Middle English Dictionary Entry
neb n.
Entry Info
| Forms | neb n. Also nebbe, nebe, nep, nap & (in place name only) nibe, nub(b)e. |
| Etymology | OE |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The human face; ~ with (to) ~, face to face; (b) the human nose; (c) the bill or beak of a bird; the snout of an animal; (d) ?in place name [see Smith PNElem. 1.254].
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)39/219-20 : Heo gesihð hire sune eall ealswa he is, neb wið nebb.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)109.82/14 : Be æȝhwylcum uncuðun bladdran þe on mannes nebbe sittaþ, nim webræde sæd.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4163 : Heo heolden to gædere & hardeliche fuhten; feollen þe fæie, falewede nebbes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22039 : Ȝif he his neb wendeð touwærd þan mære..ful wel he beoð iborȝen.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)181 : In sudore uultus tui uesceris pane tuo: On þine nebbes swote þu schalt þin bred noten.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)59/95 : Mon he lufede and welbiþohte..Neb upwardes he him wrohte.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)28/457 : Þin heorte wið inne þe swelleð of sar grome, & ti neb utewið tendreið ut of teone.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)34/318 : He sende ihesu crist ure lauerd to ure alesnesse & beoð forþi ilich him i þe ilke wlite þet he is, for ha seoð him as he is, nebbe to nebbe.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)129/28 : Me turneð þe neb bliðeliche towart þing þet me luueð.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)147/21 : Þe chaliz..wes þerin imealt & strongliche iweallet & seoððen þurh se moni dunt & frotunge to godes nep [Nero: nebbe; Tit: nap] se swiðe feire afeitet.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)490 : Iosep cam into halle & sauȝ his breþren wepe; He kisseþ Beniamin anon, his neb he gan wipe.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)615 : In hire bedde he fond tuo, Wel faste iclupt..Neb to neb, & muþ to muþ.
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)203 : Op heo stod with wordes bolde, with briȝht neb and glade chere.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)581/310 : Þis gode wif..Changede hure cloþes & hudde hure neb.
- a1350 Maximian (Hrl 2253)226 : Myn neb þat wes so bryht So eny sterre lyht, falu is & won.
- c1330(c1250) Floris (Auch)739 : Teres..fillen adoun bi here nebbe.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)283 : He acursed þe time þat [he] hir say, Felice wiþ hir eyȝen gray..hir nebbis schene.
- c1390(?a1325) LChart.Chr.A (Vrn)644/83 : Vppon myn neb was mad þe ynke, wiþ þe Jewes spittyng on me to stynke.
- c1400 St.Alex.(2) (Trin-O 57)52/330 : Some of þo..þe holy mannes clothes tere..And of water and of broþ him bere, And caste in his nebbe.
- c1350 St.Greg.(Cleo D.9)134/853 : Þo þat lady hadde þat lettres radde..Alle faleweþ here white nebbe, And wex al wone and wonder grene.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)176 : Þe canker..was heled..As newe as þe nebbe þat neuer was wemmyd.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4519 : Ȝe haue na hoping in þat hathill at on hiȝe sittis, How he ȝoure nase & ȝoure nebb & all of noȝt cried.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)98/11 : Reymond..[had] grey eyghen & depe, somdel heyghe nose, neb rody.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)14/9 : Wið blod-ryne of nebbe, firȝin-buccan..wunderlice raðe hyt þat blod-rune ȝestilleð.
- ?a1300 St.Eust.(Dgb 86)250 : Ovp-on þi neb [vr. nose] is an wonde.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)6163 : His helme he smot bi þe side..Fram þe cheke þe neb he bar.
- c1440 Thos.Ercel.(Thrn)439 : He sall be tane..Hys nebbe sall rynne, or he tethyne fare, Þe rede blode tryklelande.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)80/15,18 : For þe nebbe þat semeth leprous, Take quyke-seluere..and þer-with smere þe nebbe; and kepe þe nebbe from þe wynde iii dayes, and he shale be hole.
c
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)22/360 : Beasteliche men..bereð ham ase beastes..as þah ha nefden wit in ham ne tweire schad as mon haueð ba of god & of vuel..na mare þen beastes & dumbe neb habbeð.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)641/9 : Rustrum: nebbe.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)13b/a : The 2a. a bone curued, i. croked, & sharp to þe maner of an nebbe, i. bille, of a rauen.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)31/3 : Þer commes rukes and crakes..and ilk ane of þam bringes in þaire nebbe in steed of offerand a braunche of olyue.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)352 : Neb, or byl of a byrd: Rostrum.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)84b : A Nebbe or A byll: Rostrum.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6162 : As two dobelers euery eye he hathe..Neke as an ape, nebe as an owle.
d
- (1189) EPNSoc.39 (Glo.)240 : Nubelee.
- (1248) EPNSoc.39 (Glo.)240 : Nibeleg'.
- (1287) EPNSoc.39 (Glo.)240 : Nubbelei.
- (1362) EPNSoc.39 (Glo.)240 : Nebbeleye.
- (1476) EPNSoc.39 (Glo.)240 : Nebley.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Corp-O.291 Artist.Recipes (Corp-O 291) 286/4 : For a letter that is wretten with a ryght smale pen the leter wyl not be so blake; for smale neb therefore do thys. Take parchement that ys olde wrete and bren hit..al to colys, and grynd hit..and temper yt vpp with ynke Lumbarbe.
Note: Glossary: "neb n. nib (pen)'.">
Note: Cf. OED neb, n., sense 5. b. 'The nib or point of a pen or pencil; = nib n.1 1a.' First attested in 1574.
Note: New sense.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. neb.