Middle English Dictionary Entry
crisp adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | crisp adj. Also crips, crippis, crispis, kirps, scrip. |
| Etymology | L crispus, whence OE crisp, cyrps; cp. also OF cresp(e. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of hair, wool, etc.: curly.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)368/64 : His her is broun and swiþe crips; non ne mai cripsore [Corp-C: crispore] beo.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)687 : He is blac with cripse here.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)33 : Cheveuz recercillez: lockes crispe [vrr. her crispe, cryps heer].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Judith 16.10 : She bond togidere hir crisp heris [L concinnos; WB(2): the tressis of hir heeris] with a mitre.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2165 : His crispe [vrr. cryps, crippis] heer [vr. heeris] lyk rynges was yronne.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.304 : For his crisp [vr. scrip] heer..hastow caught a fals suspecioun.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)30b/a : Þere wymmen bereþ children þat ben blake and hath litil here and crips.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)264b/a : Þe lomb..haþ smal wolle and crispe.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)13 : I haue þyȝe cripse lokkys.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)123b/b : Thinges making ȝelow heres..Bot ȝelow & crispe [*Ch.(2): crollynge] makeþ þei y-wasshed with spuma vitri.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)103 : Cryspe, as here, or oþer lyke: Crispus.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1386 : Her heer..oundy was and crips [rime: Apocalips].
- c1475 7 Sages(1) (Eg 1995)2/53 : Hys here was cryspe.
- a1500 St.Dor.(2) (Chet 8009)55 : There aperyd a faire childe..with crispis here.
2.
(a) Having curly hair, curly-headed; of sheep or oxen: having curly wool or hair; ~ of her, curly-headed, ?kinky-haired; (b) as surname; (c) ~ hered, curly-haired.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Eust.(LdMisc 108)182 : Þare weren ȝoungue tweie faire men..with red heued, ȝeolu and crips.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.53 : Þe son beme al wey abideþ vppon þe men of Affrica, and..makeþ hem..blak of skyn, crips of heer [L crine crispiores].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)36a/a : Colerik men beþ..in colour broun, in eer blak and crips [L in crinibus nigri & crispi].
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.696 : Take oxon yonge..Whos frounte is crispe [BodAdd: cripse] and glaad.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4476 : He has na hert vs to here..For calues, ne for kidis blode, ne for na crispe wethris.
b
- (c1200) Cart.Oseney in OHS 90190 : Ricardus Crips.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1223 : Regin' Crips.
- (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2778 : Gilbertus le Crispe.
- (1287) Leet R.Norwich in Seld.Soc.512 : Willelmus Crisp.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1041 : Is. Crips.
- (c1311) Rec.Norwich 1374 : Regin fil' willi Crisp.
- (1313) Sub.R.Bristol(1) in BGAS 19253 : Johannes le Cripse.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 397 : Adam le Cripse.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5451 : Aladanc þe crispe was xx & on.
c
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3757 : Crispe herit was the kyng, colouret as gold.
3.
(a) Wrinkled; of a body of water: covered with ripples; (b) of fabrics: crinkly, crepe-like.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)155b/b : Þe ponde..streccheþ..with crisp watir [L aquis crispantibus] and calme, and noȝt wiþ strong wyndes, but þey be crispe of hem self.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)235a/a : Mirra is a tree..þe leues þer of ben yliche to þe leues of olyue, but þey ben more crisp and haue more prikkes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)238b/a : Þer is þre maner kynde of caule: some with crispe leues..anoþer wiþ brode leues.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)112/6 : Þei putten it [the pepper] vpon an owven & þere it waxeth blak & crisp [Eg: runklid; F crespez].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)111b/a : And if þe skyn of hym [the leper] is crispe as of a gander.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)5.69 : They wol be crispe, her seed yf that me crese.
- c1460 My fayr lady (Hrl 2255)p.199 : The kyrspe skyn of hyr forheed Is drawyn up and on trustily bownde.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.401 : They beeþ cloþed..In..A crisp breche wel fayn [L crispa femoralia].
- (1389) Will York in Sur.Soc.4130 : Johannæ Dargh, a crisp volet & a chalon.
- (1390) Will York in Sur.Soc.4143 : Lego..j krysp kourchiff.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28018 : Biletts for-broiden and colers wide..Wit curchefs crisp and bendes bright.
- (1433) Will York in Sur.Soc.3050 : Lego..duo crispe covercheves.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)374 : By him sate Dame Venus…Cryspe was her skyn; her eyen columbyne.
Note: New sense.
Note: Belongs to sense 3. Add subsense (c).
Note: Gloss: (c)of skin: fresh, smooth, clear.
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Revised form section: Also crispe, crips(e, crispis, crippis, scrip, kirspe. Comp. crispore, cripsore.--notes per MLL