Middle English Dictionary Entry
grein n.
Entry Info
| Forms | grein n. Also -gren. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI grein. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An arm or inlet of the sea; (b) the fork of the body, crotch; also, a leg; (c) the edge of a horn, the spike of a gisarme; (d) a class, subdivision; a member of the Trinity; (e) a cutting of a tree; (f) in place names: a fork in a river valley [see Smith PNElem. 1.208].
Associated quotations
a
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2451 : A grayne of þe grete see þaim aboute glidis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3375 : Adomant..þat is so hard þat hurt may nane tole, And growis out of þe grete see in graynes [Dub: granes] & in cragis.
b
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)42 : Vyt, coyloun, et furchure; Pyntul, ballok, and greynes.
- c1350 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Hrl 740)135 : Greyn [vr. clift; glossing AF (Cmb) fourchure].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7449 : O bodi gret, o granis [Göt: graynys; Frf: leggis] lang, Vnsternli semed he be strang.
c
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6527 : Þe horne [of the rhinosceros] is sharp als a swerd, Boþe by þe greyne [vr. greyn] and atte ord.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)211 : Þe hede of an elnȝerde þe large lenkþe hade, Þe grayn al of grene stele & of golde hewen.
d
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)329/7 : Of simple medicyns, summe ben of herbis..& summe ben greynes of minerals [L genera mineralium].
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)107 : Þre persones in o place preued to gedres, Eche grayn is o god, & o god bot alle, & alle þre ben bot one.
e
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.547 : The greyn inwith the grounde is so to stonde That graffes iij on erthe abouen goon.
f
- (1190) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)324 : Twyngreyn.
- (1203) CRR(2) 2167 : Johannes Attegrein.
- (1286) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)p.327 : Le Wester Grayne.
- (1333) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)p.327 : Ricolvegreines.
- (1339) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)324 : Stayngren.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)219/4 : Þis synne of grucchinge..haþ two graynes, of whiche þat one is aȝenst God & þat oþer aȝenst man.
Note: Supplementary material for sense (d).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1350 Wynter wakeneþ (Hrl 2253)11 : Al þat gren me graueþ grene, now hit faleweþ al by dene.
Note: Quot. antedates sense (e).
Note: See Shannon, PQ 53.425-6.--per AS
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. grain 2.