Middle English Dictionary Entry
atter-cop(pe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | atter-cop(pe n. Also adder-, hader-, neder-. |
| Etymology | OE āt(t)or-coppa (lit. 'poison-head'); cp. MnE cob-web. The vrr. adder-, neder- are influ. by n)addre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A spider, esp. a venomous one; (b) ~ ei, the cocoon of a spider; ~ weft, spider web, cobweb; (c) ?some other arachnid.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)134.135/8 : Wið attorcoppan bite seoð þare wyrte leaf on wine.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)600 : Ac wat etestu..Bute attercoppe and fule uliȝe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 8.14 : The hope of an ipocrite shal pershe..as the web of attercoppis [WB(2): yreyns].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.59.5 : The webbis of an attercop [WB(2): yreyn] thei wouen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)19b/b : Þe attircoppe þat sit in þe middel of þe webbe & feliþ almaner meuynge þat touchiþ þe webbe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)100b/b : Colde & moiste as þe venyme of attircoppis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)259a/a : Þe attrecop haþ likyng and tast in flies.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)259b/b : Som atterecoppe haþ viii feet and somme ten.
- a1425 *York MGame [OD col.] (Dgb 182)vi : With hadercopes or with venemous poudres.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)46b : Hit helpiþ for waspis bitynge..for attercoppis.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)16 : Attyrcoppe: Aranea.
- a1450(?a1390) Mirk Fest.Win.(Cld A.2)318/33 : An atturcoppe, þat somme callyn an vryne..bote hem alle þree in þe nekke..and so swalle here þrotes..þat too of þem weren dede.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)12 : Amptes..& attircoppes & suche oþer þat ben euere bisy..ben maide to schewe man ensaumple of stodye & labour.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)63/18 : The attercoppe that makithe his nettes to take the flyes or thei be ware.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)625 : Aranea: addurcop.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.102 : [Put] an attorcope in a box & hal a very saphir of ynde at the mowþe..& by vertu þerof he is ouercome & dyeþ.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)766 : Hec aranea: a nedyrcopp.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)324a/a : Atircoppe eiren..beþ venemous, neisshe, and gleymy..and of oon ey comeþ endeles attircoppes.
- a1425 Trev.Higd.(Hrl 1900)7.343 : Attercop weftes [StJ-C: copweb].
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.311 : Þere [Crete] beeþ venemous attercoppes þat beeþ i-cleped spalangia.