Middle English Dictionary Entry
lī̆nd(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | lī̆nd(e n. Also lin(e, linne- & (in surnames) liende, leinde. |
| Etymology | OE linde & lind. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
The European linden Tilia europaea, the lime tree; also, the wood of this tree.
Associated quotations
- (a1135) Doc.in Dugdale Monasticon 5121 : Per arborem quandam quæ vocatur Anglice Lind.
- a1350 In may hit murgeþ (Hrl 2253)3 : In May hit murgeþ when hit dawes..ant lef is lyht on lynde.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)503 : Platel, saucer de tilier; Dobler, saucer of lynde.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)651 : Coudre, fov, et tilier; Hesul, beche, and lynde.
- (1377) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.37 : [Since that date he has therein felled very many great trees called] lindes.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2922 : Wylow, elm, plane, assh, box, chestayn, lynde, laurer.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)38/320 : Jesu crist hire may vnbynde, As he made sonne and Mone, Blosme on brere, and lef on lynde.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)68 : Heo greiþed hire til hire gardin..Þer lyndes and lorers were lent vpon lone.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)526 : Þe leuez laucen fro þe lynde & lyȝten on þe grounde.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2176 : Þe knyȝt..Liȝtez doun luflyly & at a lynde tachez Þe rayne.
- (1410) Pat.R.Hen.IV4:224 : [Commission to Richard Isak,] sheldmaker, [to take glue, horns, hides and timber called] lynde [and other necessaries for making certain shields for the king's use.]
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1385 : Maples, asshe, ok, asp, planes longe, Fyn ew, popler, and lyndes faire.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.336 : Tymbre not thyn hous with diuerse kynde Of Treen, as asshe & birche & ook & lynde.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.1021 : Eek the blossom greet socour is Of euery tre ther swetnesse in the flour is -- Ook, fold, and birche, eek terebynt and lynde [L tilia].
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)99b : Drye tymber also & light, of asp & lynde, ffor spere schaftes & arewes.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)616/25 : Tilia: lynde.
- a1500 Play Sacr.(Dub 652)309 : Now, Jason, as jentyll as euer was the lynde, Into the forsayd parlowr preuely take thy pase.
1b.
Phrases: (a) as light as ~, as light as lef on ~, etc., as light in spirit as linden leaves set in motion by the wind; light-hearted, carefree, buoyant; also, careless; (b) swift so lef on ~, as rapid as linden leaves in motion.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)585 : Þer nas no lynde so liht as þise two leodes, whon þei blencheden a-boue and eiþer seiȝ oþer.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.1211 : Be ay of cheere as light as leef on lynde.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)1.154 : Whan it [love] haued of þis folde flesshe & blode taken, Was neuere leef vpon lynde liȝter þer-after.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3596 : Lo here Mankynde, lyter þanne lef is on lynde!
- c1450 Dice(1) (Frf 16)104 : So fers ys youre corage, Y russhen forthe as lyght as leefe on lynde.
- ?a1475 LDirige(2) (Dc 322)395 : Than were I glad and lyght as lynde To haue Parce michi, domine.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)97/368 : A, what I am light as lynde!
- a1500 RHood & M.(Cmb Ff.5.48)st.76 : Robyn was in mery Scherwode, As liȝt as lef on lynde.
b
- a1450 Pride Life (ChrC-Dub)264 : Qwher is Mirth, my messager, Swifte so lefe on lynde?
2.
A tree.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1750 : Þe wranne sat in ore linde.
- a1300 Owl & N.(Jes-O 29)242 : Bi daye þu art stare blynd, Þat þu ne syst bouh of lynd.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3065 : Þou lede him yonder er yon lind..On þat tre hinges frut ful gode.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3957 : A sertane folke was in þat soile þat Serres ere callid, And all þe lyndis in þat land with leves as wolle [L Et arbores folia vt lana habentes].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4765 : Þare fande he lindis on þat lande, þe lenthe of a spere, And þai ware frett full of frute.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5003 : [They] to þire treis comes, Þe plants of þe proud son & of þe pale mone..Þe lind of þe liȝt son louely clethid.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5038 : Ouire þe lemetis of þir lindis may no lede founde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5237 : A hidous hill..Was loken all in lange lindis like to þe cedres, Growand full of gernetts & gracious frutes.
3.
A woods or forest.
Associated quotations
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2488 : Ne miȝth hym fynde kniȝth ne grome, For he was hyd in lynde and brome.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)15747 : Þey soughte þe dales & þe playnes, Þey soughte busche & montaynes, & þorow mores & þorow lynde [Petyt: ȝorgh þe lynde]; ffond þey neuere hert ne hynde.
- ?c1450 Iff a man (Stockh 10.90)321/572 : In an harys skyn do it bynde, And lete it so lyn in feld ore lynde [Add: be wode or lynde].
4.
Phrases: (a) under a ~, under a linden; perh. also, under some other tree; (b) under (the, a) ~, under (the) grene wode ~, under (the) wode ~, under the forest trees, in the woods or forest; (c) bi wode lindes, in the forest.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2304 : And as he rod, under a linde Beside a roche..He syh wher sprong a lusty welle.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2485 : Darry hym hyd vnder a lynde, Þat Alisaunder ne miȝth hym fynde.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)9.56 : And vndir a lynde vpon a launde lenide I me a stounde.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1276 : He stod vnder a gren lynde.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)1093 : Þey hoved under a linde To se þe cours of þe hinde.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)18 : By a forest gan þey mete Wiþ a cros, stood in a strete, Be leff vndyr a lynde.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)426 : A knyght..founde þat lady..And hur sone slepyng in fere, Lyeng vndur a lynde.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)150 : Wythe schot he made hys sydys blede As he lay slepynge vndyr a lynd.
b
- ?a1300 St.Eust.(Dgb 86)20 : Þe hert..wes ounder wode linde.
- c1300 Body & S.(5) (LdMisc 108)p.41 : Nouȝ mouwe þe wilde bestes renne And lien under linde and lef.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)513 : Þai wist þe king to finde..And teld him vnder linde Þe best, hou it was boun And brouȝt.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)1205 : To pleyn vnder þe linde, Þe hert to chacen and þe hinde: Of al þinges þou schalt haue plente.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1341 : Sche syh comende under the linde A womman up an hors behinde.
- a1450 Dux Moraud (BodPoet f.2)170 : I am lordly to leykyn lyt vndyr lynd.
- c1400 I herd an harping (BodDon c.13)1 : I herd an harping on a hille, as I lay vndir lynde.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)676 : As men þat ben hungry and mow no mete fynde, And ben harde bystad vnder woode-lynde.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)702 : His bonde-men..sente out of his men..For to seke Gamelyn vnder woode-lynde.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)454 : Lugge þi selfe vndyre lynde, as þe leefe thynkes.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)13006 : Hertes lyhtenen be kynde; ek thanne is merye vnder wode lynde.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)7933 : And ye woll hym hele or elles fynde, Go seeke hym vndyr the wode lynde.
- a1475 Gawain & CC (Brog 2.1)114 : v C der dede on a lond lay Alonge vndur a lynde.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)1206 : To chase the herte and the hynde, And to pley vnder the wode lynde.
- a1500 I have grete marvell (Lin-C 133)14 : Sho..byldus hus ffer vndur a lynd.
- a1500 RHood & M.(Cmb Ff.5.48)st.10 : Þou shall beyre þin own..and I wyl beyre myne, And we well shete a peny..Vnder þe grene-wode lyne.
- a1500 RHood & M.(Cmb Ff.5.48)st.23 : Þis traytur name is Robyn Hode, Vnder þe grene-wode lynde; He robbyt me onys of a hundred pound, Hit shalle neuer out of my mynde.
- a1500 RHood & M.(Cmb Ff.5.48)st.78 : I haue done þe a gode turne..I haue brouȝt þe vnder grene-wode lyne.
c
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4734 : Þys feste day..Were offred..þre þousand hyndes, Wylde walkande by wode lyndes.
5.
Cpds. & combs.: ~ col, charcoal made from wood of the linden tree; ~ tre, the linden; ~ wode, a forest of lindens.
Associated quotations
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1178 : Þus laykez þis lorde by lynde-wodez euez.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)305 : Lyynde tre: Tilia.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)74a : A lyn tre [Monson: Linde tre]: tilia.
- ?a1500 Gunpowder in Rel.Ant.1 (Antq 101)14 : Take..half an unce of brymston and half an unce of lyndecole.
- ?a1500 Trin-C.LEDict.Suppl.(Trin-C O.5.4)569/34 : Calea: a lyndtre.
6.
(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.25].
Associated quotations
a
- (1185) in Pipe R.Soc.34238 : Robertus de la Linde.
- (1226) Lib.R.Hen.III.1 (PRO C 62)5 : Walter de la Linde.
- (1267) Select Pleas Forest in Seld.Soc.13p.cxxiv : Iohanne de la Lynde.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1018 : Ancelm' ate Lynde.
- (1299) in Sundby Dial.Wor.73 : Atte Leynde.
- (1333) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 10232 : Agnes de la Lynde.
- (1333) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 10103 : Willelmus Attelynde.
- (1372) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)85 : [William] atte Lynde.
- (1423) in Sundby Dial.Wor.73 : Lyende.
b
- (c1150) EPNSoc.17 (Not.)12 : Fossatum de Lindric.
- (1163) EPNSoc.17 (Not.)122 : Lindeby.
- (a1200) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)340 : Lindefeld.
- (1232-51) EPNSoc.17 (Not.)122 : Lindby.
- (1254) in Wallenberg PNKent201 : Lindrigge.
- (1285) EPNSoc.32 (West Riding Yks.)50 : Linneley.
- (1287) EPNSoc.17 (Not.)123 : Lyndehirst.
- (1289) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)85 : Wood of Lynde.
- (1307) in Sundby Dial.Wor.73 : Wareȝedelynde.
- (1326) EPNSoc.32 (West Riding Yks.)50 : Lyndeley.
- (1343) EPNSoc.31 (West Riding Yks.)300 : Lyndelay.
- (1365) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)486 : Lyndesselle.
- (1445) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)57 : Lynderugge.
- (1446) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)110 : Lyndehacche.