Middle English Dictionary Entry
dusk adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | dusk adj. Also desk, deosc, deosk, dosc, dosk. |
| Etymology | OE dox, with metathesis; cp. OS dosan, OHG tusin. ME forms also point to OE variants *deohs (later *deocs) & *duhs. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Dark, not bright, dim; dark-colored, dull, dingy; also fig. of visual perception: dull; of words: obscure.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)26/247 : Aȝein þe brihtnesse..of his leor þe sunne gleam is dosc [Tit: dosk] & þuncheð a schadewe.
- a1250 Wooing Lord (Tit D.18)269 : Te sunne were dosk ȝif hit to þi blisfule bleo mihte beo euenet.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)24b : Efter þet sihðe þet is nu dosc [Nero: deosc] her ȝe schulen habbe þruppe þe brihte sihðe of godes neb.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)40b : Þis word is dosc [Nero: deosk] ah neomeð nu ȝeme hu ich hit wulle brihtin.
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)504 : Þulke [star] þat mest dosk [Corp-C: dercoste] was..briȝtore schon þane ani gold.
- c1390 Talking LGod (Vrn)28/12 : Þat þe sonne weore desk.
- c1390 To loue (Vrn)155 : Þyn eȝen briht as Sonne..woxe deske and dimme.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)116b : When þe mone schyneþ cleer and bright..noght..dym & duske as watery moist bot cleer schynynge.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.16 : Dusk þei were..As ymages þat in smoke had stonden stable.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1475 Macer (Htrn 497) 89/632 : The addre wol ete fenel whan hyr eyen dasewen & so she getyth ayen clere syght & þerby yt ys preueyt þat fenel doth profyt to mannys eyen. The eyen þat ben duske & dasewed shul be anoynted with þe Iuys of fenyl rootes & medled with hony & þys onyment shal putte away all þe dasewenesse of hem & make hem bryght.
Note: New spelling, additional quote.