Middle English Dictionary Entry
lēswe n.
Entry Info
Forms | lēswe n. Also lẹ̄swe, lesewe, lesiwe, lesow(e, lesu(e, leso, leseo, liswe, laswe, lewse & lesur & (early) læswe; pl. leswes, etc. & (early) lesewen, leswe, leswa. |
Etymology | OE; cp. WS lǣswe, A lēswe, oblique & pl. of lǣs, lēs. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. lese n.(1).
1.
(a) A pasture; also fig.; (b) pastures collectively, pasture lands; also fig.; oxe of ~, a grass-fed ox; (c) a grassy place, greensward; (d) pasturage, grazing for livestock; also fig.; yeven ~, to pasture a flock or herd, work at shepherding or the like; ~ of riche men, something to be devoured by rich men; (e) ~ silver, a payment made for the privilege of pasturing animals; (f) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.11].
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2011 : Bi-heold he þa leswa [Otho: þe lesewes] & þene leofliche wode.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)51/27 : Ah ancres..schulen beo þer..lihtre ba & swiftre & i se wide schakeles, as me seið, pleien in heouene large lesewen [Tit: in heuene large leswes; Nero: ine heouene is large leswe].
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)12 : Garganes reoþeren and oþure bestes I-nowe A Morewenes op-on þe heiȝe hulle to heore lesewe heom drowe.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1948 : He gede and sogte an oðer stede; His erue in bettre lewse he dede.
- (1375) Award Blount in ORS 7205 : Item, certeyn londis, Shawys, Grovys, Crofts, Wodys, lesuris, and heggerewys Callid Bardolfys londis lyinge by side Grenedene.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.99.4 : His puple, and the schep of his leswe [WB(2): lesewe] goth in to his ȝatys in confessioun.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Jer.23.1 : 'Wo to the shepperdis that scateren, and totern the floc of my leswe,' seith the Lord.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))John 10.9 : He schal go yn and schal go out, and he schal fynde lesewis.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.153 : Bestes..forsoke stable and lesewe [vr. liswe] and fliȝ to hilles.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)273b/a : An Oxeherde..feedeþ and norissheþ oxen and bryngeþ hem to lesue and hom aȝin.
- c1400 Wycl.CGosp.Mark (Yk-M 14.D.2:Hudson)94/81 : Wo to ȝou, scheppardis, for ȝe han scaterid .. þe flok of my lesewe.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)1 Kings 16.19 : Send to me Dauith thi sone, the which is in the lesewis.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)48a/a : Pastua: lesewes.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.254 : Ȝif he lovede Cristis sheepe, he shulde..make hem rest bi þe lesewes.
- c1450 Wimbledon Serm.(Hat 57)16/18 : Couetise makiþ also ryche men to eeten pore men, as bestis eetyn her lesowys, holdyng hem loue.
- a1450 Form Excom.(1) (Cld A.2)65 : Off lesowes, boþe comyn & seuerrelle, schal tyþe be payud trewly.
- (1474) Stonor1.143 : All other londes and tenementes, rentes, services, medowes, lesues, and pastures in Westm.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)56/28 : To haue and to hold, all the forsaid londes and tenementis..with medys, lesues, and pasturis.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)433 : Þanne þey ledden hem bi grene lesewis & water of heuene þat ben hoolsum, & þis is þe firste offyss of þre þat falliþ to a goostly shepparde.
- a1525(?1469) Cov.Leet Bk.350 : The comyns of this Cite..caste downe with-owt the Gray-fryre yate serten gardens..and of the priores a lesow callyd the Prioreswast.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.777 : Þa let he Cuðbriht ealdorma[n] x bonde land at Swines heafde mid læswe & mid mædwe & mid eal þet ðær to læi.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)39 : Þe selue herdes beð þe lorþewes of holi chiriche, þe leseweð here orf..on swete leswe [L in pascuis uberrimis].
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1576 : For ydumea, ðat fulsum lond, Of lewse god, was in hise hond.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2353 : Of lewse god in lond gersen sulen ge sundri riche ben.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.7.25 : And it shal be in to oxe leswe [WB(2): lesewe of oxen].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)154a/b : And nygh þerto is lesue and pasture in grete plente.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)3 Kings 4.23 : The mete of Salomon was bi ech day..ten fatte oxis and twenti oxis of lesewe [L boves pascuales] and an hundrid wetheris.
- a1450 Glo.Chron.B (Lond-U 278)15 : Leseo [A: Vor englode is vol..of lesen & of mede].
- a1450 Glo.Chron.B (Lond-U 278)1005 : Hor leseo [A: Lese] lasteth euere.
- a1450 Glo.Chron.B (Lond-U 278)7701 : Lesow he ȝaf þer to.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.41.18 : Seuen oxen..in þe pasture of þe marsch þe greene lesewes [L virecta] cheseden.
d
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)37 : Ðis oref is swiðe egerne and fecheð his leswe hwile uppen trewes and hwile uppen cliues and hwile in þe dales.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.22.2 : The Lord gouerneth me..in the place of leswe [WB(2): in the place of pasture; L in loco pascuæ] where he me ful sette.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))SSol.1.6 : Shew thou to me..wher thou ȝiuest leswe [L ubi pascas].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.13.23 : So pore men ben the leswe [WB(2): lesewis] of riche men.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.131 : Egipte..haþ plente of corn; he is bareyne of lesue [Higd.(2): bareyne in pastures; L sterilis est in pascuis]; and whan he haþ plente of lesue, it is bareyne of corn.
e
- (1391) *Anc.Deed (PRO) A.1413 [OD col.] : Exceptis Redditibus..et..quinque solidis annuis vocatis Lesweseluer annuatim de tenentibus predictis capiendis pro herbagis de Falghanawode.
- (1430) in NQ ser.13.1449 : Lesowseluer.
f
- (1236) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)335 : Smythesleswe.
- (1251) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)287 : Sumerleswe.
- (1307) in Sundby Dial.Wor.229 : La Coulesue.
- (1313) EPNSoc.28 (Der.)319 : Somurlesue, -lesowe, -leso.
- (1316) in Sundby Dial.Wor.229 : Somerlesiwe.
- (1361) EPNSoc.29 (Der.)739 : Le Oxlesewe.
- (1375) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)335 : Cowlaswe.
- (1400) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.36 : La Personeslesue.
- (1405) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.2154 : Unum Campum vocatum Dalby Lesow.
- (1451) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)335 : Watyrlesur.
- (1455) in Sundby Dial.Wor.229 : Lesufeld.
- (1490) in Sundby Dial.Wor.229 : Le Horselesowe.