Middle English Dictionary Entry
dart n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dart n. |
| Etymology | OF dart, ult. Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A metal-pointed missile, such as a javelin or spear, hurled by hand (perhaps also by the arbalest); [see esp. *Vegetius(1)]; casten ~, sheten ~; fishers ~, hunters ~.
Associated quotations
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2773 : Dartes wel vn ride Beliagog set gan; Tristremes liif þat tide Ferly neiȝe he wan.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)95/1912 : Anon he drouȝ to him a dart, Þourȝ Beues scholder he hit schet.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3488 : Þroweþ wiþ stones..Launces..& dartes kerueinge.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)4398 : As he schuld his dart afong, His arme atvo smot Gij.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2728 : Glayues scherpe þai gunne caste & dartes y-feþered wiþ bras.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1994 : Ther scholde he with his Dart on honde Upon the Tigre..Pourchace and take his veneison.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)161b/b : Þis fysshe..is so fatte þat whan he is y smyte with fysshers dart he feleþ noȝt þe wounde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)219a/b : In þe est londes men werreþ and makeþ hem dartes of reed, and is so longe..þat þey vse hem in stede of speres.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)267b/b : Somme [snakes]..fleeþ as a darte and lepeþ in to trees.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)273b/b : Þe oxe..is..yslawe wiþ hunters dartes.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.44 : With speres..arwes, dartes, swerdes, maces..They fighte.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)31b/b : Hasta: a darte or a Shafte.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)61b/b : Spiclium: a darte.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)66b/a : Torqueo: to tormenten wyþ caste of darte.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.4.16 : Thei moeven..cruel batayles, and wilnen to perise by entrechaungynge of dartes.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.1.4 : Ther as the fleinge bataile ficcheth hir dartes retorned in the breestis of hem that folwen hem.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2245 : Of Trace was he lord, and kyn to Marte, The crewel god that stant with blody darte.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)114 : Darte: Jaculum, telum, spiculum.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)203 : 'What calle ȝee this wande?' Than byspakke the lady: 'Son..It is a dart doghty; In þe wodde i it fande.'
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)102 : The victorie incerteyne is as long as men be among the dartes of there enmyes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3029 : Dartes til oþer þey schotte ful faste..Scharpe launces þorow scheldes smot.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5047 : Sone þey schoten arewes & dartz.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)13.779 : That schowr was As scharpe As A dart.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)16b : How newe chosen kniȝttis or werriours moot ben vsed to castinge of speres, dartes and oþer manere wepouns.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)18b : Dartes and speres leded aboue þe heued..þat schoot, what for strengþe of schete or þe castere, what for peys of þe leed, þere was none armure þat miȝte wiþstonde þe strook.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)21b : Þe castynge schot þat oure footmen vsed in werres was yclepid Pila, and now it is yclepid a spere oþer a darte.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)38b : Þei hadde double dartes, oon of þe more assise, anoþer of þe lasse. þe more had an heued of yren þre square, þe weiȝte of ix ounces, and þe schaft of fyue foot & half, þe whiche now is cleped a pyle.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)39a : Anoþer lasse dart..hadde an heued of yren..of fyue ounce weiȝt, þe schaft of þre foot and an half, þe whiche now is clepid a broche.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13912 : He drof at hym with þe dart.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57210 : For iiij doseyn dartes, prise the dosen iij d.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)187/1065j : The shyppis all Yoven asaught..And shett men with dartis and arblast, And sharpe quarell and eke ffloon.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)33a : To cast Dart: jaculari, spiculari.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)240/13 : They caste at hym dartes and schet arowes.
2.
(a) Fig. uses: an attack or assault, as of the Devil, of death, of hunger, etc.; ~ of hevene, a thunder bolt; (b) setten up the ~, offer a dart as a prize.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)54.24 : Hys wordes ben molist up oile, and na-for-þa hij ben dartes [L jacula].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)139b/b : Ysidir clepiþ þis maner lyghtnynge of strook of þe darte of heuene.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)26/12 : & smyte apon þat þicke cloude of vnknowying wiþ a scharp darte of longing loue.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)277 : Of þe deuel haue þai no drede..al his dartes may þam not dere.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1117 : For other wepen is ther remedie, But on the dart of hongir is to deye.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.1355 : All erthly thyng shall wane and waste Whenne deth cometh with his darte.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)4 : A discrete confessour..techith a man How þat he shall defende him aȝenst þe dartys of þe devill.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.75 : The dart is set vp for virginitee, Cacche who so may, who renneth best lat see!
3.
(a) A missile carrying a firebrand, an incendiary arrow; (b) the fiery dart of Cupid or of Love; dart-wounded.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.6.51 : He..ordeynyde there balistis, and engynes, and dartis or castyngis of fijr [L ignis jacula].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Eph.6.16 : The scheeld of feith, in the which ȝe mown quenche alle the firy dartis [L tela..ignea] of the worste enmye.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)26b/b : Falarica: a grete dart.
b
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1564 : Loue hath his firy dart so brennyngly Ystiked thurgh my trewe, careful herte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.144 : A firy Dart, me thoghte, he [Cupid] hente And threw it thurgh myn herte rote.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1274 : He that hihe hertes loweth With fyri Dartes whiche he throweth, Cupide, which of love is godd.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4852 : Love..of his fyri dart, With such a wounde him hath thurghsmite.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.472 : Fro my soule shal Criseydes darte Out nevere mo.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)235 : In his [Cupid's] hand, me thoghte, I saugh him holde Twoo firy dartes..And aungelyke his wynges saugh I sprede.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)225 : Hire bewte bitis in his brest..And drifes thurȝe his depe hert, as he ware dart-wondid.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.1210 : How to avoide þe sore dart of loue.
- a1500(c1370) Chaucer Comp.L.(Benson-Robinson)36 : Thus am I slayn with Loves fyry dart.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1053/13 : Of þe seed comeþ…þe eere þat is ycleped spica and haþ þat name of spiculo, a darte, oþer 'an eyle"..for in þe eere groweþ many eyles þat beþ scharpe as dartes.
Note: Additional quote(s)
Note: There are no variant spellings in the form section, but the form darte (already in some of quots as well as in supplement quot.)should be added to the form section.--per MLL