Middle English Dictionary Entry
gǒurd(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | gǒurd(e n. Also gord(e, gurd(e & courde. |
| Etymology | AF; cp. CF cöorde (from L cucurbita) & F (16th cent.) gourde. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A cucumber plant Cucumis sativus; commune ~; also, a cucumber; (b) the colocynth Citrullus colocynthis; wilde ~; also, the fruit of this plant; (c) a gourd plant Lagenaria vulgaris, or Lagenaria siceraria; also, a gourd; ~ sed; (d) a watermelon; ?also, the plant Citrullus vulgaris; (e) the fruit of some one of these plants used for food or medicine; ?cucumber, ?bitter apple, ?melon; ?also, a pumpkin.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.1.8 : The doȝter of Sion shal ben forsaken..as an hylet in a place of goordes [WB(2): where gourdis wexen; L in cucumerario].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.11.5 : In to mynde comme to vs þe goordys [WB(2): gourdis; L cucumeres] & þe peponys and þe leke & þe vnonys.
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f.70vb : Thus norisch we gourde: þe seed is ny lengþe of almaunde or brede, but more thenne, & twey-crocched in þe nether ende, & husked withoute lyk almaunde, & qwit within as almand, or ellis it is not good.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)220b/a : Coloquintida..is most bitter and is y-clepid cucurbita agrestis..þe spray þerof sprediþ by þe grounde and is liche to þe comyn gorde [L cucumeri vsuali] and haþ rounde fruyte.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)60/9 : Þe leeues of a gourde [L folia cucumeris].
- a1400 Mirfeld Sinonoma (Pmb-O 2)17 : Cucurbita alexandrina, i. coloquintida..Cucumer, gourde usualis.
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.73v : For hoshede & drye cowhe, for gret huge hete on þe spirituals, for huge þrest as it fallyth ouer al þyng in acuys, souereyn helpe & remedy is aqua cucurbite, & is called by anoþer name aqua phisica, water of gowrde, water of phisic.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Bar.6.69 : A bugge, either a man of raggis, in a place where gourdis [WB(1): cucumeris, that ben bitter herbis] wexen, kepith no thing.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)118a/a : Þe Iuse of purseleyne and of a gourde [L cucumeris].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)203 : Goord: Cucumer.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)56b : A Gowrde: Cucumer vel Cucumis.
b
- a1400 Alphita (SeldArch B.35)46 : Cucurbita Alexandrina, uel cucurbita agrestis, brionia idem. Gallice et anglice, gourde.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)28a/b : Sethe þe roote of wylde gourde [*Ch.(1): cucumeris siluestris] in water.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)34b/b : The balles of þe Iuse of wylde gourde [*Ch.(1): cucumeris agrestis; L cucur. aggrestis].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)203 : Goord:..coloquintida.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)93b/b : Þese wormes..beþ liche to þe seed of gourdes [L semini cucurbite].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)222a/a : Þe firste maner cucurbita beriþ goordis.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)19b/a : The schape of it..is rounde & euelong to þe manere of a croked gourde [*Ch.(1): a cucurbite].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)35a/b : Nacta is also a grete fleischy growynge oute..of dyuerse fourme & qualite as a melon or a gourde [L velut melon & cucurbita].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)43a/b : And oyle of gourde seed [L oleum de se. cucurbite].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)203 : Goord:..cucurbita.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.280 : This gourdes [L cucurbita] in this mone also beth sowe.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.456 : The gourde is good this citur nygh to sowe.
d
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2105 : Zenon..behelde a fruyt ryȝt feyre and swete..Gourdys [F gurdes; vr. courdes] þus men clepe þe name.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)50b/a : Take..of þe sede of gourde [L seminis citrulli].
e
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.14 : Gourdes in Potage. Take young Gowrdes, pare hem, and kerue hem on pecys.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)175/26 : Þere groweth a maner of fruyt as though it weren Gowrdes [F cahourdes].
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)426 : Take yonge gourdys and pare hom clene..do therto gode broth, and mynse onyons..and let hom seth.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)144/422 : Cowrdis shuld be gadered in the end of Septembre..thei shuld be dried in such a place that thai myght haue the sonne all day.
- a1500 Travel Instruc.(CotApp 8)281 : Forgete not to have gourdes y-comfete, whiche ben good and fressh ayenst the hete.
2.
(a) The dried shell of a gourd used as a drinking vessel; also, a bottle or flask of any kind; (b) ~ maker, one who makes such bottles or drinking vessels.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)32.7 : Gaderand to-gidres as in a gourde [L in utre] þe waters of þe see.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.82 : Wite ye what? I haue here in a gourde A draghte of wyn.
- (1393) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.212 : [One] gorde, [2 d].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3701 : Þare fand he vessale of value..Gurds & Goblets of gold.
- c1450 Lover's Mass (Frf 16)212/159 : Drynken outher water or wyn of ther botell or Goordys, to asswage the grete dryhnesse of ther gredy thruste.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)32/9 : Furst must þe herbys..ben stampyd, and after-ward distyllyd, and doon in [a] gord ordeynyd þerfore.
- c1470(?1458) Wey Prevision (Bod 565)6 : Too gordys, one with wyne, another wyth water, eche of a potel at the lest.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)118.83 : For i am made as gourde [L uter] in ryme froste.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)115/483 : Hayll, lord! here I ordan now at oure metyng This botell..It is a good bowrde, for to drynk of a gowrde.
b
- -?-(1338) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9632 : Martin le gourdmaker.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. gourd.