Middle English Dictionary Entry
filet n.
Entry Info
| Forms | filet n. Also vilet, felet(te, flette. |
| Etymology | OF filet. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A ribbon or band of cloth worn around the head as an ornament or to keep the hair in place; a headband, chaplet; also, a frontal band worn as a badge of maidenhood.
Associated quotations
- a1350 Lord þat lenest (Hrl 2253)32 : Habbe he a fauce filet, he halt hire hed heȝe to shewe þat heo be kud & knewe for strompet in rybaudes rewe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))SSol.4.3 : As a fyr red silkene filet thi lippes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3243 : Hir filet brood of silk and set ful hye.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)69b/b : Victa [read: vitta]: a wymple, a bond, or a flette, or a coroune.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2657 : Þe vylette..vpon þat blessud virgynes hedde.
- c1450(?a1400) Quatref.Love (Add 31042)458 : Thire ladyse are arayede in robys ful ȝare..Bendys and botonys, felettis and fare.
- (1467) Paston4.268 : She wuld fayne have a new felet.
2.
A strip or band of any material used for trimming or decorating clothing, furniture, etc.; an ornamental edging.
Associated quotations
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.28.28 : The breest broche with his rynges be streyned with the rynges of the coope, with a iacynctyne filete [WB(2): lace; L vitta].
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12464 : He wolde vrle his pane wyþ-al Aboute wiþ a ffylet smal.
- (1458) Acc.St.Margaret Southwark in BMag.32639 : Payd for lath & ij fylettes, vj d.; .. payd for ij filettes and j poste to vnderset the pale, and for lathes, viij d.
- (1473) Acc.St.Michael Cornhill in Camd.102175 : A felet for the same pewes.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)22339 : I haue knyues, phyllettys, callys, At ffeestes to hangen vp on wallys.
3.
?A raised edging or curbing on a weir.
Associated quotations
- c1460 Oseney Reg.64/24 : If hit be nede and lacke of water he shall vppon put oon philet [L filetum] of þe brede of halfe a foote.
4.
Anat. (a) A band of muscular tissue, a tendon; (b) the 'string' of the tongue [L frenum linguae].
Associated quotations
a
- a1425 Horse(4) (Glb E.9)p.xxv : The horss hath..ii god filetts.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)13a/b : Þer bene in þe sides of þe forsaid spondilez, of þe backe liggyng to som musculous flesshes þat þai be pilowes to þe neruez which comenly bene called longe, filettez [*Ch.(2): þe loynes; L longe] or paxwax.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4237 : The felettes of the ferrere syde he flassches in sondyre.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2174 : The traytoure hym hitte In thorowe the felettes and in þe flawnke aftyre.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)130 : A Felett of þe bakke: pala.
b
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)17 : De south la lange est le filet..Vnder þe tonge ys þe fylet.
5.
Associated quotations
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)22 : Take fylettes of Pork and rost hem half ynowh.
- (1425) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.187 : viij Filettes of vell and j shurleyne of beeff.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)49 : Take lardez of Venysoun..& kerue hem þinne as Fylettes of Porke.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)96 : Cutt the fisshe in the manner of felettes.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. fillet.