Middle English Dictionary Entry
āpe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | āpe n. Also eape. Pl. āpes, (rare) āpen. |
| Etymology | OE apa, pl. -an. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Any simian known on the Mediterranean during the Middle Ages; monkey or ape; maken apes mou, make a monkey-face, grimace; (b) ape-ward, ape-keeper, i.e. a juggler who keeps a trained monkey for the amusement of the crowd.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1325 : On ape mai a boc bi halde, An leues wenden & eft folde.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.424 : The buttokes of hem that faren as it were the hyndre part of a she ape in the fulle of the moone.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3935 : Camuse was his nose, As piled as an ape was his skulle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)262b/b : Auicenne..seiþ þat þe ape is glad oþer sory by chaungynge of tymes, and nameliche by þe cours of þe moone.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)298a/a : The ape hatte Simia in grwe and haþ þat name of a fnatted nose..Or we clepen hem Simias and ȝiuen hem þat name for liknesse of resoun, ffor in many þynges he counterfeteþ þe dedes of men.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)298b/a : Þe ape..is y temed and y chastysed by violence wiþ betynge and wiþ cheynes.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6454 : Rughȝ hij ben also hounde..Visages after martyn ape [LinI: martryn apen].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6836 : Whanne the grete bagge is go, It cometh right with my japes. Make I not wel tumble myn apes?
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)258/107 : He lokis lurkand like an nape.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)348 : The grete galees of Venees and Florence Be wel ladene..Wyth swete wynes, all manere of chaffare, Apes and japes and marmusettes taylede.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)59 : An apys mow men sayne he makes, Þat brede and flesshe in hys cheke bakes.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)1251 : Brod were hys eyȝen..hys nose Brod and Croked, hys schyn as a nape.
- a1500 When nettuls (BodPoet e.1)270 : Whan..apes in Westmynster gyfe jugment and sente[n]s, Than put women in trust and confydens.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)54a : For they shall haue as muche by their philosophie As they of the taile of ane ape can take.
b
- c1400(a1376) *PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)6.116 f.15b : 'Be crist,' quaþ a cuttepurs, 'Ine haue no kyn þere!' 'Ne I,' quaþ an Apeward, 'be auȝt þat I knowe!'
2.
(a) One who does tricks, a trickster; ape resoun, tricky or false argument; ~ sign, deceptive gesture; (b) one who is easily outwitted or duped; a dupe, a fool; putten an ape in (someone's) hod, to dupe or fool (sb.); (c) one who looks like an ape.
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)110/36 : Lauhweð ðe olde ape [i.e. the Devil; *Corp-C: eape] lude to bisemare þuruh treowe bileaue, & he halt him ischend.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.651 : Iaperes..ben the deueles apes, for they maken folk to laughen at hire iaperie as folk doon at the gawdes of an ape.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.15 : Pharisees..can telle ape signes, and..bigile lordis wiþ ypocrisie.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)412 : Many siche ape resouns han men herd aȝenus crist, as ȝif an ape wolde argue þus [etc.].
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)413 : Men seyen..þat þis smacchiþ an ape skile.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)813 : Þat sche nere so michel ape, Þat sche hir laid doun to slape [etc.].
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.706 : And thus with feyned flaterye and iapes He made the persoun and the peple his apes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3389 : And thus she maketh Absolon hir ape, And al his ernest turneth til a iape.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3100 : A milksop or a coward ape, That wol been ouerlad with euery wight.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1630 : Beth war of swich a iape! The monk putte in the mannes hood an ape.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4202 : How may I seyn that I is but an ape..I sal been halde a daf, a cokenay.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4337 : For ȝif Darrye..Passeþ wiþ his ost þis f[or]de, He shal be cutted als an ape! Oure honde ne shal he neuere skape.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.913 : How often hastow..seyd, that Loves servantz everichone Of nycete ben verray Goddes apes.
c
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.28 : The heere..hangeth downe to the browe beforn Like to an hors toppe of the Irisshe facion: We be called the verri aapes of euery nacion.
3.
In cpds. and combinations: (a) ape-ware, deceptive or false ware, tricks (of the Devil); ~ galle, apes galle, the ~, an inflammation of the penis (see āpe-galle n., where the various forms of this term are assembled); (b) drinken win-ape, drink to an advanced stage of drunkenness [see Robinson's note].
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)110/34 : Ne mei he [the Devil] buten scheawe ðe uorð sumhwat of his apeware [*Corp-C: eapeware] &..þreaten ðet me bugge þerof.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.44 : I trowe that ye dronken han wyn ape [vrr. wyn of ape, with an ape, as an ape].
4.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1227) Close R.Hen.III5 : Pro morte Martini Halfape.
- (1246-7) Assize R.Lan.in LCRS 4781 : William Blakape.
- (c1275) Hundred R.Tower 1518 : Aluredus Ape.
- (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2802 : Johannes le Ape.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. ape.