Middle English Dictionary Entry
ēther n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ēther n. Also either. |
| Etymology | L aethēr, from Gr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The caelum aetherum of ancient cosmology, which surrounds the caelum aereum. [Here the planets have their orbits in everlasting light.]
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)105a/b : By þat name ethera is vndirstonde al þe space þat is fro þe mone anon to þe sterres..in þe whiche space beþ roundenes & cercles fro þe seuene planetis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)107a/b : In ether, in þat place, is day euerlastinge.. & no wondir for þe schadowe of þerþe þat is cause of nyȝt comeþ noȝt to so hye place as is þat place þat hat ether.
2.
(a) A shining, fluid substance, variously described as a kind of fire or air, a fifth element, etc.; (b) the air [but perhaps eiþer should here be read as eiyer = eir ].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)107a/b : Isidir seiþ þe ouere parties of fuyre & of ayer hatte ether..Anaxagoras seide þat þat name Ether is þe name of fire..So as Anaxagoras meneþ, al þing þat brenneþ is I clepid by þat name ether..Aristotel seiþ þat etheþ [read: ether] is nouȝt ellis in kynde bot oon element and is none of þe foure elementes..Ether is nothir heuy noþir liȝt, noþir þinne noþir þicke, noþir may be departid be þirlynge of oþir body.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)107b/a : But Anaxagoras seiþ þat Ether is eiþer [read: eiyer] I sette afyre, and he seide þat somtyme it comeþ donward & is I hid wiþinne þe erþe..þerof comeþ erþeschakynge.
b
- ?a1450 Lanfranc (Add 12056)25/37 : He [an artery] myȝte brynge from þe lunge eir [vr. eiþere] to þe herte.
- c1450 Mirror St.Edm.(5) (Cmb Ii.6.40)245 : Fisch in þe se & in oþer water & bryndis [read: brydes] in þe eiþer.