Middle English Dictionary Entry
acces(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | acces(se n. Also axes(se, axis, excesse. |
| Etymology | OF acces & L accessus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Any attack of illness characterized by fever, but esp. of malarial fever or ague; ~ ill, sharp ~, ague; fervent ~, hard ~, hot ~, etc.; (b) an attack of fever; esp. one of the periodic attacks of an intermittent fever; ~ of fever, ~ time; (c) a rise in bodily temperature; (d) attack or seizure of any disease; also, a periodic increase in the severity of a disease.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.210 : After al this surfet an Accesse he [Gloten] hedde, Þat he slepte Seturday and Sonenday.
- ?a1400 *Albi Reynolds 5081 Recipes (Albi Reynolds 5081)f.24r : A drynk for þe axesse : Tak of Centorye .1. handfull, of ysope ana, .. of horhoune ana, of dentlyoun ana di. li.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.601 : With sodeyn fevere folkis to confounde, To maken hem in an accesse shake.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)79b : Þe juis of tansy and of fedyrfewe y-dronke ys gode for the axes.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)43/911 : A seke mon Þat is y-schakyd and schent with þe aksis.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)6/29 : Aftyr þat sche conceyued, sche was labowrd wyth grett accessys tyl þe chyld was born.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.5677 : Thei turned hym into..A watir-lelie, which doth remedie In hote accessis.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.2693 : Surfet, dronkenesse Engendreth feueres & many gret axcesse [vr. excesse].
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)10543 : God..sent..a feruent accesse.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)136 : Vpon him he had a hote accesse, That day be day him shoke ful petously.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)232/21 : Like as a man in þe accesse is now hote and now cold [etc.].
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)31/16 : So folowith the axcesse and enpechyng of þi tonge.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)26/19,23 : Þis man had þe axis ill..þe wyfe trowed þat it had bene hur husband..shakand in þe axis.
- (?1459) Paston (Gairdner)3.146 : I was falle seek with an axez.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)97.38 (v.2:p.120) : Timon was vexid with an agu ..; as sone as Barnabe had .. red ovir hym the holi gospel .. anoon the accesse left hym.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.333 : The dwellers..be not vexede with the axes [Trev.: feuere; L febris specie], excepte the scharpe axes [Trev.: þe feuere agu; L acuta].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)20b : Calde of ye axis: frigor.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)376 : Fleessh is natural restauracioun..Ful nutritiff aftir a gret accesse [vr. sikenesse].
- a1500(a1449) Lydg.St.Petron.(Pynson)147 : Trauaylyd with feuerys and many stronge accesse.
- a1500 Play Sacr.(Dub 652)533 : The tercyan, þe quartan, or þe brynny[n]g axs.
b
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)28/56 : Tymon..in a stude he fond, Þat in a strong acces was of a feuere.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)90a/b : De ffebre cotidiana..ffurst þe colde & þer aftir þe hete, and euery day axesse; ȝit wers, for somday comeþ double axesse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)91b/b : Stondinge of here..comeþ tofore accesse of ffeueres.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)205a/b : Feueres þat haue tyme of chaungynge in accesse tyme.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)1b : He that haþe fever cotidiane, by fore þe accesse ete hache, and hit abatiþ þe accesse.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.51/14 : His Axses [L febre] encresynge, he lost the light of boith yen.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)60/20 : Syrop for þe feuer tercyane & duble tercyane..Stamp þam & drynk þam with hate water..ane houre bi-for þe axes.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)184 : Hyt ys good for þe cold feuer, & hyt be dronke by fore þe accesse.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)20/35 : Whanne he bigynneth to suffre þe accesse of þe quarteyn.
- a1500 Sln.521 Recipes (Sln 521)136/4 : For þe feuer cotidian..ȝyffe þe seke to drynke..whan þe accesse commyþe on hym.
c
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)109/5 : Ȝif..sche hawe non accesse, it betokynyth þat sche is with chylde.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)82b/a : Aȝens epilencia..drawe out þre dropes of blood..and profriþ ham..to þe pacient in þende of his accesse.
- c1410 Visit.Infirm.(1) (UC 97)451 : A man sum-tyme may not kepe pacience in sekenesse for greet accesse [vr. axes] of diuerse passions.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)38a/a : Moreouer wite þu þat spicez of obtalmiez haueþ periodez i. circuitez & accessez [L paroxismos].
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)20/10 : Þe quarteyn is gendrid of myche haboundaunce of malencolye..þerfore þe accesse of þis sijknes ben slowe.
2.
(a) The malady of lovers; also, a periodic attack of lovesickness; (b) a sudden fit of emotion; (c) an exalted state of mind, rapture; ~ of soul, ecstasy.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1315 : A charme..was sent right now to the, The which kan helen the of thyn accesse.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1578 : Every wight gan waxen for accesse A leche anon.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.33 : With louis accesse now wer thei hoot, now colde.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)273 : The were ful besy to fynd out..Of what humour was causyd his dissese, And theron werke his accesse to appese.
- c1450(c1400) ?Clanvowe Cuckoo & N.(Frf 16)39 : Al thogh I be olde..Yet haue I felt of that sekenes in May Bothe hote and colde, an accesse every day.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)229 : With hote and colde my acces ys so meynt, That now I shyuer for defaute of hete And hote as glede now sodenly I suete.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.67 : Tho began myn axis and turment To sene hir part.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)325 : When þ'acces of anguych watz hid in my sawle, Þenne I remembred me ryȝt of my rych Lorde.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 10.10 : An axcess of soule [L mentis excessus] or rauysching of spirit fel on hym; and he syȝ heuene openyd.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)131.390 (v.2:p.350) : Whan Cristys body was leftyd vp at messe, he was rauasshd into an excesse or aliuacyoun of mende, as though he had seyin Crist incarnat present to hys bodyly eye.
3.
Act of coming to, or entering, a place; entrance, approach, resort.
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.14.3 : Nether accesse [L accessum] or cummyng to to the auter.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)148a/b : Þe materie..fleumatic gendred in þe stomac..in long accesse [*Ch.(2): passynge; L accessu] to þe reynez was redy for to cause þe stone.
- (1445) Visit.Alnwick116 : Fro hense forthe ye suffre no seculere persones..to hafe any accesse or recourse to your said monastery.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)70 : Þese bodies of petir and paule biried at rome were a grete cause of accesse of pilgrimes.
- c1450 3 KCol.(2) (Add 31042)7 : The hegheste mowntayne in the Este Þat any man myghte accesse hafe vn-too.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)238/16 : Þe angyll..bade hom goo þeras was non accesse of man ne best, and be þer tyll þe day of dome.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.3342 : Of Bachus seryd wer the vynes..ther fond I no favour: A thrustlewh accesse cause of my langour..Which causith poetys syhen at mydnyght.
Note: Additional quote(s)
Note: Ed. fever
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.34ra (2.3) : 'Duoterciana,' a deutercien, þat haþ þe first daie of interpollacioun, i. of restyng betwene, os 'simplex terciana' hath, but it turmentith twise on þe þrid daie, i. it hath 2 exces on þe þrid day.
Note: Additional quot., sense 1.(b). New spelling: exces.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. access.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. axes.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. access of fever.