Middle English Dictionary Entry
fā̆t adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | fā̆t adj. Also faat, fet, feet, vat, vet. Forms: infl. fatte; comp. fatter, sup. fattest. |
| Etymology | OE fǣt, infl. fǣtte, comp. fǣttra, sup. fǣttest. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Made fat for slaughter; fattened, fatted.
Associated quotations
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1210 : He let quelle..of fatte weþeren an hondred þousend.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)35 : Wyþ-oute chapfare makiinde..ine uette zuyn.
- (1411) RParl.3.650b : Two fatte Oxen, and twelf fatte Shepe, to be dispended on a dyner.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)1 Kings 28.24 : Thilke womman hadde a fat [WB(1): foddred] calf in the hows..and killide hym.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)3b/b : Aula: a capon or a fatte beste.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)151 : Fat Fowle, or beste, mestyde to be slayne: Altile.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)36/33 : Tak a fatt catt & fla it wele.
2.
(a) Plentifully filled-out or covered with fat; plump, not lean; (b) overly loaded with fat; corpulent, obese; (c) feden fat, to make (overly) fat with feeding.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19445 : No durste þær bilæuen na þæ uatte no þe læne.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)37b : Oloferne is þe feond þe makeð feble & unstrong feat [Nero: uet] kealf.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)284 : Seue kuin fatte him þuȝte þat he sauȝ gon: So fatte ne so feire sauȝ he neuere non.
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)199 : Þis Maide was bi-fore him ybrouȝt swiþe fat and round.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2101 : Ðe lene hauen ðe fette freten.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)188 : The frere wole to the direge, if the cors is fat..if the cors is lene, He wole wagge aboute the cloistre.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)262b/b : Fisshe in oon moneþe waxeþ fatte and soone þer after waxeth lene.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.OFools (LdMisc 683)147 : The sleyhty ffox doth hir [a goose's] brood be-holde; He taketh þe ffatte, casteth awey the lene.
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.200 : He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1947 : Of lusti drinke and lusti mete Wherof the bodi fat and full Is unto gostli labour dull.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)265a/a : Lambren haueþ an yuel and beþ to fatte aboute þe reynes.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)222/37 : Good complexcion is temperid flesshe..be-twen lene and fatte.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2694 : Oft I see suche losengours Fatter than abbatis or priours.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)120a/b : The men þat be wonder fatte ben more sone made dedely after kynde þan lene men.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)235 : Grete is ȝowre hede, ȝowr beli large & fatte.
- a1450(a1449) Lydg.WTongue (Hnt EL 26.A.13)43 : Ȝif thow be fatte owther corpolent.
- (1472) Paston (Gairdner)5.152 : I shall wax fatt for default of labor.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)445 : Prelatis slepen in synne & ben to fatte to preche þe puple.
c
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)134/14 : In þis world ȝe ben riche, faat fed, lauȝyng.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)6 : Þei..dwellen in courtis with lordes and ladies to feden here bely faat.
- c1450 Lychefelde Comp.G.(Lamb 853)365 : Euere þe fattir þat y it [the flesh] feede, Euere þe freischer it is my foo.
3.
(a) Well filled-out (with grain); (b) well-developed, plump (fruit, grain).
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2104 : vii eares wexen fette of coren.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)251a/a : In fatte lond and wel y donged groweþ fatte whete and heuy.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)212/4 : Medle þerwiþ fatte figis.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)44b/a : Of fatte drye figes.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)62/33 : A branch of oliff full off fatt frute.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)29/12 : Othir hoot metes and fatte ffiges.
4.
(a) Full of fat or grease; (b) full of resin, gum, or viscous sap; (c) fat water, ?petroleum.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)23/7 : Syle hym ceruillan etan and fæt flæsc.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)995 : Bræd..smeredd wel wiþþ elesæw & makedd fatt & nesshe.
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)118 : Tak fat chese and kerf thereto.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)260b/b : Euerich beste wiþ talow haþ fatte brayn.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6504 : It is but foly..To seke in houndes nest fat mete.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)31b/a : Hote metes glymy and fatte.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)219/6 : May-butter and capun-grece and clene fete sayme.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)216b/b : Bedellium is a tree..fat and yliche to erþe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)240b/b : Þis tree [pine] be most fatte.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)252a/a : Þe rynde..þer of woseþ fatte fome.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)78/2 : Þe white malue..þe jus þer-of..is so fatt.
- c1500 Recipe MSS Hast.in HMC (Hnt HU 1051)422 : Fat malues that growun in fat erthe.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.1.20 : Thei foonden not fijre, bot fatt water [L aquam crassam].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.259 : Neemyas..fonde þe stokkes of þe auȝter and brennynge coolis and fatte water, and he cast of þat water vppon a fagot of woode, and þerof come fuir.
5.
(a) Thick, dense (solids, liquids, air); (b) resonant, husky (voice).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)120b/a : Whanne it comeþ in to fatte matiere it is vnprofitliche I fonge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)133b/a : Þe ner he [air] is to þe erthe, he is þe more coolde and fatte & þe more lik to qualite of þe erþe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)203b/a : Stoone is y bredde of fat cley by vertu of þe sonne þat makeþ..þe parties cleue and fastene togidere.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218b/b : Cassia fistula..bryngeþ newe menstrual blood þat comeþ of fat humour.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)310a/b : Vryne blakke and fatte and stynkyng bodeþ deþ.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333b/b : Þe voices beþ fatte and þikke whan moche spirit comeþ oute as þe voice of a man.
6.
Fertile, rich (land).
Associated quotations
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)190 : Merci is a zed þat betere makeþ frut ine lhene land þanne hit do ine uette.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)251a/a : In fatte lond and wel y donged groweþ..whete..more norisshynge þan..in lene londe and druye.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.18 : Sowe hit [linseed] in fattist londis.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)101 : We say a fat lond whech is plenteuous of birden.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)8/25 : Marle..sprenclid a-brode in þe felde..makethe hit fatte & plentevous like as donge shuld do.
7.
(a) Prosperous, rich (benefice); (b) (the) fat and (the) lene, riches and poverty.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1430(?1382) Wycl.Pet.Parl.(Corp-C 296)519 : Siche chirchis ben approprid by symonie..ȝif þe benefice be faat.
b
- a1450 LDirige(1) (Dgb 102)199 : Short ar mannys dayes sene..Þou hast sette his terme of fat and lene.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.206 : In mesure to spende..Not to take al the fatte fro the leene.
8.
In Bibl. transl.: (a) flourishing, prosperous, strong; (b) annointed, consecrated.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)64.13 : Þy feldes shul be fulfild of plente. Fair þynges of þe wyldernes shal by-comen fat [L pinguescent].
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)77.35 : He sloȝe her fatt, and destourbed þe chosen of Israel fram vengeaunce.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.19.4 : Thi brent sacrifise be maad fat.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.67.15,16 : The hil of God, a fat hil [L mons pinguis]. The hil cruddid togidere, a fat hil.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Prov.15.30 : Good fame makith fat the boonys.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)19.3 : Þin offerand fat be made..that is, it is diletabile til god in swett deuocioun.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)67.15 : That is hill of god and hill fatt, for it makes heghe in vertu and fat in deuocioun.
b
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)22.7 : Þou makest fatt myn heued wyþ mercy.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.140.5 : The oile of a synner [shall] make not fat [WB(1): shal not..fatten] myn heed.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ecclus.35.8 : The offryng of a iust man makith fat [WB(1): fatteth] the auter.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.18va (1.4) : Contre þat is stony is kyndely 'frigida & sicca.' Gorry and mody, 'frigida & humida.' Fat and tough and clayisshe, 'calida & humida.'
Note: ?New sense. Editor's gloss: 'of soil: sticky, glutinous'.
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.15va (1.4) : Thise ar þe states of complexion: 'Sanguinei' comunely ar longe and fatte. Longe be cause of hete..fat be reson of humidite.
Note: Additional quot., ?sense 2.(b). Editor's gloss: 'of persons: fat, corpulent'.
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.100rb (3.12) : Whosoeuer make in his vryn smale resolucions of fleishe, in schap and forme mykel like hede heres, & þerwiþ þe vryn be fatt, þe heres ar consumpcioun of þe reyns.
Note: Additional quot., ?sense 4.(a) or 5.(a) [See quot. Trev.Barth 310a/b]. Editor's gloss: 'oily, greasy'.