Middle English Dictionary Entry
font n.
Entry Info
| Forms | font n. Also fant, funt, fount. |
| Etymology | OE fant, font, from L font-em; & OF funz, fonz, from L fontes pl. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A receptacle for the water used in baptizing, a baptismal font; (b) ~ halwing [OE fant-hālgung], act or ceremony of blessing, or reconsecrating, a font.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)6/25 : Ðæt cild bið synful bidupped into þam fonte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10924 : Forr att te funnt biginneþþ all Þatt hallȝhe rihhtwisnesse.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)2/23 : Fulhet i font o þe almihti fedres nome & o þes hali gastes.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3290 : In esterne be we wunen Seuene siðes to funt cumen.
- c1330 Þe siker soþe (Auch)97 : Seþþen font ous fra filþ wesche.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)10/274 : Hi cristneþ ine þe founȝt.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)47.8 : Amiddes þe holi fante [Dub: fonte] of þi temple.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)548 : Yvollid on þe haly fant.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.193 : Take our bapteme of funte, as childre ȝing.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)13.52 : Holychurche..That vnderfong me atte fount [B: fonte].
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)10/8 : Þai..dippes þaim bot anes in þe fount.
- a1450(a1387) PPl.A(2) (RwlPoet 137)12.15 : Cristned in a font.
- (1428-9) Rec.St.Mary at Hill70 : For ij staplis & ij lokes to þe fonte.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)189 : Off every pece of ston entayle or marble, as of thurwys, coverclys, crossys, stonys, or funtys.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.1247 : The font was maad of porfirie stoon.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)182 : Funt, or fant: Baptisterium, fons baptismalis.
- (1443) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 850 : A loke to ye fante.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)609 : A fownte sone halowes he.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15150 : Item, a whyte Cloth for the Font.
- (1474-5) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1924 : Ye Rope yt drawyth up the Kanape of ye fante.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)52b : A funt: baptisterium, fons.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)1993 : To a ffont they hym yaue, And crystonyd this yong knave.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)129a/b : Þanne me gooþ wiþ processioun to þe funte halewinge.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)145 : Alle þe chyldren þat ben I-bore Byfore aster and whyssone tyde, Eghte dayes they schullen a-byde, That at the font halowynge They mowe take here folowynge.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.PP (GoughETop 4)127/30 : The font is on Astyr-even halowed and on Whystoneeven; for, at þe begynnyng of holy chirch, all men, and woymen, and chyldren wern kepte to be folowed at þes days at þe font-halowyng.
2.
A fountain; fig. well-spring, source.
Associated quotations
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Te Deum (Hrl 2255)5 : We creaturys knowlech the as creatoure..O ffemynyn fadir, funte and foundoure!
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)16 : This paleis was..a myle a boute, and ȝet stand þere many wallis, dyuers arches, & maruelous uontes.