Middle English Dictionary Entry
net n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | net n.(1) Also nette, neth, natte. |
| Etymology | OE |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A net for catching fish, birds, or wild animals; also, a net full of fish [quot.: (c1300)]; ~ breidere, a maker of nets; ?a gladiator who fights with a net; (b) in proverb.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29251 : Þes heðene cniht up aras forð rit & nettes bi-sohte.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)209 : Hunte driueð deor to grune oðer to nette.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)8/10 : Ich iseo me, lauerd, bistepped & bistonden ase..ra inumen i nette.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)170/10 : Triste is þer me sit mid te greahunz forto kepe þe heare oðer tildeð þe nettes aȝein him.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)39/659 : To þe se my net icaste.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(Hrl 2277)160 : In strongere manere he was ymaked..ibroide of strenges longe & siþþe as me knyt a net, iknyt harde & stronge.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)808 : Gladlike i wile þe paniers bere..Þey þer be inne a birþene gret, Al so heui als a neth.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)361 : Þe kyngdom of heuene ylich is to a gret net Þat is ycast in þe see.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)292 : Li peschour en viver pesche; Ore de la rey [glossed:] nette [vrr. net, neet].
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.552 : Y went to þe se of fischeing, Mine nettes for to layn.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)170/25 : Viss geþ in be him-zelue and be his wille in-to þe nette.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)256 : Ou de roy..With a net.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3665 : Nettes of gold threed hadde he..To fisshe in Tybre.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))John 21.6 : Send ȝe the nett in to the riȝt-half of the rowyng, and ȝe schulen fynde.
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)87/187 : Whon crist him calle wolde To ben on of his desciples bolde, his Nettes alle he forsok, him to suwe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3927 : Pipen he koude and fisshe and nettes beete.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.183 : The bridd..wole alihte And seth the mete and noght the net.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)233b/b : Flex is nedeful to dyuers vse for þerof is y-made cloþing to weryng..and nettes [L retia] to fisshyng and to huntyng.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.54 : Þat fischid in Temse on þe nyght, whan þei þer nettes vp wond, Þe body of Harald in a nette þei fond.
- (1405) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.34 : Thei shul bene quyte of al maner of Custumez, Ankerage..Dryyng of nettes.
- a1425(a1349) Rolle MPass.(2) (Upps C.494)43/14 : Lord, swete Ihesu, þi bodi is like to a nette, ffor as a nett is ful of hooles so is þi bodi ful of woundis.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)36b/b : Laquetissimus: a lytel net.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)64b/b : Tendiclam [read: Tendiculam]: a net to take bryddes.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)357/20 : Þei..þrowe forþ her nett upon þe riȝt hond.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1190 : This amerous queene chargeth hire meyne The nettes dresse, and speres brode and kene; An huntyng wol this lusty freshe queene.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.674 : Nero..With nettis of gold fisshed in his ryueeris.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)354 : Nett, to take wythe fysche: Rete, sagena, raciaculum..Neet breydare: Reciarius [read: Retiarius].
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)14679 : Þe Payens wyþowte leide nettes & lynes, & sparewes toke al day.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)1.3.5 : Thy reet shapen in maner of a nett or of a webbe of a loppe.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)48.327 : They fownden A vessel..And A Net [F roit] þer-Inne, fysch forto take.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)131 : The smale foules, of the sesoun fayn..from the panter and the net ben scaped.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)199 : Þe worme renne in to þe wolle, & when hyt..wolde turne ageyn in to þe heed, he schal not entre, no more þen a fysche out of anette in to þe water.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)11727 : The man..made the nattys in certeyn, Vnmade & made hem effte ageyn.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)85b : A nette: cassio..Nett [read: Rett]..Sagene plaga.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)2638 : Turpyn was by-set As a der in the net.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)737/35 : Rete..plaga: a nett.
- a1500 PFulham (Jas 43)134 : A queynt ys vsyd, a quayle pype..Tyll that sche be vndyr a net y-take.
b
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.OFools (LdMisc 683)139 : He is a fool affore þe net that ffissheth.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)104/139 : Ye fysh before the nett..sich folys neuer I mett.
2.
(a) Something woven or constructed like a net; a piece of network fabric used for bed curtains, clothing, etc.; metal-work net; her. the representation of a net on a coat of arms; gnat ~, a net to keep out gnats; (b) a spider's web; (c) ?a container or unit of measure for cotton.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Kings 7.17 : Two heuyd coueryngis he made..in maner of a nett [L retis] & of cheynes weuyn to gidere to hemselue in oon werk.
- (1418) EEWills36/8 : iij nettes of Silk grene for quirtayns for the same bed.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)11b/b : Canopuem: a gnat net.
- (1449) Will Brugco in Nichols Illust.134 : I bequethe..myne executors to make for the same chalice ii small nets of sylver and over-gilt.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.5 (Hrl 2169)187 : The feld of asewre, iii storgonys of golde maskylyd yn an nette of gowlys.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)56a : A Gnat nett: Canopeum, zintalicium.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)311 : Hys [Pluto's] clothyng was made of a smoky net.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)387 : In the same chamber was made a couche..hanged wt a tent knit lyke a nett.
b
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)369 : Ðe spinnere..nimeð anon to ðe net & nimeð hem [flies] ðere.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)270a/b : Þe ȝonge spiþer arrayeþ anoon nettes [L retia] þat beþ acordynge to his pray.
c
- (1453) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)323 : Cooton, ye Nett: ij d.
3.
Fig. A means of enticement; snare, trap; trick, wile; develes ~.
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13480 : He toc to spellenn, To lacchenn himm wiþþ spelless nett.
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)83 : Hue were laht by þe net so bryd is in snare, wiþ rouncin & wiþ stede.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)77/22 : Holy wryt..hise clepeþ leazinges and ssed..nettes and bendes and þe dyeules grines.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.140.10 : Kep me..fro sclaundres of men werchinge wickedenesse; Synneres shul fallen in þe net [L retiaculo] of hym.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)50/529 : Heo was lyk þe deueles nette, To take mennes soulus.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2369 : He that speketh to his freend wordes of swetnesse and of plesaunce setteth a net biforn his feet to cacchen hym.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2708 : Thus he, whom gold hath overset, Was trapped in his oghne net.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)140.11 : Falle sal in his nette sinful þat are.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)114/11 : Seint Bernard and his broþer saluteden here syster for such maumetrie: Seint Bernard clepede hure 'þe deuelis net'.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1355 : O eyen clere..ye that wroughte me swich wo, Ye humble nettes of my lady deere!
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6183 : Hem that proude be..preche us povert and distresse And fisshen hemsilf gret richesse With wily nettis.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)357/25 : Þei casten forþ þe nett of holy desier into me, þat am þe pesible see.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1918 : Thei þat in feyned speche habounde And glosyngly vnto hir freendes talke, Spreden a net bi-forne hem wher they walke.
- a1450 Gyle & gold (Sln 2593)p.256 : Now haght gyle leyd his net, To gyle bothe frynd and fo.
- c1460 To you beholders (Dub 432)48/5 : Lat not youre yien be þe nettes of youre care.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)15194 : Yt ys ful hard a man tescape..ffro my nettys off tresoun.
- c1475 O lord omnipotent (Trin-C R.3.21)76 : Hope me comfort in euery sore temptacioun, So that I voyde the nett of dylectacioun.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)303 : Be ware of Tytivillus..He wyll ronde in yowr ere and cast a nett befor yowr eyn.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)437 : For þes two lawis ben graues to þe fend to gnare men in his net.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)2094 : Þus Lybeauus..Wan þat ylke lady bryȝt Out of þe deueles nette.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)5.23.102a : The aposteles..wer the fisches which þat he fond in this worldely see and took hem with his nette of grace.
4.
In surname.
Associated quotations
- (1287) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms206 : Rob. le Netknetter.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. net.