Middle English Dictionary Entry
aspe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | aspe n. Also haspe, apse, h)espe, hepse & (in cpds) aspen. |
| Etymology | OE æspe, æpse, -an |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The European aspen (Populus tremula) or its wood; ~ tre; (b) in surnames; also aspe-heǧ.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1300 StJ.List Trees (StJ-C E.17)155 : Trembler: Hesp.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)657 : Tremuler: Aspe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)249b/b : Þis tree birche..haþ light leues as þe aspe..[that] meueþ and quakeþ with a wel softe blast of wynde.
- (c1410) Acc.Met.Col.in Archaeol.J.663 : Pro hespys et haldrys.
- (1416) RParl.4/103a : Toutz maners settes & autre archelrie de mearisme appelle Aspe.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)646 : Hec tremulus: hespetre.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)180 : The asp for shaftes pleyne.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)15 : Aspe tre: Tremulus.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)99b : Drye tymber also & light of asp & lynde, ffor spere schaftes & arewes.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)7 : Ȝe schall make your Rodde..of hasill, wilowe, or aspe.
- (1464) RParl.5.567b : Tymbre of Aspe is the best and lightest Tymbre to make of Patyns and Clogges.
b
- (1181) Domesday Bk.St.Paul in Camd.69115 : Hugo Wind le haspeheg.
- (1222) Domesday Bk.St.Paul in Camd.6929 : Willelmus brunus aspeheg.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1074 : Robertus atte Hepse.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3174 : Thomas atte Apse.
2.
(a) aspe(n lef, aspes ~, aspen leaf or foliage; quaken, shaken as (an) ~; aspen herte, trembling heart; (b) aspen crop, wand, aspen twig, rod.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1667 : His herte was so wood That lyk an aspen leef he quook for ire.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)75/36 : Þan shal tremble þe lande..as an aspe lef [Hrl 24: Aspyn-lefe].
- (?c1412) Hoccl.Carpenter (Hnt HM 111)st.3 : With aspen herte I preye hem abyde.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1200 : Right as an aspes leef she gan to quake, Whan she hym felte hire in his armes folde.
- a1425 Nicod.(1) (Add 32578)1772 : As espyn leues þai lay & quoke.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2648 : This Ypermystre..quok as doth the lef of aspe grene.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1654 : Euyn as an espys lef doth schake..Ayens the wynd, ryght so than dyd he.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1954 : With hert as tremblyng as þe leef of aspe.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)727 : My body tir-trymmelyth as þe aspen leffe.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6727 : Then as an aspleff she quoke.
- a1500 Se meche (Roy 2.D.37)9 : Thes fals tongys all, meuyng and clappyng lyk to the leue of apse.
b
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)12845 : God let me neuere my bowe bende, Ne drawe tacle of Aspyn wandis.
- a1450 As ofte (Tan 346)17 : As ofte as windes on aspyn croppes blow.