Middle English Dictionary Entry
fāne n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | fāne n.(1) Also vane, faine. |
| Etymology | OE fana. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A flag, standard, banner, or emblem.
Associated quotations
- (1413-4) Acc.Met.Col.in Archaeol.J.664 : Item, solut' pro cruce cum I fane.
- a1450 Rich.(Cai 175/96:Weber)3893 : They trumpyd, and her baners displaye Off sylk, sendel, and many a fane.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2072 : Be myn fayr fane..I schal þee gane.
- (1459) Will York in Sur.Soc.30227 : A grete salte salar gilte with banars and fanes.
- (?c1464) Paston (Gairdner)4.99 : An image off owr Savyowr, gilt, with His crosse, His diademe, and His fane.
2.
A long, narrow pennant or streamer flown from the mast of a ship; a weather vane, perhaps in the form of a a streamer flown so as to indicate wind direction; ~ cloth.
Associated quotations
- 1295 *Acc.Exch.K.R.5/8.m.13 [OD col.] : In .j. Stremer empto de Hugone Kelinge Et..in .j. Phane empto ad Mast.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)643 : And euery mast a vaane [vrr. fane, vane] of reed sendell.
- (1406) *Acc.Exch.(PRO) 53/5 [OD col.] : Fane contineus xxxiij or xviij Virgas.
- (1420) *For.Acc.(PRO) 3 Hen.VI K/2 [OD col.] : Dej Faneclothe continenti xviij. virgas de Sey.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)287 : Galees of grete streyngþe with golden fanes.
- (1458-60) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31249 : To Barnard the Smyth..for makyng of the Spendel for the fane.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)441 : Stremare, or fane: Cherucus.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)44b : A ffayne of A sheypp: Cherucus, vbi weddyrcoke.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1192 : He bare..a schyp of golde..And of redd golde was hys fane.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)805 : Hic cherucus: A fanne.
3.
A weather vane (often as a symbol of fickleness or mutability).
Associated quotations
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.996 : O stormy peple..Ay vndiscreet and chaungynge as a vane [vr. fane].
- (1412-3) Acc.Hythe in Archaeol.Cant.10248 : Item in le vane pro le clokke solutis iiii d.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3509 : Þe comoun peple chaungeth as a phane.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)148 : Fane of a stepylle, or oþer lyke: Cherucus, ventilogium.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.494 : Of werdly lustes there shal no fekyl fane Blowe it awey.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)742 : As þe fane þat turnyth with þe wynde, so þou art conuertyble.
- a1500 O ye lovers (Corp-O 61)97 : Nowe vp, nowe downe, turnyng with the wynd like to a fane.
4.
Associated quotations
- (1446) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 856 : Halso for..iij hamyse and stolys and fannys.