Middle English Dictionary Entry
nēse n.
Entry Info
Forms | nēse n. Also nes, nece, nesse, (N & NMid.) nease, neis(e, neies, (S & W) neose, (early) nesa, neosæ, (in place name only) nies-. |
Etymology | Prob. OE *nesu, *neosu, akin to MDu. nese. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. nase & nose n.(1).
1.
(a) The nose as part of the human body; brigge of the ~ [see also brigge 2. (f)]; ~ ende, the tip of the nose; ~ gristil, the cartilage of the nose; (b) the nose of a man or animal as an organ for smelling, breathing, making sounds, emitting water, blood, mucus, fire, etc.; the sense of smell; holden ~, to hold one's nose; ~ bledere, a nosebleeder; ~ smel; (c) the trunk of an elephant; (d) in surnames & place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.49].
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)18 : Him scerpeþ þe neose; him scrinckeþ þa lippen.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)23 : Þet beoð þes monnes eȝan and his fet and his hondan and his muð and his nesa.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22843 : Þa wifmen þa ȝe maȝen ifinden..kerueð of hire neose.
- c1225 St.Marg.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)21/27 : His twa ehnen..on eiðer half on his hehe hokede neose.
- c1225 SWard (Roy 17.A.27)12/104 : Þet freoteð ham ut te ehnen & te neose gristles.
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)157 : Wene þe rug is ate flor, þe rof ate nese [vr. neose], Al þis worldis prude nis nout wrid a pese.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2450 : He..keste him on a scabbed mere; Hise nese went un-to þe crice.
- a1350 Most i ryden (Hrl 2253)28 : Hire neose ys set as hit wel semeþ.
- c1390 KTars (Vrn)47/542 : Whon þe child was ibore..Hit hedde nouþer neose nor eiȝe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18842 : On nese [Frf: neyse; Göt: neies] and muth was noght at mend.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21453 : His eien first put vte i sal, And his hend..Tung and nese [Frf: neise].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.166 : His nese & his ine he carfe at misauentoure.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)260 : His nese was cutted als a cat.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)43b/a : Nasus: a nese.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)634/9,11 : Interfinium: bryg of the nese..purulus: nesehende.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)134/4 : In anoþer yle ben folk..withouten nese & withouten mouth.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)354 : Nese or nose: Nasus.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)462 : Snvrtyn, or srowne [read: frowne] wythe þe nese for scorne or schrewdenesse.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2248 : The nakyde swerde at þe nese noyes hym sare.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)71/18 : Of sum þay bate off þe nese, of sum þe eres.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)152/18 : As he kissid hym, he bate of his fadur nece.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)253 : A Nese ende: pirula.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)46/20 : Cap.120. Of nees.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)132/488 : Ich fote that ye trede goys thorow my nese.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)180/471 : To se this flode from the fote to the nese Mefys nothing my mode.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)92/29 : Odoratus, þæt is stenc on þære neosæ.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)127 : Þas vii ȝeate..beoð ure eȝan and ure neose, [etc.].
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)45/32 : Smel of neose is þe ueorðe of þe vif wittes.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)46/14 : Smel þet cumeð of godes half uroureð þe heorte more þen þe neose.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)2 : Ðe leun stant on hille & he man hunten here Oðer ðurg his nese smel Smake ðat he negge.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)223 : He drageð ðe neddre of de ston ðurg his nese up on on.
- a1350 SLeg.Brendan (Ashm 43)405 : A gret fisch hi seie..Brenninde fom out at is mouþ & at is nese he caste.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)30.288/10 : An hermyte fand A ded mannes bodi..ffor stunch þe hermite his neose held.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.194 : Gloten..Bleuh þe Ronde Ruwet atte Rugge-bones ende, Þat alle þat herde þe horn heolden heore neose after.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3572 : Þe front it fronces þat was scene; Þe nese [Frf: neyse] it droppes ai bi-tuine.
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)1821 : Þer teth gnaisted wt nese snore.
- c1400 I þonke þe lord (Sim)55 : My nese, lord ihesu ful of myȝth, Kepe hit þat I non vuel smel.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)626 : By-hald what comes fra þe, What thurgh mouthe, what thurgh nese.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)775 : His nese ofte droppes; his hand stynkes.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)60b/b : Sintema: hedhache or rennynge of nese.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)139/7 : Oute of his [a devil's] mouthe and his neese commez..fyre.
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)633 : His neys smelled of the Iewes snot and foul spitting That thei cast vpon his face.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)47 : The Oxe and the Asse knelynge doun leyden her mowthes on the cracche brethynge at hir neses vppon the child.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)461 : Snytyn a nese or a candyl: Emungo, mungo.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)536 : Ȝarowe, myllefoyle: herbe for nese blederys.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)37/17 : Tak calde thynges of grete sauoure & halde to his nese.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)54.76 : At his Nese he bledde wondyr sore.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)45 : The sowre þat hym sewet sett vp the nese..& wyndide full ȝerne.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)99 : I foundede faste..frome wylde swyne that wyse bene of nesse.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)51/11 : Þis hermett helde his nece, at he sulde nott fele savur þerof.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)396/12 : Þai wex bothe wrothe with hym &..said his nease droppid.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)97/19 : Þe v wyttes..dwellys yn þe eighen, yn þe eryn, yn þe nese, yn þe tonge, and yn þe hondes.
c
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)85b : An Neyse: nasus..nasibilis..proboscis..rostrum eliphantis..proboscida.
d
- (1150) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.147 : Nesham. Nessham.
- (1194) EPNSoc.18 (Mid.)162 : Niesdon.
- (1206) CRR(2) 4159 : Rogerus Nese.
- (1255) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.147 : Nesebyt.
- (1320) EPNSoc.18 (Mid.)162 : Nesedon.
- (1336) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.147 : Nessam.
- (1479) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.147 : Nesbitt.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. nese.