Middle English Dictionary Entry
farsī(n n.
Entry Info
| Forms | farsī(n n. Also farsine, farsein, farson. |
| Etymology | OF farcin. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A disease of horses and other animals characterized by swollen lymphatics, small tumors, and sores; farcy; (b) a small tumor produced by this disease.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1380) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103590 : Marescalcia..Item uno homini auxilianti unum equum..pro le farssy, 13d.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)38 : Þat chyld shuld here [read: hele] horses of farsyn, ȝif he shuld ryde upon him.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)50 : Fleyng mamue..comeþ most comonly abowte þe houndes eres and in here legges þan in eny oþer placis of þe body, as þe farsine.
- c1450 Diseases Horse (Yale 163)48 : For the Farson.
b
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)50 : This oynement is merueylous..aȝenst þe canker and fistoles and farsyns and oþer quyk euelis.
- (1453) Paston2.286 : Hese hors hath j farseyn and grete rennyng sorys in hese leggis.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The predominant spelling in MSS of Diseases Horse is said to contain -o-, e.g. farsion, farsyon, farcyon, farson). M. Laing, "John Whittokesmede as Parliamentarian and Horse Owner in Yale University Library Beinecke MS 163," SELIM : Revista de la Sociedad Española de Lengua y Literatura Inglesa Medieval 17 (2010), pp. 48-49: "This condition is still called farcy and is caused by the bacterium Buckholderia mallei... The same bacterium also causes the internal symptoms of glanders." = OED farcin n. and farcy n.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. farcy.