Middle English Dictionary Entry
dam n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dam n. Also damme, dame. Pl. dammes. |
| Etymology | Prob. ON; cp. OI damm, dammr dam & Dan. dam pond; but cp. OE fordemman stop up, block. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A dam; also, the bank (of a stream); (b) ~ bord, a sluice gate.
Associated quotations
a
- (1337) *Acc.R.Gt.Amwell : [4 men hired] ad reparand Le Dam.
- ?a1400 Bozon (Hrl 1288)212 : Clym! clam! the catte lepe over the damme.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)113 : Dame or hye bankys: Agger.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)397 : Ouyr þe feldys, þe marys, and þe dam.
- (1450) Paston2.194 : Sir John Bukk..holp brake my damme, destroyed my new mille.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)10/21 : This flode..is wone to chaunge his dammys euery monethe.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1857 : Þan fondis furth dame Fortoun to þe flodeȝatis, Draȝes vp þe damme-borde & drenchis vs euire.
2.
(a) A body of water, such as a pond or a stream; (b) a swollen body of water, a flood; ~ of watres; also fig.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)324 : Þou wylnez ouer þys water to weue..Þurȝ drwry deth boz vch ma[n] dreue, Er ouer þys dam hym Dryȝtyn deme.
- (c1447) Let.Midylton in Lin.NQ 16200 : That the dam there be storyd with ffysch in all the hast that ye can.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3928 : Before scho drank of þis dam.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.25 : There is a grete damme [Trev: pond; L stagnum]..the water of whom makethe moiste the clothes of men hauenge theire siȝhte directe to hit.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)736/29 : Hoc stangnum: a dame.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)312 : Þy stryuande stremez..In on daschande dam dryuez me ouer.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)416 : Þe arc .. waltered on þe wylde flod .. Drof upon þe depe dam .. With-outen mast.
- c1400 Interpol.Rolle Cant.(1) (Bod 288)27 : Þe dam of watris, þat is þe abundaunce of goostly loore, passiþ wondirfulli þoru þis fals world fro lovier to lovier of Crist.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)p.510 : The dam of waters, that is, the gastly haboundaunce of gastly lare.
3.
(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [in this example modeled on Du. Vlamincdam; for domestic examples see Smith PNElem. 1.127].
Associated quotations
a
- (1230) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.4280 : Nicholaus del Dam.
- (1252) Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.1328 : Cristina a la Dam.
- (1269) Assize R.Nhb.in Sur.Soc.88212 : Nigell. Dam.
- (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2503 : Galfridus atedam.
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 2135 : Ada del Dam.
- (1333) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 1090 : Alic' Othedom.
b
- (?1480) Let.Cely (PRO 53/128)p.86 (97/2,7) : I pray yow let yowr man do so myche ffor me as to go to the syne off the Ster next onto Flemyngys Dame wheras daggers be maid and .. to the cap-maker next beyond William Kenettys on the same synd to Flemyngys Dame warde and let hym resceyue off hym vj sengell bonotys.