Middle English Dictionary Entry
fox n.
Entry Info
| Forms | fox n. Also vox, wox. Pl. foxes, fox. |
| Etymology | OE fox |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The common European fox; (b) an erthe (skulk) of foxes, several foxes together; (c) cpds. & combs.: fox(es) fel (skin), ~ grece, ~ tail, ~ whelp, Russell the ~, the ~ Renard, the fals ~.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)10/18 : Wið eara sare, nim foxes geallan.
- c1175 Stw.57 Gloss.(Stw 57)411 : Vulpes, id est fox.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)195 : Þe fox..mid his wrenches walt oðer deor.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20859 : Hundes þer galieð, þene vox driueð ȝeond dales.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)80b : Nim & keche us..þe ȝunge foxes [Nero: uoxes].
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)825 : Þe uox..mid alle his wrenche, Ne kan he hine so bi þenche..Þat he ne lost his rede uel.
- ?a1300 Fox & W.(Dgb 86)293 : Þe wox bicharde him.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1605 : A ffox him may ffynde a stey.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)61 : Hi byeþ anlicned to þe tayle of þe uoxe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))SSol.2.15 : Take ȝee to vs litle foxes that destroȝen vynes.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.552 : His berd as any sowe or fox was reed.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3033 : Thin entre lich the fox was slyh.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.224 : Lordes to honte In frythes and in forestes for fox and oþer bestes.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)36 : The huntynge for þe fox is faire.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)109a/a : Recipe an hole fox, þe entralez ydrawen out, & cotte hym in an erthen vessel with salted water.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)122a/a : Allopucia forsoþ .i. moutyng is said, after Galien, of foxes, to which þis passioun is wont to come.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)191 : Of eche c, of lambrys skynnys, bogee, conyns, foxis, cattyn.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)663 : Skynnes of oter..and fox is here chaffare.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)230/10 : Þe brayne of a fox welle sodyn in wyne ys good for [þe fallyng euyll].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)51a : A ffoxe: Vulpes, vulpicula.
b
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)603 : An erthe of foxis.
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)604 : A sculke of foxys.
c
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)10/16 : To wif-þingun, foxes tæȝeles se ytemesta dæl on hermen ahangen.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)314 : He wullen on ðis foxes fel.
- c1390 RSicily (Vrn)249 : Þe ffool Robert also went, Cloþed in lodly garnement, Wiþ ffoxes tayles mony aboute.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4524 : Daun Russell the fox stirte vp atones.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)37 : Þe foxes skynnes been wonder hoote for to make Cuffes or furres.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.3.124 : Thou schalt seyn hym lik to the fox whelpes.
- ?a1425(a1400) Brut-1377 (Corp-C 174)297/7 : Þe wemmen..were so strete cloþed þat þey lete hange fox tailes, sawyd beneþe withinforþ hire cloþis, forto hele and heyde hire ars.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2448 : And fals of love; it com hym of nature, As doth the fox Renard, the foxes sone.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1393 : The false fox wol have his part at nyght.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)150/17 : Þei are lykenyd to a foxis tayl..for þei kouere þe synnes of ryche men..as a tayl koueryth þe foul ende of a beeste.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)234/16 : Take..cattis-grece, fox-grece..and stampe hem to-gedyr.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)14591 : The forour wych ys with-Inne, Off fox skynnes euerydel.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)20/4 : Take voxis grece and horsgrece.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)341 : The foxe tayle he bare ay on his spere, Where he so rode in peace or elles in warre.
2.
The fur of the fox.
Associated quotations
- (1429) Will York in Sur.Soc.4417 : A russet goune furred with fox.
- (1430) Will York in Sur.Soc.303013 : Item, lego Ricardo Sadeler unam togam stragulatam furratam cum fox.
3.
A crafty man, a malicious and dishonest person.
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6646 : Þatt mann iss fox & hinnderrȝæp & full off ille wiless.
- a1250 Mon may longe (Mdst A.13)15 : Al he riueth an his streng: vox and ferlich is þe wreinch.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)351 : So was herodes fox & flerd.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)349 : Wo so..ðenkeð iuel on his mod, fox he is & fend iwis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 13.32 : Seye ȝe to that fox, 'Loo, I caste out fendis.'
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1080 : No thyng artow war of the deceit Which that this fox yshapen hath.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11807 : Þat wili wolf, þat fox sa fals [Herod]..was man-queller til his aun.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1565 : Nevere the bet for yow, Fox that ye ben! God yeve youre herte kare!
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)615/30 : Ever he called hym [King Mark] in hys lettirs Kynge Foxe.
4.
(a) As a personal name: Fox, the fox; (b) ~ hunte, Foxhunter, the fox hunter; (c) in place names and toponymic surnames: ~ cote, fox cottage, Fox's cottage; ~ erde (erthe), land frequented by foxes, ?fox burrow; ~ hanger, fox slope or hillside; ~ hol, fox burrow, fox hollow; ~ leie, fox woods; ~ nek, ?neck of land frequented by foxes; ~ twichen, ?fox lane, ?fox fork; ~ wist, ?fox burrow, ?fox land.
Associated quotations
a
- (1166) in Pipe R.Soc.913 : Willielmus Fox.
- (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2839 : Gilbertus le Fox.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.68190 : Et de 2s. de merchette Iuliane Foxe.
- (1401) in Madox Form.Angl.(1702)328 : Rogero Fox.
b
- (1204) Fine R.King John223 : Robertus de Foxunte.
- (1266) Pat.R.Hen.III619 : William le Foxhunte.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1030 : Joh. Foxhunte.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10215 : Juliana de Fugshaunte.
c
- (1190) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.)40 : Foxlea.
- (1202) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)429 : Foxierth.
- (1227) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)70 : Foxlegh.
- (1264) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)247 : Foxangre.
- (1273) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)306 : Foxcote.
- (1290) Pat.R.Edw.I408 : Robert le Foxhangre.
- (1294) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)429 : Foxeyerde.
- (1300) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)115 : Foxholis.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10130 : Thom. de Foxle.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3178 : Johannes atte Foxtwhyten.
- (1333) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames71 : Joh. de Voxtwychene.
- (1333) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 10117 : Foxwyst, Beta de.
- (1348) Close R.Edw.III520 : John Foxnek.
- (1365) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.)44 : Le Foxholes.
- (1370) EPNSoc.13 (War.)305 : Foxcott.
5.
In proverbs; when the ~ fulles, when the fox baptizes, etc.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.423 : Þe fox may chaunge his skyn, but nouȝt his wille.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)53/21 : And ȝif þe fox do yuel, ȝutt men sayen wers by hym.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Consulo (Hrl 2255)13 : Among foxis be foxissh of nature.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)804 : Whanne þe fox prechyth, kepe wel ȝore gees.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)2301 : He is hardy as leown..lyk the ffox malicious.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)57 : When the fox fulles, then fleys he the gese..Thre freris and thre fox maken thre shrewys. And euer berus the fox the box of alle gode thewys.
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)125 : Whan þe wox prechyth beware the gese.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)12/84 : Let furth youre geyse, the fox will preche.
6.
(a) ~ fir, phosphorescence from rotting wood, will-o'-the-wisp; (b) foxes fot, a medicinal plant.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)51a : Foxfire: Glos.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)137.141/1 : Nim þisse wyrte wurtruma, þat man xifion & engle foxesfot nemned.