Middle English Dictionary Entry
lē̆s(se n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | lē̆s(se n.(1) Also lese, lece, leise, lasse, lies & lesh(e, lech. Pl. lē̆sses, lē̆shes, etc. & lēs. |
| Etymology | OF laisse, lesse, laise, lasse. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) A leash for holding a coursing hound or watchdog; haven at a ~, to hold (a dog) in leash; leden in ~, lead (hounds) held in leash; out) of ~, released from a leash; (b) the thong or string which is passed through the varvels of the jesses to secure a hawk; (c) ~ maker, one who makes leashes; -- only as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1312) Will Durham in Sur.Soc.218 : Maniculus pro lees cum perlys, vj d.
- (c1312) Will Durham in Sur.Soc.219 : Colers et lees..ij paria calcarium.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)9028 : Anon he lepe vp to his hors, & smiten hem amid þe pres, So grehound doþ out of les.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)9126 : Merlin smot forþ; þai after dasse On aiþer half, so grehounde of lasse.
- (1356-7) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100558 : Pro catenis, chapes, et leshes, et uno Cornu pro venatore.
- (1368-9) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100575 : In lesys et colers empt. pro dictis leporariis.
- (1376-8) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100387 : In uno lese et uno pare de turetteis.
- c1350 St.Greg.(Cleo D.9)130/822 : He wente..With houndes þat were liȝt and lent To leten of lece to cacche beste.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)78 : Euery beestis tynde shuld be rekenyd as sone as a man may hang a baudrike or a lessh þerupon.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.8371 : Lyne riȝt he holdiþ his passage, Swift as grehond þat renneþ oute of lees.
- c1440 Thos.Ercel.(Thrn)367 : My grewehundis, þay breke þaire lesse [vrr. leesshe, leches, leyse], And my raches þaire copills in three.
- (1446) Will York in Sur.Soc.45103 : De ij hunde lesez, iij d.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)2237 : Lemours a-boute her nekkes bere Her lees were as softe as sylk.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1933 : As greyhoundes stryken out of lese [vrr. lees, lesse], Kynge Rycharde threste amonge the prese.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)16 : Every man kepyng the scout wache had a masty hound at a lyes.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)72b : A lesse [Monson: lese]: laxa.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)767 : As glad as grehond ylete of lese, Florent was þan.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)622 : He hyes hym oute of all the prece; Thre greyhoundes he lade in lese.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)785 : Furthe he went with greyhondis thre; In a lesshe he dyd hem do And blew a grete horne also.
- a1500 Parton.(1) (Add 35288)2243 : Thys Partonope..Vnkowpelyd hys howndes, and taketh in lesse These fayre lemers.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)211 : Fawkoneres hyenn To lache oute thaire lessches and lowsen thaym sone.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)238 : He..Lowppes in thaire lesses [vr. leches] thorowe vertwells of siluere.
c
- (1399-1400) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99215 : Pro garniamentis Johannis Whipson et Henr. Lesmaker, 9 s. 4 d.
- (1402-3) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99221 : Pro Henrico Leshmaker et garcione ibidem.
1b.
Fig. (a) A controlled or restraining situation; in (a) ~, under restraint, under (one's) control, in (one's) power; out of ~, out of control; (b) entrapment [cp. las, sense 4.].
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 Þe siker soþe (Auch)69 : When he [Death] is lopen out of les, No pray noman after pes.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.19 : Slouthe hir holdeth in a lees [vr. lese] Oonly for to slepe and ete and drynke.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7070 : To suffren hym to renne out of les, As doth he þis þat spoken haþ so large.
- a1450(1401) For drede (Dgb 102)150 : Or deþ lede ȝow in his les..trete wiþ god to gete ȝow pes.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)151/2572 : Cum ley þi loue here in my les.
- a1450 Spaldyng Katereyn þe curteys (BodR 22)p.540 : Katereyn þus ful lufly sche lawth to here lore, lythly fyfty retorikes to lede in hyr lees.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)195 : She is prioresse, whiche leedeth alle the cloystreres in les [F en lesse], bounden bi hondes and bi feet.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3548 : Þe maner is of women alle..With arm or foot to cache vp in her les Whom þat hem list.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)233 : Him list not ones deyne To bringe ayen my sorowful herte in pes, For he is caught up in another les [vrr. lese, lees].
2.
(a) A set of three coursing hounds; ~ of gre-houndes; (b) ~ of three, a set of three persons; (c) a number of things grouped together.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)446 : Tristrem hunters seiȝe ride; Les of houndes þai ledde.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)346 : A les of grehoundes forþ þai brouȝt.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)774 : Vn lesse de leuerers: A lesse of grehoundes.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)4 : A lese of grehoundes ys y named When iij en lese beþ to gedere.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)33 : Men han late renne at hem iiii leeces [Dgb: leeses] of greihoundes.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)107 : Þe mayster of þe game..oweþ to sette þe greihound and ho so be tesours to þe kyng or to þe quene or to þer lesshes [Dgb: leses].
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)108 : It is wit þat þe les [Dgb: lese] of his chamber and of þe quenes shuld be best sette.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)291 : Leece, or lees, of howndys: Laxa, veltrea.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)12425 : Gaweyn..on huntyng scholde fare to chasen bothe the hert & hare with two les of grehoundis jn þat place, & besides him stood there ȝit two brace.
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)603 : A lese of grehondys.
- c1450 Terms Assoc.(2) (Cmb Ll.1.18)232 : A lech, a brase, an hardlyng of grehoundez.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)21424 : Swyche houndys..I ha mo than a les Off hem, plente and gret foysoun, ffor to cachche me venysoun.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)181 : Gawein..ledde in honde a leeshe of grehoundes, and ledde also two brace folowinge hym.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2830 : By his side sche made hym take his se. And first of alle, þis ilke lees of thre..Was sodeynly turned to a bras; For þe vekke to stare vp-on þe mone Is walked out.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.387 : Deedly synnes..alle they renne in o lees, but in dyuerse maneres.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)657 : Lowde lesyngis lachyd in les, of talys vn-trewe is al my mende.
3.
An establishment, or department of the king's household, for the keeping of coursing hounds.
Associated quotations
- (1450) RParl.5.193b : Cristofore Whitacre, Grome of oure Leshe.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.114 : But had þe good greehonde be not agreued, But cherischid as a cheffeteyne and cheff of ȝoure lese, Ȝe hadde had hertis ynowe.