Middle English Dictionary Entry
hol(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | hol(e n.(1) Also holle, hul(e, ule, hulle, ulle & họ̄le, hoile, huole. Pl. họ̄̆les, etc. & (early) hulen. |
| Etymology | OE hulu. Also cp. MDu. hol hold of a ship. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A husk or shell; the seedpod of a leguminous plant [see also pese ~], the hull of grain, the skin of a grape, the cupule of an acorn, etc.; (b) the shell of a whelk; (c) ?the skin of a person; ~ bi ~, skin by skin, side by side; (d) a small measure of weight.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)58.63/5 : Let heten chestens, & don awey þe hole wiþoutee, [etc.].
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)91 : Nym clene Wete and bray it in a morter wel that the holys gon al of.
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)92 : Nym wyte Pisyn and wasch hem and seth hem a good wyle sithsyn wasch hem in golde watyr unto the holys gon of alle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)225b/a : Benes y-ete wiþ þe holis [L cortice] beþ harde to diffye.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)230a/a : Som grayn..is y-gendred in coddes & holes [L siliquis et folliculis], as it fareþ in benes and in oþer codware.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)237b/a : Oyle is þe Ius of beryes of olyue..and þe..more sliliche [it] comeþ oute of þe hulles [L folliculis] þe better it is.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)249a/b : Þe eere..biclipped al aboute with smale felles and hules [Tol: holes].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)254b/b : Þe grape is compouned of þre: of þe hule, of glaria, and of arillis; þe hules ben ycleped vinaria.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)39a : Take iij peny wight of þe sede and done a way þe hoyles.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)425 : Take clene qwete and bray hit wele in a morter that tho holles gone alle of..Take benes..and grynde hom..and wenowe oute the hulles.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)242 : Hoole of pesyn or benys or oþer coddyd frute: Techa.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)7 : Take whete..an stampe with a pestel tyl it hole; þan fan owt þe holys.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)32 : Take a quantyte of wollen cloþe, & rubbe hem [peas], & þe holys wyle a-way.
- a1450 *Trev.Barth.[OD col.] (BodeMus 16)17.134 : [Acorns] growiþ in hooles ischape as þemelles playne and smeþe wiþin.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)112/18 : Take benys and ley hem in aysel, and in wyn, a nyȝt and a day; and do a-wey þe hoolys.
b
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)75 : To boile welks..tak out the fisshe with a prik and put away the hulles.
c
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)455 : We shul sclope Togidir hul by hul, as we have many a nyȝte.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)330a/a : Þe leste mesure is coclearium and is half a dragme and wexiþ nyne huoles [L siliquas], and suche þre makeþ a concula.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333a/a : Scrupulus weieþ sixe huoles and hatte dragma in gru.
2.
(a) A hut; a shelter; (b) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.268].
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)53/24 : Lesewe þine tichnes bi heordemenne hulen of Ris & of leaues.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)187 : Ðe mire..gaddreð ilkines sed..haleð to hire hole..Mete in hire hule ðat ðat ge muge biliuen.
b
- (1189) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.)98 : Hulecota.
- (1199) Fine R.King John39 : Philippus de Hulecote.
- (1228) EPNSoc.2 (Bck.)152 : Hulecote.
- (1230) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.)98 : Ulecot.
- (1232) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.)98 : Ullecot.
- (1242) EPNSoc.2 (Bck.)152 : Holekote.
- (1275) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)327 : Holbarewe.
- (1320) in Ekwall PNLan.137 : Great Hoole.
- (1327) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)327 : Hulleberewe.
- (1423) in Ekwall PNLan.137 : Little Hoole.
3.
The hull of a ship, the hold; also, a ship.
Associated quotations
- a1400 Þe worm (Hrl 7322)p.257 : Hit [envy] Roteþ and brenneþ..freteþ and twynneþ..Ase þe worm on þe treo, and þe hul on þe see.
- (1424-5) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 1194 : Naues vocate Craiers cum toto apparatu earundem, videlicet iiij hull' de Craiers absque hacches.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)33/10 : Þe gudes þat þai robbed, in holl gan þai it hide.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)243 : Hoole [vr. holle] of a schyppe: Carina.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3687 : Archers..hotchen in holle the heþenne knyghtes.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)64b : A hole:..Columbare..est nauis.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)804/43 : Hec ratis: the schyppes syde. Carina: a holle.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)805/30 : Columbar: the holle of the schyp.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. hull.