Middle English Dictionary Entry
halk n.
Entry Info
| Forms | halk n. Also halc. |
| Etymology | OE healoc, healc a cavity. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A recess or nook in a building, a remote corner in an open place, a hiding place; ?also, an angular piece of ground; ~ and hirne, nook and corner; (b) fig. a hidden meaning or implication; (c) a cavity or compartment in the body; specif. one of the chambers in to which the uterus was supposed divided [cp. hal(le n., sense 2.(d)].
Associated quotations
a
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)1087 : He lokede in eche halke; Ne seȝ he nowhar walke Aþulf his felawe.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)25/35 : Uoule ypocrites..doþ hyre uoulhedes ine halkes, And sseaweþ ham guode to-uore þe uolke.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)210/20 : Do out alle þoȝtes ulessliche, uoule, and wordleliche, and zuo bide þine uader of heuene, ine halke.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.311 : Vrban..woneth in halkes alwey..And dar nat ones putte forth his heed.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.313 : Laborintus is..ibuld wiþ halkes and hernes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1121 : Yonge clerkes..Seken in euery halke and euery herne Particuler sciences for to lerne.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)321 : Haf hallez þerinne [in the ark] and halkez ful mony.
- (1415) Hoccl.Oldcastle (Hnt HM 111)382 : The disciples of Cryst..fledden nat to halkes ne to hernes.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)464 : And alderlast of everychon Was peynted Povert..And she was putt..Fer fro these other, up in an halke.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1780 : In he cometh into a prive halke.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)223 : Halke, or hyrne: Angulus, latibulum.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)35/454 : Ȝe, & he [hydiþ] hym neuer so williche in halkes & in hernes, ȝit God Amythte heriþ his tunge.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1407 : Forth he went..enqueryng to & fro Aftir Beryn..Sheching eviry halk.
- a1475 Asneth (Hnt EL 26.A.13)1 : As I on hilly halkes logged me late, Beside ny of a ladi sone was I war.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)24 : He prayed þat he myȝt withe me goo in to som herne or halke.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1471 : The people that were withynne this walke..With mynstralcie and songe in euery halke.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.9 : Þoo toke I hede þat þis matir, as laborintus, Dedalus hous, haþ many halkes and hurnes, wonderful weies, wyndynges and wrynkelynges.
c
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.39rb (2.3) : Þe matrice haþe wiþin him 7 smale chaumbres, 7 smale kawates or elles 7 smale halkes, after þe figure of þe infaunt.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)102 : Þe bodi is..knytt to gidere..wiþ foure humoris and wiþ manye an halk and chaumbir.
2.
In surnames & place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.222].
Associated quotations
- (1200) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.12112 : Simon Halc.
- (1228) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)328 : Le Halc, Halk.
- (1230) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)20 : Sidhalk.
- (1245) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)139 : Le Halke de Wilburham.
- (1278) in Wallenberg PNKent295 : Atte halk'.
- (1279) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)139 : Molendinum de Halke.
- (1281) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)328 : Madehalk.
- (1300) Close R.Edw.I415 : Richard in the Halk.
- (c1300) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)20 : Beneshalk.
- (1303) Pat.R.Edw.I173 : Richard de la Halke.
- (1323) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)20 : Gingeforde halk.
- (1323) Pat.R.Edw.II313 : Thomas atte Halke.
- (1339) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)139 : Halkpath.
- (1349) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)328 : Weyehalke.
- (1388) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)20 : Halkhouse.
- (1398) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)139 : Halkmylne.
- (1446) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)139 : Halkestrete.
- (1455) in Sundby Dial.Wor.92 : Halkelese.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)291/6 : Soche vlcers ben wiþ a streyte mouth and in þe depenesse þere is a priue pytte or many pittes or halkes, euene or croked.
Note: Belongs under 1.(c)
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1484 Burg.Pest.(1) (Trin-C R.14.52)586/177 : It is to wite in mannes body bien iij principal membris..the herte, the liver, and the brayne, and everiche of thiese hath his purgyng halkes (that bien clepid emunctories), whider he purgith his superfluites.
Note: Ed.: "halkes n. pl. purgyng ~ 'location on the body through which poisons are eliminated'."
Note: Additional quot., sense 1.(c) (or poss. ?modify gloss.)
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. halke.