Middle English Dictionary Entry
moistenes(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | moistenes(se n. Also moistnes(se, mostnes(se, moustenesse. |
| Etymology | From moist(e adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Moisture, wetness; something wet; dampness, humidity; (b) a fluid or liquid; bodily fluid, secretion, matter; ~ of eien, watering of the eyes; also, the sap or juice of a plant.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)318/60 : Þe kuynde of salt..druyeþ vp mostnussus.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)69 : Þe place þeras þei shuld lye shuld be made of tre a foot hie fro þe erthe..þat þe moustenesse of þe erþe shuld not make hem morfound, ne engendere oþer siknesse.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)28/2 : It [the Nile] is somtyme so gret þat..may noman trauaylle to ere the londes for the grete moystness.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)130a/a : Adiposam which propreli is of þe kynde of maculez, i. spottez, which is white forsoþ, like to white moistenes, or to snowe.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)94b/a : Þu schalt haue a similitude in cley y-congelid, whanne þe moistnesse or þe part þat he haþ of watir is mad liquide and dissolued þoruȝ hete of þe sunne, and þe erþi partie..wexiþ hard & drie.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)246/2 : Many bestes ham hydyt in caues of montayns, to fle and enchue colde and mostnesse.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)257/14 : Þis wole hele vlcera, & þis wole drie þe moistnes þerof.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)342/32 : A drie medicyne..drieþ vp superfluite of moistnes [L humiditatez] þat is bitwixe þe lippis of a wounde.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)38b/b : Maister Arnald made [powder] for pope John for rednez & moistenez of eien.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)123a/b : Put hem [ingredients] in a vessel yglassed hauyng many holez..And put vnder it anoþer vessel y-glassed without holez, & after a day þer shal droppe a moistenez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)136b/a : Þe mouþ replete with water, þe heued turned bacward, som dropez be instilled, & be þai gretely souked vnto þer go out mych moistnez.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)196b/a : Musk is þe moistnesse of postummes off certeyne bestis.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)15/16 : The medicynez y-putte to may not abyde long for purgyng of þe wombe, and for moche moystenes goyng out of the lure.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 277)27/26 : For to cesse þe superflue moistnes which þe wonde sent out.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)162a/b : And if it so be þat þe wounde passe þe brayn panne þer schal be sum moistenes þat schal passe out, and if þe wounde be not þoruȝ þer schal no moistnesse come out.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)80/14 : Wyn..whos grape..ys noght cuttyd and gedryd or..þe moystnesse of his stok sty vp to þe crope and þe braunches.
- a1500 Sln.2584 Med.Miscell.(Sln 2584)131/1 : Ȝerdis schullen be gaderid whanne þei been fulle of moistnesse, or þei begynne to schrynke.
2.
Fig. Joy, fervor, spiritual intoxication; also, excess, indulgence.
Associated quotations
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)318/64 : So druiȝeþ heuenlich wisdam Moistnesses of ffleschlich dilites þan, And also hit doþ awey þe stink Of vuel liuyng.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)139/19 : Whanne she comen to hirselfe ageyne as after a moystnesse of mynde..if she myghte perceyue þat she hadde excedid neuer so litil, she shroue hir wiþ a wondirful contricyone of herte.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)153/45 : Þou cryedist..for moystnes, whanne þe kynge ladde þe in to þe wyne-celer.
3.
(a) Anat. & med. Moistness, one of the four qualities of matter; also, the quality of moistness in the body, a part of the body, a medicine, plant, etc.; (b) alch. quality of moistness.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)28b/b : Hete somtyme bringiþ in & kepiþ moistnes and somtyme dryenes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)245b/b : Þe herbe y-leyde hoot to þe wombe..heleþ le lungen and þe brest of alle moystenesse [L humida] and colde þat groweþ in þe spiritual membres.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)42/17 : A senewe is maad of moist mater & a cold, & þerfore he rotiþ of heete and moistnes.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)116b/a : Life standeþ in moistenez, seiþ Auicen, not aquose bot vnctuose.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)163a/b : Drynez is more nyȝ to holenesse, moistenez forsoþ to vnholenez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)165b/b : Som [medicines]..hingeþ of þe qualiteez of elementez, as bene þo þat giffeþ & makeþ hotenez & coldenez, moistenez & drienez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)177b/a : Cepa is a rote..with a superflue moistenez.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)164b/a : The properte of a maturatiue medicine is for to gete digestioun of humours, and for to hete þe same humours wiþ equalite..so þat þe moistnesse of hem mowe not departen fro þe drinesse.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)186/14 : I haue seyne arterie be heled for moystenesse and for softenesse of þe bodyes.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)206/25 : A gargarisme off þe wyn..schall wast a-wey the moystnesse þat makyth a mannys chekis to swelle.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)21b/b : [The brain's] coldnesse and moistnesse schulde atempren and abaten þe excellent hete and drouȝte of þe herte.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)102a/b : Y ne speke not of þe moistnesse þat is in ȝonge children, for þat is naturel.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)123b/a : Leye it on a cloþ twies in þe day to þe wounde til þe drouthe be voidid & humidite & moistnesse be restorid.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)68/8-9 : Kyndly hete..makes drye þe moystnes of þe body, and is norisshed and fedde with þe same moystnesse.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)91/27 : There ben fowre humours in a man: scilicet, heete, moostnes, coldenys, and drynes.
b
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2342 : As if the Regnyng qualite be drynes, ye may a-mende it with humour of moystnes.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. moistness.