Middle English Dictionary Entry
grōs(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | grōs(se n. Also grose. Pl. grōs & (Latinized) grōssas, grōssis, grousses. |
| Etymology | Prob. AF, from gros, grosse adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Twelve dozen; also, twenty-four dozen.
Associated quotations
- (1394) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.58 : [One] gros [of bowstrings].
- (1395) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.58 : [20] groos [of gold of Lucca].
- (1408) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.58 : [Four] groos [of] poyntes.
- (1412) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)8.756 : Duodecim Grossas Duodenas Sagittarum, Duodecim Grousses Duodenas Cordarum arcuum.
- (1420-1) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.465 : xi grossis points, iiii dossenis bursarum de corio, xv dossenis zonarum de corio.
- (1443) Proc.Privy C.5.257 : Of strenges, c groos, xxiiij douszein to þe gros.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)17 : There ys a Numbyr that ys called a Grose, and itt cont[aineth] xij doss[en]; and thereby be sold poyntes, laces, purces, knyvys, balles, strenges and odyr dyuers thynges mo.