Middle English Dictionary Entry
dēcocciǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dēcocciǒun n. Also decocco(u)n, decoctio(u)n, dedkokcioun, (error) decoacoicyoun. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The boiling of flesh, soup, etc.; the process of thickening a liquid by boiling; extraction of juices, etc., by heating; changing the nature of a humor or an alchemical substance with heat; maturing of fruits, grain, etc., by action of the sun; (b) honi of ~, a thick liquid made by boiling ingredients; water of ~, thin liquid made by boiling ingredients in water.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3379 : Phebus..drieþ vp þe moysture & þe weete..To whyte he turneth with his bemys shene Boþe seed and greyn be decoccoccoun [vrr. decoccioun, decoctioun, decoacoicyoun].
- a1450 Who þat liste loke (Stw 951)46/256 : His yhonge son his wyfe there slewe for tene, And put his flesshe to sere decoccion, And gafe þe fader to eete all bedeene.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)204 : Milk is noon oother thing but blood that is remeved and maad al whyt bi decoccioun of heete that blyndeth his rednesse.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)129/14 : All þe gummys..schul ben sothyn on a softe fyir and in þe ende of þe decoksioun schall ben cast in þe frankencence.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Just Measure (Hrl 2251)79 : The coke by mesour sesonyth his potages, A temperat hete egall in oone degre, By decoccioun to take theyr avauntages.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)120/10 : It is I-now sothen, if it be potte suger; and if it be fyner suger, it will haue a litell lower decoccion.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)57b : To thyne imbibicions the second part must go, with which thy matters is afterwardes denigrate And sone apon by easye decoctione albificate; Then is it named by philosophers our starrye sonne.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)2996 : Suche heat where with pigge or gose is scalded, in this arte decoccion it is called.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)179/2 : Dissolue a litil mustard in water of decoccioun of bletarum & waische þerwith.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)85a/b : Þai wash it wiþ water & hony of decoccion of barly, lentez, rosez, balaustiez..þai wasshe it with wyne and hony of decoccioun of absynthy, maruby, pympynelle, & mirie.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)37/37 : In þis cas availeþ þe myche clisteries lenitiues of watre of decoccion of whete brenne wiþ oyle or butter.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)41b/a : Frotynge with þe water of decoccioun i. seþinge of roses, of camonyl, of honysokel..ben beste.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)180/562 : Fomete heme with salt watir of the decoccion of walwort.
2.
A medicinal preparation made by boiling.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)207b/b : Þis stoon clenseþ and solueþ wonderliche þe quarteyne and schal not be ȝiue wiþ decoccioun [L decoctione], For þanne it scholde falle to þe botome.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)61/6 : Waische his heed with decoccioun of water þat þe feet & þe heed of a weþer were soden ynne.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)192/24 : Baþe him in a decoccioun of bran & lappacij acuti, enule compare [read: campane] & arthemisie.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)291/12 : Make him a decoccoun of þese þingis in water & lete him sitte þeron.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)13a : Camamyll..þe decoccioun þere of helpiþ for þe jandis and þe reccys in mannys sids, þat is callid ypocandria.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)41b/b : Be it rupt..with gargarismez maturatiuez and apertiuez, as is decoccioun of ficz, dattilez, fenigrec.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)116a/a : Purge it litel & litel with a laxatyf appozyme i. decoccioun made with þe forseide þinges.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)98 : Þis same decoccon helpiþ him þat is horse..This ilke decokcion destroyeþ wormes in þe bely.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)119/12 : Take skabiows, fumytere, alehowfe ana, and boyle hem in swet wyn in-to þe haluundell; and with þat decokciounn..wasche þe man.
- a1500 Platearius CInstans (Cmb Ee.1.13)3/22 : In þe dedkokcioun of þe rote of fenell and of merche & of percile & of bruskus and of speragus, put .ii. dragme .. of aloes, & of hony .i. dragme .. & herof yef hym to drynke tweyys .. in þe woke.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. decoction.