Middle English Dictionary Entry
frǒunce n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | frǒunce n.(1) Also fronce. |
| Etymology | OF fronce. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A wrinkle, crease (in the skin, in a garment); a fold or pleat (of cloth); without frounce, without wrinkle; (b) a frown or sneer; (c) complication, ambiguity.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.770 : Hire face..That freisshere is than eny flour..Withoute fronce.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.318 : By þe two sydes [of his coat], Men sholde fynde many frounces and many foule plottes.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.2.31 : With the lappe of hir garnement, yplited in a frownce, sche dryede myn eien.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)332 : She sempte..To be but yonge..For in the face of this quene Ther was no spoote nor frovnce sene.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13377 : Wych, whan ffolkys ffall in age, Maketh Ryvelys in the vysage, And large ffrowncys.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.392 : Malebouche [can't]..pronounce A plein good word withoute frounce..thogh he preise, he fint som lak..That al the pris schal overcaste.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1594 : Ther [in Cicero] a man mai pike How that he schal hise wordes sette..And in what wise he schal pronounce His tale plein withoute frounce.
2.
Some kind of ornamentation on a bowl or cup; ?a corrugated or wavy edge.
Associated quotations
- [ (1391) Will York in Sur.Soc.4157 : Cupam..cum pede argenti in le fronse in fundo cupae. ]
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)180 : Frownce of a cuppe: Frontinella [?read: froncinella].
- [ (1453) Invent.Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.12218 : Item j murra parva cum le frownce et ligamine argenteo et deaurato. ]
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. frounce.