Middle English Dictionary Entry
almerīe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | almerīe n. Also almarie, -ory, almry, awmerie, almere, almare, & armarie. |
| Etymology | OF almarie, aumaire & ML almārium (L armārium). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A place for storing or safekeeping: (a) a pantry or butlery; a safe for food; also said of the stomach [quot. a1398]; (b) a closet or wardrobe; (c) a cabinet, chest, or strongbox, as for valuables, books, etc.; also said of the heart [quot. c1450].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)302a/a : And is no tokne of mete y founde in þe almerye [L aluo] but a litel what of humour.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)74 : A almarie [F aumeire] Wher ynne men putte viande.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.159/602 : An almarie þat standeþ yn þe grete kechon..bordes..for Shelves yn þe forseid almarie..Estrisshbordes to þe dores of þe forseide almerie.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)658/33 : Nomina pertinencia ad pincernam..Hoc armariolum: anglice almere.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)10 : Almary, or almery: Almarium, almariolum; Almery of mete kepynge, or a saue for mete: Cibutum.
- (1465) Paston (Gairdner)4.202 : A almary to kepe in mete.
b
- 1618(1440) Invent.Cumberworth in Peacock EChurch Furniture [OD col.]183 : An almerie to kepe his vestmentes and bookes in.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.48/24 : The thothyr almare whilke er ordand fo[r] kepyng of vestmentes.
- (1460) Acc.St.Michael Bath in SANHS 2554 : Pro Almery vestimentorum cum clave.
- a1525(?1434) Cov.Leet Bk.151 : The which standard is..in the maiouris almery in the geyl-hall off Couentre.
c
- (1356) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.284 : [11 pairs of] almarigarnettes.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.246 : Pouerte hath but pokes to putten in his godis, Þere auarice hath almaries and yren-bounde coffres.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)89/14 : Þe loue of herte, þat is þe Goddes peny..and alwey dwelleþ he euere-more in þe awmerie [Ayenb.: purse].
- (1454) Will York in Sur.Soc.30173 : A peire aundyrens, an almary, a grett corne arke.
- (1454) Will York in Sur.Soc.30180 : j almory.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4929 : The same keye to be leyd in an almarye.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)3a : An Almary, ubi Arke: aula, scrinium.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)726/41 : Hoc armoriolum: a nalmry.
2.
(a) A bookcase; a store of books, a library; also fig.; (b) a storehouse of knowledge; a chronicle, a commentary.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)99/26 : Sume boc of þære bibliotecan, þæt is of þam almeriȝe.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)131.198 (v.2:p.345) : Hys bokys fellyn into the watyr, and .. he pullyd vp the bookys as clene and as drye as they had be kept in an almarie.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1036/21 : All thys was made in grete bookes and put up in almeryes at Salysbury.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))1 Esd.4.15 : That thou enserche in the bokis of the stories of thi fadris, and thou shalt finde write in armaries [WB(2): cronyclis: L commentariis].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.2.13 : These same thingis weren born [WB(2): put yn] in discripciouns and the almeries [WB(2): exposiciouns; L commentariis] of Neemye.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) Pref.Jer.(Corp-O 4)p.64 : Of holi scripture he [Paul] was the almery [WB(2): almarie].
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.125v : Thes as almerie and keper of all liberall artes [L (Wm of Malmesbur;y (Stubbs, p.68)): omnium liberalium artium armarium] made and ordeigned to the churche of York a noble bible.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)68b/a : Þe stomake is as it were a comune almerye oþer a tresoure house.
Note: Additional quote(s) for 1.(a)
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The example from Glo.Chron.C is either a figurative use of sense 2 (a) or (b) ("this person was, as it were, a library (or a storehouse ..)"), or, like its companion, 'keper,' a word belonging more properly and literally to an individual, i.e, a treasurer rather than a treasury? An almoner (MED aumener n.(1)) for example?