Middle English Dictionary Entry
flē n.
Entry Info
| Forms | flē n. Also flei(gh, flie, flyȝe. Pl. flēn, flēes, flēghes, flīes. |
| Etymology | OE flēah & flēa, pl. flēan; cp. OHG flōh. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A flea; (b) flen, flies, and freres, fleas, flies, and friars; fle in ere, exciting story or report.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)84.29/1 : Wið flean & eaȝena sore.
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)37 : Nis þer flei, fle, no lowse In cloþ, in toune, bed, no house.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of godde (Hrl 913)21 : Man, of þi schuldres and of þi side Þou miȝte hunti luse and flee; Of such a park ine hold no pride, Þe dere nis nauȝte þat þou miȝte sle.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)818 : Puce, wybet, et muche: Fle, gnatte, and flie.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.17 : What eyleth thee to slepe by the morwe? Hastow had fleen al nyght?
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)296b/b : Many flen comen of oon flee, and þe flee is ybredde white and chaungeþ..into blak.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5954 : Al þe pudre of his land Wex hungre flees [Frf: fleghes; Göt: flies; Trin-C: flyes] sare bitand.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)1 Kings 24.15 : A deed dog thou pursuist, and a quyk flyȝe [WB(2): fle; L pulicem].
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)3a : Also strowe him in a chambur and in bedis, and hit killyth flene.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)31/28 : In þat abbay commes neuer fleess ne flyes.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)62b/a : Noȝt venenous..is þe bityng..of fleez, of fliez, & þat kynde.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)165 : Flee: Pulex.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.906 : Also the fleen [L pulices] wol sleen on thy pament Oildreggis ofte yspronge.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)12 : Made god flyen & fleen & alle oþer foule þinges?
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)279 : Youre hed ne bak ye claw, a fleigh as þaughe ye sought.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)134 : A Fley: pulex..loppe.
b
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)91 : Ye haue seyd..manye oothere grete wundres, whiche ben fleen in myne eres.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9578 : Your wordys..Ben so vnkouth & merveyllous, And to my wyt so daungerous, That they faren..As a flee were in myn Ere.
- a1500 Flen flyys (Hrl 3362)91 : Flen, flyys, and freris populum domini male cædunt.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Rwl.C.506 Artist.Recipes (Rwl C.506) 179/28 : To make turmantyn for fleyun.
Note: New spelling, pl.
Note: Additional quot., sense (a).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. flea.