(a) A periodical public assembly for buying or selling; also, an occasion of such a gathering; beten ~, to linger or hang about at a market; crien a ~, announce the holding of a market; crien in the ~, announce (sth.) in the market, make (sth.) known publicity; sheuen in ~, appear in public, be exposed or known; fig. ~ of this world, the world; (b) clerk of the ~ [see also clerk 3. (c)]; cloth ~ [see cloth 8. (b)]; commune ~ [see also commune 4.]; corn ~ [see corn 5. (c)]; flesh ~ [see flesh 2c. (b)]; sale ~ [see sale]; etc.; (c) the privilege or right granted by the crown to a lord, religious body, or municipality to hold a market; (d) in proverbs.

(a) A place for holding markets or fairs, a market place; also, a market town; in feire and ~, ?in every place, everywhere; (b) any of the forums in Rome, such as the Forum Trajanum; ~ of Rome, the Roman Forum; ~ side, ?side toward the forum.

(a)Trading, bargaining; don ~, to engage in (one's) trading; maken ~, strike a bargain (with sb.), enter in an agreement; ~ makinge, bargaining; (b) a bargain, a transaction; (c) intercourse; maken ~, to have sexual intercourse (with sb.); (d) a situation or position.

Cpds. and combs.: (a) ~ betere (dashere, rennere), one who loiters around a market place, an idler; (b) ~ dai, the day on which market is held; (c) ~ place (stede), a market place; a market town; ~ place of Rome, the Roman Forum; ~ toun, a town that is authorized to hold a market periodically; ?also, a trading town; (d) ~ price, the price that is current for a given commodity in the market; (e) ~ wei, ?a road leading to a market place.

In surnames & place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.36].