Middle English Dictionary Entry
arch(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | arch(e n. |
| Etymology | OF arche |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An arch in a building, bridge, or other structure; ~ band, ?a brace for an arch; ~ bounden, joined by an arch; (b) a commemorative arch or monument.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)106 : With pilers and with qvoynte Arches, ase þis Monekene cloistre is.
- c1330(?c1300) St.Patr.Purg.(1) (Auch)p.107b : Arches ybent, with charbukelston..and pinacles of cristal..þe gates of paradis.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.221 : Þat wal is i-made vppon grete arches and heug.
- (1421) Indent.Catterick in Archaeol.J.757 : Quilke forsaide brygge..sall be mad..of twa pilers, two landstathes, And thre Arches.
- (1433) Fabric R.Yk.Min.in Sur.Soc.3552 : In..ij quercubus squararatis pro balkes et iiij peciis pro archebandes.
- (1434) Indent.Fotheringhay in Med.Mason246 : The pillars and chapetrels that the arches and pendants shall rest upon.
- (1439) Agree.Build.St.John in BAAJ 25118 : The whiche roof shal be wrought of vj pryncepal couplys archebounden.
- (1442) RParl.5.49a : Over whiche streem ys made a Brigge of Tymbre..so narrowe and so strayte in the Arches, that ther is..a right perilous passage.
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1367 : viij Arches of the body of the seid Churche.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)97a : To make at eueriche ȝate double defens wiþ double arches of stoon..and on þe vtter arche a strong portekoleys hangynge with yren rynges & strong ropes.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)16 : Euery deambulatory hath xui arches, euery arch is xui fete fro piler to peler.
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Cleo.(Cleo C.4)142 : That same yere the towre of london Brigge ffell a dovne into Tamys with ij archis.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1474 : Anchore it [a pontoon bridge]..And sure it is as arch [L lapidei arcus] or shippe or barge.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.215 : Fast by þat temple is an arche of marbel, and is þe arche of Augustus Cesar his victories.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)18 : Arches in Rome were many rered in worchip of conqwerouris..all þese wer not housed with uoutis, but þei called arches alle swech eterne memoriales.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.215 : Also þer is an arche of Scipio, whiche ouercome Hanibal.
2.
(a) Seinte Marie Chirche of the Arches, the church of St. Mary-le-Bow in London; (b) the Arches, Court Spiritual of ~, the ecclesiastical court of appeal of the province of Canterbury, held at this church and presided over by a lay judge (Den of the Arches); (c) meton. a court of appeal.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8587 : A wind..fulde moni hous adoun..& chirchen þerto, & seinte Marie chirche of þe arches gret arm it dude.
b
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)2.60 : Forgoeres and vitaillers and vokates of þe arches.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)20.135 : He iugged til a iustice and iusted in his ere..And to þe arches in haste he ȝede anone after.
- (c1439) *Proc.Chanc.PRO ser.C 1 file 9no.119 : Which forgid testament was made and provid at the Archez yn London.
- (a1443) *Pet.Chanc.PRO ser.CP 1 file 12no.195 : Your seid pore bisecher suyth in the Court Spirituall of the Arches a cause of appell of spoliacon and intension after the Cours of the lawe of the Churche.
- (?1471) Stonor1.119 : The seid parson Parys..brought with hym grete writyng under the Seal of the deane of the Arches under my lord of Caunterbury, makynge mension..of apparaunce in the seid Arches.
c
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)256/22 : Apele fro þise iij courtys of ryȝtwysnes, of truthe, & of pees, to þe heyȝe archys of mercy.
3.
A curve or bend; a curved structure.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.746 : Þe stremys myȝt atteyn For to areche..By archis strong his [a river's] cours for to reflecte Þoruȝ condut pipis.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)7131 : In thys pomel..She ys yset lowe By an Arche ymad off newe.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.87 : The prouince of Yorke extendithe hit oonly now from the arche [Trev.: bowe; L arcu] of the floode of Humbre vn to the floode of Teyse.
4.
Astron. An arc of a circle; ~ of the dai (night), the part of the sun's apparent course above (or below) the horizon.
Associated quotations
- c1400 *Chaucer Astr.(Brussels 4869)[2.7] 86b : To knowe the arch of the day, that sum folk callen the day artificial, fro the sunne arysynge til it go to reste..take there thyn arch of the day. The remenant of the bordure vnder the orizont is the arche of the nyȝt.
- c1400 *Chaucer Astr.(Brussels 4869)[2.10] 87a : Departe the arche of the day artificial in 12.
- c1400 *Chaucer Astr.(Brussels 4869)[2.26] 91a : Euermo the arch of the day & the arche of the nyȝt is there [on the equator] ilike long.
- c1400 *Chaucer Astr.(Brussels 4869)[2.39] 95b : The arch of the equinoxial that is contened or bownded bitwix the two meridians is clepid the longitude of the town..Men clepyn the latitude of a contrey the arch meridyan that is contenyd or intercept bitwixe the Cenyth & the equinoxial.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3580 : Titan gan go lowe Doun by þe arche of his daies bowe Fer in-to weste.