Middle English Dictionary Entry
lāvǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | lāvǒur n. Also laver, lavre, lavoire, law(e)r, lawowre, (errors) laber, labour. |
| Etymology | OF lavëoir |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A water pitcher, ewer; vessel for pouring; bowl; bacin and ~, basin and pitcher; (b) a washbasin; also, lavatory in a monastic cloister, trough for washing, sink; hanging (pendaunt) ~, hanging basin; harneis ~, sink for washing harness; also, baptismal font; ?holy water stoup; ~ stock, ?a pedestal or base for a laver; hind labour, water ~, q.v.; [some quots. in (b) are difficult to distinguish from (a) and may belong there]; (c) a medicinal wash, lotion which heals or cleanses; also fig.; (d) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- (1355) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.244 : [William Arnold, vintner, 1] bacyn [and 1] lavour.
- (1368) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.91 : [In the hall: 2] dosers, [4] costers..[one basin, one] lavour, [etc.].
- (1387) Will in Bk.Lond.E.209/19 : Also y be-quethe Bartilmewe neue the bed of tree..& the lauour of peuter with the basyn of led.
- (1389) Will York in Sur.Soc.4130 : j bacyn & j lauer & a bras potte.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.287 : Hors and houndes..been assayed..Bacynes, lauours [vrr. lauourys, lauoyrs], er that men hem bye, Spoones, stooles, and al swich housbondrye.
- (1419) *Will Bury155 : Also a basyn next þe beste & a lavour' wt iij fet.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)34a(2)/a : Infusorium: a lauor.
- (1425) *Indent.Elyngham (Add Charter 62408) : Jn the hall..ij basyns wyth ij lauers.
- (1426) Will York in Sur.Soc.3011 : Duas pelves argenti cum ij lavers argenti eisdem pertinentibus.
- (1442) Invent.Gild in PSAL ser.2.5123 : Item, j basyn & a laver of laton.
- (1444) Will York in Sur.Soc.30101 : j laver cum ij spowtes.
- (1449) *Doc.Ludlow : Y..bequethe a Bassen of seluer wythe a lauer of seluer and ouer gylt to the forseide Paresshe Churche to serue..euery gode fryday in Wesshyng of the holy Crosse.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)251/16 : When he suld take þe lavur & powr watir on þis pylgram handis, sodanlie he was away.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)232 : Tak alaber wyþ water, & honge hyt on þe fynger next þe lytel fynger, & so you schalt se þe veyne, or fele, & so lete hym blede.
- (1462) Will York in Sur.Soc.30261 : j basyn pan, j litill pan..j basyn, j laver.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)232 : Emperialle..þy Ewry borde with basons & lauour, watur hoot & cold, eche oþer to alay.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1299 : Þe knyȝtys logh yn þe halle..Lauor and basyn þey gon calle, To wassche and aryse.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)626 : Peluis, lauatorium: basyn, lauere.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)100/18 : Take a lauour fulle of colde water in thyn hande, and..poure a littill of þe watere þere-on [hot stones].
- a1500 7 Sages(1) (Cmb Ff.2.38)173/2592 : Yf that y wyll suffur the To holde me a lauour and bason to my honde.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)202/22 : Þet oþer þing is zoþe ssrifte þet is þet lauor [Vices & V.(2): þe baþing fatt] huer he him ssel ofte wesse.
- (1362) Invent.Jarrow in Sur.Soc.2944 : In aula j pelvis cum j lotorio, et aliud vocatum harness lavour.
- (1383) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.128 : [3] lavers [worth 13 s. 4 d.].
- (1414) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.3 : [One hanging] lavour, [6 s. 8 d.].
- (1419) *Will Bury155 : An hol basyn..also an hangyng lavour'.
- (1421) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.90 : [5 lavers called] pendaunt lavours.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)291 : Lavowre [KC: lawowre; Phil: lavre; Win: lawere]: Lavatorium.
- (1446) Invent.Lytham in Chet.n.s.6083 : [The Hall]..iij Maselynbassyns, iij labours, j hyndlabour.
- (1447) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 11117 : A lawr of latton wt a chene of yrne hongyng by the churche dore.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)82 : There is schewid eke þe lauour of copir, with whech he baptized all þat cam on to him for þat cause.
- (1455) *Chamberl.R.Winch. : In solutis pro uno lauerstok in domo..iii s. iiii d.
- (1462) Will York in Sur.Soc.30256 : I wille that William my sone have..the chymneth, a hangyng laver with the halling, a cesterne.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)75 : This Sergeaunt..hathe..in keepinge..ewers, lavours, and cupboarde-clothes.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)71b : A lavyr: lauacrum, luter.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)p.7 : Lavacrum, a lavour.
- ?a1500 Trin-C.LEDict.Suppl.(Trin-C O.5.4)592/2 : [Lauacrum]: a lauer.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)196 : Þanne kam I to þat cloister & gaped abouten Whouȝ it was pilered and peynt..All y-hyled wiþ leed..Wiþ kundites of clene tyn..Wiþ lauoures of latun.
c
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)201/34 : He made forto full a gret fet full of watyr..and cast her þeryn..Then scho besoght God how þat fet most be her fonte, and þe watyr, þe lauere and waschyng of her synnys.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)42/2 : Take..hockys and sexfrage, and make a lauoyre, and do hit in a vessel þat he may sitte Inne a-non to þe breste or to þe gurdel, and baþe hym þer-Inne.
d
- (1248) Pat.R.Hen.III17 : Robert le Laver.
- (1265) Chart.R.PRO2.52 : Ralph Laverman.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1475 Lord what is (Hrl 5396)p.75 : They ley to wed bothe panne, lavos and spoute.
Note: New spelling