Middle English Dictionary Entry
dragǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dragǒun n. Also -on, -un & dracon. |
| Etymology | OF dragon & L draco. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. drake n.(1).
1.
(a) A dragon; (b) ~ hame, dragon covering, dragon disguise; ~ hole, a dragon's lair; ~ blod, ~ eiren; (c) fig. monster, wicked person.
Associated quotations
a
- a1275 *St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)170 : Ho sei a foul dragun ine þe hurne glide, berninde ase fur.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)78/26 : Tweie dragones, þat feondes weren..casten brumston and fuyr.
- c1300 SLeg.Marg.(Hrl 2277)158 : Þe deuel com to þis maide swye In a forme of a dragoun.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2785 : Tueye grete dragons out of þis stones come..hii gonne to fiȝte..& þat fur out of þe mouþ caste.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1470 : Þo was þe dragon boun And cast fere ful riȝt.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)345 : Þan was þar a dragon grim..Wiȝ..teȝ grete And wynges..As a lyoun he hadde fet And his tail was long..Þe smoke com of his nose awai Ase fer out of a chimenai.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3291 : Hercules..golden apples rafte of the dragoun.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.283 : Þat ȝere..were fury dragoune [vr. dragons; L dracones] i-seie in Engelond fleynge by the ayer.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)300/73 : Þis Dragun..so faste myn hondes haþ bounden and in his clauwes my lymes wounden.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3989 : Doun fro the Sky ther cam a char, The which Dragouns aboute drowe.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1984 : Sche sih, hir thoghte, a dragoun tho, Whos scherdes schynen as the Sonne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)101a/a : Þe venym of þe dragoun is ful malicious, and his venym is most in þe taile and in þe galle.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.183 : He..fauht as a dragon.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)347 : Hire þouȝth a dragoun adoune liȝth To hire chaumbre.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)625 : Spynx this monstre hight, Wors than tygre, dragon, or serpent.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)14/30 : In the Ile of lango is ȝit the doughter of ypocras in forme & lykness of a gret dragoun þat is an hundred fadme of lengthe.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1430 : In..Colcos..was a ram..That hadde a fles of gold..But it was kept alwey with a dragoun.
- c1440-a1500 Eglam.(Schleich)717 : Þe knyght wendis on his waye..To seke þat dragone [vr. worme] bolde.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1269 : Ther ys a dragon huge and cumbrus Namyd aspys..enchauntement..Can noght bryng hym fro hys den..For wele he knoweth hys blode ys medycynabyl.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)166 : A derfe dragon..ffull flaumond of fyre.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)200/30 : Then anon com..a gret horryble dragon.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)37 : Vnder that water be two dragons that see no sight.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)282b/a : Ethiops vseþ dragoun blood aȝeins brennynge hete and eteþ his fleisshe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)324b/a : Dragoun eiren beþ..more longe þan Cokodrille eiren..þe dragoun haþ nouȝt so many eyren as oþer serpentes haueþ.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)487 : Þan Anec[t]anabus onane in alþire-mast ioy Did on him his dragon-hame & drafe thurȝe þe sale.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)106 : A Dragon hole.
c
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)690 : Thowe Spynx..fals and fraudulent! Thow vyle Monstre, thow dragon, thow serpent!
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1581 : To Colcos comen is this duc Jasoun, That is of love devourer and dragoun.
2.
(a) A painted or embroidered representation of a dragon; a dragon in a banner; the heraldic device of a dragon; (b) an image of a dragon used as a battle standard; also, a banner containing the likeness of a dragon.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1042 : Tristrem..Bar him þurch þe dragoun In þe scheld.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4364 : His penoun, Ther-Inne of gold I-betyn a dragoun.
- (1448) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1215 : Item ij Copys of Rede Sylk wolken wt grene Sylk and Dragowns off gold.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2989 : Here gonfanouns..Were weel wrouȝt..And on euerylkon a dragoun As he ffauȝt wiþ a lyoun.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1695 : Yn hys baner a reed dragoun He lette arere.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)55 : The secounde sotilte was Seint George fightynge with the dragon.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4357 : Arthure..is dragon arerd, of golde, As in stude of is baner.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6176 : Edmond diȝte is stondard, ware he ssolde him sulue abide, & is dragon vp sette.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11331 : Wiþ is ost he wende uorþ & arerde is dragon.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4293 : Þe kyng haþ sett out his dragoun, And on his tente a golde lyoun.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)13345 : Þe dragoun Þat Arthur bar for gonfanoun.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)57b : Baneres, penouns, pensellis, dragunnes in whiche ben depeynted dyuers armes of diuers schappe and diuers coloures.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)389 : A dragoun was..drawyn a lofte..A bal of brennande gold þe beste was on sette.
- (a1460) Badge York in Archaeol.17 (Dgb 82)226 : The Bages that he beryth by the Erldom of Wolster ys a blacke Dragon.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)524 : The centenaryes thervppon shal picche Her pavilons, and dragonys and signys Shal vp be set.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)924 : The firste signe of al the legioun An Egil is, born by an Egeler; And thenne in euery Choors is a Dragoun, Born by a Draconair or Banereer; A baner eek had euery Centener.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)206 : Merlin that bar the baner..he bar a dragon that was not right grete.
3.
Chiefly Biblical or in Biblical allusions: (a) a serpent or other dangerous reptile; also fig.; (b) some kind of sea monster; also fig., often for Pharaoh or the Egyptians; (c) Satan, the dragon of the Apocalypse.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)622 : Ðe dragunes one ne stiren nout wiles te panter remeð ogt.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2924 : And worpen he ðor wondes dun, fro euerilc ðor crep a dragun.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.25.23 : To dwelle with a leoun and a dragoun more shal plesen than to wone with a shreude womman.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.195 : The briddes of helle shul deuouren hem..and the galle of the dragon shal ben hire drynke.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.776 : Bet is..thyn habitacioun Be with a leoun or a foul dragoun Than with a womman vsyng for to chide.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5900 : Dun þai kest a wand ilkan, And þai wex dragons son onan.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11617 : Þe dragons wonand in þair cove.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)90.13 : And fortrede lioun and dragoun alswa.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.7.12 : Eche threwe forth her ȝerdes, that weren turned into dragouns.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Deut.32.33 : Gal of dragouns the wyne of hem, and venym of eddres vncurable.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.3963 : Vndirnethe..darith the serpent As vnder floures is shroudid the dragoun [etc.].
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)90.13 : Thou sall defoul the lyoun and the dragon..The dragoun, that is, gilry and priue malice, that bloundiss with the heuyd & smytes with the tayle.
b
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)103.27 : Þys dragon [L draco], þatou fourmedest to by-gylen him.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.51.9 : Whether not thou smyte the proude, woundedest the dragoun?
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.73.13 : Thou al to-trublidist the hedis of dragounys [L draconum] in watris.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)73.14 : Þou droued dragunes heuedes in watres ma.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.29.3 : Pharao, kyng of Egipt, greet dragoun, that..liggist in the mydil of thi flodis.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.103.26 : This dragoun which thou hast formyd, for to scorne hym.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)73.14 : Thou angird heuedis of dragunys, that is, thou slogh heuyd synnes.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)103.28 : This dragun whaim thou made forto make hethynge til him.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)174/1 : He is ine þe prisone of zenne, ine þe þrote of þe lyone of helle, and of þe dragoune þet him wyle uorzuelȝe.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.12.3 : An other tokne is seyn in heuen..a greet reed dragoun hauynge seuen heedes..And the tayl of him drewȝ the thridde paart of sterres of heuene, and sente hem in to erthe.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.20.2 : And he cauȝte the dragoun, the olde serpent, that is the deuel and Sathanas.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22057 : To þe Dragun suith he wan, Þat men calles deuel and sathan.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4666 : Whan Michael..venqwisshyd the Dragoun, And to helle cast hym downe.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4425 : Þe dragon es understanden þe fende, And his taille anticrist þat folowed at þe ende.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)177/157 : The dragons poure..Thurgh my baptyme distroyed haue I.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4436 : This Dragon of Dissait þat þou derfly hath fourmet.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)103.28 : This dragun..thou god made..and did in heuen, bot thorgh his vice falland.
4.
dragouns blod, dracon-blod, sanke dragoun, the red juice or resin of the dragon tree (Dracaena draco); the color of this resin, vermilion.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)310b/a : Auicen seiþ þat it [sinobium] is dragouns blood..þe dragouns beþ slayne..and þe blood þat he bledeþ dyeþ and coloureþ.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)188b/b : Sanke dragoun [Sln: sanguis draconis] is þe Juse of an herbe..it is helynge & constreynynge.
- (1444) Will York in Sur.Soc.30104 : Cum j coopertorio de draconblod.
5.
Alch. (a) The sophic mercury of the alchemists; (b) ?the base matter used in alchemy; (c) red ~, whit ~, ?materials used in alchemy, ?stages in the alchemical process.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1435 : Hermes..seith how that the dragon doutelees Ne dieth nat, but if that he be slayn With his brother..By the dragon Mercurie..He vnderstood, and brymstoon by his brother.
b
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)49a : Fire againste nature muste do thy bodyes wo; That is our dragon..fferslye brenninge as fire of hell.
c
- a1500(?1471) *Ripley Epis.Edw.IV (Ashm 759)105a : The thirde day ayene to lyf he [the Body] shall vprise And deuoure byrdes and bestes of the wildernesse..the greyn lyon and the redde dragoun he shall distresse, The white dragon also.
6.
Astron. (a) The moon's orbit in relation to the ecliptic; ~ hed, hed of the ~, the ascending node of the moon's orbit with the ecliptic; tail of the ~, the descending node; (b) a shooting star.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)116b/a : Tweye sterris þer beth þat ben not planetis, but it semeþ þat þey hauen kynde and effect of planetis; and þey ben I-clepid capud Draconis & Cauda, þe heued of þe dragoun and þe taill; And þey meueþ wiþ þe firmament.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)115b/a : Þat coniunccioun is in þe lyne þat is clepid luna ecliptica, and is þe middil line of þe cercle þat hatte zodiacus; and þe eclips falliþ alwey whan þe sonne is in þe hed of þe dragoun and þe mone in þe tail aȝenward.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1684 : So þat þer be..Of bothe tweyne ful coniunccioun, And þat þe sonne with his bemys rede Haue his dwellyng in þe dragoun hede, And þe mone by [read: be] set eke in þe tail..þan it may nat feil Þat þer mote falle Eclips of verray nede.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.4.40 : Whan that no wicked planete..or elles the Tayl of the Dragoun is in the hous of the ascendent.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.359 : Ther is an other fyr also, Which semeth to a mannes yhe Be nyhtes time as thogh ther flyhe A dragon brennende in the Sky..wherof men sein fulofte, 'Lo, wher the fyri drake alofte Fleth up in thair!'
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)118a/b : Among þe myddil sterris of artos falliþ doun, as it were, a dragoun oþir a fleinge sterre in liknes of liȝtenynge..I-clepid Draco.
- a1475 Prk.Weather & Moon in NM 58 (Brog 2.1)143 : Sumtyme it fallethe þat þe vapour so fallyng be verey long and viscouse..so þat in hys fallyng..apperithe þat it crokeþe unto þe simylitude of a serpentes tayle. And þat ys comynly seyde þe brennyng dragon or fyer-drake.
7.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1166) in Pipe R.Soc.944 : Walt. Dragun.
- (1199) CRR(1) 2286 : Gaufridus Dragun.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1061 : Adam Dragon.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1436) Proc.Privy C.4.310 : The Kyng desireth to have ansuere in write with his pursivant Dragans.
- (1436) Proc.Privy C.4.311 : Oure said souverein lord…yave an answer…unto þe seid Kyng of Scottes by his pursivant Dragans.
Note: New spelling: Also..dragan.
Note: New sense. Gloss: The title of one of the Pursuivants of the English College of Arms, from the dragon device (Rouge Dragon)on his livery.