Middle English Dictionary Entry
marǧin(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | marǧin(e n. Also mergin(e, margeine & marjant, (?pl.) margeaunce. |
| Etymology | L & OF. Last two forms, cp. MnE margent. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The edge or rim of an object; edge of a garment or cloth; the end of a bodily organ, border or edge of a wound, etc.; (b) the shore of a sea or lake, bank; (c) the margin of a page or column in a book, document, etc.; lepen in ~ [see lepen 9. (b)]; (d) a space before a room or chamber.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.25.24 : Þou schalt make to it by enuyroun a golden mergyn [WB(2): brynke; L labium].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.28.24 : Þou schalt ioyne þe golden cheynes to þe ringis þat ben in þe mergyns [WB(2): brynkis; L marginibus] of it [the breast piece].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)77b/b : Al þe 4 marginez [Ch.(2): margenes] of þe 2 lippez [of cut] be sewed togider with o poynt & o knot.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)94a/b : Þai [humors] replete þo veynez þat ar in þe margyn [Ch.(2): side or bordours; L margine] of þe towel.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)102b/a : Dislocaciounz in which ar broke þe margynez [Ch.(2): bordoures] of continuite of þe bones ar werst.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)129a/b : Superflue herez ar bred in þe inward margine [Ch.(2): coste] of þe palpebrez þe eye prickyng & hurtyng.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)65a/b : In euerie man and beste þer is but one gutte continuel and vndeparted þoruȝ oute, hauynge his begynnynge off þe lower orifice of þe stomake, and it is ended in þe mergine of þe Ers.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)116b/b : Lifte uppe with þi fyngers þe sides of þe brekinge wiþoute & wiþin & sustene boþe þe margines with þine hondes wiþoute and make euen þe margines.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)178b/b : Þe same medicyne..corrodes þe margynes of þe skynne.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)326 : Margyne, or brynke: Margo.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)1.21.9 : The names of the sterres ben writen in the margyn of the riet.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.501b : That then a seale of Lede..to be..put and hynge in the utter partie of the mergyne of the same Cloth.
b
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20588 : Ne alle þe water ouerflues and rinnes Mai neuer ouercouer þe margines.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)7/12 : Solinus seithe þat þe margyne & þe brynk of the see past Fraunce shulde be þe ende of the worlde.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.41 : I schal hiȝte þe margyns [Higd.(2): mariantes; L columnarum margines] by þe hedes of the stories.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)174b/b : Loke in þe nexte pagyn in þe eende of þe mergyne [Tol: margyn].
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)8.20 : Marchauntis in þe margyn [vr. margeyne] hadde manye ȝeris.
- c1432 Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 (Cmb Dd.14.2)453 : Þe wuch' Abbot & chanon..had resceyuyd certeyn dedys, scrytis, menementis, conteynyng in a fforsere, as in þis book is wryte in þe iiij xj y marked in þe margyn above.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)1346 : Many a pryue poyse is preyntid withynne Yn bokes..Of vice and of vertue fulle to þe margyn.
- (1455) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15148 : Item, seventeen quayers wrytten, begynyng 'Dominica prima Adventus Domini', etc., and endeth of the service of the Tuesday yn the Estur weke on one legend with the words: 'Extitit hoc' in the margyne of the which quayers with more.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)89/15 : Whanne a leef is opened, a man maye see what is in the mergyne.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)19 : Woll is bowght and sold be this maner of weyghtes wrytyn here in the margeaunce, that ys to sey, by the pownd weyght, [etc.].
- 1558(a1456) Shirley TContents(2) (Add 29729)60 : Ther bene..deuocyons and dyuers medytacions sayde bothe by lordes and by clerkes..yt I haue wryt in this margyn.
d
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Ezek.40.12 : He metid..the margyne [L marginem], or vttemest part, bifore the chaumbris of oo cubit.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Mantic Alph.(1) (Trin-C O.1.13)480 : Take a sawter..and make a crosse with thy thumbe vpon þi margyn abouyn..and thenne opyn þe sawter.
Note: Apparently, the top edge of a closed book.
Note: Variant of sense (a), which it postdates.