Middle English Dictionary Entry
frostī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | frostī adj. Also forsti. |
| Etymology | From frost ; cp. OE fyrstig. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Cold, frosty, wintry (weather, season); (b) cold, frigid (country); ?snow-covered (mountains); (c) chilly (moon); ?wintry (bird); (d) feeling cold; (e) hoary (beard).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.467 : In frosty time [L tempore gelido].
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1244 : The colde frosty seson of Decembre.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)79/10 : Whanne a bodi breþiþ wiþ þe mouþ in frosty wedir.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)432/1102 : The day secounde off frosty Februarye.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)513 : [The stars and the planets] in frosty nyghtys ye may be-hold in the fyrmament.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)1004 : For they yaf as gret a lyght As sterris in the frosty nyght.
b
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)56/25 : Þe hiȝe alpies..callid þe cold frosty hillis.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)2 : The frosty contre called Trace.
c
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)364 : The hote cormeraunt of glotenye..the frosty feldefare.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Lover's NYG (Add 16165)13 : Vpon þe Nuwe Yere night I prayed vnto þe frosty moone with hir pale light.
- 1532(?a1405) Lydg.FCourt.(Thynne)1 : The frosty moone.
d
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)878 : How clyppeth she the deede cors, allas!..How kysseth she his frosty mouth so cold!
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)108 : Þe smert of þoght I by experience knowe..His frosty swoot & fyry hote feruence.
- a1500(1413) ?Hoccl.Poems PS (Eg 615)p.xliii/221 : Now þou art frosty coold, now fery hoot.
- 1558(?a1440) Burgh Praise Lydg.(Add 29729)44 : Writen at thabbey of bylegh..with frosti fingers, and nothynge pliaunt.
e
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3 : Satourn old with his frosty face.
- a1500 Lydg.LOL (Adv 19.3.1)85 : Whan Janus bifrons in cold Jenuare With forsty berd enturth in the yere.