Middle English Dictionary Entry
glet n.
Entry Info
| Forms | glet n. Also glete, glette & glat, glad & glotte. |
| Etymology | OF glete, glette. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Earthy filth or slime; (b) the human body; (c) fig. moral corruption, sin.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1060 : Þat foysoun flode..swange þurȝ vch a strete Wythouten fylþe oþer galle oþer glet.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4490 : Ȝe gronde ȝow noȝt ai [read: on] a god þat all of glett fourmed.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4516 : Þus ilk cantell of ȝoure cors ȝe call þam driȝtins..Of ilk gobet of þat glett ȝe a god make.
c
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)306 : Þe gore þerof me hatz greved and þe glette nwyed.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)573 : And al watz for þis ilk evel, þat unhappen glette.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)297 : Adam..þat ete of þat appulle..Ȝe were entouchid with his tethe, and take in þe glotte.
2.
(a) Viscous or slimy animal matter; phlegm, mucus; (b) a morbid congestion of phlegm or mucus in a part of the body; -- also pl.; (c) viscosity.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)269 : He [Noah] glydes in by þe giles þurȝ glaymande glette.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)459 : Man in a myrk dungeon [the womb]..had na other fode Bot wlatsom glet and loper blode.
b
- ?c1400(c1340) *Rolle Psalter (Sid 89)Or.Ab.31 : Holy mennes affeccions are als of hertis [L quasi cervorum] þat..castes oute of þeire hertis alle glette.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)20a : Ditander..þe levis makiþ venym humers to fle and doþe a-way glete aboute the herte.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)71a : Savory..The pouder of hit and hony and wyne sodyn togeder makiþ caste oute glett y-holde yn the brest þrow spvyng.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)82a : Wermode..takiþ a-waye sore of the stomake and colour and flewme and glat and yfith oute vryn.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)15/2 : Twa parties of þe jewse of fenell & a partie of hony..dose awaye þe glett.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)95 : The poudre of sauery..wole make a body to spete a-wey þe glette a-boute his brest.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)254/2 : Juce of fenell and..hony..doyt away glat fro þe herte.
- c1400 Interpol.Rolle Cant.(1) (Bod 288)32 : Holy mennys affecciouns ben as of hertis, þat..casten out fro her hertis al vile glat [vr. glet] þat stoppiþ her breeþ.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)218/687 : Oxmell which is goode to distroy glad.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)105 : Pro constipacione & pro fleumate, i. glatt, circa stomachum.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340:Halliwell)304 : When hawke may not put over for the stoppyng of his entre..that makith the fowle glette for surfete of fethers that men in the mew yeveth hym..when he is awakyd he assaith for to put over at the entre, and it is a cooldyd by the glette that he hath gedered that it wol not be.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)96/19 : For costifnesse and glet aboute þe stomake.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)10/14 : Hit schal do awey þe glet aboute þyn herte.
c
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)55b : Glett: viscositas.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.77vb (2.13) : Of lecherie, þise ar the tokenes: þer appereþ in the vryn os it were ropand þingz, os it were parties of white glett, and þat is of his sperme.
Note: Additional quot., prob. sense 2.(a).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. gleet.