Middle English Dictionary Entry
cristal n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cristal n. Also crestal, crestel, cristalle, cristelle, criȝstall. |
| Etymology | L crystallus, OF cristal, crestal & OE cristalla. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The transparent form of crystallized quartz, rock crystal; (b) some material resembling crystal; (c) fig. the clear part of the eye [see cristalline]; (d) in comparisons: bright as ~, cler as ~, shinen as ~, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)88/232 : In þe tur is o kernel Of seluer and of crestel.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)318 : Him þouȝte þat hit was al, weued and chaliz and Cruettes, þoruȝout cler cristal [Hrl: Crestal].
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)115 : Al þe fenestres þat beþ of glasse Turneþ in to cristal briȝt.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.657 : Þe walles were of cristal.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.215 : Þe temple Olouitreum..was made al of cristal [L crystallo] and of gold.
- c1390(a1325) Ipotis (Vrn)65 : Þe þridde heuene semeþ cristal.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)331a/a : Philaterium is a litel vessel of glas oþer of Cristal in þe whiche holy relikes ben y-kepte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2842 : To a cheste, wrouȝt of cristal clene..sche taketh hir passage.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)79/4-5 : For þe grete calde and continuele frost, þe water congelez in to cristall, and apon þe roche of cristall growez gude dyamaundes.
- (1429) Will Braybroke in Ess.AST 5301 : Also a box of crystall garnysshed with siluer and gilt.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1486 : Þe floure was paynted oueralle With a clere cristalle.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1650 : The windowes..Caruen in Cristall.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)30b : Cristall:..cristallum.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)20/14 : Crysten men buryeden hym yn a tombe of crystall.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)146/11 : He toke vyals of cristall and of lambur and of glas.
b
- a1500 Ashm.1447 Lapid.(Ashm 1447)p.59 : Alectorius..ys a stoune of whyte crestall, and he ys drave ovte of a kockys wombe.
c
- a1450 I have a gentil cok (Sln 2593)17 : His eynyn arn of cristal, lokyn al in aumbyr.
d
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)456 : Riȝt so blac is al þe mone..Bote þare ase þe sonne schynez..And Makez hire schyne a-boute briȝtore þane ani cristal.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)32 : Middel heo haþ menskful smal, hire loueliche chere as cristal.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)32/358 : Al þe vtmast wal Was clere and schine as cristal.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.4.6 : In the siȝt of the seete, as a se of glas, lijk to cristal [L crystallo].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.5066 : A Ston mor briht than a cristall Out of hir mouth..Sche let doun falle.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)376 : He wroght..þe firmament..Wit water sonded [Göt: schinand; Frf: clere] als cristale.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21783 : Was na cristal was als bright.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.745 : Þei..drank watrys..Þat sprange lyche cristal in þe colde welle.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.589 : For al þe terys þat she gan to shede On hir chekis, as any cristal clere.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)900 : Þat lady es ful gent and small, Hir yghen clere als es cristall.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Num.11.7 : Manna was..of the colour of bdellyum, which is whijt and briȝt as cristal.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)532 : Þare es no beralle so brighte, Na cristalle so clere.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)17.266 : So Cler beCam that Tre withal As Evere dyde ony berylle Othir Cristal.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)37 : And by a Ryuer forth I gan costey, Of water clere as berel or cristal.
- a1500(c1380) Chaucer Rosem.(Benson-Robinson)3 : For as the cristal glorious ye shyne.
2.
(a) A box or container made of crystal, a reliquary of crystal; crois ~, a crystal reliquary shaped like a cross; (b) a small piece of crystal used as a gem; crystal regarded as a precious stone; (c) a slab of crystal; a piece of crystal acting as a mirror; (d) a piece of crystal used in foretelling the future; loken in ~, to indulge in crystal gazing; (e) med. crystal as a remedy, powdered crystal dissolved in drink; drinken ~, poudre of ~.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 Roland & V.(Auch)114 : Þan brouȝt þai forþ..a parti of þe holy crosse þat in a cristal was don in clos.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)638 : O partie of the holy rode..wes closed feir ant wel In a cristal everuch del.
- (c1438) MKempe B (Add 61823)235/25 : Þe blisful Sacrament..was wyth-inne þe Vtas of Corpus Cristi, & it stod opyn in a cristal þat men myth se it yf þei wolde.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1400 : A litulle particulle [of one of the nails of the cross] sone after he hem dyȝt, & closede hit wt-in a cresce cristelle.
b
- c1330(?c1300) St.Patr.Purg.(1) (Auch)p.107 : Jaspers, topes and cristal, margarites and coral and riche saferstones.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1325 : His Ston appropred is Cristall.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)166b/a : In þilke hilles is beste Smaragdus and moste pure cristall [L cristalli].
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)80/14 : For oft tymes þai sell to þaim þat hase na grete knawyng of stanes, in steed dyamaundez, cristalles pale and oþer maner of stanes.
- (1450) Will York in Sur.Soc.30175 : I wite to Robert, my son..a golde rynge with a safer yare-in and a cristall hyngyng yare-by.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)23 : These stones be there in habundauns -- smaragdis, cristalis, and cianeus.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.73 : Also it is seyd þat cristall is a maner kend of berell, & haþe pale greynes þer-of schinyng toward þe coleur of gold.
- a1605(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Stw 952(2))18117 : I can..stell ymagis of tre and stone..& paynt them newe..and at theyr brestis and at ther hedd I set berryls and crystall.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.831 : A Cristall is that on, Which that corone is set upon.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Apoc.4.6 : And bifor the seete as a see of glas, lijk a crystal.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1600 : Ther is noon so litil thyng..That it ne is sene, as though it were Peyntid in the cristall there.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2381 : The cors of Kayon þe kene at Came es beleuefede, Koueride with a crystall clenly all ouer.
d
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)353 : Ȝyf you yn swerd, oþer yn bacyn, Any chylde madyst loke þeryn..or yn cristal, Wycchecraft men clepyn hyt al.
- c1465 As I fared in (Hrl 1704)14 : The clere cristall be-gan to clare, The lightenesse began to glide: 'In thy most welth wisely beware!'
e
- a1450 Dc.291 Lapid.(Dc 291)p.37 : Cristalle is frost harde..& the olde Auncestres made þerof poudre & yaue hit to drynke to norisces, & hit helpeth to haue þe more mylke.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)196/621 : Anoþer for Womans mylke that faylith, take crystall and pound it and giff hire to drynk with the mylke of an oþer woman.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)83/5 : Ȝif a woman haue fauȝt of milke in her pappys, lat here eten often..letuse or drink pouder of criȝstall with swete milke.
- c1475 Court Sap.(Trin-C R.3.21)976 : The Cristall clere, that sekemen oft doth saue.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.76 : Cristallus is a stone..make pouder þerof, gif it to þe nurse to þrynke, & it schal increse her mylke..Also cristall haþ þat vertue [etc.].
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)25/9 : Ȝif hym to drynke cristal, and ȝif he spewe hit he schal be dyde.
3.
In translations from the Old Testament: ice; hail.
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)147.6 : He sendeþ his cristalle [L crystallum] as morsels; who shal hold vp to-fore þe face of his colde?
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.43.22 : The cold northerne wind bleeȝ, and the cristal [L crystallus] freesede fro the watyr.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)198b/b : Þe norþren wynd blew and made cristal frese.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)147.17 : He sendes als snodes his cristal.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)147.6-7 : He sendis his kristall as morcels..The worde of god cumand, snaw, cristall, & cloude ere meltyd.