Middle English Dictionary Entry
mō̆s n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | mō̆s n.(1) Also mose, moes(e, mosh, mosse & (in place names) mois, mosi, mosee, mosce-. |
| Etymology | OE mos & ON (cp. OI mosi) & ML mossa, from Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. musse n.
1.
(a) Moss, or a similar cryptogamous plant; ?also, hairiness, ?dirt [quot.: Pilgr.LM]; (b) ~ crop, ?cotton grass; ?a moor flower; ~ (be) growen, grown over with moss; grene ~, moss; whit ~, ?some kind of lichens.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (1296) *Acc.Exch.K.R.5/21 (Lynn) [OD col.] : In loc[acione] ij garcionum colligencium Mossum. ]
- [ (1336) Doc.in Nicolas Navy 2470 : [The seventh account is for the purchase] mossi [and] pilorum. ]
- [ (1336) Doc.in Nicolas Navy 2474 : Mosso..18 d. ]
- ?c1125(?OE) Dur-C.Gloss.(Dur-C Hunter 100:Cockayne)304 : Muscus: Mose.
- a1200 Gloss.Sidonius (Dgb 172)16/13 : Muscus, anglice, musse uel mosse.
- (1350-51) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100552 : In mulieribus querentibus et deferentibus Mosse pro stagno molendini Dunolm. stoppando, 2 s. 11 d.
- c1390 RSicily (Vrn)329 : Nabugodonosor lyuede in desert..With rootes, gras, and euel fare, And al of mos his cloþing was.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)182a/b : Þey ben ycloþed in mosse & in roughe herisshe þing þat þey gadren of treen.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.282 : Poule primus heremita had parroked hym-selue, Þat no man miȝte hym se for mosse and for leues.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)745 : Þe hasel & þe haȝ-þorne were harled al samen, With roȝe raged mosse rayled ay-where.
- (1414-15) Acc.Abingdon in Camd.n.s.5181 : In j fonte in nouo edificio..cum moes colligendo et petris cariandis pro eodem, ix s. iiij d.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)2040 : Fire ful sone þare he slogh Of dry mos and many a bogh.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (BodeMus 187:Harvey)f.4r (1.3) : Vnderstonde þat of fumosites in þe body is causede here & ruggedhede, as we se in trees, þat thorogh kynde hete þai putten & casten oute here superfluites, and þerof comeþ here rynde & here bark & here mosse.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)94b/a : Take þe mosse þat groweþ apon trees oþer apon stones & grynde hem wiþ brimstone.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)344 : Mosse [Win: Mos], growynge a-mongys stonys: Muscus.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.262 : The mosse, away do that wherere ye fynde.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)50/36 : Tak mosse & bryn it to powdir, & frote it ofte þer-with & it sall hele it.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1760 : A sparow fedynge hyr bryddes she seye, In a nest made of mossh & cleye.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)1644 : But execucion falle, what may hit availle? Ne more þenne þe mose..or þe maij floures To breke dovne bastiles.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)2372 : Smale trees..þere be That bereth of cotoun..And groweth in the same manere As dooth the mos of þe trees here.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)2698 : An hie stonen walle, And growen with moos hit is alle.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)107 : J sigh hire al mossy and of mosse [F mousse] al rouh.
- (1470-71) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7877 : Pro le mose ad chameram clerici parochialis ii d.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)77b/b : Wodebynde..drawiþ wonderfully..And so doiþ mosse þat growiþ on a blak þorn tree, if it be soden in white wiyn or reed.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)392 : To berye hym was hys purpos, And scraped hy [read: hym] bothe ryn and mosse.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)376/288 : The new gett..Of prankyd gownes & shulders vp set, mos & flokkys sewyd wyth in.
- a1500 RHood & M.(Cmb Ff.5.48)st.53 : Þer þei beryed hem boþe, In nouþer mosse nor lyng.
b
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)24.277/42 : Mos grouwen wal he gan fynde.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)115a/a : Entre þe pacient in to a bath, And be he froted with acete & grene mosse [L mossa viridi] of an oke.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)179b/a : Vsnea quercina, þat is, white mosse [L mossa alba], is ca. & sic. with temperament & confortatif.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)150/8 : Þe wall..es all mosse begrowen and couerd so with mosse..þat men may see na stane.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)83a : A mosse croppe.
2.
A bog, morass, fen, or moor.
Associated quotations
- (1424) Indent.Furness in Chet.n.s.78 (PRO DL 25/398)773 : Diverses debates..have bene stirret..touching a parcell of mosse, more, and pasture..callet Angreton Mosse.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2014 : He hade þe cete forsett..The mosse and þe marrasse..With gret multytude of men.
- (1441) Doc.Reg.St.Bees in Sur.Soc.126577 : John of Wessyngton..gewys and grauntys..to Alison, my wife..all the landys, tenementys, wodys, medowys and mossys, pastours and wastys, the whilk that I stand in possession of.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)344 : His way nolde he nouȝt tourne; Sparyd he nouȝt for myre ne mos [rime: los].
- (1485) RParl.6.382a : Oure Mosse of Penwortham, otherwise called there the Kings Mosse..unto the said Thomas graunted to ferme.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.303 : The king Edward with hornes & houndes him soght..through marris, mosse, & myre.
3.
(a) In place names [see Smith PNElem. 26.43]; (b) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- (1195) in Ekwall PNLan.36 : Moston.
- (c1200) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)133 : Mosebec.
- (1227) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)436 : Traneberimos.
- (1236) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)328 : Mois'.
- (1255) EPNSoc.41 (Glo.)157 : Mose.
- (c1260) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)402 : Mosethueytbec.
- (1270) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)328 : Moese.
- (1277) in Ekwall PNLan.39 : Catemosse.
- (1285) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)304 : Mosedale.
- (1305) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)304 : Mosdale.
- (1338) EPNSoc.20 (Cum.)22 : Moscedalebek.
- (1346) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)328 : Mosee.
- (1366) in Ekwall PNLan.122 : De Mosok.
- (1366-72) Deed Norris in LCRS 9337 : Le Mossefeld..Mosseley.
- (1378) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.146 : Moseforth.
- (1381) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.96 : [In fields called] Redbroke [and] Moslee.
- (c1402) Deed Norris in LCRS 9340 : Le mossemylne.
- (1412) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)328 : Mosy.
- (1416) EPNSoc.31 (West Riding Yks.)48 : Del Mose.
- (1422) in Ekwall PNLan.29 : Mossley.
- (c1468) Deed Norris in LCRS 9314 : The demayn lond lynge to the halle..the narre 2 ac. in the Mosse 4 s.; the fyrse 2 ac. with the Medo in the mosse 5 s. 8 d..2 ac. in the Mosse Shotyngs on Jameswh. 3 s.
- (1472) Deed Norris in LCRS 93185 : Le Mossedich.
b
- (1262) Cart.Guisbrough in Sur.Soc.89221 : Johanna, filia Hugonis, fratris Roberti Mossefot de Uggethorp.
- (1284) Assize R.Lan.in LCRS 49181 : Nicholas del Mosse.
- (a1285) Deed Norris in LCRS 9320 : Rob. de Mosseleye.
- (1324) in Kristensson ME Top.Terms77 : Joh. del Moshousses.
- (1326) Court R.Lan.in LCRS 41139 : Alice Mosscrop.
- (1327) Name in LuSE 3520 : Atte Mosgare.
- (1327) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 7236 : Willelmus atte Mos.
- (c1337) Deed Norris in LCRS 9321 : Alan de Mosselegh.
- (1350) Deed Norris in LCRS 93101 : Rog. Moshede..Hen. Moshed.
- -?-(1363) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9657 : Johannes del Mose.