Middle English Dictionary Entry
d n.
Entry Info
| Forms | d n. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The fourth letter of the Roman alphabet; (b) the Roman numeral for 500; (c) the sound of the letter 'd'.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)16436 : Þatt oþerr staff iss nemmnedd DE.
- a1500 Cryst crosse (Cai 174/95)7 : D ys the doleful deth of hym so to dye.
b
- (1459) Paston (Gairdner)3.168 : Summa, Dcccclxv unces.
- (1459) Paston (Gairdner)3.170 : Summa, Dc unces.
- (1473) RParl.6.76b : Sommes atteignyng to D li.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)1842 : Off the sarysins that were slawe in that wendyng D. C. Ml in Charlys tyme.
c
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.35v : Modirwort: Lewed folk þat in manye wordes conne no ryȝt sownyng, but ofte shortyn wordes & changyn lettrys & silablys, þey coruptyn þe 'o' into 'u' & 'd' into 'g' & syncopyn, i. smytyn awey 'i' & 'r' & seyn 'mugwort.'
2.
(a) A symbol designating a section of a book, a point in a geometric figure, a square on the chessboard; (b) the dominical letter "D".
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)231b/a : Synguler propretees of þis tree we habbeþ ysette tofore in þis same book in litera d.
- ?c1400 Treat.Geom.(Sln 213)65 : Make a quadrat..A es þe right cornel vpward..D þe right cornel donward.
- a1475 Chess(1) (Porter)603 : Þen chec with þi knyȝt in D & mate with þi roke in E.
b
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)2.6.295-297 (f.48rb; p.140) : Tak hede on what lettre Sondai goþ; F E D C B A G are concurrantz: when þe Sonday goþ on F, þe concurrantz goþ þat ȝere on j; when þe Sonday goth on E, þe concurrant goþ on 2; when on D, on 3, & so of alle þat oþer.
3.
An abbreviation (a) for L denarius, denarii 'penny, pence'; (b) for pennyweight (s).
Associated quotations
a
- (1387) Will in Bk.Lond.E.209/23 : Y be-quethe to the werk of poulys vj s. viij d.
- (1474-5) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 44 : Comes yong men and bryngs ij s. ij d. clere.
b
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)67 : c dd. peions, xij dd. partrych, viij dd. Rabettes, x dosen Curlewes.
- (1478) Indent.in Archaeol.16169 : xj uncs and ij penyweight of perfite fyne sylver, and xviij d. weight of allay.
4.
A musical note [see desolre].
Associated quotations
- :
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1425 *Tit.Alphabet (Tit D.18)9a : Alphabetum Anglicum: b, be; c, ce; d, de; e; f, ef.
Note: Need date in sense 1.(a).--per MLL
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)189b/a : Terbentian is a gumme of arabie h.& d.
Note: This is an abbreviation for 'dry' and occurs many times in this herbal.
Note: Belongs to sense 3. Add lettered sense and gloss: "(c) Phys., med.,etc. dry, i.e., dominated by the quality of dryness".--per MLL