Middle English Dictionary Entry
fā̆rsen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | fā̆rsen v. Also farse, farce, fers; p. ppl farsed, etc. & ifarced. |
| Etymology | OF farcir. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Cook. (a) To stuff (game, fowl, hollowed loaves, etc.) with seasoned stuffing; ppl. farsed as adj., stuffed; (b) = forcen 5: to add spices, etc., to (a dish) for seasoning or embellishment.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)72 : Wastels yfarced .. Sawge yfarced..
- a1400 Recipe MS Hal.in Rel.Ant.1 (Hal 335)51 : Farse the catte within als thu farses a gos.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)41 : Capoun or gos farced. Take Percely, & Swynys grece, or Sewet..harde ȝolkys of Eyroun..Pouder Pepir, Gyngere [etc.]..so stuffe hym & roste hym.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)68 : Tak grapes, mynced onyons, and pouder of ginger, canelle, peppur, and salt, and fers the goos or capon with it.
- a1485 *Hrl.1735 Cook.Recipes (Hrl 1735)114 (f.17r) : Loke þu haue dates farsed & plumbys damaycynis.
b
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)86 : If thou wilt haue hit farced [cp.Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) 17: a-forsyd], take mylke..And cast there-to rawe yolkes of eyren, sugur, powder ginger, Peper, clowes, and maces.
2.
To stuff, cram, or load (anything); to fill (with emotion).
Associated quotations
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.233 : His typet was ay farsed ful of knyues.
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)13 : Tho farsid was I with hertes gladnesse; And now my body empty is & bare.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)49 : We, stoffid and farsid wiþ gold, folowen pore Crist.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)3359 : [Venus's] lustys be so deceyvable, So vnsure and variable, Farsed ful of sorwe and dool.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.184v : Thes was so busy and fell in gaderyng tresoure that allmost himself, here absent in this londe, bought of the Romaynes the popedom of Rome, ffarsyng pilgrymes scrippes with lettres and messages.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)154/24 : She was fattid & farsed wiþ goostly fodes.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)15363 : With ffarsyd Erys fful off poysoun.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.OFools (LdMisc 683)168 : Tabourerys..Plese more this daies whan stuffed is ther male, Farsed with fflateryng [Hrl: Withe farced flateryng].
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)16.11 : Bestis, that waxis iolife when thai ere ful of grese, as wha say, thai held thaire pride farsid in felonyse.
3.
(a) To beautify (the face) by applying cosmetics; (b) farsed, of speech: garnished, embellished (with pleasantry or flattery).
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2285 : Farce not thi visage in no wise.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.5168 : To shaue my berd and farse my visage With oynementis.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.6563 : These vekkes, ferre Ironne in age..han veynglori..For to farce and poppe ther visage, Lich a peyntour on an old ymage Leith his coloures.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.3158 : Women that age farsid wer nor hornyd, Nor ther tailes wer nat serpentyne.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4274 : Hir wordis..Wer meynt with feynyng & with flaterie, And outward farsed with many a fals lye.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1373 : And of thy wordes farced with plesaunce, And of thy feyned trouthe and thy manere.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.688 : Whan she maketh most fulsumli hir profres, Hir blaundisshyng is farsid with falsheed.