Middle English Dictionary Entry
crē̆ste n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | crē̆ste n.(1) Also creiste, crece & criste. |
| Etymology | OF creste & L crista. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The crest of a bird or dragon; a tuft of feathers; the comb of a cock or hen; also, a mane; (b) the tail of a comet; the sun's rays at dawn.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.197 : An hen..had anon i-growe a spore on þe leg and a crest [Higd.(2): combe; L crista] on þe heed, as it were a cok.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.6044 : A lappewincke mad he was..And on his hed ther stant upriht A creste in tokne he was a kniht.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)150a/b : Þe pecok hath..euel j-schape heued..and with a crest [L cristatum].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)282a/b : The Dragoun..haþ a creste.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)14b/b : Cirrus: crest of a cok.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)35b/b : Juba: an hors..or a crest.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)31/2 : He [the Phoenix] hath a crest of fedres [F vn crest] vpon his hed more gret þan the poocok hath.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)135/29 : Þei han a gret crest as a cokkes comb vpon hire hedes.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)10b/a : And þe colatoriez of þe noseþrillez partied bi a maner bony addicioun to þe maner of a crest of a henne.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)102 : Creste, of a byrdys hede: Cirrus.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3869 : Dragons dryfes doun..With kene carefull crie and crestis on þaire hedis.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)30a : A Creste:..Crista..juba.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.33 : For in þe welcon was i-seie stella comata, þat is, a sterre wiþ a briȝt shynynge crest, þat bodeþ alwey pestilence.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.447 : A sterre wiþ a briȝt lemynge creest.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)126a/b : In þe dawinge..his [the sun's] bemes schineþ and schewiþ goldene crestis [L aureas comas].
2.
(a) The crest on a helmet; a decoration, distinguishing mark, or heraldic device fixed to the top of the helmet; also fig.; (b) a headdress; a diadem; an ornament for a horse's head; fleshli ~, fig. the cognizance of mankind, symbol of the human race; (c) a picture, or other representation, of a heraldic crest.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1312) Will Durham in Sur.Soc.219 : Item, j ensis x s. j Vestimentum v s. j Crest xij d. ij massuels xij d. Colers iij d.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)622 : Al anoneward þe helm an heȝ, ys crest a bar adoun.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)1443 : Þe crest of his hed adoun he felde Þat it fleyȝ forþ in þe feld.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.724 : Þer men seie many crestis clere, And many tuft of gold & siluer schene.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)376 : Barbel and crest in siȝt He made fle doun riȝt Of Williams helm on hiȝ.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1108 : The creest and the coronall..he crasschede doune at onez.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)37a : Prefectis, centurius, & oþere cheuenteynes schulde haue crestes ouerþwart hir helmes of dyuers signes and tokenes.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)101/18 : Se ye hym that is armyd in purpyll..and has a white ladye in his creste holdyyng a lyon enchyned.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)931 : The Centeners had also werreourys..That had a creste of fetherys or lik flourys.
- 1466 Challenge Warw.in PMLA 22 (Lnsd 285)602 : Vpon the morowe my lorde came into the felde..with a frenshe Creste of Ostrigge ffethers of golde coompacid with a white Chaplet aboue his basynet.
- a1475(a1450) Tourn.Tott.(Hrl 5396)65 : Ilkon toke a blak hat insted of a crest.
- a1486 Jousts of Peace (Mrg M 775)40 : Abilment for the Justus of the Pees: A helme well stuffyd, with a Crest of hys de viis.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.135 : The criste of cristis helme the table was of his title.
b
- (1345-9) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.III(1) in Archaeol.3137 : Et ad faciendum ludos domini Regis..xiiij crestes cum tibiis reuersat & calciat.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)856 : Þay of mote couþe neuer mynge Of spotlez perlez þa[t] beren þe creste [rime: bereste, reste, drest, kest, beste].
- (1422) Death Hen.V in Archaeol.65185 : Pro factura vj Crestes de armis sancti Georgij pro vj equis.
- a1450 Ch.Feasts (Roy 18.A.10)66 : A clere note þei sang in þe sky, Whan kyngis sone bare fleisshly creste [rime: heste, beeste, feeste, leest, eest].
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6565 : They [Women] dedely haten high crestys And to be hornyd lych as bestys.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)p.58 : Here entur vi dysgysyde in þe sute of Mynde, with rede berdis & lyouns rampaunt on here crestis.
c
- (1422) Death Hen.V in Archaeol.65185 : Pro pictura unius creste et unius helme pro Rege.
- (1431) EEWills88/14 : Y will that on my body be laide a faire stone of Marble with my creste, myn armes, my vanturs, in blewe, reede and white.
- (1436) EEWills105/10 : I woll þat there be leyde vpon my body a stone of Marble, with the crest of my Armes þerupon.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1837 : To Darius anoþir day enditis he a pistill, A crest clenly inclosid, þat consayued þis wordis.
3.
(a) The top of a helmet; (b) top part, cover; uppermost part of a brooch; summit of a cliff, hill, or mountain.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2096 : Vp on his creest he bar a tour, And ther-inne stiked a lilie flour.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5713 : An helme he hadde off ryche entayle; Trysty and trewe was his ventayle; On his crest a douve whyte.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5852 : Crakkyng of cristis, crusshyng of speiris, The clynke & þe clamour claterit in the aire.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)30a : A Creste: Conus.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)782/29 : Hic conus: a crest.
b
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)731 : He sleped..in naked rokkez, Þer as claterande fro þe crest þe colde borne rennez.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.28.23,26 : Two goldun ryngis..thow shalt putte in either creeste [WB(2): hiȝnesse; L summitate] of the broche..the creestis of the breest broche.
- (1430) Lond.Charterhouse in Archaeol.58306 : Here or pipe goþ in a pece of oke kevered with a creste of oke ovyr þe diche in to þe hye wey.
- (1431) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)207/5 : Also payed For Tymbyr For þe Hye Deys and Sawyers and For borde For crestes and leggys.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)882 : Þar filsnez þat fende..Appone the creste of the cragge.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)942 : To the creste of the clyffe he clymbez on lofte.
- c1450(c1353) Winner & W.(Add 31042)59 : At the creste of a clyffe, a caban was rerede.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4790 : Vp a maȝtene mountane..he was comen to þe crest.
- (1463-4) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.ccxcii : Le creste supra magnum altare.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)200/16 : The kynge yode up to the creste of the cragge.
4.
(a) The center line or fold in a length of cloth; (b) a ridge or balk in a plowed field; (c) a bony ridge on the back of a fish; a ridge of bone within the nose, prob. crista sphenoidalis.
Associated quotations
a
- (1433) RParl.4.451b : Clothe of colour shold conteigne in length xxviii yerdes, mette by the crest.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.501a : That every hole Wollen Cloth called brode Cloth..conteigne in lengh xxiiii yerdes..to be mesured by the Creeste of the same Cloth.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)102 : Creyste [Win: Creest], of londe eryyde: Porca.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)47 : Let it be ereyd & layd small and neyghe togeder so þat þe ryge off þe londe betwene off þe foroughes by narowe inowghe togeder like a creste in þe mydis off þe lond ryge.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)281b/a : The cocodrille is ful neische and tendre in þe wombe, and he is þerfore ouercome of fisshe þat haþ pikes and scharpe crestes [L spinas et cristatus pinnulas] in þe bak.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)11a/a : Þer bene som oþer litel bones..as þe bone of þe crest [L os criste] diuiding þe colatories of þe noseþrillez.
5.
(a) Arch. The top of a wall, tower, or gateway; the ridge of a roof; the finishing of stone or tile at the top or the ridge; ~ tre, ridge beam; (b) material (esp., stone) used for such finishing; ~ ston; (c) one of the individual stones used in such work; ?also, a crest tile.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.951 : He fynde myȝt..What lond..Contened was with-Inne þe strong wal..Þe creste of whiche, wher it lowest was, Hadde in hiȝt ful sixe hundred pas.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6445 : Troyens from þe crestis caste Þe grete stonys.
- (1427-8) Rec.St.Mary at Hill68 : For beyenge of a gate of stone viij fote of heyghte..and two fote of thiknes..þe crest iij fote thiknes.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)102 : Creste, or a werke [Win: Creest of a work]: Anaglipha.
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1367 : The walles of the seid Qwere and Churche schull conteyne in hegtht from the grownde werke unto the Crest of the batilments of the same iiijxx fote of assise, And fro the Crest unto the fynyng of the pynnacles xxti fote.
- (1468) Stonor1.96 : Paid to the said Richard for..layng the seid Creste, viij s.
- (1452) in Salzman Building in Engl.531 : The said Roofe shalhaue a crest tre thorowhe, in depthe xvjne inche conueniently wrowht accordyng to the Bemys.
b
- (1369) Fabric R.Rochester in Archaeol.Cant.2113 : [Forty-four and one half feet of stone, called] Crest.
- (1412) Indent.Church Catterick9 : The hight of the walles..sall be..twenty fote with a ualuryng abowne, that is to say, with a course of aschelere and a course of creste.
- (1468) Stonor1.96 : Item, paid to Richard Fylpott for makyng of vjc and xxti fote of Creste stone at ij d. the fote.
c
- (1341-2) Sacrist R.Ely 2119 : Item in crestys empt. 6 d.
- (1434) Indent.Fotheringhay in Med.Mason246 : And either of the said [a]isles shall have..mighty arches..according to the arches of the said qwere, both yn table-stones and crestis.
- (1434-5) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7832-3 : Item, for ii C lathes, xviii d.; item, for i creste ii d. ..item, for ii crestes, iiii d.
- (a1440) Let.Coventry in EHR 55644 : Jtem, for crestes ij s.
- (1442) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1386 : At their costes to be made and brought vn to London iijc fote of Crestes and Corbel table.
- (1464-5) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7862 : Item, pro ii crests imptis de Ricardo Pynner, iii d.
- (a1472) Acc.Bodmin in Camd.n.s.144 : Item to Bartholomew Trote for crestis.
- (a1472) Acc.Bodmin in Camd.n.s.1411 : Frust for crecis, v d.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)140b/b : ȝif þe combe of þe fote oþer þe creste of þe fote be wounded and þere be enye louse bones in þe wounde, take hem oute and staunche þe blode.
Note: Belongs to sense 4.(c).
Note: Add gloss: The instep or metatarsus (of the foot).--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. crest.