Middle English Dictionary Entry
moist(e adj.
Entry Info
Forms | moist(e adj. Also most(e. |
Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Moist, wet; moistened with tears, blood, saliva, etc.; ~ issue, vapor; ~ fruit, fig.?luscious fruit; (b) of a land or region: well-irrigated; of a plant: well-watered; maken ~, to water, irrigate; ~ wateres, irrigating waters; (c) liquid; composed of or containing water or other fluids; ~ offringes (sacrifices), libations; (d) of wind, air, a season or type of weather, a place or habitation: damp, humid; (e) of ale: new, fresh; of shoes:?new or supple; ~ fliing, smooth, even flight.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.22.30 : Befor fijr of þe chymne, moiste issue [L vapor] & þe smoke of fijr is enhauncid.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Job 8.16 : Moiste [L Humectus] semeþ þe resshe before þe sunne come.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2182 : Whan that thy freend is deed..lat nat thyne eyen to moyste ben of teerys, ne to muche drye.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)45b/b : Kynde makeþ þe mouþ moiste with inne þe [read: to] tempre & chaunge the esiloker þe drynes of the mete.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.68 : Matrymonye I may nyme a moiste fruit with-alle.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4132 : Riȝt so hir chekis moiste wern & wete With cristal water.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.6.6 : Nero..was maked moyst with the blood of his modir.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)106/19 : Ȝif venym or poysoun be brought in presence of the dyamand, anon it begynneth to wexe moyst and for to swete.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)176/27 : Licoricia is an herbe þat..wele makyn a mannys brest and his throte moyst.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)238/29 : Þei þat arn in lownes arn wete & moyste in wepynge & in deuocyoun, nessche & soupple in softnesse & compassioun.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)38/23 : Take a plate of erne, and holde it abowyn þe smoke, and þe smoke will clewyn þere-vpon, and þat wyll ben sumdell moyste.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)10/3 : Þe watur hath þis workynge, that, if alle þe mene of the Cuntrey stodene þer-bye and looked þer-one wt hur facis þer-toward, hit shuld make moyst furst alle hur clothis.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)43 : Tak egg drawen throughe a strener and put them into a pan and let the pan be moist of grece.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)258 : Her moyst clothes [were] with teares all be spreynt.
- a1509(?1468) Marriage in Archaeol.31 (Add 46354)333 : Ther fell gret rayne, and the flees recevid no watter; but in great droughtis, it was moyste.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.15.19 : Caleph ȝaf to here moyst [L irriguam] dongy [land] aboue & byneþe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)168b/a : Selmon is to menynge shadowe and is a moiste mount wiþ watir and snowe.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Deut.11.10 : [In] the lond of Egipt..whanne the seed is cast in the maner of gardyns, moist [WB(1): mooystynge] waters ben led.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)67/1 : The water of þat see is full bytter & salt, And ȝiff the erthe were made moyst & weet with þat water, it wolde neuere bere fruyt.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.337 : Most [L humida], hilly, cold, and stony lond they [almonds] loue.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.123 : Saf hem [vines] moist, that thay may kepe her kynde.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)144/3 : Þis herbe [safron] growith in gardynggis and it is hot and drye, and ȝet it wolde be kept moyst.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)82b : To mak moste: liquidare.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3123 : Thilke blod..scholde have ese To regne among the moiste veines.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.286 : The moiste dropes of the reyn Descenden into Middilerthe, And tempreth it to sed and Erthe.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jer.44.25 : Make we oure vowis..to the queen of heuene, and offre to it moist [WB(1): sacryfises of licoures; L libamina] sacrifices.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Num.29.18 : Ȝe schulen halewe riȝtfuli sacrifices and moiste offryngis of alle, bi calues, and rammes, and lambren.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)28b/a : Fluidus: moyst.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)157 : Moyste air was þer noon [on Mount Olympus].
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5265 : Þe foules..ben þei bore alofte on hie..Þe eir is þicke and moist also And wole vndo and close efte to.
- a1550(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Sln 1873)2911 : Som placis most nedly be moyst & colde For some werkis.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)25a/a : Þe soþerne wind [is]..meneliche moist [L humido] & softe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)123a/a : Ȝif þe wintir is drye & springinge tyme and heruest is moist and rayny, þanne nedis in somer ben I-bred feueres.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)204b/b : Pouder ymedlid wiþ moyst ayer of þe myst y-gendred..is bitwene vs and þe sonne and huydeþ þe sonne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)229b/a : Clowes..schal be y-kepte in a place þat is nouþer to drye nouþer to moyste.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)75a : Stonecrop ys an erbe þat growith..som tyme vppon moiste wallys and moiste housyn.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)33a/b : Eschewe he habitatioun moiste & vallous y-watred of yuel watrez.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)33/15 : Putte þat brent powdyr in-to a sakelet..and hange it in a moyst stede nygh þe erde.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)122/3 : Loke ȝe make þem noȝt in no moyste weder nor in no reyne.
e
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.457 : Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed Ful streite yteyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1954 : Ther spryngen herbes grete and smale.. notemuge to putte in ale Wheither it be moyste or stale.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.315 : I haue triacle Or elles a draghte of moyste and corny ale.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.5.9 : Oothre beestis..overswymmen the spaces of the longe eir by moyst fleynge [L liquido..uolatu].
2.
Phys., med., alch. Dominated or characterized by the quality of moistness: (a) of elements or matter; (b) of planets, the sun, moon, and astrological signs; also, of seasons; (c) of the humors, blood and phlegm; (d) of complexions; of persons and human bodies; (e) of parts of the body; (f) of afflictions and diseased conditions of the body; (g) of medicines, herbs, plants, and food.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.413 : The water, which is moyste and cold, Makth fleume.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)204b/a : Lede is colde and moyste in secounde gre.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)313b/a : So þe fuyry and erþy partyes encresseþ, and þe moyste wexeþ þikke.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.9.24 : Thow byndest the elementis by nombres proporcionables, that the coolde thinges mowen accorde with the hote thinges, and the drye thinges with the moyste.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.6.26 : This accordaunce atempryth by evenelyke maneres the elementz, that the moiste thingis, stryvynge with the drye thingis, yeven place by stoundes.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)176b/b : Aqua is first of cold & moiste þingez.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1505 : Where colde werchith in mater moyst & clere, yett of such worching whitnes wil apere, As it shewith in Ise and frostis hore.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1513 : If hete in moiste mater & gros with-alle worch, therof black colour gendire shalle.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)75/51 : This eyre by his hete contrarieth water that is cold..for bothe be they moyst.
b
- ?c1450(a1388) Wallingford Exafrenon (Dgb 67:Price)204 : Of all the planetis..summe..ar clepid hote & colde, drye & moyste.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1061 : Cancer..is moiste and cold.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1219 : Piscis..Berth of tuo fisshes the figure, So is he cold and moiste of kinde.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)7 : Satourn..was also in thoposicioun Of lucina, The mone moyst and pale.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)161a/b : Be it [the moon] in moiste signes, As bene Cancer, Scorpio & piscis.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)1.21.77 : Take ensample in alle the signes, be thei moist or drie, or moeble or fixe, reknyng the qualite of the planete as I first seide.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)246/9 : Wyntyr is a colde tyme and moiste.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)92/20 : The firste [fasting] is for veer, that is moyste and warme.
- a1500 Hote and moyste (Dgb 88)p.251 : Hote and moyste ys Aquarius as ys the Eyer.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)6142 : Þe mone of watres wete..is..moist and woote.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.451 : The moiste fleume with his cold Hath in the lunges..Ordeined him a propre stede.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)307a/a : Whitnes þat is þe doute of colde is tokne of fleume, & of colde and moyste [L humidi] and fletynge humor.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)202/9-10 : Blood is hoot & moist, ffleume coold & moost.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)87/13 : Blood is an humour hote and moyst.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)51b/a : Blood is rennynge hoot & moyst..and of alle humouris moost noble.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)76/5 : Blod and marwe and brayne and hoþer humours..be moyst and colde, moyst and hote.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)235b/a : Mandragora disposeþ hoote wommen and moyste to concepcioun.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)11/1 : iiij complexiouns [are] hoot, moist, coold & drie.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)12/9 : Oon of þe men is of an hoot complexioun & a moist.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)173a/a : Olibanum & aloen colifonia..oweþ to be applied to moiste bodiez & membrez.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)169a/a : Þe whiche schal be leide to bodies and membres þat ben naturellie moist, as wymmen & children.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)171b/b : Fraunke encense þe whiche is drye..engenderþe fleische in a bodie þat is moiste & rawe.
- a1450 Diseases Women(1) (Dc 37:Singer)37 : Þe woman þat is made of cold matyr and moyste shulde receyve þe sede.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)139/11 : Calamente..þat is hory makyth a man moyst.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)54a/b : Whanne a man haþ vsid a mete or a medicyne þoruȝ whiche he feliþ him neuere þe hattere, ne þe coldere, ne þe moistere, ne þe driere, þat is y clepid temperat.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)71b/b : But in bodies þat ben neiþir riȝt moist neiþir riȝt drie, þou schalt worche wiþ þe same oilis as ben bifore seid.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)170b/b : The firste is of woundis & þat in moist bodies, as wymmen and children & fatte men and oþere siche.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)247/12 : I shall you say shortely What thynges makyth the body fat, moiste, and well dysposid.
e
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)8b/a : Þe brayne is colde and moiste..þe splene & þe reynez bene of hote membrez and moiste.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)37b/b : Þe fleische off þe lunges is sette moche moisterr þen þe fatness, for it is not ȝet oute when it is chaufed.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)166b/a : Ȝif þe member be to moiste accidentlye, þe compounde medicine moste haue þe maistrie in desiccacioun.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)181b/a : Þe moiste partie of þe sinewes is dissolued be cause of þe hete and þe rotonnesse.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)29/31-2 : Of symple membres, some beeþ hote and moyste, and some colde and moyste.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)400/21 : It is not possible to make the firste and the sadde parties of þe body þe moyster.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)54b/b : If two woundis be euene in quytture and þat oon be in a drie lyme and þat oþer in a moist, þat þat is in þe driere lyme nediþ þe driere medicyns.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)3953 : If a beest whan it greet is..gooþ eting on þe gris..if þe moost parte of þe herbes..be moist, þei [the young] shal be gray.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)8342 : Olde womman doþ no profite..For greet oonde aboute she bereþ And moiste guttes þat gretly dereþ.
f
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)87a/a : We knowiþ þat fleume is in þe cause by kouȝe þat is somdel moist.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)100a/a : Þat is comyn in alle drye lepra more þan in moiste.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)61a/b : Þe crase of þe pacient is more moiste [Ch.(2): moyster] þan is semyng..þe wonde more moist.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)114b/b : Þer ar 2 spicez of scabbes, Moist & Drie.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)166b/b : Anoþer [empostume] is moyste oþer flowinge.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)115/23 : Testudo is a grete exiture, moyste, softe.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)201/25 : When þat þe crampe..is moyste it byhoueþ þat it be cured wiþ stronge voydinges of grete humoures.
g
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)250/20 : Þe patient mote absteine him fro..al maner moiste fruitis.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)176b/a : After þat, forsoþ, namyng hote in þe first degre what soeuer forsoþ heteþ vs, neþerlez nouȝt openly, And so also colde drie & moiste.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)94a/a : Medicines þat schal be leide to woundes of sinewes..moste ben hote & not colde, drie & not moiste.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)196b/b : Nemphar Watirlilye c. & in moiste in 2 gre.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)113/33 : Leue he alle moyste and watry metes, as water and grene herbes and fruyte and chese and mylke and fisshe and alle potages and swynes flesche.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)152/17 : Þis herbe [endive] is cold and moyst.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)86/226 : Borage is hote and moyst.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)24211 : Sondry lettuaryes [are] maked at the potycaryes bothe emplastres drye and moystes.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)156a/a : Alle manere of medicyns þat schal be putt to woundis of senewis & oþere siche schal be hoot & not cold, drie and not moist.
3.
Fig. (a) Fresh, vital; not withered or jaded; (b) carnal, lascivious; weak, raw, undisciplined.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)62/24 : Also aȝenus blinde men in soule, he ordeined a bodiliche blinde man..aȝenus drie, dede werkis for defaute of moist grace to loue God, he ordeinede a man wiþ a drie hond.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)114/26, 115/2 : 'For ȝif men don þus wiþ þe grene tre' þat is, wiþ me þat am most moist þorw grace and uertues, 'what schal befalle of þe drie tre?' þat is, of ȝou þat ben forwelewed and drie for defaute of moist grace and grene uertues.
b
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)28/6 : But us bihoueþ..þat we leue not to holde Godis hestis for no moist and inordinat loue of wordli þinges.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)29/26 : Wo schal hem be whanne here soules schulle departe fro hem þat konne not þus harpe, For þer strenges schulle be moist wiþ fleschliche loue and so þer harpes schullen lese þer soun.
- a1500 12 PTrib.(2) (Rwl C.894)396 : Hertis which arne grene in begynnyng of conuersion and moiste in carnall affeccions..be not departed from þe fals frendship of hir enemyes.