Middle English Dictionary Entry
flōte n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | flōte n.(1) Also flout, floit, flute. |
| Etymology | OE flota boat, fleet; OE flot a body of water, the sea; OF flote troop, flock. In ME these three words appear to be merged into one. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. floten, flete.
1.
(a) A fleet of ships, esp. of warships; (b) company, troop; army; (c) herd of animals; (d) ?a set (of fishing nets).
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)2155 : Humber king and his flote [Clg: fleote]..comen on Albanac his lond.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)4530 : He makede þare mochel flote [Clg: sæ-flot] and ferde mid streme.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1481 : Whan þeyr fflote wyþ al þer wayne Turnede fro þe lond of Spaigne.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2945 : When boþe fflutes come at a frosche, Þe fyrste hortlyng gaf a gret crusche..ffaste þey foughte boþe fflutes, Persed schipes wiþ arblast schutes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3008 : His fflute [OF navie] he gadered on ilka side..Wyþ gret force of god nauye.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)123 : The kynge haue alway some ffloute apon the see, ffor the repressynge off rovers, sauynge off owre marchauntes, owre ffishers, and the dwellers vppon owre costes.
b
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)738 : And þere he made a litel cote, To him and to hise flote.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)28 : Ioseph ferde bi-foren and þe flote folewede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4709 : Þe flotes [Göt: flockis; Frf: folk] war secand þe land..bi thusand, þat soght þam rotes, als þe suine.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1212 : Folȝande þat oþer flote..Overtok hem as tyd, tult hem of sadeles.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1758 : So with a flote of Fresons folowand þi helis, Þou sekis fraward Sichim.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)198 : The saisnes were mo than vij ml in a flote.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)14/1 : A knyght þat com in that same flote [Rwl: flitte].
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2444 : O fee þai had a selly flot.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)75/1 : He Saw a mych flote of wylde Swyn yernynge vpon Hugh & Morice.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3592 : A faire flote..Of vnicornes, of olyfauntis & wondirfulle bestis.
d
- a1350 Ipswich Domesday(1) (Add 25012)194 : De chescune flote [ID(2): flete] des reys qe sunt sechiez sour sekke terre, iiij d.
2.
(a) A float for a fishing line or net; (b) a raft or boat of some kind; flote-bat; (c) Poet. an arrow.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1300) Oak Bk.Sou.in Sou.RS 1114 : De chescun cent des fflotes, j d.
- (1391) Will York in Sur.Soc.4157 : Willo Broune..j flew, cum warrap et flot.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)16 : The floyt set vppon the grounde lyne..For þe floote, plumbe hym so hevy þat þe lest ploke of any fysche may pluke hym doune yn to þe watur.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)22 : Ye may angle to hym..forþer moyr yn þe day with a floyt lyne.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)23 : Ye schall angle to hym..with owt floote or plumbe.
b
- (1322) Close R.Edw.II453 : Navicula sua que vocatur flotebate.
- (1411) RParl.3.665b : [On the Severn:] Certeins dragges, autrement appelles flotes, pur carier maeresme, & fuaile.
c
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)5699 : Paris than began to hale A strong arwe vp to the vale; To Menescen he drow that flot, In-myddis his ribbes wel sore he smot.
3.
(a) Swimming; (b) the state of being afloat; on (in, o) ~, afloat.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)162 : Ðe fifte day god..tagte fuel on walkene his fligt, Ilc fis on water his flotes migt.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1070 : Þa wæron þa ut lagas ealle on flote.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.169 : Now er alle on flote.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)18180 : Thei gone to schippes & to bote That longe hadde stonden ther In flote.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12079 : When alle were ynne & were o flote, Mariners dighte þem to note.
4.
(a) A stream, a river; (b) a liquid, a solution.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)1913 : He lete binde..& atte windowe kest him out riȝt into temes flot [Roy: flod].
b
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1011 : Nou is hit [Sodomas] in a pit like of piche fylled..As a fornes ful of flot þat vpon fyr boyles.
- a1475 Limn.Bks.(Brog 2.1)88-9 : When the madere is in flotte, breke hit smalle..ȝe moste cast owte ȝowre olde flote of ȝowre maderynge, and make a newe flote for ȝour masterynge of clene water in your lede.