Middle English Dictionary Entry
lēsen v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | lēsen v.(1) Also lese, (error) lose. Forms: sg.3 lēseth; p. lā̆s(e; ppl. lēsed. |
| Etymology | OE lesan; p. læs. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To gather (ears of grain, clusters of grapes left by the reapers or pickers); glean; ~ up; -- also without obj.; (b) to pick over (rice) for the removal of worthless particles; ~ out, to pick (small fruit) in order to improve the quality of what is left, cull; (c) ~ in armes, to take (sb.) in (one's) arms, embrace.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.19.10 : In þy vyneȝard þe reysonys & coornes fallynge doun þou shalt not gedere to geders, bote to pore men & pilgrymys to been lesed [WB(2): to be gaderid; L carpenda] þou shalt leue.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.11 : Booz seide to Ruth þat..lase [vr. laas] vp þe eeres after his ripe men, 'No man..þe schall wraþþe,' and to his ripe men he seide, 'Ȝif ȝe wole wiþ ȝow rype, forbedeþ hir nouȝt, and here fore to lose [vr. lese] no man schal lette.'
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.15 : I schal entre in to þe feeldes of oure forme fadres, and folwe þe rype men, ȝif ich may any wyse leese [L colligens] and gadre me som eres þat rype men schedeþ and skapeþ of here hondes.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)6.68 : Who so helpeth me to erie or sowen here ar I wende, Shal haue leue, bi owre lorde, to lese here in heruest [C: to go and glene after].
b
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)p.95 : For to make Blomanger. Nym rys and lese hem and wasch hem clene, and do thereto god almande mylk, and seth hem tyl they al to brest.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)8.48 : Of wynter fruyt science Yet leseth out [L gloss.: eligit] the smale, vnto the grete So that the tree may sende her drynke & mete.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)21 : Take Rys, an lese hem clene, & wasshe hem clene in..Water.
c
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)183/3942 : Terry him in is armes las [vrr. takes, did brace], & gonne cleppen and to kisse.