Middle English Dictionary Entry
crōmb(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | crōmb(e n. Also crome, cram, cromp, grom(e; (in place-names) -cram(e, cramb-, -crambe, -cramp, (dat. pl.) crambum, crambhom. |
| Etymology | OE cramb (in place names only) land in a bend of a river; cp. OE crumb crooked. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A crooked staff; a hook; ?also, some type of hooked implement or fixture; welle ~, the hook attached to a well rope [see welle n., sense 1c.(d)]; (b) surg., a hooklike or curved surgical instrument, in some cases perhaps a retractor; (c) a claw; (d) a barbed seed, bur; (e) in place-names, perhaps referring to a piece of land in the bend of a river [see Smith PNElem. 1.111].
Associated quotations
a
- (1304) *Acc.Exch.(PRO) 12/6 [OD col.] : In custodibus de crombis et alior necessarior bargie.
- (1345-9) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.III(1) in Archaeol.3181 : Coquina..Et ij gromes de ferro.
- (1368) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.92 : [3] brandirens, [2] gridils, [3 iron] gromes.
- (1373) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.155,156 : [In the kitchen:…one] grom, [one] ferpanne.
- (1393) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.212 : [One pair of] gromes, [6 d].
- (c1422) Invent.Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.12206 : j cromb pro fonte.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)104 : Crombe, or crome: Bucus, arpax.
- (1452-3) Invent.Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.12220 : Item, j wellecrombe cum longo fune de twynfilo.
b
- a1425 *Chauliac(4) in Norri Dict.Med.(Jes-C Q.G.23)93va (p.261) : Cleue hem after þe lengþe & fle it out wiþ som maner spatume þat is dul & not scharp, drawing oolong þe lippis wiþ cromes [L: cum uncinis].
- a1425 *Chauliac(4) in Norri Dict.Med.(Jes-C Q.G.23)299rb (p.261) : It nedeþ..to drawe it vp wiþ 2 or 3 cromes or hokis [L: uncinis].
- a1425 *Chauliac(4) in Norri Dict.Med.(Jes-C Q.G.23)182vb (p.261) : If..eny quassacioun be grete, it nedeþ to kit awei þat þat is quaschid..wiþ tortellis, i. crammes [L: per cortellos].
c
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)234 : Lord! send us þi lomb..To fende vs from þe lyon cromp [rime: lomb, womb, flomb].
d
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.42r : Lappa is an erbe with leuys brode & þikke, & buddis abouyn in his stalkes, smale wronge crompes [Add 27329 (f.40rb): crombes] þat hengen on þe cloþes of hem þat passen neyh þerby; Grekes callen it 'philantropos,' & we [i.e., we Latin-speakers] þerof 'philantropus' or '-pa', i. 'louyng man,' for it semyth as it hadde a maner loue to man to cleuyn on his cloþis.
e
- (c1145-80) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)36,38 : Crambum.
- (c1150-60) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)36,38 : Botercrame.
- (1208) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)36,38 : Butercram.
- (1316) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)36,38 : Buttercramp. Crambhom.
- (1350) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)36,38 : Butercrambe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: See OED crome, cromb n.; crump adj.1 and n.1; and cramp n.2.
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. crome.