Middle English Dictionary Entry
īs n.
Entry Info
| Forms | īs n. Also ise, ice, isse, isz, his(e, ihs, yis, yes. |
| Etymology | OE |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Ice; cold as ~; (b) a piece or block of ice; (c) the frozen surface of a river, marshes, etc.; (d) ?severe or freezing weather; (e) fig.?that which is fleeting, transient, or treacherous; (f) in surname.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.DD (Lamb 487)43 : Innan þan sea [of Hell] weren vii bittere uþe: þe forme wes swnan, þat oðer is, [etc.].
- a1275 Nu þu vnseli bodi (Trin-C B.14.39)7 : Þu lettis þe pore stondin þrute in forist & in is.
- a1275 Þene latemeste dai (Trin-C B.14.39)71 : I sal biueren in vours & chiuerren in ise.
- ?a1300 11 Pains(1) (Dgb 86)403/47 : Þinges þer beþ alaboute þat mon aute muchel to doute: Snou and iis and liured blod.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)424/130 : In heor net huy nomen ane clompe of Is.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)97 : Ðo god bad ben ðe firmament Al abuten ðis walkne sent, Of watres froren, of yses wal.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Arun 220)p.160 : Pur le gele nour awomus glas [glossed:] yes [vrr. yce, hyys].
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)515 : Y wex cold as ise [Cai: colder than the yys].
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)577 : Par la gel nous auons glas: Be the forste we han yse.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Wisd.16.22 : Snoȝ..and ijs suffreden the strengthe of fyr and floweden not.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.11 : Frost and yse [L glacies] was so strong þat hors myȝte passe over Tempse.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.245 : Ther was nevere keie Ne frosen ys upon the wal More inly cold than I am al.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)148.8 : Fire, snawe, haile, isse, Blaste of stormes þat makes worde hisse.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5081 : Þe yis gan stoundemele distille, Doun fro þe hil þe brokis for to fille.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6672 : Þe wikked sal..be..with-in thurgh calde sharpe and kene, Als yse þat es in wynter sene.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)406/16 : In regard of þe fier of verri obedienceris, þei ben but as ise.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.10 : Iyse & snow, blesse ȝe to þe lord!
- (1434-5) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7834 : Item, for takynge done of the ise & snowe of the cherche, ii d.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)258 : Ice: Glacies.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)7833 : Snow, hayl & yhs Dystynct ben..In name & forme, but substancyally They be but watyr.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)7684 : To his face she leid hir cheke; She felt it cold as yse.
- a1450 That ilke man (Dgb 102)24 : Suche loue [of one's lord] to god is cold as yse.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1130 : I..found that hit was every del A roche of yse and not of stel.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)234 : I shyuer for defaute of hete..colde as ise.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Mutability MN (Hrl 2255)61 : Fyr..Thowith hard yis that shoon as cristal fayr.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)68a : Isse: Glacies, glaciecula.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)226/10 : Fysshers..hadde takyn vp oute of the water a grete quantite of ysse.
b
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Dan.3.70 : Yces and snowis, blesse ȝe the Lord.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)148/117 : Als þai fisshed..A grete yse toke þai þam bi-twene Als [it] in winter-tyme had bene.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)442/18 : Þai laid þis yse vnder-nethe his fete.
c
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9511 : So gret vorst þer com in auent..Þat me miȝte boþe ride & go In temese vpe þe yse.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)164 : Homme lide sur verglas: M. sliduth vp-on hyse.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1824 : Thilke ys which that the horsmen bar Tobrak.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)65/12 : Þai cary þaire vitailes with þam apon þe ysz with sleddes.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)68 : Men myht gone ouer Temese vpon the yse.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)46/8 : Alexander..went ouer þe water apon þe Ysz.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)48 : He was neuer wyse, Þat went on þe yse.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)203 : He..abood there til wyntir tyme, that he myte go on the hys.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)436 : His wijf walked him wiþ..Barfote on þe bare ijs.
d
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)8/222 : Water is kendeliche cheld, Þaȝ hit be warm[d] of fere; Þer-fore me mey cristni þer-inne, In whaut time falþe a ȝere Of yse.
e
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.1054 : He sat hih on Fortunys wheel..Whos temple is maad of glas &..Hi[r] cristal yys vnwarli dissoluyng.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)907 : Þou þat yclomben art in hy honoures..Be war..þou standist on þe ys.
f
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3147 : Thomas atte yce.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23224 : Þof a fern fell [Göt: fire fell] war made, And thoru a chance þar-in [into Hell] it gladd, Quils þou moght turn þi hand abute, It suld worth rose [Phys-E: It sud worise].
Note: ?NF
Note: [MS. indistinct. ?Read: to yse]
Note: ?Error for ise - MS = rose, or to yse. Note vrr. & see note to the line.--per REL