Middle English Dictionary Entry
harp(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | harp(e n. Also harep, herp(e, arpe, (early) hearpe, (early oblique & pl.) harpen, herpan, (in place names only) happe-. |
| Etymology | OE hearpe & OF harpe, herpe, from Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A harp; also, any of several ancient stringed instruments; in ~, with the harp, to the accompaniment of a harp; in proverb [see asse 1. (c)]; (b) ~ long, the large harp; ~ smal, a small harp held in the hands; (c) ~ gle, harp playing; ~ maker, a maker of harps; also, as surname; ~ streng [OE hearpe-streng], a harp string.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)7/22 : Þæs deofles lore, þeo þe likede wel, Þe [wel] tuhte his hearpe ond tuhte þe to him.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3642 : Mid fiþelen and mid harpen [Otho: harpes], hæleðes þer sungen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4898 : He cuðe..hanlie þa harpe [Otho: hearpe].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7001 : Ne cuðe na mon swa muchel of song, of harpe & of salterium.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)22 : Het [read: Bet] þuȝte þe dreim þat he were Of harpe & pipe þan he nere.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)360 : Hem oftok a menestral, his harpe he bar arugge.
- a1350 Horn (Hrl 2253)237 : Tac..my fundling forto lere of þine mestere..and toggen o þe harpe wiþ is nayles sharpe.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1817 : He þat þe harp brouȝt, About his hals he it bare.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.635 : Meche ȝhe kouþe of menstralcie, Of harpe, of fiþele, of sautri.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)543 : Frestel, cheueret, et harpe: Fleget, bagpipe, and harpe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.42.4 : I shal knouleche to thee in an harpe [L in cithara].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.268 : For sorwe..he brak his mynstralcye, Bothe harpe and lute, gyterne and sawtrye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.758 : Sche wolde anon forth fecche Hire harpe and don al that sche can To glade with that sory man.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)334b/b : And þe harpe hadde þe seuen strynges, & so virgile seiþ, [etc.].
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)1.137 : Preche it in þin harpe [vr. arpe].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.49 : The werbles of his resownyng harpe Appese dyde the bitter wyrdys scharpe.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)1 Kings 16.16 : Sechen a man kunnynge to pleye with harpe.
- (1433) ?Phillip Serm.GF (BodLTh d.1)255 : Þis woo and sorowe potest assimilari to a harpe of melodye makyng..lira est corpus dulcis Jesu filii sui concanum pendens in cruce. Corde fuerunt vene procedentes de corpore Christi; claui fuerunt ferrei pedes et manus perforantes; þe wraiste fuit capud lancee. Set ista lira habuit quinque sonos, scil. scharpe, grete, qwase, swete & amene.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)74 : The wylde bestes..restyd to here the songge and the swete sounde of his harpe.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)163 : Nou may þe harpe his stringes slake, For it may no myrthes make.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)5962 : Now Dauid leue we here with hys herpe and hys slyng.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)171/66 : For swerdys sharpe, as An harpe quenys xul karpe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)61a : A Harpe: Testudo, cithera, chelis, lira, liricus.
- a1500(a1400) Cleges (Adv 19.1.11)101 : He hard a sovne Of dyvers mynstrelses: Of trompus, pypus, and claraneris, Of harpis, luttis, and getarnys.
b
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)20310 : Baldolf..nom him an honde one harpe longe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.457 : How koude I daunce to an harpe smale!
c
- (1380) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms232 : Rog. le Harpemaker. Will. Morton, harpmaker.
- (1384) Cart.St.John in OHS 69202 : Rogerus Harpmaker.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)292b/b : A streng y-made of a wolues gutte y-do among harpe strenges y-made of þe guttes of scheep destroyeþ..hem.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)7251 : He was fleȝe [read: sleȝe] of harp glew.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)666/40 : Hec lira, Anglice harpestring.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)228 : Harp stryngys [Win: Harpstryng]: Fidis.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)777 : Eke, whan men harpe-strynges smyte, Whether hyt be moche or lyte, Loo, with the strok the ayr tobreketh.
- (1452) Reg.Chanc.Oxf.in OHS 93267 : Interuenerunt fideiussores pro Roberto Harpemaker.
- (1462) Cart.Oseney in OHS 91250 : Ioh. Harryes, harpmaker.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.5 : Anoþer sotelte I wylle telle. Take harpe strynges made of bowel..Kast hom on fysshe or flesshe..Þat sothyn is hote or rostyd..Þat wynne seme wormes, so have I blys.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)61a : A Harpe stringe: fidis, lira.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)383 : Of the Sheep is cast away no thyng..For harp strynges his roppis serue.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)738/15 : Hec fides: a harpstryng.
- -?-(1367) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9662 : Joh. de Toppclyf, harpmaker.
2.
(a) Harp playing, harp music; (b) a harper.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.Pentec.(Lamb 487)97 : He on ȝeoȝoþe herpan lufede.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)251 : Nabbeþ hi none blisse of harpe ne of songe.
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(Hrl 2277)18 : Þe kyng louede melodie of harpe & of songe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)76b/b : Noble men vsiþ not to make soperes wiþout harpe oþir simphone.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)7433 : Dauid..gert him..Falle on-slepe..Sumquile wid harpe [Vsp: gleu; Frf: harping], sumquile wid sang.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)5973 : Þe harpe when he myȝt here, Þe sprett þat was with in Suld haue no grett powere.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)390 : Ther was myche menstralse..Bothe harpe and fydylleyng.
b
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Origo Mundi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)1996 : Whethoug menstrels ha tabours, trey-hans harpes ha trompours.
- 1598(a1475) Flower & L.(Speght)337 : And before hem went minstrels many one, As harpes, pypes, lutes, and sautry Al in greene.
3.
In place names: a place where the harp is played; an object (natural or man-made) shaped like a harp, a salt harp, etc. [see Smith PNElem. 1.240].
Associated quotations
- (1100-15) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)89 : Harpam.
- (1156-7) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)89 : Arpham.
- (1182) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)72 : Harpeden.
- (1198) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)279 : Sauteharp.
- (1206) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)90 : Herpham.
- (1240) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)90 : Harepham.
- (1246-7) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)72 : Arp'nden'.
- (1263) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)72 : Herpedene.
- (1275) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)75 : Harpeley.
- (1275-6) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)72 : Harpesden.
- (1293) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)75 : Happeleye.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3207 : Florencia atte Harpe.
- (1333) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames92 : Suthharpe.
- (1351) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)279 : Saltharpesway.
- (1385) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)37 : Harpedenstret.
- (1427) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)279 : Terra voc. le Harpe.
- (1441) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)72 : Harpden.
- (1451-2) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA 77.m.6b : They strecch hem in length..vnto the tenement of the priour' of Crowched ffreres of london called the harpe.
- (1464) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames92 : Southarpe.
- (1487) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)37 : Harpden grene.