Middle English Dictionary Entry
fen n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | fen n.(1) Also feon, ven. Pl. fennes; (early) feonnon, feonnes. |
| Etymology | OE fen(n, pl. fennas. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) Marshland; swamp, slough; wild as a hert in the fenne; (b) feld and fen, frith and ~, ~ and flod, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Þas landes & þas wateres & meres & fennes and weres..ælle þa meres & feonnes þa liggen to ward Huntendune porte..ælle þa feonnon to Medes hamstede.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)18113 : He..drof Irisce men ȝeond wateres and ȝeond fenes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21741 : Þat is a seolcuð mere iset a middelærde mid fenne & mid ræode.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)962 : Þenstu þat uise men forlete For fule venne þe riȝtte strete?
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)146 : Plente of dep ven.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4080 : Allas, youre hors gooth to the fen With wilde mares.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.160 : As a Stalon in the Fennes, Which goth amonges al the Stod, Riht so can he nomore good.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)47a/b : Palus: afenne.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)154 : Fenne: Labina, palus.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)159 : My subgis dwelle and enhabite in fennes as frosshes.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)23 : The grete fennes that ly betwix the flood Danubie and the Grete Se.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)157/166 : A sterre hath strekyn upon þe sky and ledde us fayr be fenne.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.591 : As wilde as a herte or a Roo in the fenne.
b
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)832 : Noþer bi dune ne bi uenne.
- a1350(1265) BLewes (Hrl 2253)27 : He haþ robbed engelond, þe mores ant þe fenne.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7547 : In wode & doun & in fen.
- c1330 Body & S.(5) (Auch)p.40 : Foules fle bi feld and fen.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)7/29 : In toun, in feld, in frith and fen.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)16561 : Of þe Bretons were left but fo..Þo skulked to wodes & fennes; To Cornewaille þey fledden hennes.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)39/126 : They wille slee me, be ffenne or ffrith.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)744 : Þou feffyst me with fen & felde.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)879 : Where-so þat I fare, be fenne or flod.
1b.
fen-ache [cp. ache wild celery], a plant of the genus Apium; fen-doun [see quot.]; fen-lond; fen-man; fen-greive, -reve, a manorial officer; fen-thak, thatch of some kind; fen-take [see quot.]; fen-vern [OE fen-fearn], 'fen-fern' [see quot.]; fen-wurt, a plant.
Associated quotations
- (1277) Chart.B.Borough79 : Et quod habeant porcos suos proprios de Pannagio qui dicitur Fentake quietos in burgo predicto.
- a1300 Hrl.978 Vocab.(Hrl 978)555 : Saluia, i. sauge, i. Fenuern.
- ?a1300 Wor.F.157.Gloss.(Wor F.157)185 : Vmbilicus veneris; vemwrt.
- (1327) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms104 : Rob. le fengreyue.
- (1338) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.80 : Fenlond.
- (1389) Doc.Manor in MP 3442 : Fenreue.
- (1428) Doc.Manor in MP 3451 : Fenthak.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Semblable (Ashm 59)71 : Þe turffman turff, þe ffenman [delvith] flagges.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)76/17 : For þe qweke scabbe. Tak rybeworthe and woodbynde and a litill fenache.
- (1495) Statutes Realm2.582 : Federbeddes..stuffed with..clene downe allone, and with no scalded fethers nor fen downe.
1c.
In names.
Associated quotations
- (1207) Fine R.King John383 : Willielmus de Fenbrig.
- (1270) Court R.Ramsey262 : Johannes le Fenreue.
- (1281) Hundred R.Tower 2645 : Adam Fenreve.
- (1284-5) Feudal Aids 4290 : Johannes atte Fenne.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.6633 : Rogero ate Blakefenne.
- (1297) Close R.Edw.I15 : William le Fenrother.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3232 : Walterus atte Venne.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10117 : Henr' ate Fanne.
2.
(a) Mud, dirt [cp. fen n.(2), which here overlaps with this word] ; fen of erthe; clei and ~, wos and ~; as ~ of fote, as swin in ~; (b) Poet.?potter's clay; ?fertile soil.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)47 : Jeremie..stod in ane putte, and þet in þe uenne up to his muðe.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)81 : Þes oðer Mon þet..luueð his sunnen alse deð þet fette swin þet fule fen to liggen in.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)657 : Ȝif he fallit in þe fen.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)630 : He is faier ouer alle men so euen sterre ouer erðe fen.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)872 : Hauelock shof dun nyne or ten Rith amidewarde þe fen.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2557 : Summe he deden in vn-ðewed swinc..Muc and fen ut of burges beren.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)76 : Bisecheþ þat swete ant swote, er þen þou falle ase fen of fote.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2331 : If ȝe me helpe vp to drawe..out of þis fenne.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)2 Pet.2.22 : An hound turned aȝen to his woom..and a sowe waschun, in the walewinge or slowe of cley or fen.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.113 : His baner was i-trode in þe fen [vr. ven].
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)306/40 : And maade hem worche in cleiȝ and fen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)146a/a : [Storks] filliþ hire nest wiþ erþe, and drawiþ þe ȝerdes & þornes of þe nest with fenne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)154b/a : In fenne and wose.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)169b/b : For grete commyng of water and slyme and fenne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)195a/b : Chaungynge of fictuous fenne in to stoone.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)204b/b : Fen is y made by medlyng of pouder and of moysture.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)62/23 : Mannes soule..schal be fest..to þe flesche þat nys bot foule fen and erþe.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jer.38.6 : The lake, wherynne was no watir, but fen [WB(1): clei; L lutum].
- a1425(a1400) Titus & V.(Pep 2014)2526 : Suche hungger gan hem dere, That þe stronge þe feble ete, Ȝee, and þe fen vnder her feete.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)39a/a : Lutum: fen or cley.
- ?a1425(?a1350) SLeg.Guth.(Jul D.9)237 : Þe swaluen..With stre and wit fenne hor nest made riȝt þer.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)229 : In castynge of stones at hym and of fenne.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)62 : To..baþe hem in lustis of synne as swyn in feen.
- a1450 Bonav.Medit.(5) (Pep 2125)2/56 : No man ys there that knowith hym, but as dogges and other wode howndes, with fen and filthede defowlith hym, scornyth hym, and repreuyth hym.
- a1450 LDirige(1) (Dgb 102)74 : Of fen of erthe þou dede me make, In-to dust aȝen þou shalt me lede.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4358 : A full faynt forcelett & of fen makid.
- ?a1450 Add.Mir.Virg.(Add 39996)362/17 : Wiþ fen þat vnder his fete was He smote þe ymage in þe face.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)82.9 : Thai fologhe noght gastly life, made thai ere as fen of erth.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)136/23 : Anon he spytte in þe erþe and makyd fene, and wyth þat fen anoynted þe mannys hond.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.17 : Virgile souȝt gold of wit and wisdom in the fen [Higd.(2): cleye; L luto] of Ennii þe poete.
3.
Fig. (a) Something worthless or objectionable, trash; (b) mire, slough; leir of ~; ~ of lust, mire of lust; etc.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1335 Swet ihc hend (Hrl 913)p.81 : Ȝe sulle se þat al is fenne, Þe catel of þis liue.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27089 : Þis ypocrites..seme..In þair licam bath fair and slight..Bot inwit fild wit filth and fene.
b
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)39.2 : Þenne led he me Fra þe slogh of wrecchednes And fra fen ofe drege þat es.
- c1450 ?Rolle Luf es lyf (Lamb 853)121 : Whanne her bodies in þe fen liggen, Þanne schulen her soulis be in drede.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)39.2 : He led me out of the lake of wrichidnes and of the layre of fen.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)112.6 : Raysand fra erth the helples and of the fen uprightand the pore..he vprightis the pore out of the fen of fleyssly lust.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1301) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames363 : Venton.
Note: = Fen + ton--per REL
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)820 : Sewes on fishe dayes..Flowndurs gogeons, muskels, menuce in sewe, Eles, lampurnes, venprides quyk & newe, Musclade in wortes musclade of almondes for states fulle dewe, [etc.].
Note: Many notes on file
Note: Per ?pfs: likely = fen-pride. cp. pride n.(1), fen n.(1); lb.
Note: Prob. a freshwater lamprey.