Middle English Dictionary Entry
ā n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | ā n.(1) |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The letter A of the alphabet; cp. a-per-se; (b) the letter A used in enumeration, in labeling a diagram or a square on the chess board, the recto of a folio, a star, etc.; (c) the dominical letter A.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)16434 : Þe firrste staff iss nemmnedd A Onn ure Latin spæche.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)8a/a : I lerned a and Be And oþir lettres by here names.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.57 : I know not an a from the wynd-mylne, ne a b from a bole foot.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.171 : Right as oure firste lettre is now an A.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)176b/b : Medicynes bigynnyng by A A A.
- a1475 Inf.Chr.(Hrl 3954)197 : Now qwy is a beforn þe b?
- (1448) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1349 : The orfray contenyng A and M crownyt.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)1 : A betocneþ þe uerste half of þe leave, b þe oþerhalf.
- ?c1400 Treat.Geom.(Sln 213)65 : Make a quadrat..in þe manner of ABCD..and wite you that A es þe right cornel vpward.
- c1400 *Chaucer Astr.(Brussels 4869)2.23.90a : Clepe that sterre A.
- (a1425) in Strutt Dress2.97 : [In the manner of laces making..the first finger next the thumb shall be called] A [the second finger] B.
- a1475 Chess(1) (Porter)602 : Sey chec; þen he goys in to A.
c
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)2.6.295 (f.48rb; p.140) : Tak hede on what lettre Sondai goþ; F E D C B A G are concurrantz: when þe Sonday goþ on F, þe concurrantz goþ þat ȝere on j; when þe Sonday goth on E, þe concurrant goþ on 2; when on D, on 3, & so of alle þat oþer.
- c1450(c1430) Brut-1430 (Glb E.8)436/34 : On Seint Lethenardis day..on the Sonday (and Sonday went by lettur A that yere), the Kynge was crownyd.
2.
A sound represented by the letter A.
Associated quotations
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.23r : Lewed folk callen it 'homeloc,' but it scholde be seyde 'amulac' per 'a-.'
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)481 : When it es born it cryes swa: If it be man it says 'a, a', Þat þe first letter es of þe nam Of our formefader Adam.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)494 : Alle þas..þat comes of Eve..When þai er born, what-swa þai be, Þai say outher a, a or e, e.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)275/16 : He cuthe not als mekull as say A, þat is þe furst vowell.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)111 : How many coniugacions hastowe? Foure. The ffyrste ys that hath an a longe by fore the re or the ri in the jnfinityf mode.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)157/2 : Wythout on of þos v lettyrs þer may no man know what anoþyr spekeþe; and þes ben þe lettres: A, E, I, O, V.
- a1500 Donatus (1) (StJ-C F.26)1024 : Þe furst coniugacyon..hath a long be-forn þe -re in þe infenityf.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1425 *Tit.Alphabet (Tit D.18)9a : Alphabetum Anglicum: A, a; b, be.
Note: 1st occurrence sense 1.(a) - date covered; 2nd occ. 1.(b). Date covered in both senses