Middle English Dictionary Entry
morsel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | morsel n. Also morselle, morsille, morssel, morscel, morcel(le, mursel, (errors) miorsel, morsillc & mosel(le, mossel(le, moscel, musel, mussel(le. |
| Etymology | OF morsel, morsiel, morcel & ML morsellus, morcellus, moysellus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) A bite, mouthful; small piece of food; (b) ~ (of) bred; deinte (god, likerous, swete) ~, a delicacy; at five morseles, in five bites; yeven morseles togeder, to contribute to a common feast; (c) food; a small meal.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)188/144 : Ne miȝte þare come none..þat o mossel þarof nome.
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)210 : He stal out of his lord is dissche Þe beste mossel [vrr. mussel, Morselle, morsel; messe] of his fische.
- a1325 SLeg.Patr.(Corp-C 145)19 : Sein Patrik het ȝif in þe churche eny musel were Of þe ssep, þat it ssolde blete among hom alle þere.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)56/14 : Hi wesseþ þet hi hedden nykken of crane..þet þe mosseles [F morsiaus] blefte lenger ine þe þrote.
- ?c1350 Why werre (Peterh 104)p.20 : He wol byd the wif sethe a caponn..The gode-man schal have never a mossel.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ruth 2.14 : Cum hider & ett bred & weet þi mussel in eysel.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.128 : At mete wel ytaught was she with alle; She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.195 : The galle of the dragon shal ben hire drynke and the venym of the dragon hire morsels [vrr. morsellys, morsell, morselle, morsel].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.6 : Whan Adam of thilke Appel bot, His swete morscel was to hot.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)10058-9 : Hym þoght þe prest broȝte on þe pateyn Morselles [vr. Mosseles] of þe chylde alle newe sleyn And bedde hym a morsel [vr. Mossel] of þe flesshe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13485 : Qua had o penis thre hundreth Bred for to bi, þai ar sua fele War til ilkan bot a morsel [Göt: morsele; Trin-C: mossele].
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)149/7 : Whanne þat a greet mussel [vr. mossell] of mete passe doun bi þe merye, he schulde not haue lettinge.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.107 : Ȝe eten þe puddyng, Mortrewes and other mete, and we no mussel [vr. morsel] hade.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)52a/a : Þe grustillie ringes off þe wesaunt..schulde ȝeue stede to grete morselles þat passen þoruȝ þe merye.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12710 : Wiþ suche musseles [F morsiax] he can ȝow fede.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)18.46 : Him thowhte At his mete þere that he sat, His mowht he opened, A morsel [F morcel] puttyng In þere-at.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1171 : I schal not spare, so haue I reste, To haue a mossel of þe beste.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)2840 : And euery man þereof a moselle [s]hal haue And hymself þe boones shalle gnawe.
- 1451 Tundale (Roy 17.B.43)81 : When Tundale was served wele, A gret evel he beganne to fele At þe first morselle.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)128 : Mi Sovereyn Lord, if evyr I ment treson onto ȝou, I pray God that this o mussel strangil me.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)12914 : That hath a double mouth To receyue..Al deyntes..ffatte mussellys large and Rounde.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)15305 : Stynkynge kareyn..Ys my foode..On swych mosselles most I thynke.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)2/41 : The Serpent toke Eve an Appyl to byte, and Eve toke Adam a mursel of þe same.
- a1500(?a1425) Chester Pl.Antichr.(Pen 399)515/681 : Mony a fatt morsell we have had for his sake off sowlys that shulde have be savyd -- in hell be thie hyd!
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)207 : A fatt goos..In disshis of gold, a morsel agreable, Is sewid vp atte kyngis table.
- a1500 Little Child.Bk.(1) (Adv 19.3.1)37 : Eyte þi meyte by smale morsellys, Fyll not þi mowþe as don broþels.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)740/12 : Bucella, morcellus: a morsyllc [read: morsylle].
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)772/36 : Bolus, murcellus, buccella: a musselle.
b
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)833,834 : Oure lord wette a Mossel of bred..Þo by-tok he þat Mossel [vr. morsel] to scaryot Iudas.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7025 : Late þis mossel [B vrr.: morsell, morssel] bred þoru mi þrote wende Wiþoute harm, as inadde neuere in no cas Gult of þi broþer deþ.
- (?c1375-a1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3624 : Is ther no morsel breed that ye do kepe?
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 28.22 : I schal putten beforn þee a mussel [Corp-O: morsel; L buccellam] of bred & etynge, þou waxe hool.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4025 : No deyntee morsel passed thurgh hir throte.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.633 : Bettre is a morsel [vrr. morssel, morsell] of breed with ioye, than an hous ful of delices with chidynge.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)620 : I schal rachche after And brynge a morsel of bred to banne yor hertte.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Prov.23.21 : For men ȝyuynge tent to drinkis, and ȝyuyng mussels [WB(1): scot; L symbola] togidere, schulen be waastid.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6179 : I dwelle with hem that..hemsilf feden With gode morcels delicious, And drinken good wyn precious.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)39/30 : Neþer he speketh of swete morselles neþer of skarlet robes, but of liflode necessarie.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)87b/b : It is good..to ȝif hym a morsel brede wette in wele sauerde wyne.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)53/19 : Þe glotouns tonge..seiþ, 'Þeiȝ þou breste, þis good mossel schal be ete.'
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)219 : Ete þat at fyue mosseles & þenne drynk a gret drawȝt of good wyn.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)22/9,30 : I woll tell you an ensaumple of a woman that ete the good morsell in the absence of her husbonde..no woman shulde ete no lycorous morcelles [F nul bon morsel] in the absens..of her husbond.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)83a/a : Þou schalt weten a morsel of breed in þe blood of þat same wounde and þanne ȝeue þat breed to anoþir hound þat is hool and he wole not ete þerof.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)698 : Yt ys not schapyn worth a morsell of brede.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)147b/b : And it is good ofte tymes to ȝeue þe pacient a morcel of breed wett in swete wiyn.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)30.5 : I sall not be taken with the snare of endles pyne that thai hid til me, vndire the likynge of synn, as venome is hid vndire a swet morsell.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)6 : Yef we hadde but a mossell [F aumousne] brede, we haue more ioye..than ye haue with alle the delicatys of the worlde.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Job 31.17 : What shal I answern to hym..if I eet my mossel alone, & þe modirles child eet not of it?
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)250a/a : A Borde hatte Tabula..And nameliche of riche men as it were tenebula, holdynge morsell, ffor þey holdeþ morsell and vessell þat ben sette þer vpon.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1690 : After messe a miorsel [read: morsel] he & his men token.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)959/2 : She prayde hym to take a lytyll morsell to dyne.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)213 : I pray the..come hom with me, A morsell for to dyne.
1b.
Fig.(a) ?A victim; (b) ?a sting, bite;?morsus mis-read morsellus; (c) a maiden; ~ of plesaunce, a prostitute.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)46/4 : But as þe greet fisches eeten þe smale, so miȝti riche men of þis world deuouren þe pore to her bare boon, eeting þe moselles þat hem beest likeþ.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)241/28 : Þe bynemen hem here lyues and here sustenaunce..and eten þe mosselles al blody.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Hos.13.14 : Thou deth, Y shal be thi deth; thou helle, Y shal be thi morsel [WB(2): mussel; L morsus].
c
- (?c1425) Hoccl.Jonathas (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)159 : With a womman, a morsel of plesance, By the streetes of the vniuersitee..mette he.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3434 : So brente in loue, he wente for to dye Rauyssht of þe beaute of þis womman, This tedir [read: tendir] yong morsel.
2.
A piece, fragment; cutten (breken, dicen, dighten, gobeten, heuen) in morseles, etc., to chop or break (sth.) into pieces; ~ mele, piecemeal; ~ bi ~, piece by piece.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(Hrl 2277)251 : Here breostes hi todrowe Fram hire bodi mossel mele.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)363/27 : Ouer-al is flechs was to-drawe riȝt to þe bare bon with Irene crokes..þe mosseles leiȝen wel grete.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7354-6 : Þei our folk tohewen waren To smale morsels, so beþ taren, To ich of hem, vnneþe men miȝt A morsel of ous to hem diȝt!
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)147.6 : He sendeþ his cristalle as morsels [L buccellas].
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)p.107 : Nym god fresch flesch..and hew yt in smale morselys.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.147.17 : He sendeþ his cristal as musselys; befor þe face of his cold who shal susteynen?
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.29 : Take Conynges..and hewe hem small on moscels oþer on pecys.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)30 : Take Applys..an smal screde hem in mossellys.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)42 : Þan take fayre pecez of Brede, þe mountance of a mosselle of Brede, vppe-on þe Eyroun.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1268 : Þen mournes all þe Messedones..For maistris & mynistris, menere & grettir Þat was in morsels magged & martrid a hundreth.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)137/22 : Þer come sodanlie a grete low into his grafe & burnyd ewhils þer was lefte a morcell of hys bodie to burn opon.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)221/11 : Take fayre bacun and dyce it in fayre mussellis and smal, þe nowunnes [read: mowntnens] of a letyll messe, [etc.].
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)83 : Take faire peces of paynmain or elles of such tendur brede, and kutte hit yn fere mosselles.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)266/863 : Breke it in small mosselles as a bene.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)113 : Take fair bacon & dyȝt hit on smale morseles.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.14 : Take peions and hew hom in morselle smalle.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)82b : A Morsell:..frustrum, frustulum. Morsell by morsell: frustratim.
- a1500 Ld.Cook.Recipes (LdMisc 553)112 : Nym..elys & gobete hem in mosselys.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.in JHMAS 23 (Lnsd 793)p.169 : Take of rawe flesshe a morselle And with a smal threed binde it wel.
3.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1166) in Pipe R.Soc.934 : De Willielmo Morsel.
- (1188) in Pipe R.Soc.38117 : Robertus Morsel.
- (1214) Close R.Tower 1172 : Elyas Morsell.
- (1278) Assize R.Lan.in LCRS 47170 : Richard Morsel.
- (1304) Close R.Edw.I189 : Roger Morsel.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1486 Sln.Bk.Hawking (Sln 3488)140 : Jf she be A Goshauke Take and kut faire pelettes of newe blanket other Coton euerly pelet of other half vnche, and yeue hir v of þe pelettes in v musselles of flessh, and ley hem in water.
- a1486 Sln.Bk.Hawking (Sln 3488)143 : Er thou bath hure, yef hur an hote mussell vnwassh asmoche as a crabbe.
Note: New spelling