Middle English Dictionary Entry
croft n.
Entry Info
| Forms | croft n. Also (error) crost. |
| Etymology | OE; several Latinate forms are included in 1 (a). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A small piece of ground used for agricultural purposes (usually enclosed, often adjoining a house); (b) fig.; (c) any enclosure, a courtyard; a field for a tournament [ ? = (a)]; helle ~, hell; (d) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (c1160) in Madox Form.Angl.(1702)43 : Unam croftam quæ jacet inter pomerium ipsius Roberti & magnam viam. ]
- [ (1209) Pipe R.Winch5/36 : In defectu crofti Roberti Wixi tracti in dominium, xij d. ]
- [ (1338) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.xviii : Item de frumento in crofto et in le Morehousfeld, viij v travæ. ]
- [ a1400(1251) Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.1292 : Robertus non dat heusyre sicut Ricardus, quia non habet croftam pertinentem mesuagio suo. ]
- [ a1400 Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.3246 : Sanson filius Ricardi tenet unam cotlandiam sine crofta. ]
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)558 : He saiȝh þat þe Aungles comen ofte A-boute onderne eche daye ase he stod in is crofte.
- (1375) Award Blount in ORS 7205 : The seide Isabell is indowed..in a Crofte callid Stonycrofte conteynyng iij acris.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.277 : Ich hope forte haue heruest in my Croft [C vr. croftes].
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)6.17 : Canstow..kepe my corn in my croft fro pykers and þeeues?
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.796 : Delue hit vnder molde inwith thy crofte.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3971 : Þai swey doun as swiftly, þa swart men of ynde, As euire did corne in a croft be-fore a kene sithe.
- (1455) Will York in Sur.Soc.30216 : I gife her, terme of hire lyfe, tenement in Whenby, with a garth and a croft next vicarage.
- (1469) Will Bury in Camd.4947 : I will that myn doughter Anneys the ferme of alle the londys callyd Mekyll Southfyld..and j crofte with a pece medewe conteynyng iiij acrys.
- (1473) RParl.6.82b : iii Meses, cl acres of Land and Mede in Berton in the seid Countee, ii Croftes, xx acres of Land and Mede, and ii s. of Rente.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)33/10 : Iohane..graunted..the mese..with all other pertynentis and fredomes longyng to the same lond, in toftis, in croftis, in wode and mede, in weyes and pathes.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)243/4 : Thomas yaf to the forsaid Petir..an arable crofte.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)30b : A Crofte: confinium, croftum [Monson: crustum], toftum, fundus.
- c1500(1342) The fals fox (Cmb Ee.1.12)1 : The fals fox came vnto our croft, And so our gese ful fast he sought.
b
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)83/38 : Þat o greyne won al vr wele whon greyne on grounde was sowe In Marie lond, þat Mylde croft.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)6.63 : Þe Crofte hette coueyte-not-Mennes-catel-ne-heore-wyues-Ne-non-of-heore-seruauns.
c
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)559 : He schal syttyn in sendel softe, to cachen hym to helle crofte.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1147 : I clymbe fro þis crofte, with Mankynde, o, to syttyn on lofte.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2145 : If þou fonde to comyn a-lofte, I schal þee cache fro þis crofte.
- a1450 Spaldyng Katereyn þe curteys (BodR 22)p.543 : J schal crowne þe in þe court of our goddesse croft.
- a1475(a1450) Tourn.Tott.(Hrl 5396)74 : All þe gret cumpany com rydand to þe croft.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)378/353 : Com to my crofte [hell]..All harlottys and horres..Welcom to my see!
d
- (1163) in Pipe R.Soc.67 : Hugo de Croft.
- (1193-4) Pipe R.Lan77 : Gilbertus de Croft.
- (1205) Fine R.King John289 : Johannes de Croft.
- (1275) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames47 : Jul. de la Crofte.
- (1296) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames47 : Ric. atte Crofte.
- (1297) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 1640 : Rob. Croft.
- (1327) Sub.R.Lei.in AASRP 19.2293 : Willelmus in le Croft.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3263 : Walterus in the Crofte.
- (1327) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 7204 : Johannes super le Croft.
- (1327) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames47 : Rog. atte Crost. Joh. atte Crost.
- (1333) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames47 : Rog. atte Croffte. Joh. in the Crofte.
2.
(a) In cpds.: ~ lond, land divided up into small fields; ~ man, a tenant who held one of these fields; (b) in place names [see also Smith PNElem. 1.113].
Associated quotations
a
- [ a1400(1239-40) Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.2495 : Omnes prædicti, tam virgatarii, quam tenentes dimidiam virgatam, et cothmanni, et croftmanni participant ad annuale talliagium. ]
- (c1325) Doc.in Kennett Par.Antiq.(1818) [OD col.]1.566 : Duæ acræ et dimidia super le Croftland.
- (1327) in Fransson Surn.204 : Matill Croftman.
- (1332) in Fransson Surn.204 : Relicta Croftman.
- (1339) Close R.Edw.III232 : Edmund Croftman.
b
- (c1150) in Ekwall Dict.EPN125 : Croftotona.
- (1154-9) EPNSoc.29 (Der.)722 : Becroft.
- (1166) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)333 : Croftun.
- (1175) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.190 : Stancroft.
- (c1200) EPNSoc.29 (Der.)722 : Caluecroft. Cappecroft.
- (1202) EPNSoc.29 (Der.)722 : Riecroft.
- (1208) EPNSoc.29 (Der.)722 : Silvercroft.
- (1222) Domesday Bk.St.Paul in Camd.6913 : In chalcrofte, iij acre.
- (1222) Domesday Bk.St.Paul in Camd.6953 : Decem acre in estcroft.
- (1224) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)559 : Hethecroft.
- (1232) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)577 : Bradecroft. Barlichcroft.
- (c1240) Cart.Oseney in OHS 97190 : Pro dimidia acra apud Crofteslondesende.
- (c1250) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)389 : Sparwecroft.
- (1275) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)389 : Salecroft.
- (1288) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)577 : Oxecroft.
- (a1300) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)577 : Korncroft.
- a1307(c1280) Cust.Battle Abbey in Camd.n.s.417 : Helewisa de Petle..debet..de redditu per annum..pro una crofte quæ vocatur Coterescrofte vj d.
- (1315) Deed Yks.in YASRS 6951 : [Land in] le Westcroft.
- (c1325) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)207 : Coltcroft.
- (1332) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames88 : Ric. atte Haycroft.
- (1333) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames47 : Joh. attecrofteshende.
- (1333) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames108 : Joh. atte Horscrofte.
- (1354) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)141 : Houscroft.
- (1373) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.2308 : Et fossure de novo facte fuerunt juxta le Croftwey.
- (1381) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)252 : Porticroft. Stywardcroft.
- (1382) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)252 : Knytecroft.
- (1395) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)316-7 : Canonscroft. Watyrlesowcroft.
- (1404) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)316-7 : Abbotiscroft. Bernecroft.
- (1410) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)316-7 : Cowcroft.
- (1413) EPNSoc.29 (Der.)721-2 : Peescroft.
- (1415) EPNSoc.29 (Der.)721-2 : Bromycroft. Fishecroft. Oldcroft. Piecroft. Smithcroft.
- (1423) EPNSoc.29 (Der.)721-2 : Barleycrofte.
- (1439) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)428 : Hoggecroft.
- (1448) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)427 : Chalkcroft.
- (1472) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)389 : Hethcroft. Perycroft. Whetcroft.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)171/29 : Hyt strecchyt hyt-selfe fro þe sowþe syde of þe horscrofte..vn-to an angle..of Tudenhull.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)668/31 : The wyke or wyke crofte..beside Oxenford.
- (1487) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)577 : Crokyd Croft. Otecroft.
- (1496) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)577 : Slowcroft.
- (a1500) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)577 : Calewecroft.