Middle English Dictionary Entry
hors-tail n.
Entry Info
| Forms | hors-tail n. Also horses-. |
| Etymology | From phr. hors(es tail. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The tail of a horse; drauen at (behind) ~, to drag (sb.) at a horse's tail as a punishment; (b) the penis of a horse; (c) a plant of the genus Equisetum, horsetail.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10522 : Some at hor horsetaile, villiche hii to drowe.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)70 : He shuld be taught for to spynne heere of hors..þe whiche shuld be made of þe heere of an hors taille or of a mares taile.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2889 : Vnknyȝtly..To drawe a knyȝt..Þoruȝ-oute þe feld þin horse tail behinde.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)130b/a : 2a. maner is with a here of a horstaile or with silke.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)100a : Cordes & strynges I-made..of hors tailes.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)113/23 : The fals rebawdes and robbers..I shall make all to be slayne and to be drawn and [read: at] hors tales.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)151/18 : Fyrst y[e] must take of a wyht hors tayle þe lengest her þat may be had.
- a1500 GRom.(Add 9066)81 : Take this harlotte and draw hym at the horse-taile on the pament.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)248 : Horsys tayle: Penis.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)65a : A horse tayle: penis.
c
- ?a1400 *Bod.HApul.(Bod 130)4a marg. : Horsetayle.
- 1523 MS Add.27582 in Hunt Plant Names (Add 27582)73 : [Cauda equina]: anglice horstayle or coltistayle.