Middle English Dictionary Entry
firs(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | firs(e n. Also virse, furs(e, forse, vorse, firres, firze; pl. firs-en, -es. |
| Etymology | OE fyrs. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. firre n.(2).
1.
(a) Furze or gorse; confused with juniper in *Chauliac; (b) pl. furze bushes (used as fuel); (c) as surname; (d) furse cat, a humorous name for the hare.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)7/8 : Nim fyrs and cnuca hine and lege uppa þat ȝeswollene.
- a1300 Trin-C.Prov.(Trin-C O.2.45)p.5 : Whanne bloweþ þe furs [L rusco], þanne wogeþ he wurs.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mic.7.4 : A palyure, that is, a sharp bushe or a thistil or frijse [vr. firse].
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.195 : And alle þat herde þe horn heolden heore neose after, And weschte þat hit weore I-wipet with a wesp of Firsen [vr. ferse; B: firses].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)170a/b : [Downes] ben y growe and ful of brome of firsne.
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.23v : The grene [read: grete] junipere is as heyh as firze þat þey callen whyn.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.55.13 : A fir tre schal grow for a firse [WB(1): the thorny erbe that is clepid saliunka].
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)35b : He havith prikkys as hit were forse.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)156a/a : Of þe greynes of Iunypre .i. of firsen.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)162 : Fyrrys, or qwyce tre, or gorstys tre: Ruscus.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)35/1 : Take..salt and þe route of vorsis and stampe hym to-gedre.
b
- (1436) RParl.4.498b : A Licence to enclose cc acres of here Lande, Pasture, Wode, Hetthe, Virses and Gorste.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)37/29 : Broom or heeth, fyrsyn or turves, or ony swych oþer fewall.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)343/5 : xx acres of in-lande, and v acres of firses, and viij acris of mede.
- (?1466) Stonor1.74 : He fette dyvers fursis, feld and sold by myne officers, oute of Yarne Knolle to his use.
c
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1064 : Johanne atte Furse.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1065 : Sibel atte Ferse.
d
- ?a1300 Names Hare (Dgb 86)350/25 : The wodecat..the bromkat..the fursecat.