Middle English Dictionary Entry
īvī n.
Entry Info
| Forms | īvī n. Also h)ivie, iwi, jvi, jwi, (early) ifig, (error) guy & īvẹ̄̆, hive, heive, jve & iven, ivin, iwen, jvin. |
| Etymology | OE īfig, īfegn |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The European ivy (Hedera helix); blak ~; grenere than ~; whit ~, ?some plant similar to ivy but having white berries; (b) a representation of ivy in embroidery, metal-work, etc.; (c) used as a tavern sign; also, indicative of good wine; (d) in combs. & cpds.: ~ crop [OE ifig-crop], a cluster of ivy berries; ~ berie, ~ sprai, ~ stalk.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)27 : On old stoc þarbiside..was mid iui al bigrowe; Hit was þare hule eardingstowe.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)579 : In þine erber is atre, Þer vnder is awel fre, Ygrowen al wiþ yue [rime: liþe, wiue, oliue].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)223a/b : Yvy hatte hedrea..he cleueþ to trees..of yvy is double kynde white and blak, male and female; the male is hardere in leues and more fatte and gretter; þe white yvy haþ white fruyt, and þe blak haþ blak.
- a1400 Mirfeld Sinonoma (Pmb-O 2)18 : Edera arborea crescit super arbores et parietes domorum, i. yvi.
- a1425 Blood Hayles (Roy 17.C.17)104 : Þan se þai a howse..Oure-growne wyt Iwen.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)34a : Edera nigra. Ivy ys an erbe that berryth black beryes.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)195a/a : Edera arborea, Juyn, h. & d. in 2 gree.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)187a/a : Edera arborea, yve [*Ch.(1) (Sln): Yuee], is colde & drye.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)5/22 : Take moure egges..& þe gvmme of yven.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)31 : Envie..That made Aglaros grennere than ivie.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)153/3 : Edera is an herbe þat men clepe jwy..it growith on tres and on howses.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)209 : Pro dodore capitis. Tak þe jus of whyt juy, & put hyt in þy nese þerles.
- (1471) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7878 : Pro holy et hyve ii d.
- a1475 Holy berith beris (Hrl 5396)p.94 : Iuy hath berys as blake as any slo.
- c1475 Sln.4 Recipes in Rel.Ant.1 (Sln 4)324 : Is thy pott enty, Colelent? Is gote eate yvy. Mare eate ootys. Is thy cocke lyke owrs.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)68a : Ivyn: edera.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)235/5 : Iuy or lorey, the whiche kepeþ euermore here grenys withoute fadynge, are strawyd in the graues.
b
- (1391) Will York in Sur.Soc.4166 : Lego..j certum de roses..j certum de treyfoill et j certum de ivene, cum ij capuciis furratis.
- (1414) Will York in Sur.Soc.4377 : Ciphum..signatum..cum ramis et filiis de yven.
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)47 : Þe haltes of get..overgilt a traille of roses in þat o side and a traille of yve on þat oþer side.
- (a1451) Will York in Sur.Soc.4597 : j zona de cerico..cum foliis et iven.
- (?1474) Stonor1.146 : j corperas of Rayns and þe case þerfor of whyte and blwe velvett y-browdred with j trayle of yvi.
c
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)598 : What nedeth a garlande whyche is made of ivye Shewe a tavern wynelesse?
- c1475 Why Nun (Vsp D.9)358 : A fayre garlond of yve grene Whyche hangeth at a taverne dore, Hyt ys a false token..But yf there be wyne gode and sewer.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)355 : Then came the good Bachus..A garland of yuy he chase for hys sygne.
d
- ?c1125(?OE) Dur-C.Gloss.(Dur-C Hunter 100)125(d) : Corimbus: ifigcropp.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.199 : He bare a burþen of meny yuy stalkes i-bounde in a schorp rope.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.219 : Noon yuy sprayse, no noyse of do[ues], none layes.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)112/4 : The fruyt [of the pepper plant]..hangeth in manere as reysynges..& whan it is ripe it is all grene as it were Juy beryes [F edre qe nous appellons yuy].
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)24.31 : Take jve beryes and seth heme wele in vynegr.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)118/6 : Take þe stonis þat ben in iwy-beriis, and filipendula..and make powdir þerof.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)199 : An Iven bery: cornubus [read: corimbus].
2.
(a) Ground ivy (Nepeta glechoma); ~ terrestre; ground ~; ~ of ground, ground ivy; also, the periwinkle; (b) ~ of biyond the se, ?meadow-sweet (?Spiraea ulmaria, ?Filipendula ulmaria); (c) ?a mythical golden-berried ivy; (d) Jonah's miraculous gourd.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)108a/a : Acorus & edera i. yuy non arborea [*Ch.(2): grownde yve] i. not of þe tre sed trestris i. bot of þe erþe speciali ar frendez to al iuncturez.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)42b/b : Þe muscilage of lyne seed and of femygreke and þe water of yve [*Ch.(1): water of volubilis; L aquam volubilis].
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)12/30 : Tak þe rotes of fenell, vetoyne & yven terrestre, & sethe þam wele in water.
- ?c1450 Iff a man (Stockh 10.90)317/404 : Parwynke is an erbe grene of colour..Men calle it þe juy of grownde. Anoþer erbe is callyd soo, Þat we callyn tunhoo.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340:Halliwell)p.305 : Take guy that groweth on the grounde.
b
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)187b/b : Lapdanum [L Laudanum] is þe Juse of yue of byȝonde þe see [*Ch.(1): berde of gotez biȝonde þe see; L barbe hircorum vltramarinorum].
c
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Hat 76)21 : Iui [glossing: ifig]: crysocantes.
d
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jonah 4.6 : The Lord God made redy an yuy, and it stiede vp on the heed of Jonas.
3.
In surnames & place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.279].
Associated quotations
- (c1100) in Wallenberg PNKent479 : Iuecirce.
- (1200) in Ekwall Dict.EPN162 : Ivelithe.
- (1270) in Wallenberg PNKent479 : Iuycherche.
- (1287) Leet R.Norwich in Seld.Soc.511 : Johannes Ive.
- (1292) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)278 : Ivebrugge.
- (1327) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)374 : Ivychirche.
- (1439) Reg.Chanc.Oxf.in OHS 9352 : Pro aula uel orto vocato Yvyhalle gardyn.
- (1461) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)374 : Yvechurche.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Rwl.C.506 Artist.Recipes (Rwl C.506) 170/3 : To make lake, go yn Marche or yn Aprill þer yuy growyþ vppon oke, [etc.].
Note: Additional quot., sense 1.(a).
- a1400 Roy.17.A.3 Artist.Recipes (Roy 17.A.3) 237/15 : In þe begynnyng of Marche make an hoole in an yuy tre anoon to þe myddis of þe tre, and after .xv. dayes þou schalt fynde gumme in þat hole.
Note: Additional quot., sense 1.(d). ?New cpd.: ~ tre.