Middle English Dictionary Entry
flet n.
Entry Info
| Forms | flet n. Also vlet(te. |
| Etymology | OE flet(t. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. flat.
1.
(a) The paved floor of a room or hall, floor; into the ~, to the ground; (b) a room or hall with a paved floor; room, hall; a dwelling, living quarters, a home.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)118.25 : Cliued mi saule to þi flet [L pavimento].
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2879 : Þe kyng..wilde fyre þere on sette, Þat brent doune in to þe flette Tymber, ston, & þe morter.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)859 : Tapytez tyȝt to þe woȝe..& vnder fete on þe flet.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.473 : Thy berne also be playn, & hard the flette.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)273 : Fayre on kneus þey schule hem sette, Knelynge doun vp on the flette.
b
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)5/10 : Nu me wule swopen þine flor ond þet flet clensien, For hit is h[am] loþre, þe þu þeron leiȝe.
- ?a1300 Sirith (Dgb 86)273 : So ich euere brouke hous oþer flet, Neren neuer penes beter biset þen þes shulen ben.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7010 : We schul sterue in þis flet.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)200 : Þerl to þe mete was sett; Gij stode forn him in þat flett [Cai: plaas].
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)309 : Also much paieth another that poverte hath brouht to grounde, And hath an hep of girles sittende aboute the flet [vr. flete].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)5368 : I fostered ȝou on mi flet.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5172 : We ne buþ bot ten alone heer to defendye al þis flette.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)315/232 : Þe fuir in halle he made and bette, And bar þe askes from þe flette.
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1104 : Alisaundre..smoot lefyas wiþ þe coupe, þat he fel doun in þe flette.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1925 : Þe lorde..Fyndez fire vpon flet, þe freke þer byside.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)821 : Þan fyndis he Philip on his flett with a fest huge.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)711 : Þo cuppe þen voyde is in þo flette.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)979 : Forth sche wente ynto þe halle..Sche dede of here mantyll on þe flet, þat men schuld here beholde þe bet.
2.
A (level) piece of ground; a battlefield.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26023 : He com to þan ulette þer þe feond lai and slæpte.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)853 : Wiþ four othre meteþ he..& fuld hem on þe flette.
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2373 : Þe ost myd whiche hij mette, hij brougtten hem out of flette.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 All this day (Cai 383/603)p.306 : All vnswope ys owre vlech, And owre fyre ys vnbech; Oure ruschen ben vnrepe yech Ayen this hy halyday.
Note: New spelling
Note: [Robbins prints as: vleth]