Middle English Dictionary Entry
cǒvertūre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cǒvertūre n. Also coverto(u)r. |
| Etymology | OF coverture & covertor, covertoir. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Covering for a bed; a bedspread, coverlet, quilt; (b) a cloth used about the kitchen or dining hall; (c) ~ wright, one who makes coverings.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)58a : In helle..schulen beon of wurmes his cuuertur & his hwitel.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)696 : He liþ in bure Vnder couerture By Rymenhild, þi doȝter.
- c1300 Body & S.(5) (LdMisc 108)p.27 : Ȝwere beon..Þine cowltes and þi covertoures?
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)6.6 : Ich shal dewey my couertour [L stratum] wyþ min teres.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.198 : Her couertures shulle ben of wormes of helle.
- (1395) EEWills4/18 : A bleu couertour of menyuer, and a keuerlet of red sendel.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7712 : Here vnder þis couertoure Jch wil haue þine amoure.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)855 : Þer beddyng watz noble..& couertorez ful curious, with comlych panez.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)1136 : A bed þer-In..The Couertowre was of Ermone goode.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)85/20 : Bi licence of þe Abbesse þo þat been syke may haue couertoures wiþ skynnes.
b
- (c1425) Stonor1.43 : In le Bakhous..j muldyngbord cum covertore ad idem.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)81 : Office of confectionarye..towelles of raynes..covertours and hangers, and other necessaries.
c
- (1287) Pleas Crown in BGAS 22178 : John le Coverturwrythe.
2.
(a) Covering for the human body; a garment, vestment; also fig.; (b) trapping for a horse, caparison; hors ~.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Arun 220)p.163 : Huce: covertur.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)55a/b : Recinum: a kalle & a couertour of wymmen.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.2.1 : The coverturis of hir veyn apparailes.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)563/30 : Amictoria: a couerture.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)26 : He was nalid nakynd..drawen thurghe the towne withowte coerture of any parte of his body.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)212/19 : The wordes yspokyn ben as a body, but the wrytynge ys as a couertoure of the worde.
b
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3209 : Many destrer in couerture, Many kniȝth in riche armure.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)602 : Þe cropore and þe couertor acorded wyth þe arsounez.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)166/8 : Þei han plates & helmes made of guyrboylle & hire hors couertoures of the same.
3.
The cover (of a vessel); the lid (of a coffin); the upper crust (of a pastry mold).
Associated quotations
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.55 : Þenne make..of þat past long coffyns & do þat comade þerin, and close hem faire with a couertour.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)141b/a : In a pot ycouered & luted in þe couertour or lidde [*Ch.(2): couerynge; L coopertorio], of which be þer applied þe fenestred canule.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Christina Mirab.(Dc 114)133/38 : Whan þey hadde openyd hir [tomb], & leyde þe couertour be-syde, so mykel grace of swetnesse was felte [etc.].
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)5/36 : Seele þe vessel with his couertour.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)754 : Wo so euer he takes þat mete to bere, Schalle not so hardy þo couertoure rere.
4.
(a) A roof; (b) a shelter or canopy; also fig.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.36.19 : He made the couertour of the tabernacle of skynnes of wethers.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)49a/a : Peripetasma: a veyle or a couertour of pauilon.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.6161 : The sterrid heuene is thi couerture In somer sesoun.
b
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)14550 : Vnto her tentis are thei reden..Thei hied hem to her Emperour, Ther he sat vndir his couertour.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4177 : Þaire cabons & þar couertours it [fire] kindils on a lowe, And all þar pauillions of pall it to poudire wastis.
5.
Concealment; stealth.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1576 : They..faile of that thei seche, Be coverture and sleyhte of speche.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1588 : A myrrour openly Shewith all thing that stondith therby, As well the colour as the figure, Withouten ony coverture.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2172 : The sothfastnesse, that now is hid, Without coverture shall be kid.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1147 : Rame..kept well hir purpose vndir coverture.
6.
(a) A protective device, a refuge; a disguise or pretext; (b) guise or manner; ~ of soth, the way or guise of truth; under ~ of poietes (fable), in the manner of poets (a fable).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.645 : Ypocrisie..hath his pourpos ofte achieved..by stelthe, Thurgh coverture of his fallas.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1939 : If evere was thi thoght, With Falssemblant and coverture To wite of eny creature How that he was with love lad.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)227/7 : The hertes of goode folkes bene the couertures of the secrete thinges.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)4596 : His purpose was to sle hym vterly with fals tresone, vnder a coverture.
b
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.3.24 : Wherfore eschaufeth the thought of man..to knowen thilke notificaciouns that ben ihid undir the covertures of soth?
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)13 : To speke morally, ve shall tell a fable to this purpoise vndir the couertvre of poyetis.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)19 : There was a kyng in Grece..off whom poyetis spake vnder conuerteure of fable.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10627 : Vnder honest couerture Offte ys hyd ful gret ordure.
- a1500 Alex.-Cassamus (Cmb Ff.1.6)426 : Trowþe..muste the louer gouerne stedfast to endure..He owith for to kepe hym vndir the couerture Of trowthe and of connyng.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.81ra (2.13) : In þe rofe of a couertoure of a bath..when þe fumositees of þe bath stieþ vp to þe rof, be cause þat þai mowe noȝt go þorogh..þai turne donward agayn.
Note: Antedates sense 4.(b). Editor's gloss: 'a cover, canopy'.