Middle English Dictionary Entry
lẹ̄che n.(3)
Entry Info
| Forms | lẹ̄che n.(3) Also lēche, lech, lecche, lache, (errors) leth, lich(e & (early) læce, læche, leache, liache, (pl.) læces, læches, (pl.gen.) lechene, (pl.dat.) læcum, læcon & (in place names) lece, lesce, lasce. |
| Etymology | OE; cp. A lēce, WS lǣce, 'physician' & 'bloodsucker'. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A physician or surgeon; hors ~, q.v.; (b) bodili (flesh, lichames) ~, a physician or surgeon for the body (as opposed to a spiritual doctor); leches drenche, a medicinal potion; (c) fig. one who saves another, helper, protector, preserver; one who remedies evils; ironical: killer [quot.: 1380]; ~ of helle, the Devil; (d) one who heals the soul or mind; God, Christ, the Holy Ghost, one of the saints, a priest, a teacher; soule(s ~; godes (soulene) ~, ~ spiritual, a priest, confessor; gostli ~, God; hevenlich ~, God, Christ, a saint; lechene ~, the physician of physicians, supreme physician, Christ; soverain ~, Christ.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)67.3/1 : Þeos wyrt..ys sæd þat apollo hi arest finden sceolde & hi esculapio, þan læce, sellan.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)133.133/1 : Þanne is þeo ȝeoluwe swa þeah swyþest læcon ȝetweme [read: ȝecweme].
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)3/5,17 : Be his ȝewisnesse, þa ȝelæredus læce ȝewislice smeadon..Þannum Plato and Aristotiles..Þas æfterfyliȝdun þas forecwedenan læcum.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)49/3,5 : Ac þa ealde læces sædan þæt þeos þrowung ys ȝeset of feofer þingum..Galwenus se læce.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)38/22 : All swa ðe læce deþ..þe pinæð on ða wundæ ðæt heo wurðæ ihæled.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8081 : Þa læchess..himm ne mihhtenn hælenn.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17679 : Vther..hæfde him þider isend..þene bezste læche..þe auer ælcne sucne mon of ufele bringen con.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)57 : Gif man beð forwunded, he wile anon sechen after leches.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)27/25 : Ðe læche..loceð, after mannes ikynde, þe newe [moon] oðer elde.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)92/4 : He ne feleð nawt his ahne secnesse & for þi ne secheð nawt leche [Tit: leache].
- c1300 SLeg.Lucy (LdMisc 108)7 : On leches [Hrl: In fisiciens] heo hadde i spendedet Muche del of hire guod.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7817 : His leches lokede is stat.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1114 : He is wounded ful sare; Leches wiþ salue and drink Him comeþ wide whare.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)35/972 : And oþer-wyl anoye he mot..Ase mot þe leche ine uoule sores Wanne he royneþ þe felþe.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)174/26 : Ne þe leche [Vices & V.(2) vr. a surgien] ne may naȝt werche mid þe zike bote ȝef he yzi his wonde.
- (1370) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.115 : [John Huwet], leche.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1328 : Nobul leches loked to his woundes.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1092 : Charlis clipede ys leches þo.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.9.12 : A leche [L medicus] is nat nede to men that faren wel, but to men hauynge yuel.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 4.23 : Leeche, heele thi silf.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.260 : Þer beoþ mo lyȝers þen leches, vr lord hem amende!
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3904 : The deuel made a reue for to preche, Or of a soutere, a shipman, or a leche.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1209 : Cerymon, the worthi leche, Ansuerde anon upon hire speche.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)102b/b : Þerfore a leche and phisician þat is wise and ware and knowiþ þe euell & tempreþ þe qualitee as þe quantite & qualite of euel axeþ.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)103a/a : A good leche leueþ noȝt keruynge oþir brennynge for wepinge of þe pacient, and he hidiþ and blensith þe bitternesse of medicine wiþ somme maner of swetnesse.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)11798 : Ȝyf þou were now yn a syknes, And wuldest þou do, for to lyue, Alle þat þy leche wulde þe ȝyue.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)26322 : Als leth [Frf: leche] þou suld seke man hale.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)9/10 : Bi his myȝt, make he no leche his enemye.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)15 : Þerfore men seyn in olde sawes, 'aftir þe boor þe leche, and aftere þe hert þe boor [read: beer].'
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)614 : The scherreue..sent after a leche to hele his rigge-boon.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.589 : His lechis made hym to abstene.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)139a/a : Þise operacionz ar perticuler & most appropriate to barbours & toþedrawers, And for þi lechez haþe left þe wurching ysaid to hem; Neþerlez, it is siker þat sich wirchers be directe bi lechez.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)282/19 : Leche, first heele þisilf and þanne hele me, and þanne schal I resceyue þi medicyn.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)6/13 : Euermore lat the leche byhete þe double þat he supposeth to spede by half.
- (1431) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.252 : [Geoffrey Costantyn,] leche.
- (1436) in Rec.B.Nottingham 2156 : De Roberto Wawne, lech.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.431 : It sittith nat..A theef for theffte to sitte in iugement..Nor leprous lechis to cure men of seeknesse.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)163 : Fysycian, or leche: Medicus, fisicus.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)291 : Leche [Win: Lech], mann or woman: Medicus, medica.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)267 : Assemblyd been of leechis many oon..Vnto the sike they been i-comen echoon.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)507 : Ther is a lecche which wole vndirtake to make him hool.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)8/8 : What may helpe, what may harme, bettir wot þe leche þen þe sike.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3628 : Ther is a leche in Room þat hath I-made a cry..to cure al tho been blynde.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)66 : In his tyme was lyvyng the gret leche, cleped Galiene, at Rome.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)52/10 : He departed and wente unto an ermytage, and there was a good man and a grete leche.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)57b/b : And loke þat þou dispraue noon oþir lechis wiþouten greet cause, for it is necessarie to haue loue of alle lechis & clerkis.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.554 : Ther is no surieon nee othir leche, Phesician ne peetecarie ne othir crafte, That ony thyng lightly woll they teche.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)71b : A leche: Aliptes, emperici, medicus [Monson adds: cirurgicus].
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)23/6 : So ther was sent for hure many leches and men that cowthe of sorcerye.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)76/3 : First seyth ypocras þat a leche xal take kep of þe mone, wanne he is atte þe full; þan waxith blod..and hoþer humours..wan þou takest a cure, be it of hy syknesse or ellis of surgery, ta keep of þe mone and of þe time wan þe seknesse took.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)188/8 : Ant þeo..forwurðeð fisitiens & licomes leche [Tit: licomes leches; Recl.: bodilich leches].
- a1250 Mon may longe (Mdst A.13)18 : Ne mai no man þar toȝenes..mede, liste, ne leches dreinch.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)27382 : Flesshe leche salle dele wiþ diuerse saluis to saris hele.
c
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)117/3 : He haueð se monie buistes ful of his letuaires, þe luðere leche of helle.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1032 : Eiþer of ȝou, as y leue, is god leche til oþer.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2660 : Þe erld Olyuer..kulde hem doun afforn him ther, & was hure laste leche.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.3.7 : I am not a leche..wileth not sette me prince of the puple.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)535 : Beter leche knowe I non Þen trewe frend is at neode.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)5944 : Fast on god þo gon þei cal To delyuer þe folke of þat wreche, And god was ful soone her leche.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.299 : Þe fyfte [Donum dei] is moder of helthe, a frende in alle fondynges, And for þe land euere a leche.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.678 : She percid hath..euery veyne Of myn hert..who, allas, shal now be my leche?
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1066 : First he gan hire his righte lady calle, His hertes lif, his lust, his sorwes leche.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2944 : Godd-Hope alwey kep bi thi side..Swete-Lokyng and Swete-Speche; Of all thyne harmes thei shall be leche.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)9095 : I shall there see my souerayn leche, And her beaute shall so me refresch.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)920 : And which a goodly, softe speche Had that swete, my lyves leche!
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)195/5819 : Welcome my lady..Welcome my leche, me forto sle or saue.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)6 : I am gouernouresse of alle thinge, and of alle harmes j am leche.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)135/17,18 : Yf a man lak leches or medicens, he schall make iij thynges hys medicens or leches, and he schall neuer neyd to mo. The fyrst of them ys mery thowght.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1242 : Rew oppon thy selff, & be þyn owne leche!
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)157/184 : And yf ȝe knowe such a lech and ȝe hym fynde, I ȝow be-sech comyth a-ȝen be me.
- a1500 Theoph.(RwlPoet 225)p.15 : Of al my sorwe þu [Satan] art my leche; Body & soule I the be teche.
d
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19354 : Forr þatt teȝȝ sholldenn..sekenn till þe læche, Till Godess Sune, Jesu Crist.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)306 : [I]ch can ben aiðer ȝief isal lichame and sowle lache [vrr. leche, liache].
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)41 : Ihesu crist..is alre herdene herde and alre lechene leche.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)57 : Prest is saulene leche.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)77 : Þe heuenliche leche, seinte poul, nimeð geme of ure saule sicnesse..and minegeð us..þat we..cumen festliche to ure saule leche and unhelen him ure saule wundes.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)67/13 : Þeo abbodesse..cariȝe enba þo ȝyltenda swustra, forði þa halan læces ne lacnunge ne bihofiað.
- a1300 Þeo soþe luue (Jes-O 29)52 : He yef vs liþ and deþ anfoþ; he is vre leache.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)293 : Bote he..take to godes leche And of preoste beo wel i-schriue, him worth i-don gret wreche.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)371 : Ore louerd is guod leche and milsful.
- a1350 Nou skrynkeþ (Hrl 2253)35 : Nis þer no leche so fyn oure serewes to bete.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)69 : I shal nu ben þi leche; Aller furst i wole þe teche Faire uertuz for to take.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)129/1 : Þe holi gost is þe guode leche [Vices & V.(2): phisicion] þet amaystreþ his ziknesse and chongeþ his humours.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.56 : Thow goost biforn and art hir lyues leche.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.916 : And Iesu Crist, that is oure soules leche, So graunte yow his pardoun to receyue.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1892 : Er he hadde any speche With hye god, that is oure lyues leche, He fasted longe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21204 : Lucas was..Bath o lijf and saul leche.
- a1400 Rolle Encom.Jesu (Hrl 1022)187 : A gode Ihesu..be leche vnto þis wonded.
- a1400 Wyl be þow ster (Mert 248)29 : Leche of folke, mary myld, wyt ferly kynd þow bare þi chyle.
- c1400(a1349) Rolle MPass.(1) (Cmb Ll.1.8)27/266 : Come þanne at þi wylle, heuenlyche leche, and lyȝten me.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)20.316 : I wote no better leche Than persoun or parissh prest.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)131 : And thow, Lord, as louely lech, Forgyf the trespas of my synne.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.7 : Þis hevenly leche resseyvede freely þes synful men.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)52/27 : Þe greet leche, myn oonly sone, haþ delyuerid þe sore wounde of þe siik man, Adam.
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)314 : The kyng has herd his awen sones speche, That of all the warld is a god leche.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.MG (Hnt HM 111)117 : Marie & Ion..Beeth leches of our synful maladie!
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)392 : Ȝet ȝaue he him leue to schryue and to preche As a post of þe cherch & a goostly leche.
- a1450(a1401) Chastising GC (Bod 505)165/26 : It is ȝouen us and sent us fro oure louyng fadir and fro oure souerayne leche.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1687 : Lord, opin my lippes als gastly lech [rime: tech].
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)177/169 : I loue þe, lorde, as souereyne leche, That come to salue men of þare sore.
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer ABC (Benson-Robinson)134 : Beth ye my juge and eek my soules leche [rime: biseeche].
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)1452 : Enoynte hym in especyal, As ther leche spryrytual.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)40.4 : I accuse my syn and opynd my wounde and says, 'i haf synned til the; thou ert leche; hele it.'
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)12/83 : Then blis withoutten end get we for oure seruyce Of hym that is oure saulis leche.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)132/7 : There is noon þat may comforte me..but þou, my lorde god, þe heuenly leche of soules.
2.
(a) Medicine; -- usually fig.; soule(ne ~, medicine for soul(s; (b) doinge to ~, to give (man or beast) medical treatment [cp. lechecraft 2. (a)]; (c) healing, recovery, rescue, escape; -- used fig.
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 Ancr.(Tit D.18)57/4 : Þus is secnesse sawlene leche [Nero: soule leche; Corp-C: sawlene heale], Salue of hire wundes.
- a1350 When þe nyhtegale (Hrl 2253)12 : A suete cos of þy mouþ mihte be my leche.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)733 : Ne dar he seche non oþer leche, Þat mai riht of þis water cleche.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3220 : The yonge children..Whos blod..schal be leche For themperoures maladie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.866 : The vertu of hire goodly speche Is verraily myn hertes leche.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.314 : For pacyence is payn for pouerte..And sobrete swete drynke, and good leche in sykenesse.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)2.200 : So loue ys lech of lyue and lysse of alle pyne.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)12.129 : Of benes boyled, water may be leche To sle the frost.
b
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)93 : Þei wit þer wichecraftis..may do no þing of remedy to ani seknes of man ne of best..or doing to lech ani þing.
c
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)65/703 : Ah ilecche ha me eft, ne finde ich na leche; Igripe ha me eanes, ne ga i neauer mare þrefter o grene.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)22870 : Alle þe folk þat wondede wer..Might dragh þar to..Leche and recette þar for to haf.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)23154 : To þe dragon of gold þai fledde, Griȝ and lich haf in þat stedde.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)354 : In a stere I see me lyche; And I myghte forbere speche Seven dayes and seven nyght, I scholde covere agayn my syght.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)28/837 : Who so that write how he is wrappid & wounde In suche greef..And so may sende it to his lady round, Which is the leche to alle his soore felyng.
- c1450 How mankinde dooþ (Lamb 853)479 : In yougþe..Foule þou me [Conscience] þanne dedist repreue; I þanke god of þi good leeche.
- a1500 Wite thou wel (Dc 84)1 : Wite þou wel þat þis bok ys leche to alle þyng þat hit doyþ tecne.
3.
The ring finger; ?also, the fourth toe.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)311 : Þe leste hatte 'luttle man', for he is lest þere-to; þe nexte finguer hatte 'leche', for ȝwane þe leche makez ouȝt, with þat finguer he wole hit tasti, ȝif it is a-riȝt i-wrouȝt.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.313 : Gentile men vsede here rynges..on þe fourþe fynger, þat is y-cleped þe leche [L medicum; Higd.(2): fynger medicinable]..for in þat fynger is a veyne þat streecheþ to þe herte.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)22a/a : Renalis, bytwene þe litel fyngre and þe leche [*Ch.(1): þe litel too & þe folowing].
- a1440 Palmistry (1) (Dgb Roll 4)16 : Yff the hill of the leche haue any lyne arysing fro the vale of the hande, it toknyth opyn promocyons.
- a1440 Palmistry (1) (Dgb Roll 4)42 : Yff ther be ffownd a brod lyne be twyx the leche and the mydfyngur.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)753/2 : Hic medius: the longman. Hic medius [read: medicus]: the leche. Hic auricularis: the lythylman.
4.
(a) In cpds.: ~ finger [OE lǣce-finger], ~ man, the ring finger; ~ hous [OE lǣce-hūs, lēce-], a hospital or an infirmary; ~ wort [OE lǣce-wyrt], a medicinal plant; ~ craft, ~ dom, q.v.; (b) as surname & in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.10].
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Hat 76)21 : Læcewyrt: lechewurt.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)159/24 : Þat veyne..is clepid basilica or ellis epatica, & aftirward he strecchiþ bi þe neþir partie of þe arm to þe hond, bitwene þe litil fyngir & þe leche fiyngir.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)36b/a : Lanicena: a leche hous.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)14a/a : And fro þat place it descendeþ to þe hand, & it is shewed atuix þe lechefinger & þe litel fynger, And it seid saluatella.
- c1450 Metham Palm.(Gar 141)86/19 : Saturne longyth to lengest fynger..Mercury to the leche fyngyr with hys hylle.
- c1450 Metham Palm.(Gar 141)110/11 : Yff ther be founde a cros be-twene the leche fynger and the lytyl fyngyre.
- a1475 Prk.Med.Miscell.(Brog 2.1)43 : A vayne betwyxt þe lechefynger and þe lytel fynger confortythe þe yȝe-syght.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)71b : A leche howse: laniena, est quia ibi infirmi laniantur.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)627 : Medicus: lechefyngure.
- a1500 MS Cmb.Ff.5.48 in Halliwell D.357 : The lest fyngir hat lityl man..The next fynger hat leche man, for quen a leche dos oȝt, [etc.].
b
- (1158) in Ekwall Dict.EPN283 : Lechesham.
- (1190) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.133 : Lechesbiri.
- (1255) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.134 : Lescebyr.
- (1275-99) in Sundby Dial.Wor.49 : Le Leche.
- (1291) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.134 : Lecebyr.
- (1293) in Sundby Dial.Wor.49 : Le Leeche.
- (1307) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.134 : Lescebiri, Lascebiri.
- (1333) in Fransson Surn.187 : Rog. le Lache. Eufemia la Leche. Thom. le Leche.
- (1392) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52164/23 : Johanni leche pro camfor et staunche per ipsum emptis apud Dansk, vij nobles.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)290/17 : The lond of Sibille, wedowe of Richard leche.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.74 : Aȝeyn þi sorwes obstynat…it is a maner lesse.
Note: New spelling leche n.(3) 2.(a) was this form taken?
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. leech 1.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 4.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. leech finger.