Middle English Dictionary Entry
mil-deu n.
Entry Info
| Forms | mil-deu n. Also mel-. |
| Etymology | OE mil-dēaw, mele-. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Honeydew, nectar; (b) fungus growth on plants, mildew; also, blight of any kind.
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 Wooing Lord (Tit D.18)269 : Swetter is munegunge of þe þen mildeu o muðe.
b
- (1340) Inquis.Nonarum [OD col.]p.334b : Dicunt etiam quod maxima pars frumenti in parochie..seminati distruebatur et adnichibatur hoc anno..per quendam rorem qui vocatur mildew.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.41.6 : Seuen eeres burgound in o stalk, full & feyr, & oþer as feel eerez, þynn & smyten with myldew [vr. meldew; L uredine] wern growen.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Amos 4.9 : Y smote ȝou..in myldew [WB(2): with rust; L in aurugine] the multitude of ȝour gardeyns.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)137b/b : Ierom seiþ þat rubigo is whanne tendre corn is I-smyte and I-brende wiþ noyful dewe, and boþe eeres and stalkes turned in-to reed and foule blak colour..Som men meneþ þat rubigo is þe myldew.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)337 : Myldew: Uredo, arugo [read: aurugo], erugo.
- a1475 Prk.Weather & Moon in NM 58 (Brog 2.1)46 : And so þer apperithe upponn the herbis a stilled water, whyche water, when it ys dry, apperythe lyyng uppon herbis like flour; of þe whyche schepe, yf they ete, þey dey sone after of þe rott, for it is ovyr-swete and causethe them to have þe flyx. And thys is kalled myldewe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)79a : Meldew: Erugo, Aurugo, [Monson: rubigo].