Middle English Dictionary Entry
lilīe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | lilīe n. Also lili, lilẹ̄, lilei, lilli(e, lillẹ̄, lē̆li(e, lelia, lelẹ̄. Pl. lilies, liles, etc. & lilīe, liliuus, lilion & (early) lilian. |
| Etymology | OE lilie, from L. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
The plant of the Madonna lily (Lilium candidum); also, its white flower; -- a symbol of virginity; whit ~, whit as (ani) ~.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)17/196 : He biseh & biheold hire lufsume leor, lilies ilicnesse, & rudi ase rose.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1423 : Mit se swiðe lufsume leores ha leien, se rudie & se reade ilitet eauereuch leor as lilie ileid to rose.
- a1250 Cristes milde moder (Nero A.14)53 : Heo beoð so read so rose, so hwit so þe lilie.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)148 : Mani feir bour, Whit so eni lilie, briȝt so eni flour.
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)80 : Þer beþ rosis of rede ble And lilie likful forto se.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.520 : Þan seiȝe he an ermine com of his mouþe, Als swift als winde þat bloweþ on clouþe, As white as lilii on lake.
- c1330(?c1300) St.Patr.Purg.(1) (Auch)p.108 : Fair were her erbers wiþ floures, rose and lili diuers colours.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)230/6 : Maydenhod..is anlikned to þe lylye, þet is wel uayr and huyt.
- a1350(a1325) SLeg.Cec.(Ashm 43)76/70,77 : To gerlans he huld an honde, Of rosen & of lylion [Ld: lilie] suote..Þe lilie tokeneþ ȝoure maidenhod, þat is so wit & suote.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.220 : This aungel hadde of roses and of lilie Corones two.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2178 : Vpon his hand he bar..An egle tame, as any lilie whyt.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)563 : He seiȝ a whit kniht comynge him a-ȝeines, boþe Armure and hors, al as þe lilye.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)231b/b : The lilye is an herbe wiþ a white flour.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)232a/a : Þe lilye is next to þe rose in worþinesse and nobilite..of þe roote þerof spryngeþ a stalk of þre cubite longe, & in þe coppe of þe stalk hongeþ a flour dounward þat is narow by þe stalke and waxeþ in brede wyddere y-schape as a belle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)232a/a : Þe roote of þe lilie haþ many cloues as the roote of garleke..þe stalk of þe lily haþ many knottis.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1579 : Medea with hir rosene hewe And with freschenes of þe lyle white.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3922 : Sche..whilom was frescher for to sene Þan þe lillye on his stalke grene.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1015 : As whyt as lylye [F blanche comme flor de lis] or rose in rys, Hir face gentyl and tretys.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)203/35 : Of lille, of rose..Of al þe flours..Ȝet Floure of Iesse ȝet bers þe prys.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)162 : I was reddere in rode þan rose in þe rayne, My lyre als the lely [Dc: lele], lufely to syghte.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)167/15 : Lylium is an herbe þat men clepe lilie [vr. lyley].
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)p.93 : Aftir þe gentil and goldene roses riȝtfullich shal folowe next þe lilueryn [read: silueryn; L argentea] liliuus [vrr. lilie, lelyis, lely, lylyes]..And in many causes the lelie is also profitable to man as þe rosis for medycynes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3902 : Leons quyte as lylly lent þam agayn.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)968/8 : Also the dry tre and the whyght lylyes..the two whyght floures signifieth two maydyns.
- (1478-80) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.32156 : Item, for bricche and lylies at mydsomer, ij d.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)187/4 : The body of hire was like in sauowre to the flowres of a lyllie.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)391/145 : Youre rud that was so red, youre lyre the lylly lyke, Then shall be wan as led.
1b.
(a) Any of a class of plants including: the Madonna lily, other species of the genus Lilium, certain species of the genus Iris, plants mentioned in the Bible; ~ celestie, some kind of lily or iris; ~ of the feld, feld ~, some uncultivated plant; water ~, wode ~, q.v.; (b) a symbolic plant with a flower having five petals.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Hrl.978 Vocab.(Hrl 978)557/4 : Argentea, i. argentine, i. lilie.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)SSol.5.13 : Lippis as lilies [Dc 369(1): his lippis droppende the first myrre].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.6.28 : Beholde ȝe the lilies of the feelde [L lilia agri], how thei wexen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)231b/b : Som lilye is wilde and som is tame and som bereþ purpre flour oþer ȝolow and some bereþ a white flour..and som bereþ a ȝolow flour of [read: or] pupure..þe colour þerof is treble: white, reed, & purpure.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)200/25 : Take þe leues of lilie celestie [L lilij celestis] & grynde hem wel and þanne leye it vpon þe lyme.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)196a/a : Lilium aquaticum, watir lilie.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)187b/a : Lilye is an herbe hauinge many spices.
- ?c1450 Iff a man (Stockh 10.90)319/497 : Fowre maner of liliis, þer ben..Þe ton is meche..Þat is most of verteu to man and kende..And it it whyth as ony mylk.
- ?c1450 Iff a man (Stockh 10.90)320/515,517,519,520 : Þe toþer lilie in somer-tyde In grene londys and wodys wyde Is wode-lilie with flowres fele, Blo purpre-flowres, no leef on stele..Þe fowrte spyce of lilie..is callyd lilie of feld [Add: þe felde lely] i-wys. Hys wyse is ȝelw lyk safroun.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)3479 : And off the feld the lyllyes ffayre..ther Rychesse I do repare.
b
- a1275 Ful feir flour (Trin-C B.14.39)1 : Ful feir flour is þe lilie; wid fif leuis hire sal hulie.
- a1500 Tan.Mir.Virg.(Tan 407)375/20,21 : Þer grewe a lylye on his graue ful gay and ful grene, And fyue ful fayr levys had þat lelya, And on euery leef was wretyn Aue maria.
1c.
A part of the plant of the Madonna lily (also perh. of other plants) used medicinally; oile of lilie(s, a medicament made of flowers of the Madonna lily heated in olive oil; rot of ~, etc. [cp. certain quots. for ~ lef and ~ rot in sense 3.].
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)91.47/1 : Wyð næ[dran] slite, ȝe[nim] þeos wyrt þe we lilium nemdun.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)200/31 : Þou schalt make þe lyme neische wiþ oile of lilie [L oleo de lilio].
- a1400 Recipe MS Hal.in Rel.Ant.1 (Hal 335)53 : A gude oynment..tak bugle, senygle, avance, violete, ache, waybrede, lylly, henbane, [etc.].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)168b/a : Maner forsoþ of vsyng of þise attractiuez is þat þe perticule be softely anoynted by þe fire with oile of lilie.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)131b/a : And ȝif þe empostume cumme of colde, enointe þe place wiþ oile of lilyes oþer wiþ oile of spikenarde.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)44b/b : In þe colature seþe þe rootes of lilye and of merschemalue and of þe wylde nepe.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)22/13 : For to do away frekles. Tak þe rute of loueache & þe rute of lely & sethe þam to-gedir in water & stampe þe rutes & anoynte thi face.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)217/23 : For all maner postemus. Take þe rote of lyly and þe rote of holy-hocke, [etc.].
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)240/771 : To rype bocches, stamp the lelye with fresshe grese, or seth it in oyle, and lay it apon the boch.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)116/2 : Take calamynte, herbe jon..lewis of lorer, and flowrys of lyle.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)81a/b : Þis emplastre schal be temperid wiþ oile of Camomille or oile of lilie.
1d.
(a) A representation of the flower of the Madonna lily, perh. also of the fleur-de-lis; (b) the heraldic fleur-de-lis; fig. France.
Associated quotations
a
- (1459) Paston (Gairdner)3.177 : Item, j pellow of silk the growund white wyth lyllys of blewe.
- (1464) Paston (Gairdner)4.99 : Item, one box of silver and gilt for the sacrement, with a crosse in the heyght, and chased with liliis..Item, an image off Our Lady, gilthe, with a crowne and a lely.
- (1472) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum3 : Item, j white Vestment of Bustyan with iij for our Lady and j with Lylyes.
b
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)34/3 : Both þe lely and þe lipard suld geder on a grene.
2.
Fig. (a) A person of great fairness or purity; a fair lady, the Virgin Mary, Christ, etc.; hevenes ~, Saint Cecilia; ~ of the (alle, gret) valeies, the prefigured Christ; (b) as a symbol of chastity: ~ of maidenhod (virginite), ~ of purite; (c) the whiteness of a lily.
Associated quotations
a
- a1275 Glade us maiden (Trin-C B.14.39)6 : Glade us maiden, moder milde..lilie of chastete.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)51 : Heo is lilie of largesse, heo is paruenke of prouesse.
- a1350 Most i ryden (Hrl 2253)10 : Þe lylie lossum is ant long, wiþ riche rose and rode among.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.87 : First wolde I yow the name of Seinte Cecilie..It is to seyn in Englissh heuenes lilie.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))SSol.2.1,2 : The vois of Crist, of hym and of the Chirche. I the flour of the feeld, and the lilie of aleyes [vr. lilie of alle valeys; WB(2): lilye of grete valeis; L lilium convallium]. As a lilie among thornes, so my leef among doȝtres.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (LdMisc 210)11/13 : In þe secunde chapitele of þis bok, Gods Sone..syngeþ his song: 'I floure of þe feld', þat is most rede, brennynge in charite. 'I lylye of þe valeys', þat is most white, chast loue, and most smel ȝeueþ.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (LdMisc 210)11/21 : 'And as I, lilie wexyng and smellynge swote among þornes', þat is, among synful men, prickynge with here synnes, drof out of hem deuels and helede hem of here synnes: 'so my special schal do amonge douȝters'.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1671 : Ladys in lond, louely & lyt, lykynge lelys, ȝe be my leche.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)217/520 : [To Jesus] Hayll! lylly lufsome lemyd with lyght.
- a1500 Heil be þou marie þe (Dub 516)7 : Haile! wit and welle of al visdom, Haile! loueli lely þat syne exilid.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)233/1 : Þise zix leues beuore yzed uayreþ moche þe lylye of maydenhod.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4379 : Somme [woman]..With þe lillye of virginite And violettis of parfit chastite Ascendid ben a-boue þe sterris clere.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)97/10 : Þanne schal þe wrecchid sensualyte be repreuyd wiþ hise vnclennessis, byholdynge his nature; þat is to seye, biholdynge þe humanyte of Crist ioyned wiþ þe lilye of purite of my godheed.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)257/33 : Þes sixe leues to-fore seid maken wondre fayre þe lilie of virginite.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1962 : Hir hewe chaungeth in-to a goodly red..And þouȝ þe rose stoundemele gan pase, Ȝit þe lillie abideth in his place.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4128 : Hir freshe rosen hewe, Whilom y-meint with white lilies newe.
3.
In cpds. & combs.: ~ bulb, the bulb of the Madonna lily; ~ crop, the top of the plant of the Madonna lily; ~ flour, q.v.; ~ lef, a leaf of the plant of the Madonna lily, or a petal of its flower; also, a representation of such a petal; ~ ler, fair cheeks or complexion; also, a fair maiden; ~ lik, like the flower of the Madonna lily; ~ pot, a representation of a flowerpot with lilies; ~ rot, the bulb of the Madonna lily; perh. also, the rhizome of an iris; ~ stalk, the stalk of the Madonna lily; ~ whit, q.v.
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)92.47/2 : Wið ȝewel, nim lilian leaf.
- a1350 In may hit murgeþ (Hrl 2253)46 : Ah wolde lylie-leor in lyn yhere leuely lores myn, wiþ selþe we weren sahte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4678 : The lilie croppes on and on, Wher that thei weren sprongen oute, He smot of.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)231b/b : Plinius seiþ þat þe lilye roote makeþ þe flour þerof worþy..for þe roote þerof y-dronke wiþ wyne heleþ bytyng of serpentes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)232a/b : Þe lilye stalk wiþ floures newe y-kutte, y-putte in a clotte of clay, kepith þe floures freisshe long tyme.
- (1423) Will York in Sur.Soc.4405 : Datur..j lectus de blodio cum lillepotts.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)2510 : Þe mayden with lely lire In hyr smok was bunden fast.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)119a/a : Take lilie rote, linesed ana; boile hem in wyne to þat þei be dissolued.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)8045 : Off riche scarlet were bothe here champes, Poudred ful of golden lampes, With lilye-leues and fflour-delys.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)119b/a : After the enoyntynge laye þeron a clote leef or a lilye leef.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)54/19 : Tak matefelon & þe floures of marygoldes & morelle & lely rutes.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.538 : Now lilly bulbes sowe or sette.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)639 : And his body so lylye-lyk ffor smarte strokes wex and syk.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)p.93 : A plastre made of lelie levys soden heliþ þe sides þat ben drawe to-gidre and nessheþ hem.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)p.94 : Men seyn þat lelye rotes soden in wyn and drunken purgeþ evel blode in þe wombe.
- (1466) Rec.St.Stephen in Archaeol.5042 : Item, mytir of lynnyn clothe set with stonys of glasse and ij bosys syluer ouer gyldyd with a lylly pote in euery of them of syluer not gyldyd.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)100b/a : Leye þerto oynouns and lilie rotis wiþ ȝelkis of eyren.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)56/20 : Take a pound..of lyly leuys.
4.
In surnames and place name.
Associated quotations
- (1199) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.1021 : Henricus Liliesblosme.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1246 : Hugo Lily.
- (1301) Valuat.Dartford in Archaeol.Cant.9297 : Ralph Lile.
- (1333) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 1091 : Adam Lylie.
- (1388) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)5.49 : [A parcel of meadow called] Lyllemilledam.
- -?-(1390) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9688 : Willelmus Lilly, chapman.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1473) Will Uvedale in SAC 3160 : Lego Roberto filio meo..unum ciphum argenteum et coopertum vocatum le Lilly.
- (1487) Will Uvedale in SAC 3167 : Item..a cuppe of silver with a coveryng chasid called the Lille.
Note: Is the description slightly elided? "..a silver cup and cover [?in the form of a flower] called 'lily'"; or is the cup itself (or its cover) called 'Lily'? The same description and name (presumably of the same cup) occurs in the will of Elizabeth, as shown.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. oil of lily/lilies.