Middle English Dictionary Entry
cristallīn(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | cristallīn(e adj. Also cirstalin. Pl. cristallines. |
| Etymology | OF cristalin & L crystallīnus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Clear, unclouded; bright, reflecting light; (b) astron. heven ~, ~ heven, the crystalline sphere, a clear heaven variously placed by various astronomers; (c) anat. ~ humour (matere), the substance of the crystalline lens of the eye.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.43 : Hir sustren dwelle..by Elicon the welle, Rennyng ful clere wyth stemys [read: stremys] cristallyn.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3127 : Grekes..Compas the Ryuere, cristalyn of sighte.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)383/348 : From fressh hed-sprynges renne stremys cristallyne [rime: lyne].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2986 : He thouhte he sauh a cristallyn ryuer.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Hrl 1766)9.3340 : Wellys crystallynes Wer dryed vp.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Corp.Chr.(Trin-C R.3.20)101 : Cristallyne water to him so comfortable.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)5718 : The watir was so clere and fyne Of colour verray cristalyne.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)461/41 : The water clere that erst was cristallyne As ruby reed is changed in to wyne.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)372 : By him sate Dame Venus with colour crystallyne.
b
- [ (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)105a/b : Alexander ordeyneþ þe seuen heuenes and seiþ..The secounde..hatte celum aqueum oþir cristallinum. ]
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)106b/b : The Sexte heuene is watery oþer cristalline.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)107a/a : Þat heuen is clepid wattyry and cristallyne by cause of ablenes to meovinge & of clernes, ffor hit is clere as cristall..þe heuen cristalline.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)279 : Ye the heuyn crystallyne illumyne and puryfye.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)81.165 (v.2:p.87) : Material heven is sevenfolde, as the nethir mysty eyre; the ovir clere eyre; the space abouen that is clepid Olimpus, that is to seyn 'al bright'; the fyry heven; the sterrid heven; the cristallyn heven; and the last and the seventh is clepid 'Celum Empirium.'
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)84b/b : The cause of his [the bear's] blyndenesse is þe biholdinge of a briȝt brennynge & schenynge basyne; þe fury vertu of þe basyne destroieþ & wastiþ þe kirtil of þe iȝe & þe humour cristallyne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)308a/a : De colore in oculo..þe dyuersite of þese comeþ..of scarsete of cristallyne humour or of deepnesse þerof.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)127b/b : Humour cristalline is obliquate & transposed.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)14a/b : Of þe þre humours, þe firste is þe cristallyne humour sette in þe myddes of þe eyȝe.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)5.461 : The eyne eke whiche þis ymage shal haue..This cristallyn matere thus sotilly to congelle, There is no werkman in erthe that can it welle.
2.
Made of crystal.
Associated quotations
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.3107 : He sit crownid..Amyd the paleis of stonis cristallyne.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)131a/b : Macule ar wiþoutforþ to þe difference of catharactez & saniei & albedinis, i. whitnez cristallium [Ch.(2): cristallyne whitenesse; L cristalline] þat ar retro, i. bihynde, corneam.
Note: New spelling: Also..(Latinate) cristallium.
Note: Belongs to sense 1.(c).
Note: Gloss: ~ whitnesse, whitnesse ~ = cristallīne n. (b).--notes per MJW
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 cristalin(e, (Latinate) cristallium.--per MLL