Middle English Dictionary Entry
maiden-chīld n.
Entry Info
| Forms | maiden-chīld n. |
| Etymology | OE mǣden-cild |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A girl baby, girl child; (b) a young woman.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7885 : Þeȝȝ sholldenn brinngenn lac Wiþþ child till Godess allterr, Wiþþ cnapechild, wiþþ maȝȝdennchild.
- c1330 Le Freine (Auch)53 : Wheþer a maidenchild oþer a knaue?
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.83 : Hircanus..ȝaf þe queene an hondred mayden children [Higd.(2): virgynes; L puellas], everiche wiþ a talent in hir honde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)69b/b : A maiden childe & a wenche hatte puella.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10353 : A maiden child..O þe þi wijf sal vnder-fang.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)178a/a : Þe corrosiue most be riȝte moiste & laxe as in fleschie places of ȝunge maiden childern.
- a1450 *Diseases Women(1) (Dc 37)3a : Yf hit so be þat þe sede fall in to..eny of þe vesels of þe lyfte syde, hit schall be a maydyn' schyld.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)83/1 : Tak iii droppis of þe wommannys milke..and put hem in a dishs with clene water; ȝyff þe milke flete, it is a maydenchiȝld.
- c1475 Scrope DSP Abbrev.(RwlPoet 32)305/20 : He saw a maydyncheld that men beryed.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)31 : A feyre lady..dyed of a maydyn chylde.
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2574 : Ðe knapes to deade giuen, And leten ðe mayden childre liuen.
- (1393) Will York in Sur.Soc.4186 : If ther lefe oght ouer, I will al be done..principaly to my mayden childer.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) John Bapt.(Phys-E)p.40 : He..mad this maiden child ful glad, For he broht hir..Sain Iones heuid in a disce laid.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.24.57 : Clepe we the maydyn child [Bod 959: maydechyld; WB(2): damysele; L puellam].