Middle English Dictionary Entry
flok n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | flok n.(1) Pl. flokkes, vlockes. |
| Etymology | OE floc(c. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A group of beasts; a flock (of sheep), a drove (of swine), a herd (of elephants), etc.; (b) a flock of birds or domesticated fowl; (c) a school of fish; (d) prov. a wicke shep etc.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)39 : Þe deules beden ure louerd..þat he hem sende into floc of swin.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)54b : Þe vox awurieð al a floc.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)21309 : Þar were on flockes two hundred gotes.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1637 : Ðre flockes of sep..ðor abiden.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.8.30 : A floc, or droue, of many hoggis Iesewynge was nat fer from hem.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.227 : Iabel ordeynede first flokkes of bestes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)279a/b : Þese bestes [beavers] leveþ fere in flokkes and loueþ bestes of þe same kynde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)285a/a : Elephantes..torneþ nought aȝein to þe flokke tofore þe waisschynge.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7530 : A staf and a sling..he was wont to bere..Abute his flock o scep.
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3729 : Hij holdeþ hem alle togidre So flok of dere in þonder wedre.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)24b/b : Equiniciam: a floc of hors.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)2/17 : As a flokk of schepe þat has na schepehird.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)167 : Floke or heerde of bestys, what so they be: Polia.
- c1450 Myght wisdom (Add 31042)17 : The kiddes ffloke depured in clennes..Es lykennede to thyn here.
- (1451) Paston2.215 : And a flok of hoggs.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)31/84 : The best schep..amonges my flok..I tythe it to god.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.116 : The fonden shepe on his shuldres laid he & broght to flokke.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20165 : Swa doð þe wilde cron i þan moruenne þenne his floc is awemmed.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)280 : Hi me bichermet & bigredeþ & hore flockes to ne [read: me] ledeþ.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)822,823,829 : A flok of cranes. A floc of feldefares..A floc of hennes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.237 : A cok Wakeþ som man or it dawe; All his song in a flok May like no man.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)145b/b : These briddes [Curlewis]..makeþ and lediþ flockes.
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5395 : Þoo comen þere fleynge sory foules..Griselich was her flok.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)661 : There myghte men see many flokkes Of turtles and laverokkes.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)109/23 : All þies dowvis..flow clene away in a grete flokk.
- c1475 A philosophre (Hrl 372)p.29 : Many a cok is olde..and mayntenethe al his flokke.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)49a : A ffloke of geyse: polea.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)159b/b : In tyme of generacioun males and females of fysshe swymmen togedirs as a flocke.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1964 : Alsua ȝee ete o na fixs elles Bot þat in flok and herd [Frf: herde and flok] duells.
d
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)23/11 : A wicke shep may spille al þe flok.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)51 : Oon scabbyd shepe makyth a fowle flock.
2.
(a) A group of people; Cristes ~, Cristene ~, Godes ~, Christians collectively, the Church; ~ of men, monne ~, a crowd of people; (b) a family, a household; (c) a monastic family; (d) a congregation or parish.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3758 : He wollde sammnenn An flocc off menn till Crisstenndom.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6816 : Þeȝȝ wærenn..An waȝhe off Cristess kirrke, Off Cristess flocc, Crisstene flocc.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)9875 : He spacc..Off summ hæþene flocc þatt stod Þær bi þe flumm.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)3 : Mid his apostles and ec mid oðere floc manna.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)42a : Neauer ȝete i monne floc ne cahte he swuch biȝete.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)44a : Ne þunche þe neauer god imong monne floc.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)1 Pet.5.2 : Fede ȝe the flok of God.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.219 : Flokkes [L greges] of men were isold for litel prys.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.824 : Vp roos oure hoost and was oure aller cok And gadred vs togidre in a flok.
- ?a1425 Wycl.CGosp.Luke (Cmb Kk.2.9:Hudson)20/7 : Þe prechyng of þe heelful gospel shulde take [not] onely Israel (þat is, Iewis), but also þe flockis of heþene men.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)837 : In grete flokkez of folk þay fallen to his ȝatez.
- c1425 Glo.Chron.A (Hrl 201)p.172 : Ich chylle treuþe holde to Jhesu Crist..And þat blod of ys kunde floc awreke.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)172/30 : If he es not salt or sauery in wysdom, he es an hounde a-boute the floc of god.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)383 : Be ȝe made fourme & ensaumple of cristis flokke.
- a1475 Leve lystynes (Brog 2.1)p.30 : The iiij wyffe of the floke Seyd.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)28.1 : Sunnes of apostils, that ware ledirs of godis floke.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)590 : Alls iff itt [Eleazaress hus] wære laferrdflocc Offr alle þoþre flockess.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4762 : Tenn menn, an allfullwaxenn flocc Off suness & off dohhtress, Forrlæs þe gode Job þatt daȝȝ.
c
- c1230 *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)69b : Ȝef ei is imong ow þe geað i singularite, & ne folheð nawt þe cuuent, ah went ut of þe floc þet is as in a cloistre..godd turne hire in to floc, wende hire in to cuuent.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.403 : Þe abbot..is overal present wiþ his flok [vr. vlok].
d
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.421 : Her gostly Staf is thanne aweie, Wherof thei scholde her flock defende.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.139 : Ȝif þei have þere temporal hire, þei recken not how þer flok fare.
- a1500(1381) Knighton Chron.Contin.(Cld E.3)139 : Falsnes regneth in every flokke.
3.
(a) A troop of warriors; an army, a host; (b) a subdivision of an army or a fleet; company, squadron.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5506 : Þat Romanisce floc [Otho: folke] riden heom bihinden.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)3964 : Þe king was glade for his come and for þan cniþtes þat mid him come, and held hine on flocke.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)24 : The rym is maked of hauelok, A stalworþi man in a flok.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.229 : Þanne breke out blake flokkes of Scottes and of Pictes.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)2550 : Abraham..with him ledde his flocke [Vsp: folk].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1767 : His foes in þe felde, in flokkes ful grete..Now ar þay sodenly assembled at þe self tyme.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2849 : The fayreste schall be full feye, þat in oure floke ryddez.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)492 : He prykyd forþ out off þe fflok.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)291 : Þei lete flie to þe flocke ferefull sonndes.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)18004 : I þan flokke biforen he hafde cnihtes wel icoren.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)28958 : Þer weoren..seouen hundred scipene a formeste flocke.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30964 : [Cadwalan] delde a þreo ulockes his duhtie cnihtes.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3856 : Arthour on hors sat..& gouerned þe seuend flok.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3992 : O folk, tua flokes [Frf: companys] cums wit me.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)3844 : Hys men he delyd in twoo fflokkes.
4.
(a) With derogatory implication: a gaggle (of whores); a gang (of evil spirits, etc.); (b) a multitude (of sins, comforts, etc.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6546 : All þe laþe gastess flocc, All helleþeod, wass dreofedd.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)252 : Termegaunt, and Iubiter, and also platyne..y schrewe al the floke.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)157/39 : Fendes rorynge and gnastynge wiþ teeþ felle, flokke by flokke, vpon þe congregacyon.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.197r : Flokkes of hores folwed the cort and so many nycetes were vsed and harmes idoo that comenliche me seide Engelond were blessed yf Henry myght be kyng.
b
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)33a : Lo her aȝeines wreaððe, monie remedies, frouren a muche floc [Nero: vloc].
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)107/234 : Þe ferste pryns hys prede, Þat ledeþ þane flok.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Terms Assoc.(2) (Cmb Ll.1.18)232 : A flokke of shepe.
- a1500 Terms Assoc.(3) (Lamb 306)233 : A Flock of Shepe.
Note: New sense: term of association
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Pass.Christi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)895 : Hag ol an flok a thybarth.
Note: ?AQ
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 ?Scrope Ribot First Monks (Lamb 192)98/20 : The flockys of geetys which [apperyd] yn the mownt of Galaad ben resounabyl flockys [L racionales].
Note: 'Racionales' = 'rational beings'.
Note: ?New sense or ?modify gloss of 2.(a)