Middle English Dictionary Entry
lai n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | lai n.(1) Also laie, lei(e, (error) le-; pl. laies & laues. |
| Etymology | OE lagu (sg. dat. lagu &?*læge) 'water' & OF lai 'lake, pool'. For -ei- forms, cp. OI lögr, dat. legi. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A lake, pond; large pool; (b) ~ fen (mire), bog, swamp; also fig.; ~ fish, fish from, or living in, a lake or pond; ~ water, water from a pond or lake; (c) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.12].
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)314 : Watur þare with inne he brouȝte; His lawes maken þare inne he þouȝte.
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)319 : Ȝwi hast þou to broke mi lay [rime: day]?
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5296 : Þe blod ran in þe valaie, So water out of a laie.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)9652 : He made alle a valaye Al so it were a brod leye, Þat Galaþ no non of his Þat niȝt no miȝt oway.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.367 : Men..hadde alle maner bestes in kepyng in hyves, in layes, in fisshe weres and pondes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1191 : Minerve..was nyh the grete lay Of Triton founde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)155a/b : A lay is fongyng of pryue watres in þe whiche water is..noȝt ymedeled with wawes, nother ebbes ne flowes..and..standith in a place and floweþ noȝt.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1271 : Al aboute þis..cite..Wer..Fair playnes..holsom hylles..And many laye.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3721 : He lengede one laye.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22835 : Draȝeð hine to ane more & doð hine in an ley uen [Otho: laȝe fen], þer he scal liggen.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)28/468 : Hwa se lið i leifen [vr. leiuen] deope bisuncken..he ne schal nawt up acouerin hwen he walde.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)32/24 : Ich..leade ham i þe leiuen & i þe ladliche lake of þet suti sunne.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)168/13 : Se me deoppre wadeð i þe feondes leiuen [Nero: leie uenne; Tit: lei mure; Cai: leuien; Recl.: seruise], se me kimeð up leatere.
- a1300 Ancr.(Cai 234/120)58/29 : Oþer forridles..me mot forbuhen þet iþe muchele Leifen [Corp-C: fulðe] nule fenliche fallen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)155a/b : Laye fysshe, ffor by his voys and slyme he maketh fisshe þat bredeth þer in smelle of slyme..Lay water is more þikke þanne ryuer watir and lesse gode to drynke.
c
- (1206) CRR(2) 4291 : Hugo de Lelay.
- (1227) Close R.Hen.III87 : Hugonem de le Lay.
- (1428) Feudal Aids 5166 : Johannes atte Laye.
- (1443) Court R.Hastings in Sus.RS 3727 : Laurence atte Laye.
- (1478) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)330 : Le Lay.