Middle English Dictionary Entry
marwe n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | marwe n.(1) Also marw, marwa, marwhe, maro(w(e & margh(e, marȝ, marogh(e, mar(o)uȝ, (early) marh & marigh, mariȝ, mari(e, marẹ̄ & mergh(e, merigh, mero(u)ȝ, mer(e)uȝ, merow(e, merewe, (early) mearh, (errors) merurh, merwȝ & meri, merrighe, (early) meari & (?errors) margthe, merȝþe, merowth, mirþe. |
| Etymology | OE; cp. WS mearg, A merg. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) Human marrow, the tissues containing fat and blood cells in the cavities of bones; (b) the spinal cord; ~ of the rigge bone(s, ~ of the bak; (c) the membranes lining the skull.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)19/30 : Oft mann smeaþ hwæþer teþ bænene beon, for þan þe ælc ban mearh hæfþ, and hy nan mearh nabbaþ.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)53/563 : Bursten hire banes & þet meari bearst ut, imenget wið þe blode.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Job 21.24 : His bowelis ben fulle of talwȝ, & þe bones of hym ben moistid with marwȝ [vr. marȝ; WB(2): merowis; vr. merowe].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.189 : As hit were al oon boon, al hool and wiþ oute marwe [vr. marouȝ; Higd.(2): maro].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)63b/a : Marogh hatte medulla in latyn, for it moistiþ þe bones.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)115a/b : Þe mary of þe boones, þe brayn of þe heed, & þe humours of þe body.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)47/19 : Þilke wounde is ful perilous..if..þe boon of þe arme..be kutt al atwo, so þat þe marie go out.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)177/2 : Þis hipe boon..is a greet boon & miche holow wiþinne, & is ful of marow.
- c1410 St.Anselm Medit.(UC 97)444 : A, thow vnprofitable synnere..whether þise þinges suffice not to þee for to drawe out of þee mergh and blood in wepynges?
- a1425 Christ.Belief (LoC 4)16/614 : Kan you tell me hou þat tendre mater þat þou was made of in þi moderes vombe, hou summe þareof hardened into bones, summe fletyd into merygh?
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)40b/a : Medulla: mariȝ in bones.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)67a/a : Inscision of grete bonez..so þat þe merowe go out is perilous.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)180a/a : Colde is enemye to bones and sinewes..þe rigge bone & þe marye.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)52/9 : A bone ful of marye.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)230/31 : The mary [*Ch.(1): medulle] forsoþe haþ lightnesse and viscosite, i. gleymyhede.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)240/18 : Colde is enemy to þe synowes, to bones, and to maries [*Ch.(1): medullez].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)326 : Mary, or marow [KC: marwhe] of a boon: Medulla.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)327 : Marowe, idem quod Mary.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)24216 : First I souke vp, for the nones, the mary closed in the bones.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.31.19a : Þis lufe filliþ ful þe miȝtes of mi sowle..as marw filleþ ful þe bon.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)10b/a : Þe anothamye of marowȝ, bonys, and gristelis.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)12b/a : Marowȝ is þe firste superfluyte of norischinge of boonys.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)30a/b : Oon boon..is holow and ful of marowȝ.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)169b/b : And woundis þat folowen greet accoun on a greet membre, wiþ effusioun of þi mirþe or brekynge of þe þiȝe boon.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)77b : Marghe: medulla.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)76/4 : Þan waxith blod and marwe and brayne and hoþer humours.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)678/36 : Medulla: margthe.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)21b/b : Out of þe brayn alle þe sinewis springith be mene of þe rigge bon, & of þe marogh of þe bones þerof.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)27a/b : He..passiþ by þe marowȝ of þe rigge bone and comeþ to þe sinewes of meuynge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)268b/a : Of þe manere mary of þe rugge boon of a deed man, a serpent is y-gendred.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)24/16 : A corde..comeþ from þe brayne eiþer from þe mucha [read: nucha], þat is, þe marie of þe rigge boones.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)12b/b : Porcioun of nucha, or of meroȝ [Ch.(2): mary] of þe backe.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)70/24 : Þe nerwȝ [read: merwȝ] of þe rigebone [L spinali medullæ].
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)41/36 : Nuka, or the marowe of þe bakke, is sprongen fro þe hyndermore partie of þe brayne..of þe whiche spryngen principaly þe movynge synowes.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)43b/a : Ech spondile is holid amydde endelongis, þoruȝ whiche holis passiþ þe Nucha from þe brayn, þe which is clepid in þat place Medulla spinalis or þe mary of þe rugge boon.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)38b/a : Þe heed semeþ hard..in bone, neþeles wiþinne he haþ moche neisschnes and marouȝ.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)116/2 : Þe brayn haþ sum substaunce of marie [L aliquam medulle substantiam], þe which fulfilliþ þe voidenes of þe forseid panniclis.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)83/33 : The fende putt the brayns of the kyng bytwyx his kneys lyke a presse, and streyned it strongly..tyll all the merowth was as thyne as the lefe of a tre.
1b.
(a) Marrow from the bones of birds or animals; (b) the substance or fluid in the body of a fly; membranes or tissues from the heart of an animal.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)116.94/2 : Nim..bettanican, & hortes smere oþþat [read: oþþe] þat marh, & ecede, tosomne.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)22/3 : Wið sina & wið cneowa liþe sare, nim leon ȝelinde & heortes merurh..meng tosomne.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.65.15 : Brent sacrifises ful of mergh [vr. merȝ; WB(2): merowȝ] I shal offren to þee with encense of weþeres.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.542 : Out of the harde bones knokke they The mary, for they caste noght awey That may go thurgh the golet softe and soote.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)200a/b : Iren schal not ruste if it is ysmered wiþ suet or wiþ marowes [L medulla] of an hert.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)162a/b : Þe fatnesse of a gander and of a duck and of ane henne..and alle maner of maries.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)453 : Take parcel and hewe smal, and pouder of pepur and maree..and if ye have no maree take of the self talgh.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)614/14 : Take..of gose grece, of dokes grece, of þe marie of a calues þyghe, [etc.].
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)625/19 : Medulla, marye, is knowen, hote and moyste, more and lesse after þe bestes of þe whiche it is taken, and þerfore it is softenynge.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)12/22 : The merghe of a gose wenge.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)16/20 : Tak þe merghe or þe grese of a horse.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)6 : Knocke owt þe marw of þe bonys, an ley þe marwe ij gobettys or iij in a dysshe.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)40 : Take..ȝolkys of Eyroun soþe hard & Marow or swette & hew alle þes to-geder smal.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)44 : Þen take merow & putte it on a straynourys ende..& parboyle it..& þan kytte it in smal pecys.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)55 : Take Marow of bonys & ley on þe cofynne.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)138/380 : Take þe mary of an hors and may butture..and enoynt the gowt.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)202 : Mery of an hors & grece of a dogge.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)210 : Tak mary of ganders whyngges.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)52/22 : Put..mary..of þe gosys wenge.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)64/7 : Take..sewet of a dere..and horsys-marow.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.16 (Hrl 2340)12 : Then kutte the grete bonys of the wynggis and with a penne draw oute the merowe.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)55 : Cutt mary in small peces and couche it in smale coffins with smale birdes.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)69a/a : Þe grese of a gandir..þe marowe of an oxe.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)100a/b : Þe marie of caluys leggis.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.OFools (LdMisc 683)37 : The mary is good; the boon doth but damage.
b
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)20 : Þe marie that þei haue aboue withe in þe hert, þe whiche haþ grete medycine for he comforteþ þe hert.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)143 : For as longe as any blood or marigh is in the flye, al she souketh it and pulleth it.
2.
(a) The kernel or meat of a nut, seed, grain, or fruit; the soft inner part of bread contained by the crust, crumb; ~ of whete, heart of wheat, fine flour; (b) the heart of a tree; also, tender growing shoots of a tree; (c) sap.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)p.187 : Kiddes wyþ þe merȝþe of swete [L medulla tritici].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.32.14 : Gootes wiþ þe merȝw [vr. margh; WB(2): the merowe; vr. merowe or tried flour] of whete.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)137b/a : He..makeþ floure, piþþe, & maroghe [L medullam] encrece in corne and greynes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218b/b : Cassia fistula is þe fruyt of a certein tree þat bereþ long seed..grete and þikke wiþoute..and þe mary wiþinne is blak and moyste and swete.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)225a/a : Þe mast of beche..is like to a note kernel, but þe rynde is more neissche; þe mary þerof is leef to muys.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)168b/b : Þe medulle, i. merowe, of grosse brede [Ch.(2): Þe pyþþe of grete brede] addeþ Lamfranc.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.477 : Thay seyn their bitter margh wol chaunge swete, Her seed in meth iij dayes yf me stepe.
- c1400 Interpol.Rolle Cant.(1) (Bod 288)36 : And geet wiþ marwȝ of wheete..to have deliit wiþ marowȝ of whete, þat is, wiþ þe body of Crist.
b
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.17.3 : A greet egle..cam to the Liban, and took the merouȝ of cedre; He drowȝ of the heiȝnes of his bouwis, or braunches.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)22 : Y shal take of the merewȝ of the heeȝ cedre, and I shal putte of the cop of his braunchis.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.11.128 : Thei drawen alle here norysschynges by here rootes..and sheden be hir maryes, hir wode, and hir bark.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)131 : Thilke thing that is ryght softe, as the marie is, that it is alwey hyd in the seete al withinne, and that it is defended fro withoute by the stedfastnesse of wode; and that the outreste bark is put..as a deffendour myghty to suffren harm.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.236 : Yf a tender tree Me kitte at footis tweyne, and thenne hit cleue Vnto the roote, and with an yron se The mary [L medullam] rased out.
c
- ?a1425 Wycl.CGosp.Luke (Cmb Kk.2.9:Hudson)21/40 : A palmtree is a tree of good merouȝ eþer sap, wel rootid and plenteuous and euere waxyng in wateres.
3.
Fig. (a) Of food: the choicest part; ~ offrendes, rich or choice offerings; the ~ of the lond (erthe), the fat of the land; (b) the core, center, heart (of sth.); inner meaning, what is most significant; quintessence; (c) ?vital energy; ?virility, sexual potency.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)65.14 : Y shal offren to þe merȝþ offrendes [L Holocausta medullata], wyþ encens of shepe, and y shall offren to þe oxen wyþ kyddes.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.45.18 : I schall ȝeue to ȝou all þe goodez of Egypte þat ȝe eten þe merghe [WB(2): merow; L medullam] of þe lond.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.18.12 : He..shal ete hem, al þe marw of oyle & of wyn & of whete.
- c1450 When the son (Frf 16)126 : The fresshe condyte rynnyng with bawme ryal, With Marwa..With mylke, with oyl, wyth watir of Rose, With muske, with amber ryal.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)52ba : I shal gyue you alle the goodes of egypte that ye may ete the mary of therthe.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Esd.prol.75 : Þe werkes deuyded, oþer thing bern in þe rynde, oþer thing þei holden in þe marwȝ.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.399 : Þe superfluyte of þe rule schulde be i-take away, and onliche þe marouȝ [vr. marȝ; Higd.(2): substantiall partes; L medullam] schulde be i-holde.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)39/32,34 : Þe maruȝ of þe tre..of þe louynge charite, whanne it wexeþ and groweþ in þe soule, þanne is þat maruȝ þe pacience.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)96/20 : Þanne þe worm of conscience freteþ þe marowȝ of þe tre, þat is þe soule, and þe vttir rynde of þe tre, þat is þe body.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)188/36 : By taastynge oonli of þe lettir þei maken manye bookis, but þei taasten not þe pith and þe mary of þe same lettre.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)212/19 : Sich pacyence is callid þe riȝt pith or marowȝ of charite.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)308/32 : Thei han incorporate þe same feiþ in þe maruȝ of her soulis.
- (1434) Misyn ML (Corp-O 236)118/28 : For of þe inhirliest mergh of our hartis sall rise þe lufe of god.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)77/3 : A crying to hys makar has raysyd & byrst vp of þe inhere marygh of his affectuus lufe.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)91 : Wene we not þe gospel to be in wordis of writingis, but in wit; not in ouer face, but in þe merowe; not in þe leuis of wordis, but in rot of resoun.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)65.14 : I sall offire till the my self, with the mergh of entere luf.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)42/20 : He made þis booke, spekand by tokyns & ensamples..techand outward by lettre philosofre..Inward he shewys to þe margh by toknys & preuyly to Alexander þe principal purpos þat he askyd hym.
c
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)1685 : A man of olde lyfe..hadde a ȝong womman to wyfe, And hys blode bygan to colde..Scho..sayed, 'My lordys merryghe hys welne gone; Now he slakys to lygge above, I wyl have another love.'
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500(?1451) Petrarch Secret.(Add 60577)7/145 : Thys laboure..ys..serchynge roote and rynde, marghe and bones [L in ossibus ipsis ac medullis], of mannys ynwardnesse.
Note: Modify gloss to sense 3.(b) to accommodate prov. phrase marwe and bones, marrow and bones, every bit [equivalent to rote and rinde; see rot(e n. (4) sense 8.(b).]
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)278/3640 : Memoratyf…has bod lytyll of merugh thyk & vaporous.
Note: New spelling
- a1486 Sln.Bk.Hawking (Sln 3488)140 : Then most thou take a siluer spone, and ley the smal ende in þe fire til hit be hote…and opon the mouthe, and bren hir there the sore is, and then annoynte it with the mary that is in a goce wynge…and she shal be hole as a fissh.
Note: Modify sense.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)40b/a : Mellitus: til þe mari.
Note: New phrase
Note: Seems to be error for medullitus 'in the marrow, to the very marrow, in the innmost part, etc.'
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.4vb (Prologue) : I haue gadrede now late for þam þat kan take it in Latyn a schorte tretice conteynyng fully þe marowe of þis faculte, and I wrote it in þe tong þat forsothe is riȝt dere to me.
Note: Additional quot., sense 3.(b).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. marrow.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 1a.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. marrow of the back.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 1a.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. marrow of the ridge bone.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 1a.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. marrow of the ridge bones.