(a) The celebration or occasion of the Eucharistic service; also, an instance of the celebration of this service; ~ of the dai, the regular mass celebrated on any given day as specified by the church calendar; ~ bi note, a chanted mass, a solemn mass sung with music; (b) attendance or participation at mass; (c) first ~, the mass celebrated at midnight on Christmas Eve; middel ~, the mass celebrated at dawn on Christmas Day; heigh (solempne) ~, high mass [see also heigh 4. (b), solempne]; matines ~ [see matin 1. (b)]; swi ~, q.v.; (d) beden ~, to offer a mass (for sb.); don (seien, singen) ~, celebrate the Eucharistic service; i)heren ~, attend mass; lesen ~, fail to attend a mass [see also lesen v. (4) 6a. (c)]; maken ~, arrange for a mass to be celebrated; heren knillen (ringen) to ~, hear the ringing of church bells for mass; ringen to ~, summon to mass by the ringing of the bell; (e) singen a fol a ~, to celebrate a mass for a fool, ?engage in a fruitless endeavor; also, beguile or please a person by flattery; (f) in oaths and asseverations; sweren bi the ~.

(a) The mass celebrated for any of various special purposes or occasions such as burials, anniversaries, weddings, ordinations, etc.; don the ~, to participate in the nuptial mass; don (seien, singen) ~, celebrate a mass (for sb. or his soul); (b) biriinge ~ [see biriing(e 1. (a)]; soule ~, q.v.; weddinge ~, nuptial mass [see also weddinge]; ~ of the apostles, ~ of cristes nativite, ~ of the holi gost, ~ of oure ladi, oure ladi ~, ~ of blessed marie; ~ of requiem, requiem mass [see also requiem]; (c) in names of Christian feast days: Candel-masse, Childer-masse-dai, Cristemas(se, Lammasse, Mighel ~, q.v.; Al-halwe ~ [see al-halwe(n]; Halwe ~ (dai, All Saints' Day, November 1 [see also halwe-messe]; Mid-somer ~ dai, Midsummer Day, June 24 [see also mid-somer]; Paske ~ (dai [see paske]; Seint andreas ~ (dai, St. Andrew's day, November 30; Seint hillari ~, the Feast of St. Hillary, January 13; Seint jones ~, the Feast of St.John, June 24; Seint laurenties ~ dai, the Feast of St.Lawrence, August 10; Seint margretes ~, St. Margaret's Feast, July 20; Seint maries ~ dai, the Nativity of the Virgin, September 8; Seint martines ~ dai, Feast of St. Martin, November 11; Seint petres ~ dai, St. Peter's day, June 29; Soule ~ dai [see soule messe], etc.; also, in the name of the Jewish feast of Passover: Paske ~ dai [see paske].

The sacrament of the Eucharist; also, the Eucharist or Host; maken ~, of Christ: to institute the Eucharist.

The portion of the gospel of St. Matthew that is read at mass.

In cpds. and combs.: (a) ~ belle, the bell rung to call to mass; ~ bok [OE mæsse-bōc], the missal; also, a pagan service book; sweren on (upon) ~ bok; in asseverations: bi ~ bok and belle; (b) ~ clothes (ref) [OE mæsse-rēaf], vestments worn by the clergy when celebrating mass; ~ cope (hakel) [OE mæsse-hacele], the chasuble; ~ hod, ?the amice; ~ kemese, the alb [see also kemes(e (b)]; (c) ~ cos, the ceremonial kiss of peace during mass; kissen ~ cos [see kissen 1. (e)]; ~ crede [OE mæsse-crēda], the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed recited at mass [see also crede n. (2) (a)]; (d) ~ dai [OE mæsse-dæg], a feast day; ?also, Sunday; heigh (holi, muchel) ~ dai, a solemn feast day; (e) ~ gere, Eucharistic vestments and articles as used in oath-swearing; sweren on (upon) ~ gere; (f) ~ heringe, attendance at mass; ~ offring, the offering of money for celebration of a mass; ~ peni, a penny given at a mass; offren ~ peni, to offer a mass-penny; (g) ~ prest [OE mæsse-prēost], a priest ordained to celebrate mass; also fig. Conscience; (h) ~ seiinge (singinge, theininge) [OE mæsse-þēnung], the celebration of the Eucharistic service; also, attendance or participation in a mass; ~ song [cp. OE mæsse-sang], mass for the dead; (i) ~ time, the time during which a mass is celebrated; also, an occasion of a mass; ~ whil, the time at which mass is sung.

In surnames.