Middle English Dictionary Entry
nē̆she n.
Entry Info
| Forms | nē̆she n. Also neichs & (error) nosche. |
| Etymology | OE hnesce n. For forms, see adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Something soft, the soft (or softest) part of something; easy or comfortable circumstances; fig. an idle, sinful person; (b) ~ (and, or, other, ne) hard, hard and (or) ~, all circumstances, all times, all persons or things; anything whatever; good (and, or) bad [see also hard n. 1. (b)]; (c) the quality of softness.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)20/181 : For moni, for to muchel heard of wa þet he dreheð, forȝet ure lauerd, ant ma þah for nesche ant for flesches licunge for ȝemeð ham ofte.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)20/183 : Bituhhen heard & nesche, bituhhe wa of þis world ant to muche wunne..is in euch worldlich þing þe middel wei ȝuldene.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)22/201 : I nesche ha is bald, & heard mei hire offearen.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)180/15 : Þe deade nis namare of scheome þen of menske, of heard þen of nesche.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.6.10 : Nether auouters, neither neische [L molles], neither lecchours of men..schulen weelde the kyngdom of God.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)102/15 : Take þe rote of hors-helne, and sethe it weell in watir; and þanne take þe nesche þer-of.
- (a1475) Recipe Painting(2) in Archaeol.J.1 (Sln 73)155 : With that poudre medle another pounde of fyn lymayle of coper, with good vynegre that be strong in manere of nosche, pappe.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3734 : Mann mihht himm fon & pinenn Wiþþ hat & kald, wiþþ nesshe & harrd.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2968 : Y schal him avowe in nesse & hard.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8166 : He hadde wonder of his pruesse, Þat so leyd doun hard and nesse.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)140/302 : Al hyt was god, wyþoute lak, Hard and nesche, wyte and blacke, And al þat was.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5188 : By þat were Sarazyns stoȝen vp al frechs, And wer come inward at hard & neychs At a pan þat was broken.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4693 : Lihtere is to fle the flint Than gete of him in hard or neisshe Only the value of a reysshe.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)606 : Þe gentyl Cheuentayn is no chyche, Queþer-so-euer he dele nesch oþer harde.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7318 : Aȝeins hym J dar go, Falle it to nesshe oiþer to hard.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)58/17 : Punsche þi bodi..as ferforþ as þou haste itrespassed, in hete and in cold, in nesche and in harde.
- (1417) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)9.435 : Thys two my Lordys wylle abyde harde and nesche all weyes.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17454 : We are bothe of on blod & flesche, Holde we to-gedur for hard or nesche!
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)23.216 : What so Evere become Of his flesch He ne Rowhte, wheþer hard Oþer Nesch.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)17769 : He bad, for herd or nesch, þat þies folke..Suld for bere swynyse flesch.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.33 : Feyre hony do into hit To þo hony stonde over þo flesshe Too fyngurs thyke for harde or nesshe.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)1483 : No knyȝt, for nessche ne hard, Þey he schold be for-fard, Ne geteþ her non ostell.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.467 : Nesche is i-knowe by meny wittes.