Middle English Dictionary Entry
moistūr(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | moistūr(e n. Also moistour(e, moister(e, mostoure. |
| Etymology | OF moisture & moistor, moisteur. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Moisture, wetness; something moist or wet; the moist part of something; dampness, humidity; grutti ~, mud; (b) of trees and plants: the moistness, wetness; juiciness; sap; (c) a bodily fluid; liquid product of infection, disease, etc.; digestive secretion; of the eyes: tears, any fluid secretion of the eyes; also, fluids given off by a dead body; ~ seminal, seminal fluid; (d) a liquid; drink.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.220 : God shal destroye the fruyt of the erthe as fro hem ne water shal yeue hem no moysture, ne the eyr no refresshyng.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)29a/a : In an ey þat is i-rostid..þe licour & moistoure and sotil parties wastiþ a-weþ and þe erþy parties a-bidiþ, and so þe ey wexiþ hard.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)124b/a : Þis moneþ is ful reiny & watry for risinge of vapoures & of moisture þat turnyth in to reyne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)204b/b : Fen is y-made by medlyng of pouder and of moysture [L humoris] and torneþ in to a clotte by worchinge of dryenesse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)211b/a : Euerich herbe or tre is y-kepte by temperate weder, for ouer moche moysture [L humiditas] stoppeþ þe poures and weyes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)249b/a : Moysture of dewe suffreþ nouȝt þe greynes to falle out of þe hules.
- (a1400) *Barton's Urines (Sln 280)f.283v : From þe tyme of conceyuyng to þe birþe, þat childe .. in þe modir drawiþ kyndeli þe menstruel blode to his fode, as a tre or an herbe drawiþ þe moisture of þe erþe to his fode.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)190/7 : Erþe, forsoþe, ofte drinkinge moisture comynge on hure and bringinge forþ good fruit to hem þat tilien hure, undurfongeþ blessinge of God.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3928 : Þe Rotis vertu..Schad in þe braunchis his humydite, Areised..with þe moysture of þe reynes swete.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jer.17.8 : He schal be as a tre which is plauntid ouer watris, which sendith hise rootis to moisture.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)39a/b : Mador..moystour.
- a1425 NPass.(Cmb Gg.5.31)143/148* : All þat nyght he gert layd be In a piscyne þase plantis thre..Because þai suld hafe þaire moisture.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)26/24 : Þat lond..is drye & no thing fructuous be cause þat it hath no moysture, & þerfore is þere so meche desert.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)68/19 : Man..I foormede of þe grutty moisture of þe erþe.
- c1460(?c1435) Lydg.Let.Glo.(Hrl 2255)34 : Harde to likke hony out of a marbil stoon, For ther is nouthir licour nor moisture.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)341 : Moysture: Humor.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.773 : Delue hit [the garden] deepe..That hit may in hit silf his moystour kepe.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)11/14 : They tokyn with hem sponges with watyr, that they myghtyn drawe watyr out of hem and moistere.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)238/27 : In valeys of lownes be iiij profytes..þe moysture, wetehed, softhed, & nesched, fruȝtfulhed, & sykernes.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)82b : Mostowre..fluor..humor..maditas..mador.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)48 : It is not good to plowen soyche maner o londis in grete moysture, yet thoughe þey be alitell wete withe a dewe at þe soweinge it shall not ney þem.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)6146 : Þe hete of þe sunne makeþ al þing To springe..But wiþ þat hete mowen þei not dure But þei haue þerwiþ moysture.
- 1532(?a1400) RRose (Thynne)1424 : Through moisture of the welle wete, Sprong up the sote grene gras.
- a1550(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Sln 1873)3011 : In that fire no moyster may be Which hande may feell or eye may see.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)125a/a : By ful greet heete comynge inward and wastinge moysture & humour, corn ripiþ.
- a1400 12 PTrib.(1) (Roy 17.B.17)50 : When þo moysture of þo trees is sprad in þo vnnayte braunchis, þo tree beres þo lesse fruyt.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.643 : Þe grasys..ben of custom mowe, And on þe pleyn cast and leide ful lowe, Til þe moystour consumed be a-wey.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3375 : Phebus..drieþ vp þe moysture & þe weete Of herbe & floure with his feruent hete.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)80/12 : The fruytis of þis wickid tre ben deedly, for þe roote of pryde þei drowen out þe moisture of the tre.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)113a : From þe bygynninge of þe monþe of Iulie in to neweȝeres day..þe moysture of trees is most dryed vp.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.192 : The kyndly moysture after þis Into þe stok and rynde it sendeth wyde.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.193 : Of dede men kareyns renneþ foule moistures and humours.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)216a/a : Agnus castus..makeþ chaste, openynge þe pores and drawynge out and wastynge þe humour and moysture semynal.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)315b/a : Þe sotile substaunce and soure fyndeþ moche moysture in þe stomak.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)83/6 : An euel humor is echede..by quyttry moystures.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)87/14 : Blood is an humour..gendred of þe more temperate partie of þe chile, i. of þe firste moysture þat is digeste in þe stomak.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)253/13 : Þe watry moisture [of the eye] was ȝette oute anone.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)392/36 : The causes forsoþe of thise infecciouns..is an euel fretynge moysture, þe whiche is medlede with a grete blode and with a salt flewme.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)634/4 : Þe collirie of tuttie is putte..resoluynge and drieng straunge moysture of þe eyȝen in þe ende of obtalmya.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)119/30 : Þis herbe [Agnus castus]..destroyeȝt þe moyster of mannys seed.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)123/28 : Ȝyf þe iows of þis herbe be styllyd in-to a mannys nosethyrlys, it drywyȝt out þe moysture þat rennyȝt fro hym.
- c1450 Metham Physiog.(Gar 141)125/28 : Eyn stondyng alluey with moystur..sygnyffye a gode wyt.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)71/22 : Slepyng byfore mete makyth a mannys body lene and dryes his moystures.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.in JHMAS 23 (Lnsd 793)p.170 : The moisture that in the eyen is Draweth to him the shaping And the facioun of that thing.
d
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)123 : The outward signe of Bachus & his lure..Excitith folk to taaste of his moisture.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5692 : For þe moisture by descencioun To hand and foot..Þoruȝ bon and Ioynt gan his vertu shede.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)356 : He muste reule his body in temperaunce from glotonye of mete, and specially fro superfluyte of drynke or of moistures.
2.
Fig. (a) Spiritual intoxication, inspiration, or refreshment; also, spiritual teachings; ~ of feith; ~ of grace; (b) ~ of malice, rottenness or foulness of hatred or sin.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)317/59 : Prestes, techers, and Confessours..dude Moyste wel þe hertes of trewe men eueridel; Þat Moysture is gode techinges þat gostly vs to blisse bringes.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)86/28 : A meruelus moyster [L poculum] itt [the soul] drawys fro heuyn.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)2618 : Yt [the soul] lakketh moysture Off grace, wherby..Al vertues fructefye.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)484/63 : Crist most bene owr very sustinance..Owr thurst also moystyr of fayth defende Yenst grace þat we not trespace.
b
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)162/7 : Men, togedyr wythout sowrnes or moystur of malyce, ych on loueþe oþyr.
3.
Phys., med., alch. The quality of moistness in elements, matter, the moon, seasons, the human body and its parts, infections, wounds, medicines, and animals; ~ of mete, the quality of moistness in food.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.333 : Men of þat lond [Ireland] haueþ here hele alwey, and straunge men haueþ ofte a perilous fluxe by cause of moysture [L humiditatem] of mete.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.65 : Þis naturel philosofer..trowede þe moisture [L humorem] is bygynnynge of alle þinges.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7/730 : As be the Mone a man mai se, And al that stant upon the grounde Of his moisture it mot be founde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)130b/b : Qualitees of elementis beþ foure, tweyne þerof wurchiþ as hete & coolde, and tweyne suffriþ as dryenesse and moysture.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)131a/a : Fire and ere acordiþ in hete, þogh þey discorden in drynesse & moysture.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)137a/b : Þe mone inprintiþ hire moisture in þe erþe and is cause of gendringe of dewe þerinne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)264b/b : His [a lamb's] moysture of complexioun encresseþ by mylk, and þe hete encresseþ by wenyng.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)305b/a : Matiere in þe which moysture haþ maistrie is more disposed to white colour þan to blak.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)168/5 : Þat skyn þat is wiþinne þe stomak is norischid with moisture [L succositate] of mete þat is resseyued into þe stomac.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)619/9 : Bdellium is a gumme hote in þe ende of þe firste degree and ouer with softenynge and wiþ moysture in þe firste.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.172 : Thow byndest forþermore thise elementes In certane noumber and proporcioun, Þat..Moysture and droght haue non discencioun.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)51b/a : Yemus..in his endynge he haþ lesse of cold and more of moisture þan in his bigynnynge.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)121b/a : Aȝens brennynge & akynge in a drie wounde þat is of litil moisture, R[ecipe] oile of violet.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)244/13 : For al that is voyde by blode-lettynge..this tyme [spring] restoryth hastely by his hette and by his moysture.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1476 : Of the forsaid iiij qualitees pryme, Hete and colde be qualitees actyve, Moistour and drynys be qualitees passyve.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)21b/24 : The boon shall not be restoryd' for the moyster' of' the flesshe wold' let it, for þe bonys in her' kynde bene dry.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)46b : Vnder the moisture of the mone And vnder the temperat heate of the sonne, Thinne elementes shalbe incinerat sone.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1525 BodEMus.52 Artist.Recipes (BodEMus 52) 189/5 : Put it in a ston potte..and set yt in warme asches in a fornese unto þe moster be vapurde awaye.
Note: Need date, sense 1.(a). New spelling = moster.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. moisture.