Middle English Dictionary Entry
fosse n.
Entry Info
| Forms | fosse n. Also vose-. |
| Etymology | OF fosse & L fossa. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A ditch or trench; a moat;--frequ. in names; (b) a pit; a dug grave; (c) a rut.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2733 : Ricardus de la Fosse. ]
- [ (1293) in Madox Form.Angl.(1702)199 : Totum pratum meum..cum fossis et bayis. ]
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3240 : Rob. atte Fosse.
- (1443) Proc.Privy C.5.245 : Stratton upon þe fosse.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)3861 : Þat fosse whare þe water was ȝett, It is aboute with trees sett.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.4 (Hrl 2169)240 : Cattys fosse, Yorke chyre.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)11/13 : Ther is a fosse or a diche fulle of wature.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)1655 : Þe stede stert ouer a fosse.
b
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)16/16 : Þare nere es þe fosse of Mynon all rounde, þe whilk es nere hand a c cubites large; and it es all full of grauell.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.78rb : Whan they had made redy the fosse and pytte, Raguel retorned to hys wyf and said to her, 'Sende one of thyn handmaydens and late her see yf he be deed.'
c
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)7a : As water in fosses of the carte whele.
2.
One of the four Roman roads of England: the Fosse Way.
Associated quotations
- 1130-35(OE) Leges Edw.Conf.in Liebermann Gesetze 1637 : Quatuor chimini, id est Watlingestrete, Fosse, Hikenildestret, Ermingestret.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)235 : Belyns and Brenne Made four weyes thenne..That other, ys icleped Fosse, Geth from Cornwaille into Scosse.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.45 : Þe firste and þe grettest of þe foure weies hatte Fosse, and streccheþ out of þe south in to þe norþe, and bygynneþ from þe corner of Cornewayle at Totteneys and endeþ in þe ende of Scotlond at Catenesse..more verreyliche, as oþer men telleþ, Fosse bygynneþ in Cornewayle and passeþ forþ by Deuenschire and by Somersete and forþ bysides Tettebury vppon Codeswolde, bysides Couentre anon to Leycetre, and so forþ by wylde pleynes toward Newerk, and endeþ at Lyncolne.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3091 : Þe firste he made, he cald hyt ffosse; Þorow-out þys londe hit goþ til Scosse; Hit bygynnes atte Toteneys & endeþ þenne at Cateneys.
3.
Cpds. fosse-cave, some sort of cave or pit; Fosse-dik, one of the four Roman roads; fosse-graive, an officer in charge of ditches; fos-silver, a tax for maintenance of ditches; vose-pol, ?a pool in a ditch.
Associated quotations
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1027 : Ricro atte Vosepole.
- (1309) Pat.R.Edw.II130 : Adam le Fossegrayve.
- (?a1325) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 2108 : [A tenement of 15 acres] dabit iij ob. de foselver et erit quietus de dimidia operacione.
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)638 : Four wayes þai made þenne..þe þridde ikelingstrete cleped is, þat oþer fossedike ywis.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)17266 : She wente vp to a fosse kaue dep; And ther she bad me loke doun.