Middle English Dictionary Entry
letuse n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | letuse n.(1) Also lettuse, letuce, letuze, letous(e, letes, letis(e, letwese, (errors) lotuse, betus & lattuce, latewes; pl. letuses, etc. |
| Etymology | OF letües, pl. of laitue. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The cultivated lettuce Lactuca sativa; a plant of various other species of the genus Lactuca; -- sg. & coll.; sour ~, wilde ~, ~ savage, ?prickly lettuce, ?wild endive Lactuca virosa or Lactuca serriola; jus of letuse(s, lettuce juice; (b) in biblical transl. and comment.: the bitter herbs of the Passover meal; the herb ~, wilde letuse(s, letuse(s of the feld.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)598 : A fair herbe, þat men cleopez letuse, heo i-saiȝ stonde bi þe weiȝe; In hire mouth heo pulte þarof a lef.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)81a/b : Fonde to bringe him a slepe..þe fore hed schal be smered wiþ þe juys of letuse oþir of popye.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)232a/b : Letuse hatte lactuca..þerof is double kynde, wilde and tame. Þe wilde..haþ scharp prikkes & teþ..wilde letuse is liche in schap to the tame, but he haþ lenger sprayes, smaller and scharpere and lasse grene for scarsete of moysture, And þerfore he is moche more bitter and dryere..þe tame letuse is cold and moyste.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)232b/a : Plinius spekeþ of letuse and seiþ þat a maner kynde of letuse growiþ of it self wiþoute tiliynge, and þat maner letuse hatte Caprina..oþer maner letuse growiþ in feldes..Þe þridde maner letuse groweþ in woodes.
- a1400 Alphita (SeldArch B.35)93 : Lactuca..sunt due species, s. domestica et agrestis..Lactuca domestica, gall. et angl. latewes [vr. letuse].
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)75/9 : He may eten amidoun, betis, letuse [L lactucas]..if þat he were feble.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)262/24 : If þer come an enpostym..to a mannes tunge..he schal holde in his mouþ þe iuys of letuse.
- ?a1400 Adv.18.5.16 Gloss.(Adv 18.5.16)159 : Lactuca, i. letuse.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)644/21 : Hec lactuca: letys.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)41a : Lacetuca: Letuse is colde and moiste in the þerde degre.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)121b/a : His mete schal ben þe iuys of barlie oþer letus oþer purcelane.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)196a/b : Lactuca, Letuse is colde & in temperate.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)101/10 : Ane vntement slepyng..Recipe succus iusquiami, Mandrage..lattuce..and þe sedez of al þise..herbez, [etc.].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)28b/b : Vse he letuses, purseleyn, garnates, & al soure þinges.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)50b/a : Scariol [L scariola], i. wylde letuse.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)300 : Letuce [Win: Letows], herbe: Lactuca.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)2160 : Lich a letuse seed, þei sey, was his mette.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.176,197 : Letuce [L lactuca] is to be sette in Ianyueer Or December..In herbis letuce vmbigoon wol growe.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.216 : Letuce of lac derived is, perchaunce; ffor mylk hit hath.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)59/10 : Gyff hym to drynk þe jus of letucez.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)63/25 : Wesche his fete in warme water þat þe whitte chessebolle & letouse hase bene sothen in.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)1376 : Ageyn heetys, whan men distempryd be, ffolkys gadre purslane and letuse that be Clene.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)172/23 : Lactuca is an herbe þat men clepe letuse or slepwourt. Þis herbe haȝt lewys lyk endywe but..nonne piles in þe rygges as endywe haȝt. It haȝt a ȝelwȝ flour and a long stalke, and quanne it is brokyn it droppyth mylk.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)173/16 : Lactuca siluatica is an herbe men clepe þe wyld letuse. Þis herbe haȝt lewys lyk to thystle, and it is hey and scharp, and it haȝt a flour purpul colour, and it growyȝt in feldys..and..is of þe thystles, but..mekyl more þanne þe comoun thystle.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)78/22 : As sho went into hur garthyn sho saw ane herbe þat is callid letes, and sho desyrid to eate þeron gretelie.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)246/6 : For a man þat swetyth ouermoche: Tak lyny-sede and letuse and stampe hem togeder and ley hem to þe stomake.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)170/525 : Take þe Juse of letuze and giff þe syke to drynke wt watir.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)137 : Take þe whit [vr. jus of] letuse, & ȝef þe seek to drinke.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)27/24 : In this tyme [spring] shulde..be ete..soure letuse þat men calle carlokis.
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57272 : Item, the same day payd for di. a tymbre and iij scyvys of letuse.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)22/21 : Take oure 5 essence of gold and of peerl, meynging þe 6 part of 5 essence of watir of rose, violet, borage, and letuse.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)83b/a : Drinke it wiþ þe iuys of sum cold herbe as letuse, purcelane, and oþere siche.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)244/6 : In this tyme hit is good to ette..betus [read: letus] sauage.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)73/14 : Þerynne sholde men vsyn..wylde letus þat feldmen clepyn skarioles.
- a1500(?a1450) Treat.Garden.(Trin-C O.9.38)162 : Set & sow..Herbys to make bothe sawce & sewe..Letows, calamynte, auans, & borage.
- a1500 Herb Salad in James Cat.Cai (Cai 414/631)487 : Herbes for a saled: letuse, parselan, persely, redemynt, borage.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)710/43 : Hec lactuca: letys.
- a1500 Sln.Herb List (Sln 1201)74 : Herbys necessary for a gardyn..Letuce.
- a1500 Sln.Herb List (Sln 1201)75 : Herbes for Potage..Letyse.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)17/9 : Who þat swat to moche..Take lynne-sede and lotuse and stampe hym to-gedre and bynd hit to þy stomake.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.12.8 : Þei schull eten flesche þat nyȝt..& þerf loues, with wylde letuse [WB(2): letusis of the feeld; vr. the erbe letuse; L lactucis agrestibus].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.9.12 : Doo he paske to þe lord..wiþ þerf louys & wilde letusys.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)128b/a : In þe pask..a lamb..was ete..wiþ wilde letuse & with þerf breede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6079 : Wit therf bred and letus [Frf: letous] wild, Þe quilk þat groues on þe feild.
- c1450 *Bonav.Medit.(4) (MSU 1) : Þay stode uprygth with stafes in þer handys etyng þis lambe with letwese.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)182/7,11 : Swete brede wythouten soure dowgh es necessarys, wyth letusez of the felde [L lactucis agrestibus]. God werkes..ben vndyrstonde in this brede..Sorow and biternes..in lettuse.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.62 : The lambe with wilde Letuce [gloss.: letuce of the felde] ete thay in bittere mete.