Middle English Dictionary Entry
drit n.
Entry Info
| Forms | drit n. Also drite, dritte & dirt(e, dird, dert, durt. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI drit. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Excrement, droppings; dung; feces; (b) hunt. the dung of certain animals; (c) cattes ~, dove ~, gandres ~, gotes ~, hors ~, mannes ~, mous ~, swines ~.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.22.2 : Of the drit [WB(2): dung; L stercore] of oxen stoned is the slowe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.153 : Arrius..sched out his bowels and his lyf wiþ þe dritt þat he schoot.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)93a/b : Whanne it is I-closid wiþ dritte [L fecibus] in þe bowellis, hit brediþ moche gnawinge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)260a/a : The guttes beeþ nedefulle to bere þe drastes & dritte to voyde it oute of þe body.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)264b/a : Alle þing þat is in þe lombe is good and profitable, ffor þe fleissh is good to mete..and þe drytte to londe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)317a/a : Hony..prikkeþ..þe guttes and moeueþ hem to putten out drastes and drytte.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)330b/b : Cophinus is a vessel y-weue of ȝerdes to bere dritte [L stercora] þer Inne.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.89 : Dritte, ȝif stired more, is more unsavery.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)41b/a : Dert of swalwez, of doggez & of wolfez & of childre.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)132 : Dryte, doonge: Merda, stercus.
b
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)37 : Þei should leue him [the fox] for the stinche of þe dritt.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)78 : If men speke and aske hym of þe fumes, he shal clepe funes..of þe fox waggyng, of þe greie þe werderobe, and of oþer stinkyng beestis he shal clepe it drit.
c
- a1350 Of Rybaudȝ (Hrl 2253)61 : Þah he ȝeue hem cattesdryt to huere companage.
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)179 : Seue ȝere in swine is dritte He mote wade.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)151b/b : The lapwynke..etiþ mannes dritte [L stercora humana].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)293a/b : Mouse dryt [L fimus].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)162b/b : A litil de stercore muris i. of mouse dird.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)256/5 : Take new fresche gotis dyrte.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)78 : Dowe dryt.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)169 : Horse dryt.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)210 : Tak mannes dryyt..& mak þerof pouder, & put þerof in þyn eyes.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)16/15 : Gandres dryt.
2.
(a) Mud, dirt; ~ of erthe, ~ of the strete; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.136].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.82.11 : Thei pershiden..thei ben maad as the drit [WB(2): a toord; L stercus] of erthe.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.178 : An Hep of Hermytes..doluen drit and donge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)295b/b : A Swyn..froteþ and walweþ in drytte and in fenne.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4709 : Men hem þrew wiþ drytt and dunge.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)29 : Whan men hunten þe boor, comonly þei..soileþ hem in þe drit.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)68/601 : Þe children..cast..dryt oþ þe stret at His heued.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)69/1196 : He..tredith hym vnder his fete In the dirte amyddus the strete.
b
- (1204) in Ekwall PNLan.186 : Driterum.
- a1300 EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)102 : Dritham.
- (1301) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)182 : Norton in le Drit.
- (1353) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)285 : Drytwyche.
- (1491) EPNSoc.28 (Der.)266 : Dyrtbroksyk.
3.
Fig. (a) Something worthless or degrading; worldly possessions, filthy lucre; ertheli ~, worldli ~; (b) something vile or sinful; sakke of ~; (c) ~ carl, ~ cherl, a worthless fellow; ?one who hauls or spreads dung; also as surname; (d) the develes ~, the Devil's filth; -- used in imprecations.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1335 Nou ihc for þi (Hrl 913)42 : We louid þe ful dritte of grunde.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of godde (Hrl 913)56 : If man is prute of world is welle, Ihc hold a fole þat he be..hit nis..Bot dritte, gile and wanite.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.273 : Worldly goodis, þat ben dritt.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)68 : Munkis & chanons sillen..trewe prechynge for a litil stynkyng muk or drit.
- (1434) Misyn ML (Corp-O 236)108/13 : Fowle it is also dyrt to worschyp; And þat is, erthly þinge to lufe.
- ?a1450(?c1400) Wycl.LFCatech.(Lamb 408)49/771 : Þey sellyn sowlys to satanas for a lytyl worldly dryt.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apost.(Dub 245)436 : Þe emperor..makede..hym [Petris viker] perpetuel hayward of his drit.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)411 : Goostly almes is myche betere þan deling of þis worldly drit.
- a1500(c1380) Wycl.Papa (Ryl Eng 86)472 : Þey shulden not be þus oppressid wiþ erþely drit as riche men ben.
b
- ?c1335 Þe grace of godde (Hrl 913)31 : Þi felle wiþ oute nis bot a sakke Ipudrid ful wiþ drit and ding.
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)16 : Lordshipis..maken hem..to wexe rooten in here drit..that is, in fleshli synnis.
- c1400 Wycl.DSins (Bod 647)125 : As Seynt Bernarde seies: a mon while he lyves is a seck ful of drytt.
c
- (1296) Newcastle Galley in Archaeol.Ael.4.2178 : Rogero Drittecarle.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)682 : Go hom..fule drit cherl!
- (1317) Pat.R.Edw.II698 : John Drytecarle.
d
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)233/170 : The dwillys durt in thi berd, vyle fals tratur!
- c1500 The shype ax (Ashm 61)179 : The devyles dyrte Fore anything that thou canne wyrke!..It is not worthe an old scho.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Add.34111 Pigment.Recipes (Add 34111) 299/18 : Sette hit in hors drit nyen dayes.
Note: Additional quot., sense 1.(c).