Middle English Dictionary Entry
crab(be n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | crab(be n.(1) Pl. crabbes, crabben. |
| Etymology | OE crabba. See Smith PNElem. 110. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A crab; usually, a sea crab; ~ leg; (b) a freshwater crab; prob. also, a crayfish; ~ hole, a pool or pit containing crabs or crayfish; ~ welle, ?a stream containing crayfish [see flod ~, river ~]; (c) a crablike monster; ~ fish; (d) ?a representation of a crab.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)51 : Þer wunieð in-ne..ȝeluwe froggen and crabben. Crabbe is an manere of fissce in þere sea..þe alde crabbe seide to þe ȝunge, 'hwi ne swimmest þu forðwarð in þere sea?'
- (c1330) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9917 : In 3 Lamprouns, 1 salmone, Crabbs et Lopsters pro priore, vij s. j d.
- (1344) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9940 : In 2 salmon, playces, gurnard, et crabb.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1053 : Cancer..Of Signes halt the ferthe place. Like to the crabbe he hath semblance.
- ?a1400 Bozon (Hrl 1288)201 : Est autem quidam piscis maris vocatus (anglice a) crabbe, habens multos pedos.
- (1416-7) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103613 : Item in pisc. alb., lopisters, crabbes, et lampray rec. de Sheles, 22 s. 2 d.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)92a/a : Recipe..tibiarum cancrorum i. crab leggez.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)99 : Crabbe, fysche: Cancer.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Crab (Trin-C R.3.20)8 : Þis worlde is ful of stabulnesse..So as þe crabbe goþe forward.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)102 : Take a crabbe or a lopster, and stop him in þe vente with on of hire clees.
- (1462) Doc.in HMC Rep.5 App.491b : To Wylliam Way for a quarter ffagge and a crabb, 16 d.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)590 : Crabbe is a slutt to kerve & a wrawd wight.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)196/17 : Oystres and crabbes, the brayne and marrowe of al bestis wixen and decrescen aftyr the mone.
b
- (1199) in Ekwall Dict.EPN122 : Crabbewell.
- (1227) in Wallenberg PNKent567 : Crabbehole.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)102a/b : Crabbes of ryuers [L cancri fluuiales] helpiþ ȝif þe asschen of hem..beþ I-sode.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)36b/b : For þe same disposicioun praiseþ Auicen emplastre of crabbez of flodez.
c
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5358 : Þere comen..Of wonder bestes many þousynde; Crabben hij oten..Hij weren as mychel as bores.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)70/27 : Þare come..Crabbes of a wonderfull greteness, and þaire bakkes ware harder þan cocadrillez.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3892 : Now comes a company of Crabbe-fische as calues gret, Meuand of þis marras, oure men to assaill.
d
- (1453) Will York in Sur.Soc.30189 : Item, j fayre pile of coppis conteynyng xij coppis gilt, with crabbis in ye myddis, and ij coveryngis to yame, with crabb.
2.
Astron. The constellation Cancer; crabbes hed; signe of the ~, Cancer as a sign of the zodiac.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.207 : Whanne he seiþ þat þe Crabbe makeþ hem wynter, he meneþ þat whanne þe sonne is in þe Crabbe, þan it is wynter wiþ ham.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)108a/a : Þis cercle touchiþ zodiacus in þe signe þat hatte cancer, þe crabbe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.628 : Þe schene sonne..had his chare whirled vp so hyȝ..Þat he had made in þe crabbis hede His mansioun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3364 : The tyme of ȝer whan þe shene sonne In þe Crabbe had his cours I-ronne.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Say.Nightingale (Trin-C R.3.20)1 : In Iuygne whan Tytan was in þe Crabbes hed.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)27/33 : Somer bigynneth whan þe sonne entrith into the signe of þe Crabbe.
- c1450 When the son (Frf 16)264 : More clere then bemes of phebus shene In the crabbe yn hys somer tropike.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)73/22 : Somer begynnes þanne whenne þe sonne entrys yn to þe firste tokenynge of þe crabbe.
3.
An arch.
Associated quotations
- c1410 Trev.Higd.(Add 24194)1.221 : Þis work [theatrum] is i-sett uppon sixe crabbes [L cancros] i-hewe of hard marbilston.
4.
A surname [?crabbe n. (2)].
Associated quotations
- (1188) in Pipe R.Soc.38162 : Walterus Crabbe.
- (1217) Pat.R.Hen.III96 : Steffanus Crabbe.
- (1275) Close R.Edw.I175 : Warin Crabbe.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.68239 : Et de 17 d. de Benedicto Crabba.
- (1312) Court R.Colchester 165 : John Crabbe.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3259 : Willelmus Crabbe.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)279/16 : Þere was a Flemyng in þe see, a strong þef robour, þat me callede Crab.
- (1428) Feudal Aids 1222 : Thomas Crabbe.