douve - Middle English Compendium

Middle English Dictionary Entry

dǒuve n.

Entry Info

Forms	dǒuve n. Also doufe, douife, dūve, dọ̄fe & dove, dofe & duf(fe, dof(fe & dǒu(e, dowe.
Etymology	OE *dūfe; cp. OS dūva, OI dūfa, etc.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

(a) A pigeon or dove; also, a young pigeon or squab, esp. in the phr. turtle or ~; (b) the image of a dove; (c) as a term of endearment: darling; (d) flight (slight) of douves, a flock of pigeons.

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Associated quotations

a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)49 : Buð admode alse duue.
a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)605 : Ðe duue fond no clene stede, And wente a-gen.
(c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1962 : Aboue hir [Venus'] heed, hir dowues flikerynge.
c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)301/95 : A Blac Douue as pich he sauh.
(c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.397 : Thanne peyne I me to strecche forth the nekke..As dooth a dowue sittyng on a berne.
(a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)141b/a : Bryddes þat eteþ only seedes and fruyt, as doufes & turtules.
a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9361 : Als douues [vrr. dovis, dowfes] eie, hir lok is suete.
a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12869 : Þe haligast..In scap of douf he come wit flight.
c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)485 : On ark on an eventyde hovez þe dowve.
c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)521 : A qwyte douyfe sall þu se flyande.
a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1496 : First shal..everich egle ben the dowves feere [etc.].
a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Mat.3.16 : He saie the Spirit of God comynge doun as a dowue [WB(1): culuer].
?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)58/18 : Þai ordayne dowfes for to bere lettres, and bindez þam aboute þe nekkes of þe dowfes, and þan þai late þam flie furth.
c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)341 : There was the douve with hire yen meke, The jelous swan, [etc.].
?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)179 : Thes gifftes called off the Hooly Gooste, Outward ffigured ben vii dowys white.
(1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)89/37 : A nyghtyngale mor rorynge þen a cowe..a dowe wodar þen any wode best.
(a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)47/18 : Þe Sacrament schok & flekeryd to & fro as a dowe flekeryth wyth hir wengys.
(1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)128 : Dove, culuyr byrde: Columba. Dove, yonge byrde: Columbella.
c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)90/8 : Oure lady..offrid her childe with turtlis or dowes after Moyses lawe.
c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)339/8 : Þer come oute of his mouthe a white duffe, whilk þat flow vnto hevyn.
(a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)71 : Than was Fabian Pope; and he was chosen be a wite dowe lityng on his hed.
?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)43/251 : A grett olyve bush þis dowe doth us brynge.
?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.21 : Sendenge furthe a doffe [Trev.: colver], sche wente and sate on the schulder of Machometus.
a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 2250)9665 : Þo Holy Gost has ben sent..in A dove lykenes.
a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)104/10 : Pryue and hamely as douve, queynte & trecherous as ffox.
a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)19/13 : The Holy Gost come..in the lyckenes of a doufe.

a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5713 : On his crest a douve whyte, Sygnificacyoun off þe Holy Speryte.

(c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2139 : Rys vp my wyf, my loue, my lady free..my dowue swete!
a1425 Rolle EDormio (Arun 507)415 : Meke men & wymen, Cristes dowues.
c1475(a1449) Lydg.Rhyme WA (Hrl 2251)33 : To have a galle, and be clepid a douffe..it accordith nought.

1448 in Hodgkin Proper Terms106 : A fflyth of Dowys.
a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)603 : A slyth of dowes.
a1475 in Hodgkin Proper Terms106 : A fflyȝth of Dowfes.
a1500 in Hodgkin Proper Terms106 : A fflyȝght of doves.

(a) douve-bird, -brid, a young dove, squab; (b) ~ cote, dovecote; ~ cote garth; ~ cote makere; ~ hous, q.v.; (c) douve(s drit (dong), droppings of pigeons; ~ egge, egg of a pigeon; douve(s fot, wild geranium, dovesfoot; ~ hole, dovecote; (d) turtle ~, wode ~, q.v.

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Associated quotations

a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)47 : Two turtle briddes..two duue briddes.
a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.158 : Tua turteles..Or tua douf briddes.
?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)117b/a : Þe blode of a dofe bridde.
c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)254/820 : In þe stomake of doufe byrdis.
(a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)41.129 (v.1:p.271) : The gospel seith that thei offrid a peir turtles (and not a peir turtle briddis), and a peir doubriddis (and not a peir dowes).
?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)760/43 : Pipio: dowbyrd.
1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)210/134 : Take we with us doue-byrdes towe or a turtell..to fulfill godes lawe.

(1200) CRR(2) 1119 : Robertus Duvecot'.
(1281) in Fransson Surn.160 : Pet. le Dofkotemakere.
(1401) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.93 : A duffecote.
a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)670/28 : Hoc columbare: dowecote.
(1467-8) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9992 : Pro cariagio 10 plaustrarum del ryss a Rilley usque le Westorcharde pro le Dovecotegarth.
c1475 Reg.Crabhouse [OD col.]61 : The same prioresse..made a malthouse with a Doffcote.
?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)38a : A Dowffcote: Columbare.
a1500 MSerm.Mol.(Adv 19.3.1)82 : He loked owt of an olde duf-cowtte.

?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)26b/b : Soure dowhe and doofe donge.
?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)186a/a : Acus muscata doufe-foote and herbe-Robert ben herbes all as it were of one kynde.
(1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)128 : Dowys hoole or dovys howse: Columbar.
?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)145/10 : Columbina is an herbe men clepe columbyne or cokkysfot or dowuesfot..it haȝt a blew colour þat is lyk to a douue.
c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)16 : Schap hem yn maner of a dove egge.
c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)216/16 : Take dove-dyrte.
?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)128/23 : Take þe doonge of an ox..and douwys-donge.