Middle English Dictionary Entry
horsen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | horsen v. P.ppl. i)horsed, ihorced, horsutte. |
| Etymology | OE horsian |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To provide (sb., oneself) with a horse; put (sb.) on horseback, seat (oneself) on horseback; help (sb.) to mount a horse; (b) to mount on horseback; (c) ppl. horsed, provided with a horse; seated on a horse, on horseback, mounted; wel horsed, well-mounted, having a good horse; last horsed, the last one mounted; the best horsed, men having the best horses; fresh horsed, swift horsed, etc.; four-horsed [see four 1c].
Associated quotations
a
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)570 : He horses Eualac on tholomeres steede.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.334 : He slouh Sir Eymere stede..Sir Eymer..horsid him ageyn.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)480 : Þai..horsed him on a gude stede.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)1437 : Thay horsede Clement one a stede.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12564 : Þe messegers..Horsed þem on gode stedes.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)45.576 : He horsed hym..And his knyhtes Everichon.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1280 : Þan pollux..his brother toke, Horsit hym in haste, halpe hym olofte.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)28/32 : He..gaff kynge Idres the horse and horsed hym agayne.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)4585 : The blake stede toke Egyon And broughte hym to Ipomadom And horsud hym efte agayne.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)2066 : They horsid the lady there.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)87 : Launcelott..horsyd hym on a grey stede.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)261/108 : Let se how we can hors oure kyng.
b
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)25202 : Vppon þe Morwen..boþe partyes horseden.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11044 : Palidamas..Horsit in hast, highit agayne.
c
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)905 : Oliuer was horsed wel.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1950 : Þe gomes of grece were..alle on stalworþ stedes stoutliche i-horsed.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)801 : Y leuede ȝond on a buchyment sarasyns..y-horced & y-armed ful sykerly.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2523 : Whan þei wern horsid boþe two..to-gidre ageyn þei go.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2146 : Knyghtes fyfty..yhorsed wonder wiel.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)219 : Comethe forthe Sire Squyer..fressh horsed ȝisterdai.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)335 : I sall wagge to þat were of wyrchipfull knyghtes..Twa thosande in tale horsede one stedys.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1179 : Gife it to thy sqwyere, fore he es wele horsede.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2944 : Thas fresche horsede mene to the frownt rydes.
- (1442) Let.Bekynton in RS 56.2245 : They sent Rokly and iij wel horssed men with hym.
- (1449) RParl.5.147b : That all Nobles prepare them to be redy horsed, armed, and in all wyse abilled as longeth to men of Armes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12715 : Of þem alle last horsed he was.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)8513 : Wel y-horsed thei were al thre.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6470 : When he segh þat hym-selfe was set vppon fote, And..his fos..All horset but he, & on hegh set.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)597 : He is horsutte full wele.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)126/22 : With grete bysynesse of hir seruauntes, sche was horsed.
- (1454) Paston2.313 : Yf they had not be well horssyd..they had ben dede.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1558 : So went the wach, and kept his cours aboute, Footmen withinne & horsed men withoute.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)29/16 : Sir Kayes fadir that was well ihorsed.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)204/19 : Geff hit to thy servaunte, that is swyffte-horsed.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)297/33 : There wente many aftir to beholde how well he was horsed and trapped in cloth of golde.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)165 : The kynge ban was horsed be the helpe of kynge Arthur.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)291 : Thei..were x Ml..of the beste horsed.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)1373 : Now be they horsyd bothe thare, And to the cyte dud they fare.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)9/33 : The knyghtis and the Squyris wely-horsyd and wel wepenyd.
2.
Of a horse: to copulate, mount; ppl. horsed, served by a stallion; refl. & fig. horsen on, to mount (a mare), lie with (a disreputable woman).
Associated quotations
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.984 : The caluair of an horsid asse [L gloss.: s.non virginis] or mare [L gloss.: equae non virginis].
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.Endure(2) (Add 36983)30 : Ner he that ioyeth to wyueth hym on a wich, Ner he that ioyeth to horse hym on a mare, Ner he also that houndeth hym on a bich..Of kyndely right may no while endure.