Middle English Dictionary Entry
mēd(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | mēd(e n.(1) Also mead, meide, meode & meth(e. |
| Etymology | OE; cp. WS medu, A meodo & ON; cp. OI mjöðr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Mead; also, drink in general; also fig.; ~ maker, one who makes mead; ~ and mete, ~ ne milk (must), ~ or win, milk and ~, etc.;?~ eglintin, mead flavored with brier rose.
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)31/6 : Nim peretrum wyð mede gemengded.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6928 : Ah longe leouede here Cherin; muchel he dronk mede [Otho: meþ] and win.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)8723 : Þar he þolede mochel þorst; nas þar noþer meþ [Clg: win] ne most.
- a1350 Nou skrynkeþ (Hrl 2253)33 : Betere is hire medycyn þen eny mede or eny wyn.
- c1330 Thrush & N.(Auch)59 : Swetter is her breþ Þan ani milke oþer meþ.
- (1332) in Fransson Surn.79 : Joh. Medemaker.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)8/211 : Cristning..moʒt be do ine kende water..ine wine me ne may..Ne inne ale..Ne mede..no oþer licour Þat chaungeþ wateres kende.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Esd.8.10 : Goþ & eteþ fatte thingis & drynkeþ Meth [WB(2): wiyn maad swete with hony; L mulsum].
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2279 : The hornes ful of meeth, as was the gyse, Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifise.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.399 : Of braget, meth [L medo], and ale Is grete plente in þat vale.
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)194 : Adam..In Bitter galle his gost he dreint; A-ʒeyn þat galle God ʒaf vs mede. Wiþ swete Merci, Bitter is queynt.
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)225 : Þe feolle Iewes..Beoten a lomb..Softer þen watur vndur serk, Meode or Milk medled boþe.
- c1390 Talking LGod (Vrn)26/18 : Swettore art þou þen hony or Milk in Mouþe, Meode, Meþ, or piʒement maad wiþ spices swete.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3261 : Hir mouth was swete as bragot or the meeth, Or hoord of apples leyd in hey or heeth.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3378 : He sente hir pyment, meeth, and spiced ale And wafres pipyng hoot.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5238/25 : In pane, beer, mede, piscibus, et busca.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5239/21 : ij barellis de methe.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5243/8 : xxiiij barellis de meed.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)317b/a : Methe hatte medo oþer medus..and is drynke y-made of hony and of water.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)33b/a : Idromellum: methe.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)42b/b : Mulsa: drinke made of water or of mede.
- a1425 Rolle FLiving (Arun 507)420 : Þe whilk sight sal be mede & mete & alle delices þat ani creature mai think.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)658/25 : Hoc merum: mede.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)108a/a : Vse he mellicrate [Ch.(2): mel rosate; L mellicrato], i. meþe.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)331 : Mede, drynke: Medo, idromellum, mulsum.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.283 : Hem to stepe In meth is good, but..Miche hony myght hem harme.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)121 : Without sidir and wijn and meeth, men..myʒte lyue..lenger than thei doon now.
- a1450(c1400-25) Legat Serm.PD (Wor F.10)2/29 : Þe lusti lond of Chanaan, melke & methe wellyng.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)772 : Þou art swetter þanne mede.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4824 : Was neuir no mede ne no milke so mild vndire heuen.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)88/242 : For the cough a precious drynke..clepid mede eglyn [?read: eglentin] and also wyne of tyrie.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)226/713 : Make þan a restauratife in this manere; take..of clows, of greyns..of mead..of safron, of quybibbis..and make al thies poudre.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)29/36 : Thingis that makith the body fatte and moyste..as wyn that is dowsett, mede, and mylke.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)817 : Spised cakes and wafurs worthily withe bragot & methe, þus men..plese welle bothe gret & smalle.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)78b : Methe [Monson: Meyde]: ydromellum, hic medus, medo.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)341/111 : Luf..drofe me to the ded; luf rasid me thrug his pauste; it is swetter then med.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. mead.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. meath.