Middle English Dictionary Entry
mē̆r(e-min n.
Entry Info
| Forms | mē̆r(e-min n. Also (early) mereman. Pl. mē̆rminnes, etc. & (early) mē̆rminnen, mē̆reminne, meareminnes. |
| Etymology | OE mere-men, -men(n)en; prob. also *mere-min; cp. MDu. meer-minne, OHG meri-min, mere-manni. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1322 : Þa comen heo to þan bunnen þa Hercules makede..Þer heo funden þe merminnen [Otho: mereminnes] þat beoð deor of muchele ginnen; wifmen hit þunchet fuliwis, bi-neoðe þon gurdle hit þuncheð fisc.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1337 : Brutus iherde siggen..of þan ufele ginnen þe cuðen þa mereminnen [Otho: mereminne].
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1490 : Ich drede þet tis dream me dreie toward deaðe, as deð mereminnes [Bod: meareminnes].
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)442 : Ðe mereman is a meiden ilike on brest & on bodi..fro ðe noule niðerward..fis..mid finnes waxen..mirie ge singeð ðis mere & haueð manie stefnes..sipmen here steringe forgeten for hire stefninge.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.397 : In þe ryver Nilus..þe oost of Rome siȝ mermyns [L sirenæ] in liknes of men and of wommen.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)42b/a : Monstrum: a wonder in mari..a mermyn.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prol.Josh.(Bod 959)173/49 : We, hyȝynge to þe contre, owyn to ouer passe wiþ a doumbe eere þe dedly songys of mermynnys [L sirenarum].