Middle English Dictionary Entry
marking(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | marking(e ger. Also merking & (early) merkunge, mercunge. |
| Etymology | OE; cp. WS mearcung, A mercung. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Boundary between two pieces of land; limits staked out for a building.
Associated quotations
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)16/16 : Þe biscop..bæd þa þone Almihtiȝæn..þæt he ahofe þene munt bi his mercunge.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.161/8 : Þenne markyng whas i-sette by boundes i-sett by the foresaide lawfull men.
2.
(a) Cauterizing; ~ instrument, a cautery; (b) coll. marks of the wounds (in the hands of Christ at the Crucifixion); (c) figure or mark (on a dead body or animal).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)196b/b : A markyng instrument of siluer [L cauterium] kepiþ from stynkynge and comforteþ feble membres.
b
- a1300 Ancr.(Cai 234/120)45/2 : Ure lauerd, for he nalde neauer forgeten us, dude merkunge [Corp-C: mearke] of þurlunge iba twa his honden.
c
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)95 : Nigramauncers..bi figeris or markyngis vp on þe dead body of best or of man..enforciþ to geit wityng.
3.
(a) The action of marking a person with holy oil on the head at confirmation; (b) the action of making the seal of God on the faithful.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)15/415 : Þe signe his of þis sacrement [confirmation] Mid creyme þe markynge.
b
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.55 : Þe merkyng in þe foreheued bitokneþ þat soþfast cristen Man makeþ vpon hym þe croice forto shewe þat þe bileue of þe croice is in his herte.
4.
(a) The action of marking or drawing; (b) a letter of an alphabet; a character.
Associated quotations
a
- (1446) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 483 : It., for markyng of the trendyl, x s. iiij d.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prol.Kings (Bod 959)21 : Þe lamentaciownys of Jeremye & þe preyere of hym &..þe prouerbis of Salomon in þe ende..wiþ þe same abecees or markynges [vr. markyngis; WB(2): merkyngis; L incisionibus] ben nowmbrid.
5.
(a) The action of taking mental note of something, consideration; ?also, perception, understanding; (b) the power of understanding or perception.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)466 : Long avise taking and counceiling wiþ..leerned men..his owne bysy labour in longe studie wiþ experience and wiþ marking wel þe circumstaunce of þe proces..and wiþ marking of oþere placis of scripture þerwiþ..ben remedie.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)173/23 : Whanne a man gaderiþ venym forto hide it þat it be not eten..þis deede of gaderyng passiþ vpon a þing which, as to þi markyng, wolde parauenture seme yuel..and ȝit þe deede..is morali good.
b
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.2231 : I prey that heuenly kyng That he may touche yow with som preuy merkyng, That ye may knowe whiche is the very truthe.
6.
Cpds.: ~ axe, an ax used for marking trees; ~ hogge (lomb), ?a hog (lamb) given to a swineherd (shepherd) for keeping the lord's swine (sheep); ~ iren, an instrument for branding; also, a die for stamping vessels.
Associated quotations
- (1279-80) Hundred R.Tower 2745 : Johannes Palmerus..debet custodire porcos domini pro servicio suo..et debet habere j markinghog et valet xij d.
- (1345) Doc.Manor in MP 3449 : Item, liberatus Bercario pro suo Markynglomb j agnus'.
- (1403) Will York in Sur.Soc.4525 : Item, j rak pro bestiis..j handbarowe..j markyng-yrn, j d.
- (1404) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100395 : Item, j markyng ax et ij brynnyng yryns pro ovibus.
- (1422-41) Doc.in HMC Rep.9 App.138a : Unum markyng yren pro ovibus.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.1163 : Heer most be markyng yrons [L cauteres] for oure beestis.
- (1454) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99149 : ij m'kyng yrones pro vasis stanneis.
- (1459-60) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9988 : 2 m'kyngiryns pro vasis electrinis signandis.
- (1475-6) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9995 : Pro 2 m'kyngiryns pro animalibus.
7.
In surname.
Associated quotations
- (1421) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.9 : Sir Thomas Merkyngfeld sall hafe all þe arrerage of þe landes.