Middle English Dictionary Entry
muscle n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | muscle n.(1) Also muscl, muscul(e, musculle, muskle, muskel(e, muskelle, muskal, muskil(le, (error) mustul & mushel, mushil & moscle, moskle, moskil. |
| Etymology | OE muscle, muscelle, from L; also cp. L musculus & OF mosle. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An edible bivalve mollusc, mussel; ~ bed, portion of sea bottom on which mussels grow; ~ man, ?one who gathers or sells mussels; (b) mil. ~, ~ shelle, a kind of siege engine [see quots.].
Associated quotations
a
- (1298-9) Court R.Lond.35 : [A fish called] moscles.
- (1307) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.994 : In muscles empt. in villa.
- (1308) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.994 : In muscles emp. per ebdomadam, 5 s. 4 d.
- (1340) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9937 : In muscls et kokells emp., iij s. ix d.
- (1364) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.7 : Hostres, muskeles, cokkes, and welkes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.15 : Among þe schelfisch beeþ muskles [vr. moskles; Higd.(2): muscles; L musculæ], þat haueþ wiþ ynne hem margery perles of alle manere colour and hewe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.2100 : Many a muscle [vrr. muskele, muskel] and many an oystre, Whan othere men han been ful wel at eyse, Hath been oure foode.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.94 : Frydayes and fastyng-dayes [a] ferthyng-worth of muscles Were a feste for suche folke.
- (1409) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9953 : In moskyll emp., ix d.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.5.33 : Thilke wit cometh to beestis that ne mowen nat moeven hemself her and ther, as oistres and muscles and oothir swich schelle-fyssch of the see.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)445 : Take musculs and pyke hom clene and wassh hom and sethe hom, and cast therto a lytel wyn or ale.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)161 : Also of oystrys and muskelys..it is ordeyned..that such maner of fyssh with shelle be seld by the handys of tho same men that bryngyn hem to sellyn.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.2703 : Ther been eke perlis founde in muskel shelles.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)348 : Muschyl, or muskyl [vr. musshell]: Musculus.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)103a : Þe see muskeles, þogh þei ben litel, ȝit doth þei grete esement ofte to þe grete baleyne or whaale.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)103b : Þe whaale resteth hym gladliche on þe muskel bed.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)571/22 : Þat froste..distroyet oisters and muskelles and fresshe-water fissh.
- (1459) *Maldon (Essex) Court Rolls Bundle 34, no.3 [OD col.] : Johannes Morell, muskylman.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)8/16 : There byne also oftyne take..Muskellis, wherin be fovndene noble margarites of alle-maner colovres.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.46 : For mustul bre. Fyrst sethe þy mustuls.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)78 : To mak musculles in brothe, tak muscles and sethe them and pik out the mete and..put ther to the muscules with poudur and saffron.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)83 : Tak some erbes..and put it to the muskall brothe..and put to the drawen muskalls and salt them.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)83b : A Muskyll: Musculus.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.107 : Margarita..is founde in shellis which ben cokelis, or in mosclys & in schellfyssh of þe see.
- c1500(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Trin-C R.3.19)27 : Perlys whyte..Ben oft founde in muscle shellys blake.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)92/32 : Thilke Margaryte thou desyrest, was closed in a muskle, with a blewe shel.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)102/45 : The Margarite is a litel whyt perle..on the see-sydes in the more Britayne, in muskle-shelles.
b
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)102a : Here ben rehersed þe names of gynnes & ordenaunces þat a citee or a castelle may ben assailled wiþ..þat is to seie snayles, rammes, sithes or hokes..muskelus [L musculi] & toures.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)103a : Muskelus [L Musculos] ben I-cleped litel gynnes of werre þat defendeþ þe fighteres and þe werriours in brynginge of stones, fagottes, tymber & erthe while þei filleþ vp þe diches & also rammeth þe loos erþe to make sad grounde, and even wey ffor rennynge & rollynge of þe somercastelles to þe walles wiþ-oute lettinge.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2375 : The tortoys or the snayl, the rammys grete..The musculys eke with the pety berde, Lo alle these wil this Citee assaile With crafte.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2448 : The muscle shelle is but a smal engyne, Mightily mad on whelis for to go, And bere away the wallis when thei myne; Thei bringe stuf the dich to fille also; And on the werk it may go to & fro And sadde it vp, that tourys ambulary May men ynowe vppon the wallis cary.