Middle English Dictionary Entry
helm n.
Entry Info
| Forms | helm n. Also healm, hælm, halm, elm & (error) holme. Pl. helmes & (early) helmen. |
| Etymology | OE helm & ON; cp. OI hjālmr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A helmet; casten up ~, to raise the visor of a helmet; under ~, wearing a helmet; ~ ston, ?coping stone of a roof; (b) the crown of thorns; (c) fig. ~ of hele, ~ of hope, etc.; (d) a warrior; (e) a sign of an inn or shop; also a representation of a helmet in a heraldic device; (f) ~ bereres, soldiers' servants, batmen.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21141 : Halm [Otho: helm] he set on hafde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26050 : Arður bræid heȝe his sceld buuen his hælme [Otho: healme].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)28549 : Luken sweord longe, leiden o þe helmen [Otho: healmes].
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)408 : Mid helm & mid brunie, mid swerdes outdrawe.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1244 : Þai schred þat kniȝt Wiþ helme & plate & brini briȝt.
- (1379) Will York in Sur.Soc.4107 : Cum cotearmour, helme, scuto, et uno gladio.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2067 : His swerdes shethe of yuory, His helm of latoun bright.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.108 : [4] helmes, [2] ketelhattes.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)268 : I haue a hauberghe at home & a helme boþe.
- (1424) *Mun.B.Bridgewater1427 : For helme stonys xx d.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)1 Kings 17.5 : A stelyn helm [WB(2): basynet; L cassis] vpon his heed.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)235 : Helme of armure: Galea.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)38b : Þis ordinaunce was cleped þe greet armature, þe whiche had helmes, habergeons and bristplates, legharneys, scheldes, grete swerdes..and also litel swerdes.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)13.131 : Toward kyng Eualach he prekede Anon, And vp his helm there he Caste.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)51/10 : He..raced of hys helme, and wolde have smytten off hys hede.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)7608 : Out off hyr tresour ek she ffette An Elm, A Gorger, a Targette.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)335 : The kynge Ban be-gan to laugh vndir his helme.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)49 : He shall yeve the a cheese to the gretnes of an helm made.
b
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)205 : He..hadde þornene helm uppen his holi hafde.
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)207 : Þenne akeð his heorte..for his sinnes alse sholde his heued ȝif he hadde þer-uppe þornene helm.
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)313 : Þorw-out his helm, þe harde hat, Þe þornes in-to his flesch gan crepe.
c
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)193 : Habbeð rihte bileue to brunie and hope to helme.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)265/27 : Nymeþ þane helm of helþe, and þe holy gostes zuord.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Wisd.5.19 : He shal take to for the helm [WB(2): basynet; L galea] certein dom.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Eph.6.17 : Take ȝee þe helm of hele, and þe swerd of þe spyryt.
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)67b : Helme of helþe, eph. sixte cap. helme of hope, firste pistle to tessol. fifþe cap.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)98 : Þe helm of hel and þe swerd of þe Spirit.
d
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)9899 : Hors & harneys he dide bryng, ffyftene þousand helmes clers.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)609 : An hundred þousand helmes of þe heþen syde Wer fey fallen in þe felde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5498 : Ser Bedwyn þe bald with many briȝt helmes.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)190/4 : Thus many I shall brynge with me: twenty thousand helmys in haubirkes attyred.
e
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)48 : Þe holme and þe armes of John Cheyne squier stondynge in a ȝok with iij corteyns.
- (1424) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.183/1333 : Thomas Boteler, atte helme yn Cornhill, hath j kilderkyn nought morken.
f
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)61a : Of þilke tymber bereres and helmbereres [L galiarios] were chosen out of þe companye þe wisest and ablest men.
2.
In surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.242].
Associated quotations
- (1104-8) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.110 : Helme.
- (1198) EPNSoc.31 (West Riding Yks.)225 : Le Helme.
- (c1215) in Ekwall PNLan.91 : Helme.
- (c1270) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.17 : Denshelm.
- (1307) EPNSoc.32 (West Riding Yks.)147 : Le Helmebothes.
- (1396) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.140 : [1 perch of land on] Wolfhelm.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1423-4) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.183/1333 : Thomas Boteler atte helme yn Cornhill.
Note: New sense: 'name of a brewery or an alehouse.'
Note: Quot. already used under 2.(e) 'a sign of an inn or shop; also a representation of a helmet in a heraldic device;'--JL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. helm.