Middle English Dictionary Entry

hāsel n.
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Entry Info

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) The European hazel bush or tree (Corylus avellana); flour (chattes) of ~, catkins of the hazel; rednesse of ~, ?the red stigmas of the female catkins of the hazel; (b) the wood of a hazel; a branch or shoot of hazel.
2.
(a) In cpds. & combs.: ~ bough, a hazel branch [see (b)]; ~ bush, a hazel thicket; ~ crop, the topmost branch of a hazel; ~ leves, leaves of the hazel; ~ note, hazelnut; ~ ris, a hazel twig [see (b)]; ~ stikke, a rod or branch of hazel; ~ tre, a large hazel; ~ wort, some plant; ?violet, ?blueberry; (b) in proverbs and proverbial expressions: ~ wode, foolishness, nonsense; ?no place, nowhere; shaken ~ wodes, to do something foolish or futile; of ~ wode singen, sitten on ~ bough, speak nonsense; whan note brouneth on ~ (ris), ?when one reaches a certain age or condition; (c) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.218-9].

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1500 Ashm.750 Artist.Recipes (Ashm 750) 251/8 : Boylle al these togedre in a erthen potte to it wax thykke, and bewar for brennyng to the potte, and loke with a hassell styk when þat it ropyth.
  • Note: Additional quot., sense 2.(a). New spelling.