Middle English Dictionary Entry
laxen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | laxen v. |
| Etymology | L laxāre |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To have a laxative effect, cause looseness of the bowels; ~ upward, induce vomiting; (b) to loosen (the bowels), purge; (c) to loosen or soften (sth.); have a loosening or softening effect, bring about looseness or softness.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)76b/a : And somtyme it laxiþ, & som tyme constipiþ and makeþ hard wombe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)223b/b : And þe roote þerof laxiþ boþe vpward and dounward.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)237b/b : Som [oil] ys y-made of byndyng þinges and is byndynge, and som of laxen [Tol: laxynge] þinges & is laxatif and neisshyng.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)62/19 : Mirabolan laxeþ [L laxant] afore þam and streyneþ after þam.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.114 : Uytrum is hote & drye..And it laxeþ & clenseþ.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)75b/b : Hote watir wasschiþ þe fastinge stomak..& clansiþ & laxiþ & purgiþ þe wombe.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)33a/b : Be the wombe laxede [L laxetur] wiþ fyges & wiþ saffroun.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)83b/a : Than to helpe þe palesye, we schal vse first medicyne þat neisschiþ & laxiþ boþe wiþinne & wiþoute, & þan medycynes þat dryen & harden.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)103b/a : And som laxit [Tol: laxeþ] wiþ gleymynge & makeþ slider.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)243a/b : Leeke y-medlid wiþ salte closeþ soone and heleth newe woundes and laxeþ [L relaxat] hardnesse and sowdeth soone breches.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)314b/a : Passing hete and druyenesse openeþ many pores and holes, for druyenesse wiþ hete laxeþ [L laxat] swiþe and vnbyndeþ, and constreyneþ and byndeþ wiþ colde.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)9.282 (v.1:p.103) : Mannes soule, often tyme laxed and refresshid by bodily consolacion, riseth vp ageyn more ardently to heuenly contemplacion.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)73.124 (v.2:p.49) : The strengis of his tunge were laxed, and he had perfitely his speche.