Middle English Dictionary Entry
mīn(e n.(4)
Entry Info
| Forms | mīn(e n.(4) |
| Etymology | OF mine & ML mina, prob. from Celtic. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A tunnel constructed to undermine fortifications or to permit underground entry into a besieged town; ~ postes, timbers supporting the roof of the tunnel; also fig. [quot.: Lydg.]; (b) a mine for the extraction of metals or other mineral substances; also, a natural lode of metals or a deposit of sand, clay, etc.; (c) a natural underground passage or cavern; also, a burrow.
Associated quotations
a
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)107b : Sometyme þei þat þus myneþ entreth be nyght þorgh þe myne in to þe citee..when þei ben alredy to make assaut, þei sette here myne postes on fyre, & when þe tymber is brenned vnder þe wal, þe wal cleue & falleþ doun.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)890 : Of euery werk cartyng he most assigne, For bastile or engyne or myne.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2553 : a conynger, that now they calle a myne, Goth vndir erth vnwist; by that cauerne Come in tatoun..And prevely they rise in sum tauerne Or desolat hous.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)17599 : Thys hand [Cutpurse]..maketh hoolys thorgh the wallys. Thys hand kan dygge and make mynys.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2455 : The route of Philosophres wise Controeveden be sondri wise, Ferst forto gete it [metal] out of Myne, And after forto trie and fyne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2553 : The thridde Ston in special Be name is cleped Minerall, Which the metalls of every Mine Attempreth, til that thei ben fyne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.86 : If sche were myn, I hadde hir levere than a Myn Of Gold.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2155 : He wiste where A tresor was so plentivous Of gold and ek so precious Of jeueals and of riche stones..as for the Myn He wolde ordeigne such engin, That thei the werk schull undersette With Tymber.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)10737 : Þys mynur soȝte stones vndyr þe molde..he wroȝt on a day, and holed yn þe hyl..a grete party of þat yche myne Fyl dowun yn þe hole, and closed hym ynne.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)105/14 : Men fynden hem [diamonds] more comounly vpon the roches in the see & vpon hilles where the myne of gold is.
- (1438) Proc.Privy C.5.87 : To ordeine newe men to goo to þabbotes myne of Bukfast.
- (1447) Doc.Durham in Sur.Soc.9p.cccxiii : For the said colepite x marke..And the said John, Bertrame..& William sall wirke the said myne werkmanlike.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6080 : Of this chekker amerous..Of poyntes al the remenaunt..Wern of awmber ryche and fyn, Pulshed ful clene out of the Myn.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)2613 : Al thair mynes vndir moolde Beth of siluer and of goolde.
- c1450 Metham Days Moon (Gar 141)149/23 : The fourthe day ys gode..to seke also veynys off metel, and mynys off sonde, grauel, and cley.
- (1467-8) RParl.5.582b : Libertees, Mynes of Coles and Leede, and all other Possessions.
- (a1472) Acc.Bodmin in Camd.n.s.1420 : For dcccxij lb. of lede fro the mynys..l s. xj d.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)3/13 : Þis is verry gold of þe myn, of þe erþe, or of þe floodis gaderid for gold of alkamy.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)3/16 : Good gold naturel, & of þe myn of the erþe, is clepid of philosophoris 'sol' in latyn.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)457 : I was, seid a nothire, yre fet fro the Myne, But now I am golde pure, perfite, and fyne.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1331 : Moche I myght write of naturis of Mynys, which in this grose werk be but ingynys.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2538 : It makith as good siluere as of ye myne is wrogth.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)171a/a : It is harde & perilous to abyde in mynes [L speluncis] of erþe, for þey ben colde and moyste.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)20 : Þe cymyteries at rome be grete uoutes and mynes undir þe erde in whech seyntis dwellid sumtyme.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)81a : A Myne: cunus, via subterranea, cunulus, cuniculus.
2.
(a) A mineral or an ore; (b) building stone; (c) a deposit on metal caused by oxidation; (d) fig. place of origin, source.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(a1349) Rolle MPass.(2) (Upps C.494)43/9 : Sterris ben cause of mynys, metallis, and of precious stones.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)149/2 : In þir twa iles all þe erthe es full of myne of gold and siluer.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)625/2 : Marcasite..is a myne and sowdeþ.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)631/1 : Vitriol is..a myne [L minerale], wiþ streynyng and wiþ fretyng.
- a1450 Forest Laws (Dc 335)241 : If there be ony mann that hath..digged after yre ore or ony other myn, ye shul do vs to wete in what place it is.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)596/12 : Mineria: a myne vel Ore.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)10/16 : Take þe myn of antymony aforeseid, and make þerof al so sotil a poudre as ȝe kan.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1567 : But hit is not so in þe phisik of mynys, For that arte excedith al othire engynys.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5563 : Myne of gold wiþ-outen misse In veines of þe erþe liggen i-wis.
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.374 : For bildyng, better is the harder myne [L duro saxo].
c
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)624/7 : Litarge is myn [*Ch.(1): filth; L merda] of lede.
d
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)550/2 : It is also to be eschewed þat þai [cuppings] be noght ouer mykel contynued by þe mynes [*Ch.(1): mynerez; L mineras] of þe vertues.
3.
The act of digging or undermining; excavation.
Associated quotations
- (1411) Fabric R.Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.15180 : [It. paid to labourers for] myn [of the great vault and of the great pit that the privy was] fyed [in].
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1130 : Þan Titus toward his tentis tourneþ hym sone, Makeþ mynour & men, þe myne to stoppe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.17 : In that londe…be also mynes of stones diuerse in colour, redde and white, softe and harde, and white chalke.
Note: =quarry
Note: Mod. gloss
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Rwl.C.506 Artist.Recipes (Rwl C.506) 163/27 : Put hit to an esy fire, þan stere hym..and ȝif he go abute in þy vessel and ȝif he mefe, stere ofte so longe þat he meue nat withinne or wex as a myne, þan knowe we hit is ido.
Note: Clarke's glossary: "myne n. 'mineral'." Additional quote, sense 2.(a).