Middle English Dictionary Entry
medlẹ̄ n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | medlẹ̄ n.(2) Also medlei(e, medlai(e, medele, med(e)li, midlai, medel & mel(l)ẹ̄, mellei, mel(l)i. |
| Etymology | OF medlee, mellee, vars. of meslee. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A war, battle; also, a tournament; (b) a single combat, fight; (c) a brawl; don ~, to do (sb.) an injury; (d) a quarrel, dispute.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5576 : Þai comen to him alle To Carohaise..To help him in his medlay.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)66/32 : Efterward zuo comeþ þe þreapnynges and beginneþ þe medles and þe werres.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.311 : Of Arthure men say..Alle tymes in medle euer more first he was.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)993 : Alisaundre was in medleye And slouȝ folk in oþere cuntreye.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)644 : Quere-so-euer þys mon in melly watz stad, His þro þoȝt watz in þat.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)9011 : Then come..kyng Odemon Out of Troye with mechel ffolk..Vn-til he come to [the] Melle.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)19761 : Amonges the hethene gonnen they threst, where as they begonne a Merveyllous Melle.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)740/29 : There began a grete medle, and many knyghtys were smyttyn downe on bothe partyes.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)10405 : Perelous and sharpe was þe medle; The prese wes grete, men myght not se.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)100 : Whan the medle was be-gunne, Kay..seide, 'Go faste to oure oste, and fecche my swerde.'
b
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6522 : Þe olyfauns, in medle, And þe lyouns it wil slee; For on his snoute an horne he beres.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7383 : Her aiþer slouȝ oþeres hors; Þoo hij mosten on fote beye Disreynen her medleye.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)342 : I be-seche now..Þis melly mot be myne.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)45.763 : Thus lasted longe that ilke Melle betwene hym & Me.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)4412 : A-none thought Erle Partanope The betther he had of this medlee [vr. medele].
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)41/7 : Huanne me makeþ medles ine cherche zuo þet þer ys blod yssed.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27667 : Gain sum þai suare þair ath For to do him melle and lath.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)7194 : A baratour is yuel to be, For he makiþ ofte medle; He is aboute day and night To make contacke wiþ al his might.
d
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)505 : Wo so flites or turnes ogayne, He bygins al þe melle.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1997 : Who breketh out pylgrymage, he is forlorne, Or who so maketh ony medlaye [vrr. mydlay, medlaye] Betwene vs two.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)92/20 : Malyce of mowthe, þat is, stryif of woordys & medle dispytous of tunge.
2.
(a) Cloth made of wools dyed and mingled before being spun, and either of one color or of different shades or colors; ~ parted, medley cloth of different colors, pied cloth; (b) medley cloth of a single color.
Associated quotations
a
- (1341) Will York in Sur.Soc.44 : Lego Marotae servienti meæ unum warniamente de melle.
- (1346) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.41 : [14 cloths..six of] mellees.
- (1359) Will York in Sur.Soc.471 : Tunicam..cum capucio de melly.
- (1393) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.200 : [1 1/2 dozen and 1 1/2 yds. of] melley.
- (1409) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.300 : [145] duszeins [of narrow cloth]..[16 of russet, 5 of green, 4 of] medle.
- (1418) EEWills37/3 : A Hewk of grene and other melly parted.
- (1420) Papers Trevelyan in Camd.6718 : Unam togam russetam & aliam togam de mely.
- (1422) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.143/79 : Þe Crafte of Drapers was hoded yn white and medle parted.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57381 : Item, to Thomas a Chambre fore medeles, ij d.
- -?-(1461) Will in Som.RS 16194 : [Item, to Thomas Eyre, one gown of] Medle [furred].
b
- (1345) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.41 : [Two pieces of cloth of] appelblom medle.
- (1348) Will York in Sur.Soc.451 : Terciam robam meam de brounemelly.
- (1376) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.41 : [49 short and long cloths of]..sanguine medle..bukhorn medle, blew medle..grene tawne medle, morre medle.
- (1414) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.3 : [10 1/2 of green] medle..[8 of] blewe medle.
- (1420) Will NCountry in Sur.Soc.11629 : Domino Thome Fraunceys jupam meam longam de blewmedle..Johanni Moys jupam..de redmedle.
- (1438) EEWills111/3 : To my seruant Iohn Buelt, vj markes & i gowne of Russet medley furred with blak.
- (1447) Indent.Oxf.in RS 50.2565 : Fyrst, 1 gowne of blew medle lynyd with fryse, prys iiii s.
- (1465) Acc.Howard in RC 57294 : For makenge of a gowne of grene medele, xvj d.
3.
(a) A mixture; ?a balanced mixture; (b) connection, correlation; (c) concern, interest.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)10/10 : Þe medlynge of qualitees & þe quantitees is fer drawen from þe contrariouste of þe same elementis, & so complexioun is nyȝ brouȝt to a mele [vr. mene; L medium].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)331 : Medle, or mengynge to-gedur of dyuerse thyngys: Mixtura.
b
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)11/7 : Of þi nobilite & of þe nobilite of þi cuntre, may no medle be mad.
c
- (1463) in Bull.IHR 368 : Clerkys..to whom it apperteyneth by reason of ther offices to haue any interest, medelee, or ouersyght of sale and utteraunce of the wolles ther.
4.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1346) Feudal Aids 4113 : Thomas de Medleye.
- (?a1377) Cart.Percy in Sur.Soc.117402 : Ricardi Mellestrain.
- (?a1377) Cart.Percy in Sur.Soc.117410 : Ricardi Medlestrein.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1457-8) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103636 : Garderoba. Item computat in solucione facta Joh'i Marshall de Ebor., drapour, pro 2 pannis integris panni coloris et 16 ulnis de Redemeld empt. tam pro vestura generosorum clericorum quam laicorum erga festum Natalis D'ni infra tempus compoti.
Note: New spelling, New comb.
Note: Sense 2.(b)
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 20/32 : Make a gode medle of hem boþe togedres alwey til þy poudre be al drunken vp in þy paste.
Note: Additional quote, sense 3.(a).