Middle English Dictionary Entry
expē̆riment n.
Entry Info
| Forms | expē̆riment n. Also experment. |
| Etymology | L experīment-um, OF experiment. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The action or process of observing, investigating, testing; an observation, test, or trial; also, a discovery; express experiment, direct or actual observation; maken, usen, preven (an) experiment, make a test or examination; finden experiments, discover procedures or tests; (b) an attempt or effort.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)128/2 : Boþe bi summe auctouris experimentis, & also bi myn experiment.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)7/3 : Confermynge my wordis aftir þe auctorite of myn auctouris and wiþ experiment þat I haue longe tyme vsed wiþ þe help of god.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)73/12 : Experimentis þat I haue longe preued.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)304 : Þai ordand þus..A maner of experiment, Þat if þe childe spak les or mare,..At þe first word sold he dy.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.42.15 : For now experyment [WB(2): experience] of ȝow I shal taak.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)3a/a : Life is short, crafte forsoþ is long, experiment is disceyuable [L experimentum fallax], demyng is hard.
- a1450 Dc.291 Lapid.(Dc 291)33 : Thise experimentes were founden & knowen.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)3406 : And toyȝt he suld asay by some experiment Whedder yt ware trew or nay þat god his seruant had hym sent.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.343 : Lete us prove an experimente [Trev.: assay we; L experiamur] by turnynge of levys, whiche of us schalle be an abbot and whiche a bischop.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)767 : The furth euidence..that we witen ho maiden was, was by expresse experiment the mydwif preuet in þat plas.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)780 : Clos womb conceyuet he [Jesus] was And clos womb als out he went, this preues hir maiden..by expresse experiment.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)25/8 : Ȝe seen wele, good men, by experyment al day, þat a fayre chyld drawet loue of þo þat sene hyt.
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)12.59 : Take from the tronke al clene vntil so hie As beestis may by noon experiment Atteyne.
2.
A piece of evidence or empirical proof, proof; a sign (of a certain state), an exemplum; evident experiments, demonstrations based on observation or logic (as opposed to faith).
Associated quotations
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)114/212 : Seven experimentes er, þat a man be in charite.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)2143 : These experymentys Owe to meve a kyng, Nat to despise A man..Whether he be of hih or lowe degree.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)73/28 : This was þe cours of his lyf; þis was þe maner of his lyuyng; þese be þe experiment of his vertues.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)373/25 : Were hit not better þat thou haddest ordeyned þe feith of so grete mysterijs [of the Host] with more opun signes & more euydente experymentz?
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)165/31 : Fayþ haþe no merit wher manys wit ȝeueþe experiment.
3.
Med. An (approved) treatment or remedy; also, a treatment or remedy used by the 'empiric' school of physicians, an emperic.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)82b/a : Þexperiment of plateareus [Caxton: Plato] aȝens epilencia. He seiþ þat me schal by garsinge drawe out þre dropes of blood.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)240/2 : Aȝens þe sciatica passio here þou schalt haue an experiment preued of Avicenna.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)2a/b : Þay medled many experimentes or emperica in þam.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)69b/a : It is more siker for to vse þinges y founden þan for to vse newe experimentez in expertyng forsoþ medicinez in bodiez of men.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)152b/b : Empericz .i. experimentez & incantacionz .i. charmez I accepted litil, of which shal be founden copy and plente In gilbertyna & in thesaurus pauperum.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)65 marg. : Experiment for alle gouttynes rynnand and flyande.
4.
A supernatural act or feat: (a) a procedure, feat, or trick of alchemy; (b) a feat of magic or sorcery, magic; (c) a miracle.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)11.157 : Experimentis of Alconomye Of Alberdes makynge..þe pouke to Rise makeþ.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2668 : The vij sciencis, & eke lawe of Armys, Experimentis, & pompery, & al maner charmys.
- ?a1500 Ripley CAlch.(Wales 734F)256/3 : Meny experymenttes haue I hade in honde.
b
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2163 : Mekil he cowth of nigromancy. He made a fire by experiment In middes Rome, on þe pauement.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)98/151 : Experimentes þan ordand he And raised deuils grete plente.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)8 : Ȝif þei studien on þe holy day aboute experymentis or wiche craft..þei breken foule þer holyday and ben procuratours of þe fend.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)5935 : Thanne I lernyd enchauntementes, To know the craft of experymentes.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)7255 : Maruk shewed here grete lyouns..That be craft of hys experymentz Oute of her place durst not steere.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)1712 : The kyng sayd he hade clerkes connand cowd do the same by experiment.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)131/33 : Wyche-craft, charmys, experimentys, coniuracyouns.
- a1486 Ordin.Lists in RS 55.1 (Lnsd 285)317 : Ne charme, ne experiment, ne carocte, ne othir inchauntment.
c
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)44 : And yit more subtylliche she made an oother experiment.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)5510 : Be nat neclygent Off a-nother experyment That ther was wrouht.
5.
bi experiment, by chance or accident.
Associated quotations
- a1450 SLeg.Barlaam (Bod 779)617 : Þerfore þis fals world goþ by experment, & men for defaute of loue ofte beþ I schent.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.36rb (2.3) : If þou wilt weten of hym þat haþ þe pthisik..tak þis for a certeyn experiment and a certeyn reule: do hym spit in a disscheful of water and if it houe, it is tokne þat he schal longe leue þerwiþ or ellis scape.
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.36rb (2.3) : If þai may noght gendren and þou wilt wete whiche of hem is bareyn, þis experiment techeþ Maistre Bartholome..tak 2 pottes & put bren in bothe pottes and put þe mannes water in þe tone & þe womannes watre in þe toþere pott, & lat stonde..And if it be þe mannes defaute, þou schalt fynde wormes þerin wiþ a foule stynk.
Note: Additional quots., sense 3. Editor's gloss: 'a recipe or set of instructions'.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. experiment.