Middle English Dictionary Entry
grẹ̄t n.(3)
Entry Info
| Forms | grẹ̄t n.(3) Also grete, greit, greot(e, greut, grut, groeth, grot, grit, grith & (in surnames & place names) grette, greth, cret, gert, greoti, groete, grotte, grutte, grite, gritte, griet(e, crit, girt & greten, gruten, griten. |
| Etymology | OE (cp. grēot gravel) & ON (cp. OI grjōt stones). Also cp. OE grēotan (infl.) 'gravelly place' in Birch Cart.Sax. 1.509: Some forms point to an OE adj. *grē(o)ten, *grīoten, *grīeten, *grȳten 'gravelly'. Other forms may have been influenced by OE grūt, ME grǒut , or by OE grot. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Sand, gravel, small stones; a ~, a grain of sand; ech ~, every speck, every bit; (b) sandstone, gristone; (c) dust, dirt.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)12/100 : Iteilede draken..torendeð ham & tocheoweð ham euch greot [Roy, Tit: grot].
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)17b : Hweate is hali speche..heo grint greot [Recl.: grauel] þe chafleð.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)71a : Of al þe brade eorðe ne moste he habben a greot [Nero: grot] forte deien up on.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3774 : Erðe..opnede vnder ere fet; Held up neiðer ston ne gret.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)533 : Gravele [glossed:] greet.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2501 : He fond a wele ful gode Al white it was, þe grete.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 21.33 : He was sweete to the greet [WB(2): stoonys ether filthis; L glareis] of helle flod.
- c1390 Disp.Christian & J.(Vrn)154 : After þat stiȝ lay a strete Clene I-pauet wiþ grete.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9938 : Þar-vte four strandes rinnes suete Thoru þat grauel and þat grett [Göt: grete].
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.383 : Let hem [nuttis Tarentyne] slepe In greet [L arena], or chaff, or oynouns.
- c1500 Recipe MSS Hast.in HMC (Hnt HU 1051)426 : To mak syment for ston. Tak ij partes of the same grete and j parte of rosyne..and buele hem on a lent fyre.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)135/76 : With great gravell and greet I scoure an ould panne.
b
- (1392) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81109 : In xvj pertris de grete emp. pro j herthe de novo facto.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)620 : Þei..Tyeþ in-to tourres tonnes ful manye With grete stones of gret & of gray marble.
c
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)68b : Dust & greot..for hit is isundret..a lutel windes puf to driueð hit al to nawt.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)14.177 : How out of greot [vrr. greet, greut, grut, grit] and of gras grewe so meny huwes..selcouþ me þouhte.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.405 : Lyme & grauel commixt ther on do glide With marbul greet [L puluerem] ygrounde & mixt with lyme.
2.
(a) The earth, ground; (b) graven in (under) ~, leien under ~, to bury (sb. or sth.) in the earth.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1333) Herebert Soethþe mon (Add 46919)43 : Boe þe body wyth groeth byweued, Þe soule sone shal boe leued Alas, of froendes bare.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)14.23 : As greyn that lyth in the greot..atte laste Spryngeth vp and spredeth, so spedde the fader abraam.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)15766 : He ȝede doun..And lay ther vndir his hors fete Sore wounded opon the grete.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1252 : Many a Sarazene laye..Full Grisely gronande one the grete.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)5802 : Barons vnder stedys fett Lay hevely gronynge on the grete.
b
- a1300 Hwi ne serue (Jes-O 29)67 : Alle we schulle to þe deþ dreoreliche gon..Me graueþ þis gode in greote and in ston.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.616 : Do me neuer hennes lede, Bot graue me here in grete.
- c1350 St.Greg.(Cleo D.9)10/47 : Whan icham under grete graue, Do þu þin soster non outrage.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16923 : Nu is þe croice grauen vnder greit [Göt: grete; Trin-C: erþe], and iesus vnder stan.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)407/203 : Jesu..Es dede and grauen vnder þe grete with-outen skill.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1330 : Þe seggis on his awen side..He mas to graue, sum in grete, & sum in gray marble.
- a1500(?a1425) Chester Pl.Antichr.(Pen 399)143 : Take we the bodye of this swete, And ley it low vndre the greet.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)316/350 : Ihesus..Is dede and grafen vnder the grete.
3.
In surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.209-10].
Associated quotations
- (c1115) in Ekwall Dict.EPN195 : Gretwella.
- (1121) in Ekwall Dict.EPN194 : Gretheam.
- (1135) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)176 : Grittona.
- (1147) EPNSoc.17 (Not.)204 : Grettona.
- (1167) in Ekwall Dict.EPN194 : Grietham.
- (1195) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)177 : Greton. Creton.
- (1219) in Ekwall Dict.EPN195 : Gretinton.
- (1221) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)233 : Gruthurst.
- (a1230) in Ekwall PNLan.169 : De Gretagila.
- (1236) in Ekwall Dict.EPN194 : Grutam.
- (1240) Bk.of Fees620 : Alexander de la Grete.
- (1247) EPNSoc.3 (Bedf.& Hnt.)108 : Grutford, Grotford.
- (1255) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)232 : Grete, Greth.
- (1268) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)66 : Gryteham.
- (1276) EPNSoc.3 (Bedf.& Hnt.)108 : Grutteford.
- (1278) in Ekwall Dict.EPN195 : Groete.
- (1279) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)233 : Greethurst.
- (1288) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)177 : Cretton, al. Gretton.
- (1291) EPNSoc.3 (Bedf.& Hnt.)108 : Gretford.
- (1291) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)66 : Gretenham.
- (1299) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)177 : Grutton.
- (a1300) EPNSoc.3 (Bedf.& Hnt.)108 : Gyrtford. Grotteford. Gretteford.
- (1304) in Wallenberg PNKent275 : Griete.
- (1327) in Ekwall Dict.EPN195 : Greotytone.
- (1327) Sub.R.Wor.in Wor.HS (1895)27 : Petrus de Greote.
- (1349) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)66 : Grutenham.
- (1363) EPNSoc.20 (Cum.)15 : Grethill.
- (1399) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)177 : Gerton.
- (1407) EPNSoc.3 (Bedf.& Hnt.)108 : Gritteforde.
- (1411) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)177 : Grotone.
- (1435) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)177 : Crytton.
- (1456) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)287 : Grytenbrook.
- (c1460) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)177 : Girton.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 16/9 : Grinde hit on a fayre flynt stone..or ells vpon a fayre porphirie stone..þanne take þe a goode clene marble stone þat be of an hard greet, and grinde þy poudre by litul and lytul þervpon.
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39)26/2 : Take..þy mater of þy sendele and leye hit on a stone of white grete to dryen.
Note: Editor's gloss = "greet, grete n. 'limestone'." Cf., though, OED grit, n.1, sense 4. 'The grain or texture of a stone, in respect of fineness, coarseness, etc.'
Note: New sense.