Middle English Dictionary Entry

fleum(e n.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms fleum(e n. Also flum(e, fleem.
Etymology OF fleume, flaime (from L phlegma, ultim. Gr.).

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) One of the four body fluids or 'humors': phlegm; kindli ~, natural ~, the normal phlegm uncorrupted and unmixed; unkind ~, unnatural ~, phlegm mixed with another humor, corrupt or pathological phlegm; (b) fals ~, ?unnatural phlegm, ?salt phlegm; ~ gipseous, ~ plastri, a hardened phlegm resembling gypsum or plaster of Paris; glassi ~, vitreous ~, ~ vitreum, a congealed phlegm, a glassy phlegm; phlegm mixed with melancholy; gret ~, grosse ~, a thick and sticky phlegm; hour of ~, an hour of the day favorable to the formation of phlegm; pontic ~, sourish ~, ~ ponticum, phlegm slightly mixed with melancholy, a milder variety of the sour phlegm; rau ~, ~ crude, crude phlegm, imperfect phlegm; roted ~, putrefied ~, corrupted phlegm; salt ~, ~ salsum, ~ salt, phlegm mixed with choler, salt phlegm; sour ~, acetous ~, ~ acetosum, phlegm mixed with melancholy, sour phlegm; also, corrupted sweet phlegm; swete ~, ~ dulce, phlegm mixed with blood (the 'humor'), phlegm having in part the nature of the humour blood, sweet phlegm; thin ~, subtil ~, a thin phlegm, a light or rarified phlegm; vaporous ~, ventous ~, windi ~, ?a phlegm which gives off vapors or exhalations, ?phlegm turned to vapor; wateri ~, aquose ~, a watery phlegm.
Show 32 Quotations
2.
A secretion or discharge from a mucous membrane of the body; esp. mucus; blodi ~, dysentery, bloody flux; ~ of mouth, saliva.
Show 9 Quotations
3.
(a) The factor causing a phlegmatic temperament or 'complexion'; also a 'complexion' in which the predominant 'humor' is phlegm, a phlegmatic temperament; (b) ?a phlegmatic person.
Show 9 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. kindly fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. natural fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. unnatural fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. acetous fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. dulce fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. fleume acetosum.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. fleume salsum.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. fleume vitreum.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. glassy fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. great fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. gross fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. plastery fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. putrefied fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. raw fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. salt fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. sour fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. subtle fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. sweet fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. thin fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vaporous fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. ventose fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vitreous fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. watery fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. windy fleume.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1484 De Coitu (Trin-C R.14.52)309/213 : To euery man to whom haboundith viscous or glatty fleame to whom be manly strengthis, and to hym whiche haboundith sharp fume brethyng, whiche his nature infectith to temperaunce of body, that to thiese ij it [sexual intercourse] profiteth.
    • Note: New form.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.44ra (2.5) : The 4 spice is 'fleuma acetosum' or 'fleuma acrum,' þat al on is to mene: a fleume acetouse or elles egre fleume or sharp fleume, a sowre fleume.
  • ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.62vb (2.8) : 'Vrina pallida' or 'subpallida,' menely thenne, seiþ a cotidien causede of a fleume acetouse.
Note: Editor's gloss: 'sour phlegm'. Additional quots., sense 1.(b).

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.69ra (2.9) : 'Fleuma vitrium' & 'fleuma album,' a fleume vitre & a fleume blawnch: al on.
Note: New cpd.: ~ blaunk. Sense defining quot.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.43vb (2.5) : Anoþer maner of fleume þer is þat is callede 'fleuma dulce' (anglice: a freisshe fleume), & þat is mixte wiþ pur blode.
  • ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.70va (2.10) : Vryn ruf or subruf, menely þik & inequal, & cloudisshe abouen..seith a febre cotidien causede of a fleume þat is callede 'fleuma dulce,' a douce fleume (anglice: a freish fleume).
Note: New compound: fresh ~. Editor's gloss: ~ (fresshe) fleume 'sweet phlegm, douce phlegm'.

©2024 Regents of the University of Michigan. For details about this collection's copyright see the MEC copyright statement and the U-M Library Copyright Policy. Data last refreshed December 2023.