Middle English Dictionary Entry
gọ̄me, gom(m)e n.(3)
Entry Info
| Forms | gọ̄me, gom(m)e n.(3) Also (late) gume. Pl. gọ̄mes, gommes, (error) ȝọ̄mes; (early) gọ̄man, (error) ȝọ̄man; (late) gum(m)es; gen. (early) gọ̄mena. |
| Etymology | OE gōma. Forms with short vowel are due to LOE shortening in the trisyllabic gen. pl. gōmena; the short vowel later spread by analogy to other forms. Rarely sg. in ME. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The flesh surrounding the teeth, gums; -- also sg.; (b) the insides of the mouth; palate, upper throat, etc.; (c) the jaws; whetten gomes, to whet the jaws, beat one's gums; (d) molars.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)70 : Pur bien laver lur gingives [glossed:] the gomes.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)30 : Iungyues et palet, Gomes and the roof of the mouth.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)45a/a-b : Þe ieawis ben j-clippid aboute & j-helid with fleische parties & synewy þat hatte gyngiue, þe goomes..it happiþ þat þe gomes [L gingiuas] ben corrupte in beestes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)69a/a : Þe roof of þe mouþ & gomez [L palatum & gingiue] schulde be frotid with a fingir.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)261/19 : Þe palet of þe mouþ & a mannes tunge & þe teeþ & þe gomis [L gingiue] & þe lippis -- alle þei han diuers passiouns.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)30b/b : Gingiua: a gome þat mennes teþ sytteþ inne.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)20a : Yf a man haþe a wawing toþe þat is not faste in þe gommes, ete of þis rote.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)7a/a : And of passions of þe..nose & of þe teþ, And of gyngyuez i. gommez [*Ch.(2): gomes].
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)81/2 : It availeþ..to teþe or gomez freten or gnawen.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)202 : Gome [Win: Goomys] yn mannys mowthe: Gingiva, vel gingive.
- a1450 Ch.Feasts (Roy 18.A.10)250 : Milk ran by þe childys choke Swetter þan hony on gome.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3057 : Hir tethe..were set..Wele cumpast in cours & clenly to gedur By rule in þe rede gomys.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)66 : Hit shal purge þe heued & do awey þe ache and festyn þe teeþ in þe gomes.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)58b : The Gumes [Monson: Gummes]: gingiua, gingiuarius.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.19.14b : He gan to grenne, and schewid me his iawes and his gomes, for teeth had he non.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)69/31 : Þou shalt frote þi teth and þy gomes with þe barke.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)676/6 : Hec jungiva: a gume.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)132.131/3 : Wis [read: Wið] þas muþes & þara gomena fulnesse..nim þa wyrt ȝesodne..heo hæled þana muð & þa goman.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)14/14 : Þat ylca mæȝ wiþ gomena sare.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)49/17 : Hwilun of þare ceolan þæt blod utwylþ, hwilum of ȝoman [L de faucibus].
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)119/23 : We notieð on ȝomes alles kennes attre of dieule.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.389 : Drynke of this licour wol cure vp clene The pipes and the gomes [L fauces].
c
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)63 : Bi the savouringe, stiren the goomes [F les taillans], with which she [Gluttony] wolde sle hire self.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1729 : Let hem revile and gnaste & gomys whette.
- c1460 I warne you (Dub 432)p.293 : The prowde Libert of Salesbury, he gapid his gomes wide.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.1920 : He grounde hem in his gomys and labored fast.
d
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.883 : Er yeeris sixe out goth the gomes stronge [L molares superiores].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. gum 1.