Middle English Dictionary Entry
licǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | licǒur n. Also licoure, licor(e, licur(e, likour, likur, likor, liquour(e, liquor(e, lecour; pl. licoures, etc. & lecorus. |
| Etymology | OF licor, liquor, licur & L liquor, liquōris. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A liquid; also fig.; (b) a liquid found in, or derived from, plants or animals (as juice, sap, blood, etc.), or by mixture of or operation on these; as long as ~ is in him, as long as he has a drop of blood left; (c) liquidity.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)85/8 : Þe bere a deore licur, a deorewurðe wet as basme is, in a feble uetles..nalde ha gan ut of þrung bute ha fol were?
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)8/203 : Þe materie Wer-inne cristning may be mad..Hiȝt moȝt be do ine kende water And non oþer licour.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)62/289 : Another is, that it [baptism] be done anely in water, For nanothir licour is leuefull tharfore.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.11.34 : Lecour [altered to: al meltynge þyng; WB(2): ech fletynge thing; L omne liquens] þat shal be dronke..shal be vnclene.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21620 : Þis cros was men þan wont to se..a licure [Göt: licur] þar-of ran Þat wit beting was bot o bale.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.31 : Mars..be myn helpe..of my penne the tracys to correcte, Whyche bareyn is of aureat lycour.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3909 : Whan þat þe soote stormis of Aprille, Vn-to þe rote ful lawe gan distille His lusty licour, with many holsom schour.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)86b/a : Þan bihoueþ it for to distempere sich sharp medicynez with acete or wiþ som oþer liquour, And be þai cast in wiþ an instrument so þat þai come to alle þe profounditeez.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)82/36 : Cristis parfite lemman sche myght habyde & a choys vesell suld be, þat suld be fillyd with þe nobilest lycur of swetnes of heuynly lyfe.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)136/24 : Ȝef a man be skalt with hot lycur sodenly.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)261/32 : A pot sethyng ouer þe fyir boyleth out in swiche lycour as is þer-in; So synfull lyuerys full of lycour of lustys boylen suche synfull othes & forswerynges.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)125 : A lanterne..that myte not be qwenchid with lycoure ne with wynd.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)175 : Nor..Calliope..Gaff to my penne plente nor fuson Of hyr licovr.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)118b/b : For brennynge of oile or of watir or of brooþ or of ony oþir lijkour, R[ecipe] þat same licour þat þou were brent wiþ al.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)476/7 : In tyll owr soule distyll the suet licowre Of grace.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)743 : Vnder ys brest þe dent him com..& þat lykour þer-on schad on þe grounde.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.39 : Oure lady..dropped on his face þre dropes of precious licour of mylk [L lactei liquoris].
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.3 : Whan that Aprill..hath..bathed euery veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)316b/a : Liquour is fletynge and is ygendred by digestioun in herbes, gras, and trees, and in bodyes of bestes, and is y-wronge and y-þrust oute of medlede bodies by violence or by strengþe; and nouȝt euerich humour is cleped liquor, but oonliche þat humour þat comeþ by craft or by kynde out of herbes, trees, and of bodyes of men and of oþer bestes, as mylke and vreyne comeþ of bestes, and wyne and oyle comeþ of trees..and ale of corn..among þese liquoures some ben symple and some compouned.
- (a1400) *Barton's Urines (Sln 280)f.282r : Moysture comyþ from þe brayne & þat is þilk licoure þat man leuyþ wiþ womman .. werof w[e] biþ alle gendrid.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)27/3 : Chilum is þe licour of þe mete, whanne it goiþ out of þe stomak & þe guttes.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)13.220 : Hit lasteþ nat longe þat is lycour swete, As pees-coddes and pere-Ionettes, plomes, and chiries.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)126/26 : Men hewen the trees..& þan cometh out þerof a thikke lykour.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)87a/b : To clense with and to purge þo licours þat ben aboute hym [the ulcer].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)216 : Growndesope of any lycoure: Fex, sedimen.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)221/22 : Take þe iuce of calamynt..þe iuce of centorye..honye and..vynegre..and medyl þe lycuris to-geder.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)10/2 : As a knyght that in a battell..hopeth to hafe help of hys lorde fyghtyth as longe as only lycour ys in hym, soo stounde þu sourely and fyght.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)14b/b : Chilum is þe licour of þe mete & of þe drinke whanne þat it goiþ out of þe stomak & of þe guttis.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)2305 : Liquor is in many maners founde out of thinges that be on grounde, some by cuttynge, as terebyntyne, some withe pressing, as sider and wyne..some..by naturall workynge..as vryne, swete, milke, and also blodde.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)319a/a : Chose melk..schal haue foure qualitees: colour, odour, liquour, and sauour..þe liquour mene bitwene þikke and þinne.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)1770 : Your principall agent..I teach you to knowe be signes iiii -- By colour, sapour, odour, and liquour.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)2189 : Liquour geveth evidence to a clerke therby to fasten his elementes.
2.
(a) A drink, esp. wine; communion wine; ~ of the grape (vine); (b) sacrifice of licour(es, sacrified licour(es, sacrifiing (offeringe) of licoures, offered licoures, licoures offeringes, drink offering(s, libation(s.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2281 : To þe he drinkeþ þis licour; Þe coupe he ȝeueþ to þi tresour!
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)p.187 : Hij drunken alder-bitterest licor of þe grape.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.452 : Nay, I wol drynke licour of the vyne, And haue a ioly wenche in euery toun.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13405 : He dranc and feild gode sauur; Dranc he neuer ar sli licur [Frf: liquoure].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1521 : So long likked þise lordes þise lykores swete And gloryed on her falce goddes.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6763 : Na licour sal þai fynd to fele, Þat þair threst mught sleke and þair hertes kele.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)81a : Þe juis y-dronke with eny maner of lecour distroyeth al poyson of wormys and venym.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)128/26 : To þe which vessel [I] ȝette or pourid yn licour of my liifly graces to hem þat axen sich drynke.
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)385 : So fair and so gode that liquour ther is, That he that drank oght therof myȝt haue mekel blis.
- (1444) RParl.5.116b : All other lycours gaugeables repairyng to this Reaume.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)177/15 : Tak þe jus of þis herbe, and drynke it with ale or wyn or quat lycour þow wylt.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)3629 : Ne lycour loke he non tast to make hym dronkyn day or nyȝt.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)463/19 : Þe liquore of iij messis sho [the dove] put oute of hur throte into þe chales.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1376 : Als did sampson þe forte, kepid all licours fra his cors Þe whilk myght him dronkyn make.
- a1475 Prk.Weather & Moon in NM 58 (Brog 2.1)178 : At somtyme [lightning] brenneþe a ton ful of wyne and schedithe nat þe lycour þeryn.
- c1500 Is tell yw (Add 14997)4 : Loke here, dame, vn-loke your dur; alacke, we haue no lykur!
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.37.16 : Fyols & lytyll coppis & censours of most clene gold in þe which ben sacryfices of liquoris to ben offerd.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.15.7 : Wyne to þe sacrifice of lycour [Corp-O: licour; L libamentum] of þe þridde paart of þe same mesure he shal offre.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.29.6 : Sacrifises & brent sacrifise euerlastynge wiþ woned offred lycours.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.29.16,18,19 : Agoot for synne wiþ oute þe brent sacrifyse euerlastynge & þe sacrifise & þe sacrefied licour [WB(2): moiste offryng; L libamine] of hit..sacreficys & sacrefied licours of echone..þe offrynge of licours.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)2 Par.29.35 : Ther weren thanne many brent sacrifices..and liquours offryngis [L libamina] of brent sacrifices.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.50.16 : He straȝte out his hond in the sacrifying of likoures.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.57.6 : To them thou heeldedest out sacrifice of lykoures.
3.
(a) The water or other liquid in which something has been boiled; (b) a liquid preparation used in science or medicine; also, a magical potion; (c) a spice, condiment; a spice or unguent used for anointing a corpse.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.44 : Seeþ Capons and take the brawn and tese hem smal and do þerto, and make the licour of þis broth.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)303 : Lycure, or brothe of fysche, and oþer lyke: Liquamen.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)11 : Take þe lycowr of þe bonys an þe skyn an þe brothe þat þe Capoun was sothyn ynne.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)179/10 : Sethe it in wyn or in esyle, and tak þe licour þat lewith.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)181/28 : Tak þis herbe and sethe it in wyn, and lete hym ete þe herbe and drynke þe lecour, and he schal ben hol.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)207/21 : Take sentory and seþe yt in good stale ale..þen..aȝen..boyle yt wele..and take þe ij partis off þe lycore.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)65 : Take þe same erbys, when þey beon sodyn..and grynde hem smale in a morter, and tempre hem wyþ þe same licour a ȝeyne.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)3/21 : Let hyt seþe..and take þonne a lityl alyme..and stere hyt to-geder and let hit stond in þe licour al a day.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1199 : This Maister hath hire..enoignt And putte a liquour in hire mouth Which is to fewe clerkes couth.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.520 : This Troylus in teris gan distille, As licour out of a lambic ful faste.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)148a/a : Boile alle þes togider to þe perfeccioun of a sirupe..and put of þis licore in þe vlcus.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)804 : Sho gafe hym a glasse with a good lycour And bade..in hor mouthe caste, And þai clappe shall full clene & neuer vnclose aftur.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)32/14 : Take lytarge and make it in powdir, and do it in good eysell..and..sawndefere..and doo it in good eyseell..and þanne menge þat on with þat oþer, and they schwl turnyn into a whyt lycour..clepyd lac virginis.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)7/24 : Caste þe cals of the gold in þe brennynge watir or in wiyn..and ȝe schule haue ȝoure licour by an hundrid part bettir gilt þan ȝe had tofore wiþ þe floreyn.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)111b/a : Þou schalt waischen þi festre twies on þe day..so þat þe licour mowe go to þe grounde of þe wounde.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)2238 : No liquor so good for the complement as water of letarge, which wolde not mysse with water of azogo to make lac virginis.
c
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)83/15 : Þai war servid of a boylid cokk, & þe tone..putt þeron peper & musterd..þai mot se clefe in his fedurs all þe liquor at was putt on hym.
- c1450 *Bonav.Medit.(4) (MSU 1)83 : Mary magdalen and þies oþer marys went for to by certan lecorus [L aromata] and spyces for to make anoyntment to embawme cristis body.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)153/62 : I brynge myrre..A byttyr lycour verament, For he xal th[o]lyn byttyr dent.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)382 : Looke ye haue good mustarde þer-to, and good licoure.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)20/25 : In the fyrst howse..muste be ij maner of Instrumentes: oon, wher-in ar kepe thyne lycowres, & swete, as oyle, water, & wyne..anoþer, to kepe in bitter and thykke liquores, as mustarde, meele, and such other.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)100/26 : Rude pepill..take but þe barke, & .. sutile .. sokeþ þe liquour.
Note: Sense 1.(b) 'sap' -- here used fig., inner meaning, essence.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450(1438) GLeg.Paula (GiL28) (Eg 876) 138/133 : She toke vnnethes oyle in her mete the high festes so that one thing myght be supposed of her, that is that she dede faste fro wyne, fro licoures [L liquamine], fro fysshes, fro melke, fro hony, from eyren, of this and of other thingges that bene soffte in the taste.
Note: Editor: "licoures: liquamine LgA; 'sauces' fits the context, but is not recorded as a sense by MED.
Note: ?New sense.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. liquor.