 434, to kill. pret. s. kilde, 431. part. past, kulled, 339. to kulle, 338
culorum (Lat.) 60, 198, the conclusion or moral of a tale
cultour (A.S.) 123, kultour, 61, a culter, blade
cuppe-mele (A.S.) 90, cup by cup
kutte, 79 (A.S.) to cut. imperat. kut, 75. pret. pl. kitten, 128
kynde (A.S.) nature, race, kind
kynde (A.S.) natural. kyndeliche, 382, naturally
kyng (A.S.) pl. kynges. gen. pl. kyngene, 21, 400, a king
kyng-ryche (A.S.) a kingdom
kyn, gen. s. kynnes (A.S.) 40, kin, kind. This word is used in the genitive case in such phrases as the following: of foure kynnes thynges, 151, of four kinds of things. othere kynnes men, 177, other kinds of men. none kynnes riche, 213, no kind of rich men, or rich men of no kind. many kynnes maneres, 359, many sorts of manners. any kynnes catel, 400, any kind of property
D.
daffe (A.S.) a fool
daggen (A.S.) 433, to dag, to cut the edges of the garment in jagged ornaments, as was the custom at this period
daren (A.S.) to dare. pres. pl. dar, 10, 280. pret. s. and pl. dorste, 11, 42, 253, 393
dawe (A.S.) 380, dawn. pret. s. dawed, 395
dawnten (A.N.) 319, to tame,—also, to daunt, to fear
decourren (A.N.) 285, to discover, lay open, narrate
dedeynous (A.N.) 156, disdainful
deed (A.S.) dead
deen (A.N.) a dean
dees (A.N.) dice
deef (A.S.) pl. deve, 403, deaf
defende (A.N.) 47, 485, to forbid, prohibit
defien, defyen, defie (A.N. ?) 84, 100, 141, 298, to digest
defyen (A.N.) to defy. pret. s. defyed, 429
degised (A.N.) 2, disguised
deyen (A.S.) to die. pret. s. deide, 214. to dye, 352
deyntee (A.N.) 205, dainty, niceness, preciousness
deys, dees (A.N.) 139, 250, the dais, or high table in the hall
deitee (A.N.) deity, godhead
del, deel (A.S.) part, portion. tithe deel, 323, tenth part
delen, dele, deelen (A.S.) 47, 175, 218, share, distribute, give, deal. pres. ye deele, 144
deliten (A.N.) to delight, take pleasure
delitable (A.N.) delightful, pleasant
delven (A.S.) 417, to dig, bury. pret. pl. dolven, 128. part. pas. dolven, 128, 293
delvere (A.S.) a digger, delver
demen (A.S.) to judge. pret. demede
dene (A.S.) 373, din, noise
dene (A.N.) a dean
departable (A.N.) 355, divisible
depper (A.S.) 307, deeper
dere (A.S.) 140, 349, 370, to injure, hurt
derely (A.S.) 396, expensively, richly
dereworthe (A.S.) precious, honourable
derk (A.S.) dark
destruyen, destruye (A.N.) 361, to destroy. pret. s. destruyed, 340
dette (A.N.) pl. dettes, a debt
devoir (A.N.) duty
devors (A.N.) 433, divorce
dya (A.N.) 435, dyachylon
diapenidion, 84, an electuary
dido (A. .) 256, a trifle, a trick
dighte (A.S.) 134, to fit out, make, dispose, dress. pret. s. dighte, 396
†digne (A.N.) 472, worthy
digneliche (A.N.) worthily, deservedly
dyk, 417 (A.S.) dych, a ditch
dikere, dykere (A.S.) 96, a ditch or foss digger, ditcher
dymes (A.N.) 326, tithes
dymme (A.S.) 388, dark. adv. dymme, 184, darkly
dymmen (A.S.) 98, to become dim or dark
dyngen (A.S.) 62, 125, 193, 295, to strike, ding, knock
dynt (A.S.) 370, a blow, knock
disalowed (A.N.) 281, disallowed, disapproved. disalowyng, 282, disapproving
discryven (A.N.) to describe
disour (A.N.) a player at dice
disour (A.N.) 120, a teller of tales
dyssheres (A.S.) 96, a female who makes dishes
†distrie (A.N.) 478, to destroy
doel (A.N.) 100, 124, 368, grief, lamentation
doughtier (A.S.) 83, more doughty, more to be feared. doghtiest, 403, bravest. doghtiliche, 371, doughtily, bravely
dole (A.S.) 47, a share, portion. Another form of del.
donet (A.N.) 89, grammar, elements, first principles, from Donatus. See note on l. 7944
domesman (A.S.) 414, a judge
dongeon (A.N.) a fort, the chief tower of a castle
doom, dome (A.S.) pl. domes, judgment
doon (A.S.) to do. pres. sing. dooth, pl. doon, don. pret. s. dide, pl. diden, 278, 392, dide, 389. part. pas. doon, do. imperat. pl. dooth, 152. to doone, 226, 263
dore-tree (A.S.) a door post
†dortour (A.N.) 463, a dormitory
doted (A.S.) foolish, simple
doughtres (A.S.) daughters
doute (A.N.) fear, doubt
dowen (A.N.) to endow. pret. dowed, 325, endowed
dowve (A.S.) 319, a dove
draf (A.S.) 173, 419, dregs, dirt. Things thrown away as unfit for man's food, particularly the dust and husks of corn after it has been threshed. Chaucer's Parson (C. T. l. 17329) says:—
Why schuld I sowen draf out of my fest,
Whan I may sowe whete, if that me lest?
†drane (A.S.) 493, a drone
drawen (A.S.) to draw. pret. s. drough, 89, 98. drogh, 280, 437. drow, 376, pl. drowen, 222. part. pas. drawe, 175
†drecchen (A.S.) 478, 480, to vex, grieve, oppress
drede (A.S.) 434, to dread, fear. pres. s. he drat, 165. pret. s. dredde, 280. pl. dradden, 429. imperat. dred, 17
dredfully (A.S.) 352, fearfully, terrified
dregges (A.S.) 419, dregs
dremels (A.S.) 148, 247, a dream
drenchen, drenche (A.S.) 154, 237, to drown. pret. pl. a-dreynten, 198
drevelen (A.S.) 175, to drivel
drye (A.S.) 276, thirst
drien (A.S.) 16, to be dry, thirsty
drihte (A.S.) 262, lord. drighte, 279
drinken (A.S.) to drink. pret. s. drank, pl. dronken, 277, dronke, 278. part. pas. dronken, y-dronke, 354
dryven (A.S.) to drive
droghte (A.S.) 134, a drought, deficiency of wet
dronklewe (A.S.) 156, drunken, given to drink. The word occurs in Chaucer, C. T. l. 7625:—
Irous Cambises was eek dronkelewe,
And ay delited him to ben a schrewe.
Again (C. T. l. 12426):—
Seneca saith a good word douteles:
He saith he can no difference find,
Betwix a man that is out of his mind,
And a man whiche that is dronkelew.
The word used by Seneca is ebrius
drury (A.N.) 20, courtship, gallantry
duc (A.N.) 414, a duke. pl. dukes, 388
†duen (A.N.) 496, to endue, or endow
E.
ech (A.S.) each. echone (i. e. each one) every one, each
edifie (A.N.) 371, to build
edwyte (A.S.) 99, to reproach, blame, upbraid
eest (A.S.) east
eggen (A.S.) 19, 386, to egg on, urge, incite
egreliche (A.N.) 334, 418, sourly, bitterly
†ey (A.S.) 464, an egg
eighe (A.S.) 180, 190, 306, pl. eighen, 5, 80, 127, eighes, 33, the eye
eylen (A.S.) to ail
eyr (A.N.) air
elde (A.S.) old age
elenge (A.S.) 12, 179, 425, mournful, sorrowful. elengliche, 231, sorrowfully, in trouble
eller (A.S.) 19, ellere, 168, an elder tree
ellis (A.S.) 6, else, otherwise, at other times
enbawmen (A.N.) to embalm. pret. s. enbawmed, 352
enblaunchen (A.N.) 301, to whiten over
engyne (A.N.) 384, to contrive, lay a plan, catch
engleymen (A.N.) 298, to beslime
engreyned (A.N.) 29, powdered
enselen (A.N.) to put a seal to
†entayled (A.N.) 462, carved
entre-metten (A.N.) 226, 263, to intermeddle
envenyme (A.N.) venom, poison
er (A.S.) before, formerly
erchdekenes (A.N.) archdeacons
ere (A.S.) pl. eris, the ear
erien, erie, erye (A.S.) 117, 138, to plough. pret. pl. eriede, 411. part. past, eryed, 117
eerl. pl. erles (A.S.) an earl
ernynge (A.S.) 418, running. see yerne
ers (A.S.) 87, 180, 191, the fundament, podex
erst (A.S.) first, most before, superl. of er
eschaunge (A.N.) exchange
eschetes (A.N.) 75, escheats
ese (A.N.) ease
eten, ete (A.S.) 386, to eat. pret. s. eet, 100, 135, 146, 241, &c. pl. eten, 114, 248, ete, 278. part. pas. eten, 354.
†evelles (A.S.) 465, without evil
even (A.S.) equal. even-cristen, equal christian, or equal by baptism; fellow-christian, evene, 76, evenly, equally. evene forth, 356, equally
†evesed (A.S.) 460, furnished with eaves
evesynge (A.S.) 361, the ice which hangs on the eaves of houses
ewage (A.N.) 29, a kind of precious stone
expounen (A.N.) 290, to expound, explain
F.
fader (A.S.) 361, a father
fayn (A.S.) fain, glad
faiten (A.N.) 144, 308, to beg, idle, to flatter. pret. pl. faiteden, 3. faityng, 175, deceiving
faiterie (A.N.) 207, flattery, deception
faitour (A.N.) a deceiver, an idle lazy fellow, a flatterer
faithly (A.N.) 400, truly, properly
fallen (A.S.) to fall. pres. s. he falleth. pret. s. fel, 280, 297, fil, 278, 312, 374, fille, 285, 336, pl. fellen, felle, 336, 388. part. pas. fallen, 375
fals (A.N.) false, falseness. falshede, falsehood. falsliche, 390, falsely
fangen (A.S.) 111, fonge, 282, 336, to take, take hold of. pret. s. under-feng, 19, under-fonged, 209. part. past, under-fongen, 115, 211
faren, fare (A.S.) 197, to go, fare. pret. s. ferde, 443, pl. ferden, 168 part. past, faren 77, 123, 228
fare (A.S.) 376, proceeding, manner of going on, fare
fasten (A.S.) to fast
fauchon (A.N.) 295, a sword, falchion
faunt (A.N.) 134, 144, 336, 403, a child, infant
fauntekyn (A.N.) 259, a young child
faunteltee, fauntelté (A.N.) 204, 304, childishness
faute, pl. fautes (A.N.) 179, a fault
fauten (A.N.) to want. pret. fauted, 163
favel (A.N.) 28, 30, deception by flattery, cajolery
feble (A.N.) 355, feeble, weak
fecchen (A.S.) 39, 385, 410, to fetch. pres. s. I fecche, thow fettest, 390. pret. s. fet, fette, 36, 104, 202, 385. pl. fetten, 134. part. pas. fet, 444, fette water at hise eighen, threw water at his eyes; to fetch a thing at another, for, to throw, is an expression still in use
feden (A.S.) to feed
fee (A.S.) property, money, fee
feere (A.S.) 367, pl. feeres, feeris, companion
feere (A.S.) 256, 367, 376, fear
feet (A.N.) 26, a deed, fact
feffement (A.N.) 32, enfeofment
feffen (A.N.) 33, 37, to infeof, to fee, present
feynen (A.N.) to feign, dissemble
feyntise (A.S.) 77, faintness, weakness
feire (A.N.) a fair
fel (A.S.) the skin
fele (A.S.) many. fele fold, manyfold
fellen (A.S.) to fell, kill
felonliche (A.N.) 390, like a felon, in manner of a felon
†fen (A.S.) 476, mud, mire
fend (A.S.) pl. fendes, a fiend, devil. fyndekynes, 391, little fiends
fennel-seed (A.S.) 95, the seed of sweet-fennel was formerly used as a spice
fenestre (A.N.) 285, 370, a window
fer (A.S.) far
fere (A.S.) 140, to frighten
ferly (A.S.) pl. ferlies, a wonder, 196, 253, 376
ferie (A.N.) 270, a week-day
ferme (A.N.) 403, adv. firmly
fermed (A.N.) 177, strengthened
fernyere (A.S.) 103, 228, in former times
fernmerye (A.N.) 253, the infirmary
†ferrer (A.S.) 463, further
ferthe (A.S.) 413, fourth
festnen (A.S.) to fasten. part. pas. fest, 35
festynge (A.N.) feasting
festu (A.N.) 190, a mote in the eye. (festuca, Lat.)
fetisliche, 28, fetisly, 38 (A.N.) elegantly, neatly, featously
fibicches (A.N. ?) 186 (?)
†fichewes (A.S.) 468, a kind of weasel, called a fitchet in Shropshire
†fyen (A.N.) 487, to say, fy! The exclamation, fy! was originally one of disgust, occasioned by anything that stunk, according to the old distich (MS. Cotton, Cleop. B. ix, fol. 11, vo. of the thirteenth cent.):—
Phi, nota fœtoris, lippus gravis omnibus horis,
Sit phi, sit lippus semper procul, ergo Philippus!
fiers (A.N.) proud, fierce
fighten (A.S.) to fight. pret. s. faught, 391, 402. pl. foughten. part. pas. y-foughte, 126, 336
fyle (A.N.) 86, a daughter, girl, apparently used here in the sense of a common woman; as they say now in French, elle n'est qu'une fille, she is no better than a strumpet
fyn (A.N.) 403, fine, clever
fynden (A.S.) to find, to furnish. pres. s. he fynt, 73, 146, 305, 367. pret. s. fond, foond, 219, 304, 312
fir (A.S.) 360, fire. fuyr, fire
fithele (A.N.) 272, to fiddle. fithele, 165, a fiddle
flappen (A.S.) to strike with a flail or with any flat loose weapon. pret. pl. flapten, 128
flatten (A.N.) to slap. pret. s. flatte, 104
flawmbe, flaumbe (A.N.) 360, 362, a flame
flawme (A.S.) 243, to emit a fetid exhalation (?)
flawmen (A.N.) 361, to flame. flawmynge, 360, flaming
fle, 40, fleen, 168, 366 (A.S.) to fly. pret. s. fleigh, 40, 351, 353, 402, 435. pl. flowen, 42, 128. fledden, 42
fleckede (A.S.) 222, spotted
flesshe (A.S.) flesh
fleten (A.S.) 237, to float, swim involuntarily
flittynge (A.S.) 206, disputing, flyting
flobre (A.S. ?) 274, to slobber (?)
florisshe (A.N.) 291, to adorn
floryn (A.N.) 74, a florin (a gold coin)
†flurichen (A.N.) 479, to flourish
fode (A.S.) food
†foynes (A.N.) 468, a kind of marten, of which the fur was used for dresses
fold, foold (A.S.) 24, 141, 243, the world, the earth
fole (A.S.) a foal
follede, 321, baptized. see fullen
†folloke (A.S.) 489 (?)
folvyle (A.N.) 410 (?)
folwe, folwen (A.S.) 355, to follow. pres. pl. folwen. pret. s. folwed, folwede, 353. pl. folwede, 301. part. past, folwed
folwere (A.S.) a follower
fonden (A.S.) 238, to try, tempt, inquire. pret. s. fonded, fondede, 315, 344, 353
fondynge (A.S.) 291, a temptation, undertaking
fongen, see fangen
foot (A.S.) a foot. foote, 354, on foot
for (A.S.) for, for that, because; for-thi, because, therefore
for-, in composition in verbs derived from the Anglo-Saxon, conveys the idea of privation or deterioration, and answers to the modern German ver-. It is preserved in a few words in our language, such as forbid, forbear, forlorn, &c. The following instances occur in Piers Ploughman:—
for-bete (A.S.) to beat down, beat to pieces, or to death, beat entirely. part. past, for-beten, 436
for-bode (A.S.) denial, forbidding
for-biten (A.S.) 332, to bite to pieces
for-doon, for-do (A.S.) 78, 163, 371, to undo, ruin. pret. s. for-dide, 340, 390. part. past, for-do, 262, for-doon, 371
for-faren (A.S.) 303, to go to ruin, perish, to fare ill
for-freten (A.S.) 332, to eat to pieces
†for-gabben (A.N.) 488, to mock
for-yeten (A.S.) 362, to forget. pret. s. for-yat, 205
for-gyven (A.S.) to forgive. pret. s. 374. part. pas. for-gyve, 365
for-glutten (A.S.) 178, to devour, swallow up
for-pynede (A.S.) 126, pined or starved to death, wasted away, niggardly. Chaucer, C. T. l. 1453:—
In derknes and orrible and strong prisoun
This seven yeer hath seten Palamon,
For-pyned, what for woo and for destresse.
And C. T. l. 205:—
He was not pale as a for-pyned goost.
In this latter place Tyrwhit seems to interpret it as meaning tormented
for-shapen (A.S.) to unmake. pret. s. for-shapte, 365
for-sleuthen (A.S.) 103, to be spoilt from lying idle
for-stallen (A.S.) 68, to hinder, forestall, stop
for-sweren (A.S.) 170, to perjure, swear falsely. part. pas. for-sworen, 418, forsworn
for-thynken (A.S.) 167, to repent, beg pardon
for-wandred (A.S.) 1, worn out with wandering about
for-wanye (A.S.) 79, to spoil
†for-werd (A.S.) 476, 494, worn out
for-yelden (A.S.) 133, 257, to make a return for a thing, repay
forbisne (A.S.) 152, an example, similitude, parable
forceres (A.N.) 186, coffers
fore-ward, for-ward, for-warde (A.S.) 65, 119, 206, a bargain, promise
for-goer (A.S.) 39, a goer before
for-goers (A.S.) 31, people whose business it was to go before the great lords in their progresses, and buy up provisions for them
formest (A.S.) 186, 403, first, foremost
†formfaderes (A.S.) 498, first fathers
formour (A.N.) 160, 358, a creator, maker
forreyour (A.N.) 430, a scout, forager
forster (A.N.) 354, a forester
†forytoures, 465, perhaps an error of the press in the old edition for fautoures
forwit (A.S.) 87, prescience, forethought, anticipation
fostren (A.S.) 360, to foster
foulen (A.S.) 414, to defoul
fowel (A.S.) a fowl, bird
fraynen (A.S.) to ask, inquire, question. pret. s. frayned, 18, 109, 151, 341, 370
†fraynyng (A.S.) 452, questioning
frankeleyn (A.N.) 398, a large freeholder, in rank in society classed with, but after, the miles and armiger. See Tyrwhit's note on the Canterbury Tales, l. 333
frayel (A.N.) 252, a wicker basket. See note. In the romance of Richard Cœur de Lion, l. 1547, King Richard says:—
Richard aunsweryth, with herte free,
Off froyt there is gret plenté;
Fyggys, raysyns, in frayel,
And notes may serve us fol wel.
fraytour (A.N.) 192, 463, a refectory
freke (A.S.) 74, 87, 130, 132, 188, 203, 246, 250, 341, man, fellow
frele (A.N.) frail
freletee (A.N.) 46, frelete, 367, frailty
fremmed (A.S.) 303, strange
frere (A.N.) a friar, brother
frete (A.S.) 265, to fret
frete, freten (A.S.) 33, to eat, devour. pret. s. freet, 381
fretien (A.S.) to adorn. part. p. fretted
fryth (A.S.) 224, 241, 355, an inclosed wood
frythed (A.S.) 112, wooded
frounces (A.N.) 265, wrinkles
fullen (A.S.) 322, to full cloth
fullen (A.S.) 176, to become full
fullen (A.S.) to baptize. pret. s. follede, 321. part. past, y-fulled, 398
fullynge (A.S.) 244, 322, 398, baptizing, baptism
furwe (A.S.) a furrow
fust (A.S.) 356, the fist
G. Y.
gabben (A.N.) 53, to joke, trifle, tell tales. gabbyng (A.N.) 423, joking, idle talk
gadelyng (A.S.) 434, gedelyng, 165. pl. gedelynges, 171, gadelynges, 68, a vagabond. In Anglo-Saxon the word gædeling means a companion or associate, apparently without any bad sense. Thus the romance of Beowulf speaks of the armour of one of the heroes:—
þæt Onela for-geaf,
his gædelinges
guð-ge-wædu.
which Onela had given him,
the war-weeds of his comrade,
the ready implements of war.
This, and most of the other similar Anglo-Saxon words, applied to their heroes and warriors, became degraded under the Anglo-Normans. We may mention as other examples the words, fellow, renk, grom, wye, &c.
†gaynage (A.N.) 462, profit
gaynesse (A.N.) 178, gaiety
galoche (A.N.) 370, a shoe. The word occurs in Chaucer
galpen (A.S.) 252, to belch
gamen (A.S.) play
gangen, gange (A.S.) to go
†garites (A.S.) 463, garrets
garnementz (A.N.) 379, garments, ornaments
gare (A.S.) to make or cause to do a thing. pret. s. garte, 22, 80, 135, 321, gart, 84, gerte, 428
gate (A.S.) 67, 171, 383, way, going. go thi gate, 351, 445, go thy way. this ilke gate, 354, this same way
geaunt (A.N.) 384, a giant
gentile (A.N.) 26, 174, 175, gentle, genteel
gentilliche (A.N.) 44, beautifully, finely, genteelly
gentrie (A.N.) 370, gentility
gerl (A.S.) pl. gerles, girles, gerlis, 17, 184, 369, youth of either sex. In the Coventry Mystery of the Slaughter of the Innocents (p. 181) one of the knights engaged in the massacre says:—
I xall sle scharlys,
And qwenys with therlys,
Here knave gerlys
I xal steke.
Forthe wyl I spede,
To don hem blede,
Thow gerlys grede,
We xul be wreke.
gerner (A.N.) a garner
gesene (A.S. ?) 262, rare, scarce
gesse (A.S.) a guess. up gesse, 102, upon guess, by guess
gest, pl. gestes (A.N.) a deed, history, tale
gest (A.S.) 312, a guest
geten, gete (A.S.) to get. pres. pl. geten. pret. s. gat, thow gete, 386, 389, 390, getest, 390, part. past, geten, 375, gete, 403
yiftes (A.S.) 49, gifts
gyle (A.S.) guile, deceit
gilour (A.S.) a deceiver
gyn (A.N.) 384, a trap, machine, contrivance
gynful (A.N.) 186, full of tricks or contrivances
gynnen (A.S.) to begin. pret. sing. gan, 2. pl. gonne, 158, gonnen, 262. gynnyng, beginning. The preterite is frequently used as an auxiliary verb to form with others a kind of imperfect or preterite, as, gan drawe, 352, drew; gan despise, 374, despised
gyen (A.N.) 39, to rule
gyour (A.N.) 421, 429, a ruler, leader
girden (A.S.) 40, to cast, strike. pret. s. girte, 99. In the second Towneley Mystery of the Shepherds, p. 115, Mak says, "If I trespas eft, gyrd of my heede."
gyterne (A.N.) 260, a gittern, a musical instrument, resembling, or identical with, the modern guitar
gyven (A.S.) to give. pres. pl. gyven. pret. sing. gaf, yaf, 387. part. past, yeven, y-gyve, 37
gyven (A.S.) 436, to fetter, bind in gyves
†gladdyng (A.S.) 481, merry (?)
gladen, 404, gladie, 384 (A.S.) to gladden, cause joy to. pret. s. gladede, 435
†glaverynge (A.N.) 454, 492, smooth, slippery, flattering
glazene (A.S.) 435, made of glass (?) See note
glee (A.S.) the performance of the minstrel or jongleur
gle-man (A.S.) 98, 165, a minstrel
glede, glade (A.S.) 94, 361, a spark, glowing ember
†gleym ( ) 479 (?)
†gloppynge (A.S.) 456, sucking in
glosen (A.N.) to gloss, paraphrase, comment
gloton (A.N.) a glutton
glotonye (A.N.) gluttony
glubben (A.S.) to suck in, gobble up. part. pas. y-glubbed, 97, sucked in. glubbere, 162, a glutton
gnawen (A.S.) to gnaw
†gode (A.S.) 476, a goad
goky (A.S.) 220, a gawky, clown
goliardeis (A.N.) 9, one who gains his living by following rich men's tables, and telling tales and making sport for the guests. See on this word the Introduction to the Poems of Walter Mapes. It occurs in Chaucer, C. T. l. 562
He was a jangler and a golyardeys,
And that was most of synne and harlotries.
gome (A.S.) 257, 263, 267, 288, 308, 312, 350, 354, 382, 403, a man
gomme (A.N.) gum
goon (A.S.) 37, to go. pres. s. he gooth, 354. pl. gon, goon, 303. pret. sing. wente. pl. wenten, 233, 351
goost (A.S.) spirit, ghost
goostliche (A.S.) 427, spiritually
gorge (A.N.) 176, 177, the throat, mouth
gos (A.S.) pl. gees, a goose
gothelen (A.S.) 97, 252, to grumble (as is said of the belly)
gowe (A.S.) 14, a phrase of invitation, i. e. go we, let us go
graffen (A.N.) 85, to graft
†graith (A.S.) 453, 464, the truth (?)
graithe (A.S.) 27, ready, prepared
graithen (A.S.) to prepare, make ready. †part. pas. y-greithed, 462, 487. graythed, 494
graithly (A.S.) 386. graythliche, 482, readily, speedily
graunt (A.N.) 353, great
graven (A.N.) to engrave. part. pas. grave, 73, engraved
gravynge (A.N.) engraving, sculpturing
graven (A.N.) 206, to put in grave
greden (A.S.) 32, 47, to cry out, shout, make a noise. pret. s. thow graddest, 421, he gradde, 335, 448
gree (A.N.) 375, pleasure, will
greete (A.S.) 100, to lament
greyne (A.N.) 412, 415, a grain, seed
greten (A.S.) 97, 379, to greet. pret. s. grette, 186, 344, 446
gretter (A.S.) greater
greven (A.N.) 354, to grieve
grys (A.S.) 14, 68, 134, pigs. See the story of Will Gris in the Lanercost Chronicle
grys (A.N.) 308, a kind of fur
†grysliche (A.S.) 485, fearfully
grom (A.S.) 99, a man: hence the modern groom
grote (A.N.) 51, a groat, a coin of the value of four pennies
grucchen, grucche (A.S.) to grudge
H.
hailsen (A.S.) to salute. pres. s. hailse, 83. pret. hailsed, 148, 151
hayward (A.N.) 415, a man employed to watch and guard the inclosed fields, or hays. An illustration of this word will be found in the passage from Whitaker's text given in the note on l. 2473
hakke (A.S.) 420, to follow, run after, cut along after
half (A.S.) half, side
halie (A.S.) 156, to hawl
hals (A.S.) the neck
halwe (A.S.) 327, to hallow, consecrate, make holy
hamlen (A.S.) †part. pas. y-hamled, 468, to tie or attach (?)
handy dandy (A.S.) 69, the expression still used in Shropshire and Herefordshire
hange, honge (A.S.) 348, 384, to hang (intransitive). pret. s. hanged, 19
hange, hangen (A.S.) 39, 392, to hang (transitive). pret. pl. hengen, 25
hanylons (A.N.) 181, the wiles of a fox. See Sir Frederick Madden's Glossary to Gawawyn (v. hamlounez), who quotes the following lines from the Boke of St. Albans:—
And yf your houndes at a chace renne there ye hunte,
And the beest begyn to renne, as hartes ben wonte,
Or for to hanylon, as dooth the foxe wyth his gyle,
Or for to crosse, as the roo doth otherwhyle.
hanselle (A.S.) 96, gift, reward, bribe. It is used in the alliterative poem on the Deposition of Richard II, p. 30:—
Some parled as perte
As provyd well after,
And clappid more for the coyne
That the kyng owed hem,
Thanne ffor comfforte of the comyne
That her cost paied,
And were behote hansell,
If they helpe wolde.
hardy (A.N.) 413, bold, hardy, courageous. hardier, 354, more bold
hardie (A.N.) 321, to encourage, embolden
harewe (A.S.) 412, a harrow
harewen, harewe (A.S.) 412, 414, to harrow. pret. harewede, ib.
harlot (A.N.) 175, 270, 271, 303, 354, a blackguard, person of infamous life. The word was used in both genders. It appears to have answered exactly to the French ribaud, as Chaucer in the Romance of the Rose translates roy des ribaulx, by king of harlots. Chaucer says of the Sompnour (C. T. l. 649):—
He was a gentil harlot and a kynde
A bettre felaw schulde men nowher fynde.
He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn,
A good felawe to ban his concubyn,
A twelve moneth, and excuse him atte fulle.
This passage gives us a remarkable trait of the character of the ribald, or harlot, who formed a peculiar class of middle-age society. Among some old glosses in the Reliquiæ Antiquæ (vol. i, p. 7), we find "scurra, a harlotte." In the Coventry Mystery of the Woman taken in Adultery (p. 217), it is the young man who is caught with the woman, and not the woman herself, who is stigmatised as a harlot.
harpen (A.S.) to harp. pret. pl. harpeden, 394
harrow (A.N.) 430, an exclamation, or rather a cry, said to have been peculiar to the Normans, the origin and derivation of which have been the subject of much discussion among antiquaries. It was the cry which every one was bound to raise and repeat, when any murder, theft, robbery, or other violent crime, was attempted or perpetrated, in order that the offenders might be hindered or secured. It was afterwards used in any great tumult or disorder, and became a general exclamation of persons wanting help. (See Ducange, in v. Haro.) In the Towneley Mysteries (p. 14), when Cain finds that his offering will not burn, he cries:—
We! out! haro! help to blaw!
It wille not bren for me, I traw.
haspen (A.S.) to clasp. y-hasped, 26
hastilokest (A.N.) 424, most quickly, speedily, hastily
haten (A.S.) to call, order. pres. s. I hote. pret. s. highte, heet, 445. part. pas. y-hote, hoten, hote, called, ordered
haten (A.S.) to be called or named. pres. s. hatte, is called, I hatie, 260, am called. pret. s. highte, was called
hater (A.S.) 273, dress
haterynge (A.S.) 299, dressing, attire
hatien (A.S.) 179, to hate
haven, have, han (A.S.) to have. pres. pl. han. pret. s. hadde, pl. hadden, hadde
haver (A.S.) oats, 134, an haver cake, an oat-cake
heed (A.S.) the head. See heved
heele (A.S.) health
heep (A.S.) a heap
heeth (A.S.) 322, heath
hegge (A.S.) pl. hegges, a hedge
heigh (A.S.) high
†heyne (A.N.) 466, hatred (?)
heyre (A.S.) hair. gen. heris, 193, hair's
hele, heele (A.S.) health
hele (A.S.) 150, a heel
helen, (A.S.) 87, 445. helien, 241, to conceal, hide
helen, heele, 355 (A.S.) to heal. pret. s. heeled, 337. an helyng, 355, in healing, in the course of recovering his health
helpen, helpe (A.S.) to help. pret. s. halp, 403, 418, pl. holpen, 123. part. pas. holpen, 75, 303, 338, holpe, 115
hem (A.S.) them
hemselve (A.S.) themselves
hende (A.S.) 308, gentle, polite. hendenesse, 398, gentleness, worthiness. hendely, hendiliche, 44, politely, gently
hennes (A.S.) hence, from this time
henten, hente (A.S.) to take, seize. pret. s. hente, hent, 435
heraud (A.N.) a herald
herberwe (A.S.) a harbour
herberwen (A.S.) to harbour, shelter. pret. s. herberwed, 352
heremite (A.N.) a hermit
heren, here (A.S.) to hear. pret. s. herde. imperat. y-heer, 356
herne (A.S.) 42, 393, a corner
herte (A.S.) the heart
heste (A.S.) a commandment
†hethen (A.S.) 475, hence
†hetheved (A.S.) 469, head
hethynesse (A.S.) 321, heathenness, paganism, idolatry
heved (A.S.) a head. heed, 352
hewe (A.S.) 110, pl. hewen, 71, 273, 281, a husbandman, a workman
hewe, pl. hewes (A.S.) 224, hue, colour
hiden (A.S.) to hide. pret. s. hidde, 354. part. pas. y-hudde, 199
†hyen (A.S.) 475, to hie, go. pret. s. hiede, 444
hyere (A.S.) higher
hii (A.S.) they
hil (A.S.) pl. hulles, a hill
hilen (A.S.) 113, to cover over. pret. s. hiled, 241, pl. hileden, 223
hynde (A.S.) 311, a doe, female deer
hyne (A.S.) a servant, serf, rustic, labourer
hippynge (A.S.) 351, hopping
hire (A.S.) their
hir (A.S.) of them. gen. pl. of he. hir neither, 67, neither of them. hir eyther, 212, 446, either of them. hir noon, 237, none of them. hir oon fordooth hir oother, 373, one of them destroys the other of them
his (A.S.) pl. hise, his
hitten (A.S.) to hit. pret. s. hite, 86, hitte, 96
†hod (A.S.) 476, a hood
†hok-shynes (A.S.) 476, crooked shins. hok seems almost superfluous: the shin towards the hock or ancle?
holden (A.S.) to hold. pres. s. he halt, 354, 357, pl. holde, 15, holden, 18. pret. s. heeld, 156, 206, pl. helden, 294, 418, 438. part. pas. y-holden, 358, holden, y-holde, 440, 441
hool (A.S.) pl. hole, 392, whole, entire. hooly, wholly. holly, 396, wholly. †hollich, 452, wholly
homliche (A.S.) 179, from house to house
hoom (A.S.) home. the viker hadde fer hoom, 424, the vicar had far to go home
hoor (A.S.) pl. hore, 144, hoary. as hoor as an hawethorn, 341
hoord (A.S.) a hoard
hoors (A.S.) 367, hoarse
hoot (A.S.) 360, hot
hopen (A.S.) 329, to expect, hope
hoper (A.S.) 120, the hopper of a mill
hore (A.S.) 75, pl. hoores, 299, hores, 303, a whore
†hornes (A.S.) 461, corners
hostele (A.N.) 355, to give lodging, to receive into an inn
hostiler (A.N.) 352, 355, the keeper of a hostelry or inn
hostrie (A.N.) 352, a hostelry, inn
houpen (A.S.) 127, to hoop, shout
houres (A.N. heures, Lat. horæ) the Romish service
housel (A.S.) 419, the sacrament of the Eucharist
houselen (A.S.) to receive the Eucharist. part. past, housled, 396, 424, houseled, 419
hoven (A.S.) 13, to tarry, hover, dwell. pret. s. hoved, 374
howve (A.S.) pl. howves, 13, 60, 435, a cap or hood
hucche (A.S.) 72, a hutch, chest
huge (A.S.) 216, great
hukkerye (A.S.) 90, huckstry
hunten (A.S.) to hunt. part. pas. y-honted, 41
huppe (A.S.) 327, to hop
huyre (A.S.) 111, hire, wages
I. Y.
ic, ich, ik (A.S.) I
†ich (A.S.) each. †ichon, 479, each one. See ech
ydel (A.S.) idleness, vanity. on ydel, in vain
†iis (A.S.) 476, ice
ilke (A.S.) same
impe (A.N.) 85, a sprig, twig growing from the root of a tree
impen, ympen (A.N.) 85, to graft. †part. past, ymped, 469, grafted
in-going (A.S.) 115, entrance
inne (A.S.) the adverbial form of in
inne (A.S.) a lodging, hence our inn
inwit (A.S.) 160, 162, 364, conscience, interior understanding. with inwit and outwit, 263
yren (A.S.) 288, iron
ysekeles (A.S.) 361, icicles
J.
jangeleres, jangleris (A.N.) 3, 175, praters
jangle (A.N.) 9, 33, 74, 136, 164, 251, 337, 339, to jangle, to talk emptily, to prate
janglynge (A.N.) 169, 419, jangling, empty talking, nonsense
jape (A.S.) 433, a jest
japen (A.S.) 19, 33, 260, to jest, mock, cajole. part. past, japed, 371
japer (A.S.) pl. japeres, japeris, 3, 164, 175, a jester, mocker
Jewe, gen. pl. Jewen, 19, Jewene, 384, 402, a Jew
jogele (A.N.) 260, to play the minstrel, or jongleur
jogelour (A.N.) 121, 175, a minstrel, jongleur, one who played mountebank tricks
jouke (A.S.) 336, to rest, dwell
joute (A.N.) 86, a battle, combat
jugge (A.N.) a judge
juggen (A.N.) 290, 427, to judge
jurdan (A.N.) 251, a pot. At a later period the word was only applied to a chamber-pot, as in Shakespeare
juste (A.N.) 251, justes, 351, 352, 370, a joust, battle, tournament
justen, juste (A.N.) 336, 370, 374, to joust, tilt (in a tournament). pret. s. justed, 340, justede, 380
justere (A.N.) 396, one who goes to jousts, engages in tournaments
justice (A.N.) 404, to judge
juttes (A.N. ?) 201, low persons
juventee (A.N.) 402, youth
juwise (A.N.) 392, judgment, from judicium
K. See under C.
L.
lachesse (A.N.) 153, negligence
ladde (A.S.) pl. laddes, 398, a low common person
†laiche (A.S.) 486, to catch, obtain. see lakke
layk (A.S.) 287, play
laiken (A.S.) 11, to play. The writer of the romance of Kyng Alisaunder, in describing a battle (Weber, p. 159), says,—
There was sweord lakkyng,
i.e. there was playing with the sword. Weber, in his Glossary, has very wrongly explained it by licking. It is the Anglo-Saxon poetic phrase, sweorda ge-lác, the play of swords
lakke (A.S.) 189, a fault, a lack, or something deficient or wanting
lakken, lacche (A.S.) 31, 40, 130, 220, 262, 309, 333, to obtain, catch, take. pret. s. laughte, 357, 388, 434. part. act. lacchynge, 21
lakken (A.S.) 85, 130, 185, 189, 208, 214, 234, 263, 307, 309, 329, 411, to mock, to blame, or reproach. pret. pl. lakkede, 294. part. pas. y-lakked, 29
lakken (A.S.) 46, 218, 219, 262, 310, 365, 423, to lack, to be wanting. pret. s. lakkede, 402, was wanting
lambren (A.S.) 307, lambs. So Lydgate (Minor Poems, ed. Halliwell), p. 169,—
Takith to his larder at what price he wold,
Of gretter lambren, j., ij., or thre,
In wynter nyghtis frostis bien so colde,
The sheppard slepithe, God lete hym never the!
lang (A.S.) long
lape (A.S.) 426, to lap, as a dog
large (A.N.) 398, largess (?)
lasse (A.S.) less
late, lete (A.S.) 76, 386, to let. pres. s. leet, 305, 384. pret. s. leet, 25, 74, 127, 209, 346, pl. leten, lete, 294, 393. subj. s. late
†lath ( .) 476. Perhaps an error of the old edition for lay?
†latun (A.N.) 462, a mixed metal of the colour of brass
laughen (A.S.) 439, to laugh. pret. s. lough, 423. part. pas. lowen, 82.
launde (A.N.) 155, 183, 312, a plain, a level space clear of trees in the midst of a forest, a lawn
lave (A.N.) 273, to wash
lavendrye (A.N.) 306, washing
†lavoures (A.N.) 462, lavers, ewers, basins to receive water
leauté (A.N.) loyalty
leche (A.S.) 443, a physician
lechecraft (A.S.) 336, 435, the art of healing, medicine
lechen (A.S.) 261, to cure. pret. s. leched, 337
leden, lede (A.S.) 355, 393, to lead. pret. s. ladde, 352. part. act. ledynge. part. pas. lad, 160, 246
ledene (A.S.) 242, 243, speech, language. This is applied, as here, to birds, by Chaucer, C. T. 10749:—
This faire kynges doughter, Canace,
That on hir fynger bar the queynte ryng,
Thurgh which sche understood wel every thing
That eny foul may in his lydne sayn,
And couthe answer him in his lydne agayn.
ledes (A.S.) 326, people attached to the land, peasants
leef (A.S.) dear, love. his leef, his dear
leef (A.S.) 301, pl. leves, a leaf
leelly (A.N.) 19, lelly, 45, 146, loyally, faithfully. leele, lele, loyal. lelest, 349, most loyal
leere, lere (A.S.) 15, 173, countenance, mien, complexion
leggen (A.S.) 30, 133, 235, 306, 426, leyen, 374, to lay, to bet (to lay down a wager). pret. s. leide, 352, 372, 432, leyde, 98, 436
legistre (A.N.) 139, a legist, one skilled in the law.
ley, pl. leyes (A.S.) 138, a lea (Lat. saltus)
leme (A.S.) 376, 377, brightness
lemman (A.S.) pl. lemmannes, 303, a sweetheart, a mistress
lene (A.S.) lean
lenen, lene (A.S.) to give; hence our lend. pret. lened, 269. part. past, lent, 275
lenen (A.S.) to lean. pret. s. lened, 369
lenge (A.S.) 27, 421, to rest, remain, reside long in a place. pret. s. lenged, 151, †pret. pl. lengeden, 469, dwelt, remained
Lenten (A.S.) Lent
lenten (A.S.) 369, a linden tree
leode (A.S.) 352, people, a person, whence our lad
lepen (A.S.) 41, 236, to leap. pret. s. leep, 10, 41, lope, 71, lepe, 107, lepte, 434. pl. lopen, 14, 22, 86, lope, 74. part. pas. lopen, 88
leperis (A.S.) leapers. lond leperis heremytes, hermits who leap or wander over different lands
lered (A.S.) 45, learned, educated, clergy
leren (A.S.) 146, to teach. pres. he lereth. pret. lerned, 146, 412, lered, 292, 336, 410
lerne (A.S.) 350, 351, 437, 441, to learn. part. pas. y-lerned, 141
lesen (A.S.) to lose. pres. s. lese, lees, 107, 148. part. act. lesynge. part. pas. lost, lore, 374, y-lorn, 388
lese (A.S.) 121, to glean. The word is still used in Shropshire and Herefordshire.
lesynge (A.S.) 66, 387, 388, a lie, fable, falsehood
lethi (A.S.) 184, hateful
letten, leten, lette (A.S.) 352, 435, to hinder, to tarry, pret. s. lette, 368, letted, 335. part. past, letted, 418. lettere, 19, a hinderer. lettyng, a hindrance
lettrede (A.N.) 49, lettered, learned. y-lettrede, learned, instructed
lettrure (A.N.) learning, scripture, literature
leve (A.S.) 385, leave, permission
leve (A.S.) pl. leeve, dear, precious. levere, dearer, rather. leveste, levest, 364, dearest
leved (A.S.) 300, leaved, covered with leaves
leven (A.S.) 299, 301, to leave. part. s. lafte, 447
leven (A.S.) to dwell, remain. pret. lafte, 440. †pret. s. lefte, 473, dwelt, remained.
leven, leeve (A.S.) to believe, 304, 319. pret. s. leeved, 435. leved, 393. pl. leveden
lewed (A.S.) 26, 420, lay, ignorant, untaught, useless. lewed of that labour, 237, ignorant of, or unskilful in, that labour. lewednesse, 45, ignorance, rusticity
lewté (A.N.) loyalty
lyard (A.N.) 352, 368, a common name for a horse, but signifying originally a horse of a grey colour
libben, libbe (A.S.) 275, to live. part. act. libbynge
lyen (A.S.) to lie. pres. s. 2 pers. thow lixt, 86. pret. thow leighe, 393, thou didst lie
liere (A.S.) a liar
lif (A.S.) pl. lives, life
liflode (A.S.) living, state of life
lift (A.S.) 316, air, sky
liggen, ligge (A.S.) 361, to lie down. pres. s. I ligge, he lith, lyth, 355, thei ligge, 421. pret. sing. lay. part. act. liggynge. part. pas. leyen, 45, y-leye, 82, y-leyen, 198, 399
lighten (A.S.) to alight, descend, or dismount from. pret. s. lighte, 352
lightloker (A.S.) 112, 237, 321, more lightly, more easily
lik, lich, y-lik (A.S.) 389, like, resembling. liknesse, likeness, y-liche, 401
liche (A.S.) 173, the body. Chaucer, C.T. l. 2960, speaks of the liche-wake, or ceremonies of waking and watching the corpse, still preserved in Ireland:—
Ne how the liche-wake was y-holde
Al thilke night, ne how the Grekes pleye.
In the romance of Alexander (Weber, p. 145), the word is applied to a living body (as in Piers Ploughman):—
The armure he dude on his liche—
he put the armour on his body
likame, lycame (A.S.) the body
liken (A.S.) 455, to please, to like (i. e. be pleased with). liketh, 17, 262. pret. s. liked
likynge (A.S.) 203, pleasure, love, liking
likerous (A.N.) 133, nice, voluptuous, lecherous
likne (A.S.) 175, 190, to imitate, to mimic, to make a simile
lyme (A.S.) 436, limb
lyme-yerd (A.S.) 170, limed twig
lymitour (A.N.) 85, 445, a limitour, a begging friar
lynde (A.S.) 24, 155, the linden tree
lippe (A.S.) 324, a slip, portion
liser (A.N.) 89, list of cloth (?)
lisse (A.S.) 160, 383, joy, happiness, bliss
liste (A.S.) to please, list. pret. list, 356, it pleased
listre (A.S.) 85, a deceiver
lite (A.S.) 262, little
litel (A.S.) little. litlum and litlum, 329, by little and little, the uncorrupted Anglo-Saxon phrase. See note
lyth (A.S.) 341, a body
lythe, lithen (A.S.) 155, 270, to listen to
lyven, lyve (A.S.) to live. pr. pl. lyveden, 2. part. act. lybbynge. See libben
lyves (A.S.) alive. lyves and lokynge, 405, alive and looking. See note on l. 5014
lyveris (A.S.) 235, livers, people who live
lobies (A.S.) 4, loobies, clowns
loft (A.S.) high, height. bi lofte and by grounde, 372, in height and in ground-plan. o-lofte, aloft, on high
lok (A.S.) 27, a lock
loken (A.S.) 388, to look, to over-see, 148. pret. s. lokede, 276
lollen (A.S.) 240, to loll. part. pas. lolled, 239. part. act. lollynge, 346
lolleris (A.S.) 308, lollards. The origin of this word is doubtful, but it seems to mean generally people who go about from place to place with a hypocritical show of praying and devotion. It was certainly in use long before the time of the Wycliffites, in Germany as well as in England. Johannes Hocsemius (quoted by Ducange, v. Lollardi) says, in his chronicle on the year 1309, "Eodem anno quidam hypocritæ gyrovagi, qui Lollardisive Deum laudantes vocabantur, per Hannoniam et Brabantiam quasdam mulieres nobiles deceperunt," &c. The term, used in the time of Piers Ploughman as one of reproach, was afterwards contemptuously given to the church reformers. The writer of the Ploughman's Tale, printed in Chaucer, Speght, fol. 86, appears to apply it to wandering friars:—
i-cleped lollers and londlese.
lomere (A.S.) 439, more frequently
lond-buggere (A.S.) 191, a buyer of land
†lone (A.S.) 493, a loan (?)
longen (A.S.) to belong
loof (A.S.) a loaf
loone (A.S.) 442, a loan. lenger yeres loone, a loan of a year longer, a year's extension or renewal of the loan
loore (A.S.) 79, 244, teaching, lore, doctrine, science
loores-man, lores-man (A.S.) 164, 318, a teacher
loos (A.S.) 219, honour, praise
lorel (A.N.) 147, 294, 351, 369, a bad man, a good-for-nothing fellow. Chaucer, in his translation of Boethius, uses it to represent the Latin perditissimus. Compare the description of the lorel in the Ploughman's Tale (Speght's Chaucer) fol. 91:—
For thou canst no cattell gete,
But livest in lond as a lorell,
With glosing gettest thou thy mete.
losel (A.N.) 5, 124, 176, 303, a wretch, good-for-nothing fellow. It appears to be a different form of the preceding word. loselly, 240, in a disgraceful, good-for-nothing manner
losengerie (A.N.) 125, 176, flattery, lying
lothen (A.S.) to loath
looth (A.S.) loath, hateful. lother, 318, more loath. lothliche, hateful
lotebies (A.S. ?) 52, private companions, bed-fellows. In the romance of the Seven Sages (Weber, p. 57) it is said of a woman unfaithful to her husband:—
Sche stal a-wai, mididone,
And wente to here lotebi.
Chaucer uses the word (in the romance of the Rose, l. 6339), in a passage rather similar to this of Piers Ploughman:—
Now am I yong and stout and bolde,
Now am I Robert, now Robin,
Now frere Minor now Jacobin,
And with me followeth my loteby,
To don me solace and company.
In the original the word is compaigne
lotien (A.S.) 354, to lurk, lie in ambush
louke (A.S.) 384, to lock
louren (A.S.) to lower
lous, lys (A.S.) pl. a louse
louten (A.S.) 50, 181, 182, 300, to make a salutation, reverence. pret. s. louted, 294, 470
lovyen, lovye, lovien (A.S.) to love. hym lovede, 356, it pleased him
lowen (A.S.) to condescend (?) pret. lowed, 8
luft (A.S.) 69, fellow, person
†lullyng (A.S.) 455, lolling (?)
lurdayne (A.S.) 375, 436, a clown, rustic, ill-bred person
lusard (A.N.) 389, a lizard, crocodile
lussheburwes (A.N.) 316, base or adulterated coins; which took their name and were imported from Luxemberg. See note on l. 10322
luten (A.N.) to play on the lute. pret. s. lutede, 395
luther (A.S.) 316, 390, bad, wicked
M.
macche (A.S.) 248, 249, companion, match-fellow
macche (A.S.) 360, a match
macer (A.N.) 47, one who carries a mace
mayen (A.S.) to be able (it is seldom or never used in the infinitive mood). pres. s. may, pl. mowen, mowe. pret. s. myghte, pl. mighte
y-maymed (A.S.) 359, maimed
mayn-pernour, (A.N.) 71, 380. See the next word
mayn-prise (A.N.) 70, 346, a kind of bail, a law term. "It signifieth in our Common Law the taking or receiving a man in friendly custodie, that otherwise is or might be committed to prison, and so upon securitie given for his forth coming at a day assigned: and they that doe thus undertake for any, are called mainpernours, because they do receive him into their hands." Minsheu. The persons thus received were allowed to go at large
mayn-prise (A.N.) 75, 426, meynprise, 39, to bail in the manner described under the foregoing word
mair (A.N.) 290, pl. meires, 150, a mayor
maistrie (A.N.) 66, a mastery, a feat of science
make (A.S.) 50, 222, 230, a companion, consort
maken, make (A.S.) to make. pret. s. made. part. pas. y-maked, 2. maad, 71, 248
make (A.S.) 229, to compose poetry. See note
makynge (A.S.) 229, writing poetry
male (A.N.) 91, a box, pack
†malisones (A.N.) 493, curses
mamelen (A.S.) 78, 226, to chatter, mumble
menacen (A.N.) to menace, threaten
manere (A.N.) manner
mange (A.N.) 132, to eat
mangerie (A.N.) 209, 328, an eating, a feast
manlich (A.S.) 92. humane. manliche, manfully, humanely
mansed (A.N.) 30, 74, 190, 233, 438, cursed, excommunicated
marc (A.N.) 161, a mark (a coin)
marche (A.S.) 159, 321, a border. The word is preserved in the term "Marches of Wales," "Marches of Scotland"
marchen (A.N.) to march, go
mareys (A.N.) a marsh
†masedere (A.N.) 499, more amazed
maugree (A.N.) 131, ill thanks, in spite of
maundee (A.S.) 339, maunday
maundement (A.N.) 348, a commandment
mawe (A.S.) 298, mouth, maw
maze (A.N.) 12, doubt, amazement, a labyrinth
meden (A.S.) 56, to reward, bribe
mede (A.S.) meed, reward
medlen (A.N.) to mix with
meel (A.S.) meal
meene (A.N.) poor, moderate, middle
mees (A.S.) 249, 313, a mess or portion of meat
megre (A.N.) meagre, thin
meynee (A.N.) 178, household, household retinue
meken (A.S.) to make meek, humiliate
mele (A.S.) 262, meal, flour
mendinaunt, pl. mendinauntz (A.N.) a beggar; friars of the begging orders
mene, meene (A.N.) mean, middle
mene (A.N.) 326, a mean
menen (A.S.) to mean. to meene, 15, 18. that is Crist to mene, 399, that means Christ
menen (A.S.) to moan, lament. pret. mened
†menemong (A.S.) 497, of an ordinary quality
menever (A.N.) 433, a kind of fur; the fur of the ermine and small weasel mixed
mengen (A.S.) to mix, meddle
menyson (A.N.) 337, a flux, dysentery
menour (A.N.) a Minorite
menske (A.S.) 54, 455, decency, honour, manliness
mercien (A.N.) to thank
mercyment (A.N.) amercement
merk (A.S.) 316, a mark
merke (A.S.) 15, dark. merknesse (A.S.) 377, 379, darkness
merveillous (A.N.) marvellous, wonderful
meschief (A.N.) 197, mishap, evil, mischief
mesel (A.S.) pl. meseles, 51, 144, 337, a leper
meson-Dieux (A.N.) 139, hospitals
messe (A.S.) mass, the Romish ceremony
mestier (A.N.) 138, occupation
mesurable (A.N.) moderate
met (A.S.) 267, measure
mete (A.S.) meat. mete-less, (A.S.) without meat
metels (A.S.) 13, 31, 147, 149, 155, 202, 207, a dream
meten, meete (A.S.) 310, to meet. pret. s. mette, 351. part. pas. met, 216
meten (A.S.) to dream. pret. s. mette, 148, 155, 396. part. s. metynge, 221
metyng (A.S.) 246, a dream
†meter (A.S.) 476, fitter (?)
meve (A.N.) 153, 228, to move. pres. pl. ye moeven, 298
myd (A.S.) with
myddel-erthe (A.S.) 221, the world
middes (A.S.) middle, midst
mynistren (A.N.) 231, to administer
mynnen (A.S.) 322, to mind, to recollect
mynours (A.N.) miners, diggers of mines
mys-beden (A.S.) 119, to injure
mysese (A.N.) 16, ill ease
mys-eise (A.N.) 139, ill at ease
mysfeet (A.N.) 224, ill deed, wrong
†myster (A.N.) 484, kind species
mystier (A.S.) more misty, more dark
†myteynes (A.N.) 476, mittens, gloves
mnam, 131, a Hebrew coin
mo (A.S.) more
mody (A.S.) moody. modiliche, moodily
moeble, meble (A.N.) 364, goods
molde, moolde (A.S.) earth, mould
moled (A.N.) 262, 264, spotted, stained
mom (A.S.) 13, a mum, sound
mone (A.S.) 295, lamentation
†monelich (A.N.) 457, meanly
monials (A.N.) 192, nuns (Lat. moniales)
moore (A.S.) 403, greater
moost (A.S.) greatest
moot-halle (A.S.) 73, 74, hall of meeting, of justice
more (A.S.) 300, 330, 331, 334, pl. mores, 416, a root
mornen (A.S.) to mourn. pret. s. mornede
mortrews (A.N.) 248, 250, 252, a kind of soup
morwe (A.S.) morning, morrow
morwenynge (A.S.) morning
mote (A.S.) 25, to hold courts of justice
motyng (A.S.) 141, judging, meeting for justice
moton (A.N.) 44, the name of a coin. See note on l. 1404
mous (A.S.) pl. mees, a mouse
mouster (A.N.) 267, muster, arrangement
muchel (A.S.) 401, great, much
muliere, mulliere (A.N.) 343, 344, a wife, woman
murie (A.S.) pleasant, merry, joyful. murye, 1, pleasantly, murier, more pleasant
murthe (A.S.) 382, pleasure, joy, mirth
murthen (A.S.) 362, to make merry or joyful
muson (A.N.) 183, measures (?)
must (A.S.) 391, a liquor made of honey
N.
nale (A.S.) 124, the ale. see atte
namoore (A.S.) no more
naught (A.S.) not, nought
ne (A.S.) not. The negative ne is combined with the verb to will, to be, &c.; as nelle, for ne wille, nel, nyl, for ne wil, nere, for ne were, nolde, for ne wolde, nyste, for ne wiste. It is sometimes combined with other verbs, as naroos, 399, for ne aroos. So we have such expressions as, wol he nele he, 427, i. e. whether he will or he will not
nede (A.S.) need
neddre (A.S.) 82, an adder, venomous serpent
nedlere (A.S.) 96, maker of, or dealer in, needles
neet (A.S.) 411, cattle. Farmers still talk of neat cattle
neghen (A.S.) to approach, to near. pret. s. neghed, 425, neghede, 438
neigh (A.S.) near, nigh
nempne (A.S.) 397, to name, call. pret. s. nempned, 397, 404. part. pas. y-nempned, nempned
nevelynge (A.S.) 85, sniveling
nygard (A.S.) niggard
nymen, nyme (A.S.) 268, 304 426, to take. part. pas. y-nome, 427
nyppe (A.S.) 379, a point (?)
noble (A.N.) 191, a gold coin of the value of six shillings and eightpence
noght (A.S.) nought, nothing
noyen (A.N.) to injure, annoy, plague
nones (A.N.) 125, the hour of two or three in the afternoon
nonne (A.S.) 86, a nun
noon (A.S.) none
nounpere (A.N.) 97, an umpire, an arbitrator
noughty (A.S.) 130, possessed of nothing
noun (A.N.) 366, no
nouthe (A.S.) now
O.
o (A.S.) 349, one
of-gon (A.S.) 166, to derive (?)
of-walked (A.S.) 258, fatigued with walking
o-lofte (A.S.) aloft, on high
one, oone (A.S.) singly, alone, only. myn one, 154, myself singly
†onethe (A.S.) scarcely. See unnethe
oon (A.S.) one
oost (A.N.) 416, a host, army
openen, opene (A.S.) to open. pret. pl. opned, 388
ordeigne, ordeyne (A.N.) 415, to ordain
organye (A.N.) 369, a musical instrument. by organye, as an accompaniment to music
ote (A.S.) an oat
oughen (A.S.) to own, possess, owe. pret. s. oughte, 47
outher (A.S.) other, either, or
over-come (A.S.) to overcome. pret. s. over-coom, 405
over-hoven (A.S.) 55, 379, to hover or dwell over, hang over
over-hippen (A.S.) to hop over, skip over. pret. pl. thei over-huppen, 250, 318
over-leden (A.S.) 62, to overlead, tyrannize over
over-spreden (A.S.) to spread over. pret. s. over-spradde, 408
over-tilten (A.S.) to tilt or throw over. pret. s. over-tilte, 428, 433, threw over, dug up
owene (A.S.) 366, own
P.
paast (A.N.) 275, paste, dough
payn (A.N.) bread
paynym (A.N.) 108, 326, a pagan
pays (A.N.) 340, country
pallen (A.S.) 333, to knock. pret. s. I palle, 332
palmere (A.N.) 83, a palmer, pilgrim to distant lands
paltok (A.N.) 370, 438, a cloak
panne (A.S.) 69, the scull, head
pardoner (A.N.) a dealer in pardons
parentrelynarie (A.N.) 220, between the lines, interlineal
parfiter (A.N.) 229, more perfectly
parfitly (A.N.) perfectly
parfourne (A.N.) to perform
parisshen (A.N.) 206, 441, a parishioner
parle (A.N.) to talk. part. past, parled, 385
parroken (A.N.) 312, to park or inclose
parten (A.N.) to share, to part. †part. pas. parten, 475
Pasqe (A.N.) 338, Easter
passhen (A.S.) 431, to crush
pawme (A.N.) 356, the palm of the hand
pece (A.N.) 276, a piece
peeren (A.N.) 320, make themselves equal
peeren (A.N.) 11, to appear
pees (A.N.) peace. preide hem be pees, 405, prayed them to be quiet
peire (A.N.) a pair
peiren (A.N.) 50, to diminish, injure. see apeiren
peis (A.N.) 91, weight
peisen (A.N.) 90, to weigh
pelure (A.N.) 420, fur
pens (A.S.) pence
peraunter (A.N.) 202, peradventure, by chance
percell, pl. parcelles (A.N.) 177, 220, 349, a parcel, part
percel-mele (A.N.) 48, piecemeal
percile (A.N.) 134, parsley
pere (A.N.) 139, a peer, an equal
perfourne (A.N.) 251, to finish, complete, to furnish
perillousli (A.N.) dangerously, rudely
y-perissed (A.N.) 359, perished, destroyed
perree (A.N.) 173, precious stones, jewellery
persaunt (A.N.) 24, piercing
person (A.N.) 441, a parson. personage, a parsonage
pertliche (A.N.) 78, openly
pese (A.N.) pease
petit (A.N.) little
picche (A.S.) 123, to pick
pie (A.N.) 150, a magpie
pik (A.S.) a pike
pikstaf (A.S.) 123, a pike-staff
piken (A.S.) to pick
pyke-harneys (A.N.) 440, plunderers
pykoise (A.N.) 61, a hoe
pil, pyl, pl. piles (A.S.) 331, 332, 417, a pile
†pilche (A.S.) 465, a coat of hair or some rude material. We find the word used by Lydgate, ed. Halliwell, p. 154:—
Houndys for favour wyl nat spare,
To pynche his pylche with greet noyse and soun.
And in Caxton's Reynard the Foxe, cap. v, Reynard having turned hermit, bare "his slayvne and pylche, and an heren sherte therunder."
†pild (A.N.) 500, bald
pilen (A.N.) 422, to rob
pilour (A.N.) 371, 420, a thief
†pylion (A.S. ?) 500, a kind of cap
pyne (A.N.) peyne, pl. peynes, pain, punishment
pyne, 78. See wynen
pynynge-stoole (A.S.) 47, literally, a stool of punishment, a cucking-stool
pynne (A.S.) 442, to bolt
piones (A.N.) 95, the seed of the piony, which was used as a spice. In the Coventry Mysteries (ed. Halliwell, p. 22) we find the word joined, as here, with pepper:—
Here is pepyr, pyan, and swete lycorys,
Take hem alle at thi lykying
pyries (A.N.) 78, pear-trees
pisseris (A.N.) 438 (?)
pistle (A.N.) an epistle
pitously (A.N.) piteously, for the sake of pity
pleyen (A.S.) to play. pret. s. pleide, pl. pleiden
pleyn (A.N.) full
pleyne (A.N.) 53, to commiserate, to complain, make a complaint
plener (A.N.) 209, 336, full, fully
pleten (A.N.) to plead. pret. pl. pleteden, 140
platten (A.N.) to fall or throw down flat. pret. s. platte, 81
plot (A.N.) 263, pl. plottes, 265, a patch
plow-foot (A.S.) 123, a part of a plough
po (A.S.) 243, a peacock
†poynttyl (A.N.) 462, the signification of this word appears to be the square tiles used for paving floors. See Warton's Hist. of Engl. Poetry, ii, 99
poke (A.S.) 150, 259, 275, 288, a sack
poken (A.N.) to urge, push forwards, poke, thrust
pol, 205, polle (A.S.) 261, 430, a head, poll
polshen (A.N.) 105, to polish
pondfold (A.S.) 346, the pinfold or pound
poraille (A.N.) the poor people
poret (A.N.) pl. porettes, 134, 135, a kind of leek
porthors (A.N.) 302, a breviary, (portiforium, Lat.)
pose (A.N.) 365, to place, put as a supposition
possen (A.N.) to push
potente (A.N.) 156, a club, staff
pouke (A.S.) 256, 285, 333, 346, the devil
Poul (A.N.) St. Paul
pounde-mele (A.S.) 41, by the pound
pous (A.N.) 352, the pulse
poustee (A.N.) 79, 228, power, strength
povere (A.N.) poor
†povert (A.N.) 496, poverty
†powghe, terre powghe, 487, a torn sack or poke (?) The imperfect glossary appended to the old printed edition of the "Creed" explains it by tar box
prayen (A.N.) 430, to make prey of, plunder
preessen (A.N.) 286, to hasten, crowd
preyen, preye (A.N.) to pray. pret. s. preide, preyde
preiere (A.N.) prayer
preynte (A.N. ?) 253 (?)
preise (A.N.) 97, to appraise, value
†prese (A.N.) 495, to hasten. pret. s. presed, 460
prest (A.N.) 287, ready. prester, 191, more ready. presteste, 110, readiest, quickest. prestly, readily
preven, preve (A.N.) to prove
prikye (A.S.) 369, to ride over, ride, spur. pret. s. prikede, 368, part. past, y-priked, 430
prikere (A.S.) 159, 191, prikiere, 370, a rider
pris (A.N.) 411, prize, value
prison (A.N.) 140, 315, 372, a prisoner
pryvee (A.N.) private, intimate, confidential
provisour (A.N.) 38, 73, a purveyor, provider
prowor (A.N.) 411, a priest
puffed (A.S.) 78, blown
†pulchen (A.N.) to polish. part. past, pulched, 458, pulchud, 460, polished
pulette (A.N.) a chicken
punysshen (A.N.) 407, to punish
pure (A.N.) pure, simple, unmixed. pure (adv.) 213, purely, simply. purely for-do, 262, altogether destroyed or undone. †puriche (A.N.) 467, purely: perhaps it should be purliche
purfill, purfil (A.N.) 72, 78, embroidery, tinsel
purfilen (A.N.) 28, to embroider
put (A.S.) 195, 284, pl. puttes, a pit, cave
putten, puten (A.S.) 400, to put, place. pres. s. putte, pl. putten. pres. s. and pl. putte, 68, 110, 372. part. past, y-put, 290
Q.
quatron (A.N.) 90, a quartern
quave (A.N.) to shake, tremble. pret. s. quaved, 373
queed (A.S.) 285, the evil one, the devil
queste-mongere (A.N. and A.S.) one who made a business of conducting inquests
queynt (A.S.) 390, quenched, destroyed
queyntely (A.N.) 416, quaintly, cunningly
queyntise (A.N.) 385, 417, cunning
quellen (A.S.) to kill. part. past, quelt, 337, killed
†quenes (A.S.) 456, women. The word is used in the modern sense of the word wench
quyk (A.S.) 384, 399, live, alive
quykne (A.S.) 390, to give life to, bring to life. pret. s. I quikne
quite, quyte (A.N.) 389, 390, to quit, pay off. part. past, quit, 390
quod (A.S.) quoth, says
R.
radegunde (A.S. ?) 430, a disease, apparently a sort of boil
rageman (A.N.) 5, 335, a catalogue, list
ray (A.N.) 89, a ray, streak
†raken (A.S.) 455, to go raking about
rakiere (A.S.) 96, one who goes raking about
rape (A.S.) 97, haste
rapen (A.S.) 65, 101, 124, to prepare. pret. s. raped, 352
rapeliche (A.S.) 347, rapely, 351, readily, quickly. rapelier, 352, more quickly
rappen (A.S.) 20, to strike, rap
rather, 155, earlier
rathe (A.S.) early. rathest, earliest, first, soonest, most readily
raton (A.N.) a rat
ratoner (A.N.) 96, a rat-catcher
raunsone (A.N.) 390, ransom
rave (A.S.) 380, to rave. ravestow, 380, dost thou rave
ravysshen (A.N.) 399, to ravage, rob, plunder, ravish
raxen (A.S.) 100, to hawk, spit
reaume, reme (A.N.) pl. remes, reames, a realm
recche (A.S.) 67, 204, to reck, care for. pret. s. roughte, 369
recchelees (A.S.) 369, reckless
rechen (A.S.) 359, to reach. pret. s. raughte, 5, 76, 153, 335, 369
recoverer (A.N.) 352, a remedy (?)
recrayed (A.N.) 58, recreant (?)
rede (A.S.) red
rede (A.S.) to read
reden (A.S.) to advise, counsel. pret. s. redde, 106, pl. radde, 71, 84. imperat. reed, 72
redel (A.S.) 257, a riddle
†redelich (A.S.) 498, readily, promptly
redyng-kyng, 96, a class of feudal retainers. See Spelman's Gloss. in v. rodknightes
reed (A.S.) counsel, advice
regne (A.N.) to reign. pret. s. regnede, 399, reigned
regratier, regrater (A.N.) 48, 90, a retailer of wares and victuals
regratrie (A.N.) 48, retailing, selling by retail
reyn (A.S.) rain
reckenen (A.S.) to reckon, count
relessen (A.N.) 46, to forgive
releve (A.N.) 377, to raise again, restore, rally
religious (A.N.) pl. religiouses 192, a monk
renable (A.N.) 10, reasonable
renden (A.S.) 13, to rend, tear. imperat. rende, 76
reneye (A.N.) 210, to deny, be a renegade to. part. pas. reneyed, 210, renegade
renk (A.S.) 12, 101, 149, 231, 238, 280, 369, 385, a man
rennen, renne (A.S.) 353, to run. imperative, ren thow, 230. pret. s. ran, roon, 277, yarn, 205 (? y-arn). part. past, ronne, 156
renner (A.S.) 72, a runner
renten (A.N.) 140, to give rents to
†rentful (A.S.) 476, meagre, miserable (?)
repen (A.S.) to reap. pret. pl. ropen, 268
repreven (A.N.) 236, to reprove, blame
rerages (A.N.) 91, arrears
retenaunce (A.N.) 31, a retinue
reve (A.S.) 34, 102, 411, 423, an overseer, a reeve, steward, or bailiff
reve (A.S.) 335, 385, to take from
revere, pl. reveris (A.S.) reavers, people who deprive by force
reward (A.N.) 364, attention, warning
†rewel (A.S.) 473, rule
rewen (A.S.) to rue, to have mercy
rewme (A.N.) 430, a rheumatism, cold
ribaud (A.N.) 108, 286, 339, 372, a profligate low man. The word belonged properly to a particular class in society. See a detailed account of its derivation and signification in a note in my Political Songs, p. 369
ribaudie (A.N.) low profligate talk
ribaudour (A.N.) 121, a teller of low tales
ribibour (A.N.) 96, a player on the ribibe (a musical instrument)
riche, ryche (A.S.) a kingdom. hevene riche blisse, the joy of the kingdom of heaven
richen (A.N.) to become rich
riden, ryde (A.S.) to ride. pres. s. ryt, pl. riden. pret. s. rood, 354
rightwisnesse (A.S.) 393, righteousness
ringen (A.S.) to ring. pret. pl. rongen, 395, 428
ripe (A.S.) 415, to ripen
ripe (A.S.) 100, ready
rise, ryse (A.S.) 352, to rise. pret. s. roos, 91, 344
risshe (A.S.) 75, a rush (juncus)
rody (A.S.) ruddy, red
roggen (A.S.) to shake (explained in the Prompt. Parv. by agito.) pret. s. rogged, 335
roynous (A.N.) 430, scabby, rough
rolle (A.N.) 93, to enrol
rome (A.S.) 209, 210, 328, to roam
romere (A.S.) pl. romeris, a person who wanders or roams about
ronges (A.S.) 333, the steps of a ladder
roost (A.N.) 14, roast
†rote (A.N.) practice. by rote, by heart. be pure rote, 473, merely by rote
roten (A.S.) to rot
rotey tyme (A.N.) 222, the time of rut
†rotheren (A.S.) 476, oxen
rounen, rownen (A.S.) 66, 97, to whisper, talk privately
routhe (A.S.) ruth, compassion
rowen (A.S.) to become red, as the dawn of day (?). pret. s. rowed, 376
rufulliche (A.S.) ruefully
rugge (A.S.) 286, 413, the back. rugge-bone (A.S.) 98, the back-bone
rulen (A.N.) 393, to rule, govern
rusty (A.S.) 121, filthy (?). In the Coventry Mysteries, p. 47, Ham's wife says, "rustynes of synne is cawse of these wawys;" i. e. filthiness of sin is the cause of these waves
ruthe (A.S.) compassion
rutten (A.S. ?) 100, to snore. pret. s. rutte, 369
ruwet (A.S. ?) 98, a small trumpet
S.
saaf (A.N.) safe
sadde (A.S.) 188, to make serious, steady
sadde (A.S.) 152, serious, grave, steady
sadder (A.S.) 77, sounder
safly (A.N.) safely
saille (A.N.) 260, to leap
salve (A.N.) 337, to apply salves
samplarie (A.N.) 234, type, first copy
saufté (A.N.) safety
saughtne (A.S.) 65, to be pacified, reconciled
saulee (A.N.) 331 (?)
saunz (A.N.) without
saute (A.N.) 260, to jump
sauter (A.N.) the Psalter
savoren (A.N.) 157, to savour
savour (A.N.) 147, knowledge
sawe (A.S.) 147, 165, 378, pl. sawes, 174, a saying, legend, proverb
scathe (A.S.) 46, 70, 71, 298, injury, hurt
scryveynes (A.N.) 193, writers
†se (A.N.) 483, seat
secte (A.N.) 106, 107, 216, a suit
see (A.S.) the sea
seel (A.S.) 348, pl. seles, a seal
seem (A.S.) 45, 67, a seam (of wheat), a measure of eight bushels, originally as much as a horse could carry
sege (A.N.) 443, siege
†seget (A.N.) 489, subject
segge (A.S.) 46, 78, 84, 100, 216, 341, 443, 445, a man
seyen, 290, seye, seyn, seggen, 53, 264, sigge, 208, 302, siggen, 264, 312, 318, 350 (A.S.) to say. pres. s. I seye, he seith, thei siggen, 320. pret. s. seide, pl. seiden
seillynge (A.S.) 387, sailing
seynen (A.N.) to sign. pret. s. seyned, 104
seint (A.N.) a saint
seken, seche (A.S.) to seek; 273, to penetrate. pret. s. & pl. soughte. part. pas. y-sought
selde (A.S.) seldom. selden, 365
selen (A.S.) to seal
self (A.S.) objec. s. selve, pl. selves self-same. on the selve roode, 427, on the cross itself
†sely (A.S.) 477, simple, poor
selkouth (A.S.) pl. selkouthe wonderful, strange
selles (A.N.) cells
semen (A.S.) 328, to seem, appear, resemble. †I semed, 460, I looked
semynge (A.S.) 318, resembling
semy-vif (A.N.) 351, half alive, i. e. half dead
sen, 25, see, 32 (A.S.) to see. pres. sing. thow sest, 15. he seeth, pl. we seen. pret. sing. seigh, 77, 147, 200, 247, seyghe, 82, saugh, 29, 77, 347, 376, 437, pl. seighe. part. pas. y-seyen, seyen, 216, 308, 349, seene, y-seighen, 77, seighen, 177, y-seighe, 365
senden (A.S.) to send. pret. s. sent, 421, pl. senten
serelopes (A.S.) 358, severally, by themselves
serk (A.S.) 81, a shift, shirt
serven (A.N.) to serve
setten (A.S.) to set. pret. s. & pl. sette. part. past, seten, 248
sewen (A.S.) to follow. see suwen
shaar (A.S.) 61, the blade or share of a plough
†shaf (A.S.) 490, chaff
shaft (A.S.) 161, 225, make, creation
shaken (A.S.) to shake. pret. s. shook, 268
shallen (A.S.) the auxiliary verb. sing. I shal, 15. thow shalt, pl. ye shul, 14, shulle, 25, thei shulle, 22—sholde, sholdest, pl. sholden, sholde
shapen, shape (A.S.) to make, create, shape. pret. s. shoop, 1, 163, 197, 225, 443, shapte, 361, 433, for-shapte, 365. pl. shopen. part. past, mys-shapen, 144, shapen, 280
shappere (A.S.) 358, a maker, creator
sharpe (A.S.) 443, pungent
sheep (A.S.) 1, a sheep, or a shepherd
sheltrom (A.S.) 278, a host, troop of soldiers
shenden (A.S.) to ruin, destroy. pret. s. shente, 365. part. pas. shent
shene (A.S.) 394, bright
shenfulliche (A.S.) 59, shamefully, disastrously
shepstere (A.S.) 265, a sheep-shearer (?)
shere (A.S.) a shear
sherreve (A.S.) 31, 51, a shire-reeve, or sheriff
sherewe, shrewe (A.S.) a shrew; a cursed one
shrewednesse (A.S.) cursedness
sheten (A.S.) to shoot. pret. pl. shotten, 438
shetten, shette (A.S.) to shut. pret. s. shette
shide (A.S.) 167, 197, a thin board, a billet of wood
shiften (A.S.) to move away. pret. s. shifte 435
shyngled (A.S.) 168, made of planks or boards
shonyen (A.S.) 87, to shun
†shosen ( ) 491 qu. for chosen, i. e. dispose, incline to
shrape (A.S.) 84, to scrape
shryve (A.S.) 441, to shrive, make confession. pret. s. shrof, 45, 198. part. pas. y-shryve, 82, shryven, 273
shrift (A.S.) confession
shroudes (A.S.) clothes
sib, sibbe (A.S.) relation, companion. Gossip is God-sib, companion or fellow in God, and was originally applied to the attendants at a christening
sidder (A.S.) 88, wider
sike (A.S.) 355, sick
siken (A.S.) to sigh. pret. s. siked, 293, sikede, 385
siker, syker (A.S.) sure, secure. sikerer, 237, more secure, more sure
syn (A.S.) 444, since
syngen, synge (A.S.) 408, to sing. pret. s. songe, I song, 408. pl. songen, 369, 388, 405
sinken (A.S.) to sink. pret. s. sank, 373. pl. sonken, 278
sisour (A.N.) 31, 32, 38, 51, 75, 434, a person deputed to hold assizes. See Ducange in v. assisarii
sith (A.S.) since. sithen, since, afterwards. sithenes, 121, afterwards. siththe (adv.) since afterwards
sithe (A.S.) 102, time
sitten, sitte (A.S.) to sit. pret. s. thow sete, 386. I seet, 437. sat, pl. seten, 109
skile (A.S.) 202, 240, 290, 359, 367, 412, reason, argument
†slaughte ( ) 456 (?)
sleighte (A.S.) 379, 401, a trick, slight
sleen (A.S.) to slay. pres. sleeth. 364, 421. pret. s. slow, 434
slepen (A.S.) to sleep. pret. s. sleep, 99, 100, I slepte, 247. pl. slepe, 277
slepying (A.S.) asleep
sleple (A.S.) 155, to sleep gently
sleuthe (A.S.) sloth, idleness
sliken (A.S.) 34, to make sleek, smooth
slombren (A.S.) to slumber. pret. s. slombred, 1
smal (A.S.) pl. smale, small
smecen (A.S.) to taste, smack. pret. pl. smaughte, 98
smythyen (A.S.) 61, 62, to do the work of a smith, to forge
so (A.S.) so, as. so soone so, 352, as soon as
soden (A.S.) 312, to boil. part. pas. y-soden, 321
sodenes (A.N.) 303, sub-deans
softe (A.S.) 1, warm (like the Fr. doux)
sokene (A.S.) 34, a district held by tenure of socage
solas (A.N.) comfort, solace
soleyn (A.N.) 240, one left alone
solne (A.N.) 102, to sing by note
som (A.S.) pl. somme, some
somone (A.N.) 37, sompne, 62, 209, 408, to summon
somonour (A.N.) 31, 51, 75, a somner, an officer employed to summon delinquents to appear in ecclesiastical courts, now called an apparitor
sonde (A.S.) mission, sending
sone (A.S.) a son
songewarie (A.N.) 147, 148, the interpreting of dreams
sonne (A.S.) the sun
sooth (A.S.) truth
soothnesse, sothnesse (A.S.) truth
sope (A.S.) 254, a sop
sope (A.S.) 273, soap
soper (A.N.) supper
sorwe (A.S.) sorrow
sorweful (A.S.) 353, sorrowful
soth (A.S.) true
sothe (A.S.) truth
sotile (A.N.) 184, 186, to apply one's cunning or penetration
sotil (A.N.) pl. sotile, 294, 297, 319, 372, clever, cunning, subtile, difficult to conceive or understand
sotte (A.N.) a fool
souke (A.N.) 209, to suck
souter (A.S.) 101, 201, a shoemaker. †soutere, 494
souteresse (A.S.) 96, a female shoemaker
southdene (A.N.) a subdean
sowen (A.S.) 274, to sow. pret. s. sew, 268, 412, pl. sewe, 317. part. pas. y-sowen, 416
spakliche (A.S.) 353, hastily (?)
spede (A.S.) 353, to haste, to speed. pret. s. spedde, 353
speken, speke (A.S.) to speak. pret. s. spak
spelonke (LAT.) 311, a cavern
spences (A.N.) 285, expense
spillen (A.S.) (trans.) to mix, spill, spoil, waste, 414 (intransitive) to perish, 303. part. pas. y-spilt
spire (A.S.) 348, to look closely into, to inquire
spores (A.S.) 370, spurs
spring (A.S.) 79, a sprig, rod
springen (A.S.) to spring. pret. s. sprong, 277, spronge, 404
stablisse (A.N.) 22, to establish
†stappyng (A.S.) 489, stepping
stede (A.S.) pl. stedes, a place
steere (A.S.) 153, the helm of a ship
steyen (A.S.) to arise, mount. †pret. s. steigh, 498, arose
stekie (A.S.) 22, to stick fast
stele (A.S.), 412, a handle
stelen (A.S.) to steal. pret. s. stale, 268. pl. stolen, 405
sterre, pl. sterne, 310 (A.S.) a star
†styghtle (A.S.) 469, to establish, confirm. Explained in the glossary appended to the old edition by to stay
†stylle (A.S.) 473, quietly, with a low voice
†y-stongen (A.S.) 483, stabbed, pierced
stinken (A.S.) to stink. pret. s. stank, 328. †styncand, 489, stinking
stynten (A.S.) 22, 186, to stop
stonden, stonde, stande, 354 (A.S.) to stand. he stondeth, it stant, 325, he stant, 372, thei stonden. pret. s. stood, 204, 247
stoon (A.S.) 328, a stone
stotte (A.S.) 411, an ox of three years old
stounde (A.S.) 155, a short space of time
stoupe (A.S.) 204, to bend, stoop. Chaucer, in the first line of the Nonne Preestes Tale, speaks of,—"A pore wydow somdel stoupe in age."
†straken (A.S.) 456, to proceed directly
†stre (A.S.) 496, straw
streyte (A.S.) straitly, narrowly
streyves (A.N.) 6, estreys, beasts which have strayed, a law-term
striken (A.S.) to strike. pret. s. strook
struyen (A.N.) 328, to destroy. pret. struyede
stuwe (A.N.) 121, a house of ill fame, a stew. †stues, 488, stews, brothels
†sueres (A.S.) 459, followers
suffren (A.N.) to suffer
sulen (A.N.) to soil. †part. pas. y-suled, 495, soiled
suren (A.N.) to assure
surgenrie (A.N.) 336, surgery
surquidous (A.N.) 416, overbearing, arrogant, conceited
suster (A.S.) pl. sustren, a sister
suwen, sewe (A.S.) 203, 454 to follow. pret. s. and pl. suwed, 353, suwede, 380. part. p. suwed, 110, sued, 155
swelte (A.S.) 86, to die, to perish. pret. s. swelted, 431
swerd (A.S.) a sword
sweren, swerye, 275 (A.S.) to swear. pret. s. swoor, 434, swor, 269. part. pas. sworen, 328, swore
swetter (A.S.) sweeter
swevene (A.S.) a dream
sweyen (A.S.) to sound. pret. s. sweyed, 1
swich (A.S.) 385, pl. swiche, such
swynken (A.S.) to labour. pret. pl. swonken, 2.
swynk (A.S.) labour, work
swithe (A.S.) very, immediately, quickly
swowe (A.S.) 86, to faint, to swoon
T.
tabard (A.N.) 88, a short coat or mantle. "Tabbard, collobium." Promp. Parv. One of the stage directions in the Coventry Mysteries (p. 244) is:—
- Here xal Annas shewyn hymself in his stage, be seyn after a busshop of the hoold lawe, in a skarlet gowne, and over that a blew tabbard furryd with whyte.
tacches (A.N.) 168, stains, blemishes
taillé (A.N.) 68, a tally, notched stick; an account scored on a piece of wood. See note
tailen (A.N.) to keep an account by notches on a stick, to give a tally for a thing. part. a. tailende, 156. part. pas. y-tailed, 102
taken (A.S.) to take. pres. s. took, pl. token, toke, 398. part. pas. taken
taken, take (A.S.) to give. pret. s. took, 328, pl. toke, token, 383
tale (A.S.) an account, reckoning
tale-wis (A.S.) 51, wise in tales
tasele (A.S.) 322, a teasel. The burs of this plant are used in the manufacture of cloth
tasten (A.N.) 266, 374, to feel. pret. s. tastede, 357
techen (A.S.) to teach. pret. s. taughte, 19, taghte, 135. part. pas. taught, 186, y-taught, 436
tellen, telle (A.S.) to count, tell, 405. pret. s. tolde. pl. tolden
teme, teeme (A.S.) 118, 125, 138, 411, 412, a team of horses
teme (A.N.) 48, 80, 147, 209, a theme
tenten (A.N.) to offer, present, to hold out, stretch forth. pret. pl. tendeden, 383
tenen, tene (A.S.) 256, 320, to injure. pret. s. tened, 432
tene (A.S.) 124, 125, 145, 209, 335, anger, hurt
teneful (A.S.) injurious
termes (A.N.) 242, terms, times for their work
teynten (A.N.) to die, tint. part. past, y-teynted, 322
y-termyned (A.N.) 20, judged, determined
thanne (A.S.) then
thecche (A.S.) 410, to thatch
theen (A.S.) to thrive, be prosperous. so thee ik! 90, as I may prosper!
thef, theef (A.S.) pl. theves, 239, 353, 373, a thief. thefliche, 389, thievishly
theigh (A.S.) though
thenke, thynke (A.S.) 211, 228, to think. pres. s. he thenketh, 407
ther (A.S.) there, where. therafter, 90, in proportion to it. thermyd, herewith
thesternesse (A.S.) 340, darkness
thynke (A.S.) 384, to seem. pres. sing. I thynke, me thynketh (it seems to me). pret. s. thoghte, 1, 205, thoughte, 404
thirlen (A.S.) to pierce, bore through
thise (A.S.) these
tho (A.S.) those, the
tho (A.S.) then, when
tholien (A.S.) 70, thole, 392, to bear, support, suffer. pret. s. tholede, 251, 384, tholed, 377. pl. tholed, 373
thonkyng (A.S.) thanking, thanks
thorugh (A.S.) through
thow (A.S.) The second personal pronoun is in interrogative clauses generally combined with its verb, as sestow, seest thou; slepestow, sleepest thou, &c.
thral (A.S.) pl. thralles, 398, a bond-man
threve (A.S.) 333, a bundle
thridde (A.S.) 413, third
thringen (A.S.) to crowd, to throng, to press forward. pret. pl. thrungen, 108
tyd, tid (A.S.) 265, 334, quickly, promptly, readily
tidy (A.S.) 422, clever, ready, neat
tyen (A.S.) to tie
†y-tight, 461, furnished, provided
tikes (A.S.) 398, low people; literally, dogs. The word is still used in Yorkshire
til (A.S.) 305, to
tilien, tilie, tilye (A.S.) 131, 138, 375, 410, to till the earth. †part. pas. tylde, 461
tilthe (A.S.) 421, tilth, the result or produce of tilling or ploughing
tymbre (A.S.) 223, to build. pret. tymbred, 48
†tymen (A.S.) 494, to compel (?) It appears to be the same word which occurs in the alliterative poem on the Deposition of Richard II, p. 17:—
Thus lafte they the leder
That hem wrong ladde,
And tymed no twynte,
But tolled her cornes,
And gaderid the grotus
With gyle, as I trowe.
tynen, tyne (A.S.) 416, to lose. part. pas. tynt, 377
titeleris (A.S. ?) 442, tattlers
tithe (A.S.) tenth, tithe
tixte (A.N.) 348, text
to (A.S.) too
to-, prefixed in composition to verbs of Anglo-Saxon origin, has the same force as the German zu-, giving to the word the idea of destruction or deterioration:—
to-bollen (A.S.) 82, to overswell
to-breken (A.S.) 156, to break to pieces, break down. part. pas. to-broke, 139
to-cleve (A.S.) 236, to cleave in pieces, cut open
to-drawen (A.S.) to draw to pieces, or to destruction. pret. to-drowe, 175
to-luggen (A.S.) 41, to lug about, tear
to-rende (A.S.) 180, to be torn or burst to pieces
to-shullen (A.S.) to cut off, destroy. part. pas. to-shullen, 359
toft (A.S.) an open exposed place, a hill
to-fore (A.S.) before. to-forn 235, before
to-gidere, to-gidres, to-gideres (A.S.) together
†toylyng (A.S.) 495, tugging
tollen (A.S.) 89, to measure out, count
tollers (A.S.) toll-gatherers
tome (A.S.) 39, leisure, time. This form of the word seems to have been in use in the fourteenth century. It occurs at the commencement of the Seven Sages:—
I sal yow tel, if I have tome,
Of the seven ages of Rome.
Its occurrence in Piers Ploughman shows that Weber was not right in supposing it a mere alteration of the word time for the sake of rhyme. See also Sir F. Madden's Glossary to Gawayne
tonder (A.S.) 362, tinder
†too (A.S.) pl. ton, 476, 489, a toe
torne (A.N.) 428, to turn. pret. s. tornede, 321, torned, 265, turned
torne, 325, turne, 324 (A.S.) to turn (intransitive)
toten (A.S.) 331, 459, 461, to look, observe, to peep. pret. s. toted, 471. pl. toteden, 476. part. past, y-toted, 464
touken (A.S.) to dye. part. pas. y-touked, 322
toune, 315, a tun. Perhaps it should be printed tonne.
tour (A.N.) a tower
travaille (A.N.) to labour
traversen (A.N.) 245, to transgress
treden (A.S.) to tread. pret. pl. troden, 223. †pret. s. tredede, 476, trod
tree, 330 (A.S.) pl. trowes, 300, a tree
tresor (A.N.) a treasure
triacle, tryacle (A.N.) a remedy, a cure
tricherie (A.N.) treachery, cunning, trickery
trie (A.N.) 305, 330, choice, select. trieste, 23, most choice, trieliche, choicely
†tryfler (A.S.) 479, a trifler, a deceiver, a good-for-nothing
†troiflardes (A.S.) 494, triflers, idlers
trollen (A.S.) 387, to draw, to drag
tronen (A.N.) to throne
trowe (A.S.) 358, to believe, think, suppose. trowestow, 237, thinkest thou
trufle (A.S.) 236, 378, trefle, 471, a silly tale, trifle, good-for-nothing thing or person
trumpen (A.N.) to sound a trumpet. pret. s. trumpede, 395
tulien (A.S.) to labour, to till. pret. pl. tulieden, 277. part. act. tulying, 277
tweye (A.S.) two
twies (A.S.) twice
†twynnen (A.S.) 480, to couple together
U.
umwhile (A.S.) 97, once, on a time
unbuxome (A.S.) disobedient, inobedient
underfongen (A.S.) 301, to undertake, accept, receive. pret. s. underfonged, 209
undernymen (A.S.) 214, to undertake, take possession of. pres. s. undernymeth, 84. part. past, under-nome, 263, 428
under-pight (A.S.) 331, propped up
unhardy (A.N.) 254, 354, not bold
un-hiled (A.S.) 367, uncovered, unroofed
unjoynen (A.N.) 384, to disjoin, separate
unkynde (A.S.) unnatural
unkouthe (A.S.) 148, unknown, strange, foreign
unlosen (A.S.) 356, to unloose
unlouken (A.S.) 380, 384, 385, 388, to unlock
unnethe (A.S.) scarcely
unpynne (A.S.) 385, to unbolt
unsperen (A.S.) 374, 385, to open, undo, unbolt
†un-teyned (A.S.) 481, unfastened (?)
unthende (A.S.) 87, unserved, without sauce
untidy (A.S.) 432, slovenly, not clever
until (A.S.) to
unwittily (A.S.) 49, unwisely, unreasonably
up (A.S.) upon. up so doun, 428, upside down
usen (A.S.) to use
V.
vaunt-warde (A.N.) 430, the avant-guard, the van
veille (A.N.) 104, an old woman
vendage (A.N.) 391, vintage, harvest
venymousté (A.N.) 378, the property of being poisonous or venomous
venym (A.N.) 326, poison
vernycle (A.N.) 109, "diminutive of Veronike. A copy in miniature of the picture of Christ, which is supposed to have been miraculously imprinted upon a handkerchief, preserved in the church of St. Peter at Rome. Du Cange, in v. Veronica. Madox, Form. Angl. p. 428. Testam. Joh. de Nevill, an. 1386. Item Domino archiepiscopo Ebor. fratri meo. i. vestimentum rubeum de velvet cum le Veronike in granis rosarum desuper broudata. It was usual for persons returning from pilgrimages to bring with them certain tokens of the several places which they had visited; and therefore the Pardoner [in Chaucer], who is just arrived from Rome, is represented with a vernicle sewed upon his cappe."—Tyrwhitt.
verrey (A.N.) 365, verrey, 405, true
verset (A.N.) 239, a little verse
viker (A.N.) 424, a vicar
vicory (A.N.) 420, a vicar
W.
waast (A.N.) 10, a waste, wilderness
wafrestere (A.S.) 115, a maker of wafers for the priests, to be consecrated and administered at the sacrament
wage, wagen (A.N.) 440, to hire, to wage, pay wages, remunerate
wage (A.N.) 71, to be pledge for, to warrant
waggen (A.S.) 332, to shake. pret. s. waggede, 335, 373, 408
wayte, waiten (A.S.) 89, 147, 157, 260, 269, to watch, look about, wait. pret. s. waitede, 266. pl. waiteden, 345
waitynges (A.S.) 33, watchings, lookings
walkne (A.S.) 316, air, sky, welkin. wolkne, 357, 383
walnote (A.S.) a wallnut
wayven (A.N.) 113, 435, 482, 491, to waive
waken (A.S.) to awake. pret. pl. woken, 277, woke, 405, awoke
wanhope (A.S.) 34, 94, 140, 238, 366, despair, hopelessness
wanye (A.S.) 141, 153, to fade, wane. pret. s. wanyed, 294
war (A.S.) ware, aware. y-war, 17
warde (A.N.) 388, a keeper
wardemotes (A.N.) 6, meetings of the ward
wareyne (A.N.) 10, a warren
warisshen (A.N.) 336, to cure
warlawes (A.S.) 497, wizards, sorcerers, warlocks. See Jamieson, on this latter word
warner (A.N.) 96, a warrener, keeper of a warren
warpen (A.S.) to utter, cast. pret. s. warpe, 82, 99
warroken (A.S.) 66, to girt
waselen (A.S.) to become dirty, dirty one's self. †pret. s. waselede, 476
wasshe (A.S.) 248, to wash. pret. s. I wessh, 344, wasshed, 352, pl. wesshen, 247. part. pas. y-wasshen, 167, whasshen, 272, wasshen, 392
wastel (A.N.) 94, a cake, fine bread
watlen (A.S.) to cover with hurdles, to wattle. pret. s. watlede, 415
wawe (A.S.) 153, a wave
webbe (A.S.) 89, a weaver
webbestere (A.S.) a weaver. wollen webbesters, 14, woollen weavers
wedden (A.S.) 73, to lay a wager
weder (A.S.) weather. weder-wise, weather-wise
wedes (A.S.) dress, clothes, apparel
weer (A.S.) 209, 330, a doubt, perplexity
weet (A.S.) wet. weet-shoed, 369, wet-shoed
weg (A.S.) 426, a pledge
wey (A.S.) a way
weye (A.S.) 82, a wey of cheese
weyen (A.S.) to weigh. part. past, weyen, 25
weylaway (A.S.) 383, an exclamation of lamenting under suffering
weyves (A.S.) 6 (a law term), animals lost or strayed
weke (A.S.) 360, 362, the wick of a candle
welden (A.S.) 174, 175, 206, to possess. pres. s. he welt, 178, when he weldeth, 426
wele (A.S.) 381, weal, happiness, good fortune
wellen (A.S.) to boil, to gush out as water from a spring. pret. s. wellede, 418
welle (A.S.) 296, a spring
welthe (A.S.) 88, a welt
wem (A.S.) 377, a flaw, stain
wenden (A.S.) 306, to go, to wend. pres. pl. wenden. imperat. weend, 59
wenen (A.S.) 264, 380, to suppose, imagine, think, believe. pret. pl. wende, 263, supposed
wepen (A.S.) to weep. pret. s. wepte, 374, pl. wepten
wepene (A.S.) 170, membrum virile
wepne (A.S.) a weapon
†werdliche (A.S.) 454, 473, worldly
were (A.S.) 322, to wear
werken, werche (A.S.) to work. pres. pl. werchen. pret. s. wroghte. pl. wroughte, wroghten. part. act. werchynge. part. pas. wroughte, wroght, y-wroght
†werly (A.S.) 491, worldly
wernard, wernarde (A.N.) 35, 53, persons who lay information against others (?)
wernen (A.S.) to refuse, deny. pres. s. werneth, 425, refuses
werre (A.N.) war
wers (A.S.) worse
†werwolves (A.S.) 478, people turned into wolves by sorcery. An ancient superstition. See note
wesshen (A.S.) to wash
weven (A.S.) to weave
wexen, wexe (A.S.) 141, 209, 293, 401, to wax, grow. pret. s. weex, 63, 94, 202, 278, 294, 336, 369. pl. woxen, 161, 277, 333. part. pas. woxen, 177, 403
wexed (A.S.) 98, washed (?)
what! (A.S.) 146, an interjection, lo!
whiche (A.S.) which a light, 376, what light
†whit (A.S.) 476, a wight, creature
whiten (A.S.) to make white
†whough (A.S.) 453, how. whou, 481
wicche (A.S.) 372, 373, a witch
wye (A.S.) 109, 223, 245, 248, 283, 352, 354, 388, 405, a man. It is the Saxon wig, and was originally applied to a warrior or hero. I am inclined to think this may be the origin of our present slang term, a guy
wif (A.S.) in the objective, wyve, pl. wyves, a woman, wife
wight (A.S.) 160, active, brave. wightly, actively, bravely, well. wyghtliche, 40, actively. wightnesse, 410, activity, cleverness
wight (A.S.) a creature, being
wike (A.S.) a week. pl. woukes, 336
wikkedlokest (A.S.) 199, most wickedly
willen (A.S.) 400, to will. pres. s. wol, wole, pl. wol. pret. s. wolde, pl. wolde. thow willest, 241
wilne (A.S.) 49, to will. pr. s. wilneth, 20. pl. wilne, 15. pret. s. wilned, 211, 369
wyn (A.S.) 402, wine
wynen pyne (A.S.) 78, the wine pin, or place where wine was sold (?)
wynkyng (A.S.) 77, 99, dozing, slumbering
wynnen, wynne (A.S.) to win, gain. pret. s. wan, 123, 231, pl. wonnen, 2. part. pas. y-wonne, 82, 213, wonne, 410
†wynwe (A.S.) 476, winnowing
wis, pl. wise (A.S.) wise
wisloker (A.S.) 266, more certainly
wissen, wisse (A.S.) 399, to teach. pres. sing. I wisse. pret. sing. wissed, 19. part. act. wissynge, 205, teaching
wissen (A.S.) to know. pret. sing. wiste, 151, 211, knew part. past, wist, 381
wit (A.S.) mind, wit, intelligence
witen, wite (A.S.) 373, 377, to know. pres. s. he woot, 105, 199. pret. s. woot, 3, 32, 35, 67. to witene, 152, to know. witynge, 418, knowingly
witen (A.S.) 140, 331, to hinder, keep
witen (A.S.) to blame. pret. s. witte, 17
withdrawen (A.S.) to withdraw. pret. s. withdrough, 373
withholden (A.S.) to withold, retain. pres. s. he withhalt, 110
withwynde (A.S.) 108, crosswise (?) as if bound with a withy
witterly (A.S.) truly
witty (A.S.) 196, knowing, wise
†wlon (A.S.) 494, the nap of cloth (?)
wo (A.S.) woe
wodewe (A.S.) 169, pl. widwes, a widow
woke (A.S.) 315, to moisten (?)
wolleward (A.S.) 369, wolward, 497, miserable, plagued
wolves-kynnes (A.S.) 126, of the nature of wolves
wombe (A.S.) the belly
wombe-cloutes (A.S.) 250, tripes
womman, pl. wommen (A.S.) a woman
wone (A.S.) a dwelling-place, residence
woned (A.S.) 306, accustomed, wont
wonyen (A.S.) to dwell. pres. s. wonyeth, 18. pret. pl. woneden, 311
woon (A.S.) 435, plenty, abundance
†woon (A.S.) a dwelling
worden (A.S.) to discourse, have words together. pret. pl. wordeden, 68. wordynge, 351, talking, using words, conversing
worm (A.S.) 222, a serpent
worstow, 420, shalt thou be. See worthe
wort (A.S.) 135, a plant, vegetable
worthe, y-worthe (A.S.) to be, become. to late the cat worthe, 12, to let the cat be. worth, 26, 244, 359, shall be
wowen (A.S.) 69, to woo, court
wower, pl. woweris (A.S.) 206, a wooer
wowes (A.S.) 46, walls
wrathen (A.S.) to be or become angry, wroth
wreken (A.S.) to avenge. part. past, wroken, 39, 437, wroke, 392
wrighte (A.S.) 197, a workman, artist, maker
wringen (A.S.) to wring. pret. s. wrong, 42, 127
writen (A.S.) to write. pret. s. wroot, 183, 225, 233, 293, 328, 396. part. past, writen, 349
writhen (A.S.) 358, twisted, clenched
wrooth (A.S.) wroth
wrotherhele (A.S.) 280, ill fate, ill condition
Y.
As a consonant; for other words beginning with y, see under g and i
yarken (A.S.) 143, to make ready, prepare
ye (A.S.) yea, yes
yeden (A.S.) to go. pret. s. yede. pl. yeden, 324, 351, 354
yeepe (A.S.) 203, active, alert, prompt
yelde (A.S.) 419, to yield, pay, give. pres. s. he yelt, 375. pret. s. yald, 239, 240. yeldynge
yeme (A.S.) 349, heed, attention
yemen (A.S.) 154, 171, 185, to rule, guide, govern—to heed, take care of
yepeliche (A.S.) 306, promptly
yerde (A.S.) a rod, a yard
yere (A.S.) pl. yeer, a year. yeres-gyve, 154. yeres-yeves, 49, a year's gift
yerne (A.S.) to yearn, desire eagerly
yerne (A.S.) (adverb) eagerly, earnestly, readily
yerne (A.S.) 306, to run. pret. s. yarn, 205. part. act. ernynge, 418. See rennen
yis (A.S.) yes
yit (A.S.) yet
ynowe (A.S.) enough. ynogh, 382
yvel (A.S.) evil, wicked. yvele, 87, evilly, wickedly.