Middle English Dictionary Entry
kẹ̄̆mben v.
Entry Info
| Forms | kẹ̄̆mben v. Also cembe(n, kimbe(n & kẹ̄me(n, kemmen, kimmen. P. kẹ̄̆mbed(e & kempte, kempde, kembde, cembde & kẹ̄mede, cẹ̄mde; ppl. kẹ̄̆mbed, kẹ̄̆mped & i)kempt, i)kempd, kembt, i)kembd & kẹ̄med, kemmed, cemmed & kẹ̄̆mb. |
| Etymology | OE cemban |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To comb (sb., oneself, a dog, a horse's mane), make neat; ~ hed (her); ppl. kembed, as adj.: well-combed, neat; (b) to make (sth.) smooth or elegant, adorn; fig. smooth (sb.) down, make gentle.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)6/17,18,23 : Nime þane comb þa heo ane hyre heafad mid cembe & na mare ær mid cemde ne after mid ne cembde..þæt hyre byþ læcedom þare þe hyre heafod þare cembeð.
- ?c1225 Ancr.(Cleo C.6:Hall)67/85 : Hwa se wule ieveset, ah ha mot te oftere weschen & kemben hire heauet.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)562 : Ehc moretid þer moste cume Tuo maidenes..þat on his heued for to kembe.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)117 : At even he set upon a koife and kembeth the croket.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)176/33,36 : Ynoȝ þer is of ydelnesse aboute hire heaued to kembe, to wesse..men þet doþ zuo grat payne ham to kembe and to pouri ine sseaweres.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2143 : His longe heer was kembed [vrr. kembd, kemb, kempte] bihynde his bak.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2289 : Hir brighte heer was kembed [vr. kempd, kempt], vntressed al.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.27 : Sche dede the contrarye and took a myrour and kembed [vr. kemede] hire.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3374 : He kembeth [vrr. kempte, kembed] his lokkes brode and made hym gay.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3691 : He hadde kembd [vrr. kempt, kemped, kemb] his heer.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Co.(Manly-Rickert)A.4369 : With lokkes blake ykembd [vrr. ykempd, I-kempt] ful fetisly.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3809 : Oute he cam, And on his beste aray he nam, And kempde his hed.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2011 : He kembeth [vr. kymbith] hym, he preyneth hym and pyketh; He dooth al that his lady lust and lyketh.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)69b/b : Whanne þe modir wasschiþ & kembiþ [L pectinantur] hem [young boys], þey kyken & praunsen.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)188 : Þe mane of þat mayn hors much to hit lyke, Wel cresped & cemmed, wyth knottes ful mony.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)71 : Þe child shuld..kembe euery hounde after other and wipe hem wiþ a grette wispe of straw.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)20a/b : Depecto: to kymbe.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.4.2 : The proude Nero, with al his wode luxurie, kembde hym and apparayled hym with faire purpres of Tyrie.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)15/18 : He saugh a damysele þat kembed hire hede [Man.(2): kemmand hir hare] & lokede in a myrour.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)270 : Kemyn here: Como.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3351 : Craftely with a kambe cho kembede myn heuede.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)437 : She satt kymmynge and tyrynge of hir hede.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)103 : I loue better to strike my glooves, to keembe myn hed.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)133 : I am..the euele kembed, the evele tressed.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)160 : 'Bi myn hed, that is wel kembt, thou hast not yit al assayed'..'Art thou,' quod j, 'so wel kembt and arayed?'
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)45/8 : This day we trow shall not this lady be kemed [F pignee] and arraied.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)140.54 (v.2:p.394) : Ner trowe neuere hym .. to byn a cristene man, the whiche in leccherous blaunkyssynge and ____ of hymself louyth to han hys heer craftyly leyd on hys forheed and the barboure oftyn to kembyn his heed .., the whiche gladly talkyth wyth men and more gladly byhyldyth woummen.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13320,13321 : 'I dar yt swern..By myn hed ykempt so smothe.' 'Syth thow art kempt so sotylly..Why hydestow thy vysage?'
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)901 : Curteisly þan ye kymbe his hed with combe of yvery.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)69a : To keme: comere, pectere..kemmyd: comptus, pexus.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)426 : Aristotle telliþ þat, ȝif a man haue a kempt hed, þanne he is a leccherous man.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.560 : So peynted he and kembde [vrr. kembede, kembeþ] at poynt deuys As wel his wordes as his contenaunce.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.m.5.49 : Ne the forswerynge, ne the fraude covered and kembd [L compta] with a fals colour, ne anoieth nat to schrewes.
- a1500(a1450) St.Robt.Knares.(Eg 3143)475 : Þus messy, mast þat ys of myght, Bath chastes conqueroure and knyght; He kemmes the crowell wyth hys cambe, Off a lyon makys a lambe.
2.
(a) To card (wool, cotton, threads, etc.); do carding; (b) ~ of, to scrape off (skin).
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1335 Heil seint Michel (Hrl 913)p.157 : Fi a debles, kaites, þat kemiþ þe wolle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)275a/a : Bombax..makith his webbe wiþ his feet and draweþ his smale þredes and kembeþ [L pectinat] hem with his feet and ordeyneþ hem so and makeþ þer of a webbe.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.80 : Wo in winter-tyme..to karde and to kembe, to clouten and to wasche..Þat reuthe is to rede.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)12.15 : Cloþers kemben wolle.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)270 : Keme wulle, or othere lyke: Pectino.
b
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)36 : Tak a capon and scald hym clene and keme of the skyn by the bak; then fley off the skyn.