Middle English Dictionary Entry
drench(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | drench(e n. Also drænc(e, drenc(e, dreinch. |
| Etymology | OE drenc, drence. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. drinch(e, drink(e.
1.
(a) Beverage, drink; (b) a cup of drink; (c) a poisoned drink; (d) fig. dethes ~, death, dying.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)28/125 : Odre fedeð sumne hungrigne oððe þurstigne mid..mete oððe drænce.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10234 : Her wes mete, her wes drænc [Otho: dringe], men þer of dræmden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14328 : Whær swa æi duȝeðe gladieð of drenche.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19694 : Neoþer flæs na no fisc, no nanes cunnes drænc [Otho: dringke] buten water scenc.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19755 : Þe king ne mai..bruken nanes drenches buten cald welles stræm.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)43/10 : He luuede..abstinenciam..þat is, wiðheal[d]nesse of metes and of drenches.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)89/7 : Godes riche nis naht mete and drench, ac is rihtwisnesse and sibsumnesse.
b
- c1300 Horn (LdMisc 108)66/1199 : Horn..seyde, 'quen, nou seche Qwat hys in þy drenche.'
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11326 : Ȝif ai mon mihte Traher king tuhten to dæðe mid drenche..oðer mid steles bite.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3168 : He ȝef him a luþer drench.
- 1448 Glo.Chron.C in Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Arms 58)p.12 : The kyng deyde þorgh a drenche.
d
- a1250 Mon may longe (Mdst A.13)8 : Nis king ne Quene þat ne sel drinke of deth is drench [Arun 57: of deaþes drench].
2.
A medicinal potion; ?specif., an emetic [last quot.].
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)20/7 : Wið fylle-seocum men, bares ȝeallen wirc to drence on wine oþþer on wætere: se drenc hine ȝehaled.
- a1250 Mon may longe (Mdst A.13)18 : Ne mai no man þar to-ȝenes..ne bene, mede, liste, ne leches dreinch.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1386 : Sche fet him a drench þat noble was & mad him drynk it warm.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)96a/b : Drenches, electuaries, plastres.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)95 : Telle me tyt..What medecyn is most..Wheþer gommes..or any goode drenches, Oþer chauntementes or charmes?
- c1450(?a1402) ?Trev.Reg.Princ.(Dgb 233)439/31 : As by bledynge and by drenches [L potionem] superfluyte of humours is iþrowe out þe whiche superfluyte letteþ heele of þe body, so by batailles enemyes scholde be..isleyne þat letten þe comune profit..of citeseynes.
3.
In cpds.: ~ hous, a shelter for watering animals; ~ kive, a tanner's vat for soaking hides.
Associated quotations
- a1100(OE) Jun.Aelfric Gloss.186/25 : Potionarium, ælces cinnes drenchus.
- ?c1335 Heil seint Michel (Hrl 913)p.157 : Hail be ȝe skinners wiþ ȝure drenche kiue! Who so smilliþ þerto, wo is him aliue.
- (1376-77) Doc.Manor in MP 3442 : Drenchehous.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 42/15 : Take þe a schepis skyn þat be lymed..and leye hit in a drenche ymade of whete mele, and a lytul porcioun of salt þerwith, and with clene watre.
Note: Clarke's gloss = 'liquid preparation'.
Note: ?New sense = 'a liquid prepartion used in tanning skins'. Cf. OED drench, n., sense 5. 'Tanning. A preparation in which skins are steeped.' First recorded in 1853.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. drench.