Middle English Dictionary Entry
licorī̆s n.
Entry Info
| Forms | licorī̆s n. Also licorise, -iz, -ice, -iȝs, -ius, -ace, -esse, licerece, lichoris, likoris(e, -ice, liquoris, -ice, liquirice, -icie & (errors) lokorys, lykhirhers, lycory. |
| Etymology | OF liquirice, licorice, licorece & L liquirītia & ML licoricia. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The dried root of the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra, used in medicine and cooking; licorice; (b) the plant itself; (c) ~ of inde, indes ~, ?the root of Indian licorice (Abrus precatorius).
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17746 : Imong þa burh-cnihtes..he gon dæle muchel canele & gingiuere & licoriz.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in a (Hrl 2253)33 : Muge he is ant mondrake..trewe triacle ytold..such licoris mai leche from Lyne to Lone.
- (1337-8) Sacrist R.Ely 278 : In j lb. de licoris empt., iij d.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3690 : But first he cheweth greyn and likorys [vrr. likorise, licorise; rime: poynt deuys] To smellen swete er he hadde kembd his heer.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2045 : And lycorys [vrr. lychorys, lycoryus, lykhirhers] and eek comyn With sugre that is trye.
- (1393) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52154/6 : Pro vj lb. lycorice ad j d., vj d.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)119 : Galyngale ne lycorys Is not so soote as hur loue is.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)220/14 : Make him a gargarism of liquiricie, yreos, & tamarisci.
- (1407) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.190 : [Richard Weston had a] bale [of] comyn, [wool], likorys.
- 1419 Liber Albus Lond.in RS 12.1224 : Kark de lycorys, xii d.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)42a : Lycorys will make moiste kyndely the grete hete of man, and ther for he is gode for þe cogh.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)196a/a : Liquoricia: Liquoris h. & moiste in 2 gre.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)187b/b : Liquirice is a temperate rote with litel moysture, and þerfore it is maturatyf.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)21/6,8 : Tak halfe an vnce of [deleted: licerece] liquorice..& do away þe barke of licorise & sythen parte thi licorise in þi gome in ij parties.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)54 : Commodytes..commynge oute of Spayne..Bene..lycorys, Syvyle oyle, and also grayne, Whyte Castell sope.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)198/632 : For narownes of the brest, take..of powdre of licoresse..of sugure candi and boile hem in a quart watir.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)226 : Pocio ad vulneratos. Tak auence, pigle, herbe robert..& seþ hem in water wyþ lycoryys vnto þe haluendele.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)54/17 : Take newe lycorys of ii or iii ȝere, growyn of þe medeleste styckys, paryd clene, and chewe hem well in þi mowth.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)68/7 : Take..peper, greynis of pariȝs, licoriȝs.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)108/11,12 : Take..of lycoris half a pownd, and breke þe lycoris with an hamur.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)167a/a : Ysope, licorice, reisyns, and oþere siche decoct wiþ zucur.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)73b : Licoryse [Monson: lycoresse]: licoricia, liquiricia.
- a1500 Gracius and gay (DubNLI D.1435)7 : Hyr feyngerys bytt long and small..Hyr mowth as sweth as lycory.
- a1500 Play Sacr.(Dub 652)95 : Spycis I hawe..In my shyppes..Gyngere, lycoresse, and cannyngale.
b
- c1330 Thrush & N.(Auch)56 : Her love is swetter ywis Þan þe braunche of licoris.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3207 : And he hymself as swete as is the roote Of licorys [vrr. licorace, lokorys] or any cetewale.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1951 : There spryngen herbes grete and smale, The licorys [vr. lykorice] and the cetewale.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6784 : Þe caneil and þe lycorys Swete flauour ȝiueþ, jwys.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1368 : Ther was eke wexyng many a spice, As clowe-gelofre and lycorice, Gyngevre and greyn de parys.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)186b/a : Þe sede of maluauiske & alkengi and liquirice and þe schelle oþer þe hose of akkornes.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)20/117 : Here is pepyr, pyan, and swete lycorys; take hem all at þi lykyng..but towche nowth þis tre þat is of Cunnyng.
c
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)21/7 : For þe dry coghe..Tak..halfe an vnce of licorice of ynde.
- a1500 Play Sacr.(Dub 652)104 : Cloueys..Long peper and Indas lycorys.