Middle English Dictionary Entry
asse n.
Entry Info
| Forms | asse n. Also as. Pl. assen, -es. |
| Etymology | OE assa, -an. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The domesticated ass or donkey; (b) specif., a male ass; (c) in prov. sayings: dul as ~; liven as ~; lik ~ to the harpe, uncomprehending, unappreciative; etc.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)89 : [Jesus] sende after þe alre unwurþeste wig one to riden, and þat is asse.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)195 : Fif hundred assen.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)8a : As oxe..oðer asse.
- a1275 Serm.St.Nich.(Trin-C B.14.39)65/60 : He is to þe nasse iliche: þe asse is preked corn to geten [etc.].
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)362 : Me þuncheþ bi ȝoure assen þat corn ȝe wolde begge.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2821 : He..demden him to binden faste Vp-on an asse.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3949 : Vp-on hise asse his sadel he dede.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8337 : Hii ete Hor hors..& assen [vr. hassen, B: asses].
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)141 : Ase deþ þe asse of þe melle, þet ase bleþeliche berþ..lyad ase þet corn.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.285 : Oxen, asses [vrr. asshen, assen], hors, and houndes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.954 : Ouyde..Seyde, Mida hadde..vpon his heed two asses eres, The whiche vice he hidde as he best myghte.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)265b/b : The asse hatte asinus and haþ þat name of sedendo, sittynge, as it were a beste to sitte vpon..and is a symple beste and a slowe, and was þerfore soone ouercome and subiet to mannes seruice.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1073 : Wit þe chafte ban of a ded has [vr. asse]..slan he was.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1086 : Þe ox and þe asse..knewe hym..for Kyng of nature.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1042 : For if a peyntour wolde peynte a pyk With asses feet..so nere it but a jape.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.66 : Þat heþene men..shal bere to þe ende of þe world þe wiȝte of þe olde lawe, as foli [vr. folt] assis beren chargis.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)165/31 : The riche men drynken mylk of mares..or of asses.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)6519 : Fyfftene hundryd asse [vrr. asses, assen] Bar wyn and oyle.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)450/14 : Þe abbot..sent hym vnto þe markett to sell assis of þe abbay at was olde.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)510/16 : A man had ane ass, & he rade hur & a little son..folowid hym on fute.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)101 : I am on of asses the whyche my fader boughte in the feyre: ego sum unus inter asinos [etc.].
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)292b/b : Þe mare and þe asse desiren neuere to gendre to gidres, but þay ben togidres in ȝouþe and souke togidres while þey ben coltes.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.897 : The mare yf thasse eschewe, on his female As tempte hym first.
c
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3715 : Mannkinn þatt wass stunnt & dill & skillæs swa summ asse.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)671 : He is slouȝ ase þe Asse.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2248 : For al schal deie and al schal passe, Als wel a Leoun as an asse.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.731 : Or artow lik an asse to the harpe, That hereth sown..But in his mynde of that no melodie?
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.3 : Felistow..thise thynges, and entren thei aught in thy corage? Artow like an asse to the harpe?
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.3.132 : Yf he be slow and astonyd and lache, he lyveth as an asse.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.52 : Dulle as an asse.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)83 : He that seyth nay, in wytte is lyche an asse.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)2304 : As the Asse vyle and Contagious.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)97 : Þe oxe knowiþ his weldar, and þe as þe crib of his lord.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)275 : To heeryn a wisdam thyn eris ben half deeff, Lik an asse that listeth on a harpe.
- a1500 When nettuls (BodPoet e.1)p.269 : Whan swyn be conyng in al poyntes of musyke, And asses be docturs of euery scyens.
2.
Combs. & cpds.: (a) he-asse, staloun ~; she-asse, moder ~; (b) asse colt, ~ fole; ~ mare; (c) asse bak, ~ cheke, etc., back, jaw bone, etc., of an ass [gen. phrases, later cpds.]; (d) asse cribbe, ~ maunger, ~ stal; (e) asse-herde, -hirde, as-hard, as-man, donkey driver, hostler.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.21.2 : Ȝe shal fynde a she asse [WB(2): an asse] tyed, and a colt with hir.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14969 : A moder ass yee sal þar find.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.45.23 : Ten hee assis..and as feele she assis [WB(2): male assis..femal assis].
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.911,919 : A staloun asse ybolked, brawny, sadde..a she asse, oon yer olde.
b
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)5 : Hu hure drihten set uppen ða assa fole.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)58 : Sittyng vp-on an asse-mere.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)65 : Oure lord..þe assecolt by-strod.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)292b/b : Hirdes..setten here coltes to souke asses..and asse coltes to souke mares.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14963 : Þar sal yee find an ass beist [Frf: asse beste].
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.66 : Þi kyng comeþ to þee, homely, sittynge upon asse and upon þe asse fole.
c
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)15/27 : Nim þanne niwe assan tord and wrynge hit.
- a1275 Louerd asse þu ard (Trin-C B.14.39)86 : Wid one asse chehec bone he smet hine to grunde.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3228 : Sampson..hadde no wepne but an asses cheke.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.133 : Þis pope Benet after his deth appered to a man..wiþ an asse tayle and a beres heved.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)36b/b : Somme [insane] weneþ þat þey haue..asse hedis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)266a/a : Asse mylk and asse blood helpeþ aȝeins þe bytynge of a scorpioun & men seiþ þat if a man seiþ in an asse eere þat he is y smyte wiþ a scorpioun, anon þe malice passeþ. Also alle venymous þinges fleeþ smoke of þe asse lyuoure..Asse bones y pouned and y brused & y sode helpeþ aȝeins venym.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)319b/b : Asse mylk is temperat and norisching.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7171 : Thoru chance he fand an assban [Frf: asse ban].
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.11 : Þe samaritan..Barfote on an asse bakke..cam pryke.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)251/26 : Þe kyng of Heuen..mekely rod on a sympyll asse-backe.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.86 : Some mene seyne þat he is founde in a asse hede, for þis ston elitropia makeþ þe asse blynd.
- c1500 Stations Jerus.(Ashm 61)823 : There be þe stepys of þe asse fete, There Jhesu onne hys asse lepe.
d
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3711 : Jesu Crist Wass leȝȝd inn asse cribbe.
- (c1390) Chart.Abbey HG (LdMisc 210)352 : Þanne was he..leyde in an asse maunger on a litil heiȝe.
- a1500 As holy kyrke makys (Adv 19.3.1)27 : A sterne forth ladde þeis kyngis all, Inquirentes Dominum Lyyng in a nasse stall.
e
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)2b/b : Agaso: an asse herde.
- c1470(?1458) Wey Prevision (Bod 565)7 : When ye schal take yowre asse at port Jaffe..ye most yeve yowre asman curtesy, a grot other a grosset of Venyse.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)5b : An Assehirde: Agaso.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)687 : Hic asinarius: a nashard.
3.
(a) The wild ass or onager; feld ~, wild ~; (b) asse of Inde, see quot.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)543 : Onager: wilde assa.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)103.12 : Þe wilde asses shul abiden in her þrest.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3406 : With asses [WBible(1) Dan. 5.21: feeld assis; WB(2): wielde assis; L onagris] was his habitacioun.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)176a/b : Þerefore hismael was yclepede Onager, a wylde Asse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)294a/a : Onager is a wilde asse..and suche asses ben grete & wilde in affrica and vntamed, and goþ aboute in desert place; and eueriche of hem ledeþ a company of femels.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1676 : Wyth wroþe wolfes to won and wyth wylde asses.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.905 : A male ek of an hors and of an asse Is had, and of a wilde asse [L onagro] and a mare. But gentiler in kynde neuer nasse Than of the mare and asse yfourmed are.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)5b : An Asse menged with mans kind: onocentaurus.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)260a/b : Oon beste þat is an asse of ynde..haþ but oon horne in þe foreheed and oon houe in þe foot, as an hors.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)266b/a : Eueryche beste þat haþ tweye hornes is clouefooted, & þerfore þis asse Indicus haþ but oon horn, for he is nouȝt clouefooted.
4.
(a) A stupid person; dullard, blockhead; ~ hed; (b) ~ argument, a fool's reasoning.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450 When the son (Frf 16)232 : Elycona..ys go ffro me, dulle asse, and wol not abyde.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)14118 : For I [Pride] holde ech man an Asse, Saue I, wych..Am worthy to haue the prys allone.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)57 : Wan an vndiscret is maad bischop in þe kirk, þan is an hornid asse born þer in.
- a1500(a1471) Ashby APP (Cmb Mm.4.42)564 : Thaugh he were an asse hede or a dulle mule, He myght not lyve wildly at his pleasance.
- c1500 Goodman fool (Cmb Kk.6.18)1 : Goodman, fool, ass, lovte, That tearest a Book..That dooth displease thee.
b
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.345 : Þanne mai we telle scorne by sich asse argumentis.
5.
A catapult or onager.
Associated quotations
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)99b : Grettere [stones] for þe cast of þe wylde asse [vr. asshe; L onagros] þat we clepe an engyne.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)110a : Þe springolus & arblastes..& also þe grete engyne þat is cleped þe wylde asse, þese ben þe beste and þe sykereste gynnes þat mowe ben ordeyned to defence of a citee or elles to wynne with a citee.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475(c1450) ?Scrope Mirror World (Bod 283)2011 : Ne thowe wilt not seye on oryson to hym? Ȝif thowe seye ought whan þou seyst thy pater noster, thow sellist hym [God] the asse whan thowe seiest it
Note: Ed. note: "'sellist hym the asse': i.e.: treat him like a fool or hold in contempt. Figurative usage of MED asse (n.) not currently recorded, though recorded under OED ass n. sense 1c." Editor would place this use under sense 4., though it is doubtful whether 'ass' in this expression really denotes 'a stupid person'; perh. better under sense 1.(c); in either case, add phrase sellen the ~, to treat (sb.) like a fool or hold in contempt.