Middle English Dictionary Entry

membre n.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms membre n. Also member, menbre.
Etymology OF

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) A sex organ; sg. penis; also, foreskin [quot.: c1425]; also, vagina, vulva; pl. male or female genitalia; also, testicles; (b) manli (privi, secret, shamefast, shameful, sinful) membres; ~ of man (hede, ~ of woman, carnal ~, privi ~; (c) a bodily limb or organ; a part of the body; also fig.; ~ bi ~, fro ~ to ~, limb by limb, one bodily part at a time; ~ for ~, retributive justice [quot.: PPl.B]; ~ from ~, limb from limb; broken here membres, the lame (ones), the maimed (ones); membres podagra, gout in the limbs.
Show 77 Quotations
2.
Anat. & physiol. (a) cold membres, bodily parts dominated by the quality cold [see cold adj. 7. (b)]; commune membres, homogeneous parts, alike throughout the body; compouned membres, composite or heterogeneous parts of the body [see also compouned ppl. 2. (b)]; consimile (lik, simple, universal) membres, membres ilich (simple), homogeneous parts, not divisible into dissimilar components [see also consimile, lik adj. 3. (c), & ilich adj.]; drie membres [see drie adj. 8. (f)]; fleshi ~ [see fleshi 1. (a)]; hard membres [see hard adj. 1a. (d)]; hot membres [see hot adj. 5. (f)]; inner membres, internal parts or organs; instrumental (organik) membres, membres organik, composite parts of the body which perform recognized functions [see also instrumental (b)]; louer membres, lower parts of the body; mene membres, parts intermediate in texture (e.g. nerves) between the hard (e.g. bone) and the soft (e.g. flesh, fat); moist membres, bodily parts dominated by the quality of moistness; noble (unnoble) membres, parts which are superior (inferior) in physiological status; official membres, membres official, membres of office, compound members which perform services for the body or for one of the principal members; outer membres, external parts; over membres, parts of the upper body; particular membres, compound members with particular functions; principal membres, most important organs; esp. heart, liver, brain, testes; propre (singuler) membres, bodily parts with distinctive functions; sanguine membres, bodily parts formed from the maternal blood; soft membres, soft-textured (esp. fatty or fleshy) parts; spermatik membres, bodily parts formed from the sperm; membres of limes, composite members; esp. organs [see also lim n. (1)]; (b) brethinge membres, membres respiratif, the respiratory organs [see also brethen v. (1) 1. (a)]; conteined membres, bodily parts enveloped by peripheral structures; conteining membres, bodily parts enveloping other parts [see conteinen 1. (a)]; felinge membres, membres of felinge, sensory organs; also = sensible membres [see also felen v. (1) 3. (b), felinge ger. (1) 3. (c)]; gendringe membres, membres longinge to gendringe, membres generatif, membres of generacioun, male or female reproductive organs [see also gendringe ger., generacioun la. (c), generatif (a)]; nutritif membres, membres nutritif, membres of fedinge, nutritive organs, organs whose function is to nourish the body [see also feden 7. (e) & feding ger. 1. (a)]; radical membres, members fundamental to life; sensible (unsensible) membres, bodily parts able (unable) to receive feeling; spiritual membres, ?respiratory organs; urininge membres, membres of the urine, urinary organs; membres of kinde, organs which produce venous blood, i.e. the prime source of nutriment [see also kinde n. 3. (c)]; membres of lif, vital members [see also lif 1d. (b)].
Show 44 Quotations
3.
Pl. (a) The body; al neue membres, a resurrected body; of membres and cors (of face), in physical appearance; spillen membres, to debauch (oneself), ruin (one's) health; (b) theol. carnal human nature, the flesh; bouen membres, to mortify (one's) flesh.
Show 16 Quotations
4.
Law lif and ~, death and maiming as penalties; los of ~, maiming, mutilation; of deth or of membres, involving capital punishment or maiming; lesen lif or ~, to be put to death or maimed; manacen of lif or of ~, threaten (sb.) with death or mutilation.
Show 5 Quotations
5.
In (Pauline) theological and devotional discourse: (a) a Christian; member of the body of Christ, one of the body of believers; member of the Church; membres ech of other, membres of ~, membres..of an other, membres togeder, fellow Christians; membres of (Jesu) Crist, membres of his (this) bodi, Christians; (b) a sinner, diabolical one; the devil ~, membres of the fiend (of wikkednesse).
Show 22 Quotations
6.
A component or part of something; a dimension or feature of happiness or of the soul; cell of an abbey; sub-division of a city or of a guild; bi membres, into sections, into constituent elements; membres and appurtenaunces, rights, possessions, or prerogatives attached to something; also, of a person: constituent or official member of a court or of Parliament.
Show 23 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • c1475 Abbrev.Trip.SSecr.(UC 85)360/25 : Suche wyne…ledith the meite to alle mambres…and restorith the brayn, and reioysith the hert.
    • Note: New spelling

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. privy member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. secret member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. shamefast member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. cold member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. common member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. compound member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. consimile member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. dry member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. fleshy member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. hard member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. hot member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. inner member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. instrumental member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. like member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. mean member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. member of limb.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. member of office.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. moist member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. noble member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. official member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. organic member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. over members (pl.).

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. particular member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. principal member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. principal members (pl.).

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. proper member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. sanguine member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. simple member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. singular member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. soft member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. spermatic member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. universal member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. unnoble member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. ylike member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. breathing member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. contained member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. containing member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. feeling member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. member of feeding.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. member of generation.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. member of kind.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. members of life (pl.).

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. members of the life (pl.).

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. nutritive member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. radical members (pl.).

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. sensible member.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. spiritual members (pl.).

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. unsensible member.

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