Middle English Dictionary Entry
netle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | netle n. Also netel(le, netole, nettle, nettel(le, nettele, nettul, (early) netele; (early gen.sg.) netelan; (error) ntel; pl. netles, etc. & net(t)len. |
| Etymology | OE netele. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A plant of the genus Urtica, a nettle; dokke ~ [see dokke n. 3.]; Grekish ~ [see Grekish 1. (a)]; (b) fig. a sin or vice; an enemy; (c) ~ sed, nettle seed; ~ bush, ~ crop; (d) in proverbs and prov. expressions; ~ in, dokke out, a refrain accompanying a game.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)136.140/1 : Nim þisse wyrte seaw þat man urticam & engle netele hatað.
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)544/36 : Urtica: netle.
- a1300 Hrl.978 Vocab.(Hrl 978)557/29 : Ortica, i. ortie, i. nettle.
- ?a1300 Gloss.Neckam (Tit D.20)111 : Urticas [glossed:] urtie, nettle.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)774 : Urtie [glossed:] netle.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)156/28 : Þe ueldes of þe fole sleuuolle..weren uolle of nettlen and of þornes.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)230/22 : Þet uless is ase a donghel þet ne carkeþ asemoche ase is of him-zelue bote þornes and netlen.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.24.31 : Bi þe feeld of þe slowe man I passede &..nettlis hadden fulfild, þornes hadden couered þe vtmost of it.
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)63/35 : For but ȝif þe vine be kut, he schal wexe wilde; but ȝif she be rayled, she shal be ouergoo wiþ netles and wedis.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.401 : The Netle..up renneth The freisshe rede Roses..And makth hem fade and pale of hewe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)257b/b : Of netles is double kynde; oon brenneþ and byteþ and gendreth bleynes and ycchinge and haþ scharpe leues and rowgh and somdel reede and rowe stalkes wiþ egges and brenneþ his hond þat it handeleþ and is heuy of smelle wiþ somdel bitter sauour.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)258a/a : Þe nettel is bettre in medicyne þan in mete.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)7521 : Þe þornes prykked, þe netles dyd byte.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)120/10 : Arrigor is..as it were a prickynge of nedelis or ellis of netlis in þe fleisch.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416:Everett)114/7 : Seint Benet, þat was solitarie fro wommen, for he felede his flesh sterede to lecherie, he biswapte himself wiþ scharpe þornes and kene netlis.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)49 : Men may make sause of salt and vynegre and strong garlike ypilled and stamped and nettelis togedir..to lay vpon þe bityng.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1712 : Ne dorste I to the Rose bede For thesteles sharpe..Netles, thornes, and hokede breres.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)70a/b : Vrtica: an nettle.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)644/9 : Vrtica: nettylle.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)50b : Nettyll is hote in þe third degre.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)124a/b : Gumme of a white vyne & of brionie & netlez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)168b/b : Vrtice, i. neteles.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)154a/b : Adde þer to þe croppes off nettels.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)162a/b : Sympel medicines..dille, wurtes, nettels.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)173b/a : Corrosiue medicines þat ȝeuen milke, as rue..nettels..and oþer sucche.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)198b/a : Vrtica: Nettle.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)630/23 : Vrtica, þe netle, is an herbe hote and drye.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)354 : Netyl, herbe: Urtica.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.717 : Nettelis war from hem, this briddis twynne.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)27/37 : Tak..croppis of lyn & nettill.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)202/12 : Take borys gres and..juce off netlys.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)249/11 : Grynd þe rote of netyllis.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13804 : I cause also..That bremblys, netlys..Wexe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)85b : A Nettyll: vrtica.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)164/20 : Raase ham [enemies] all out of rote, as the good gardyner dothe the nettylle.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)711/30 : Urtica: a netylle.
b
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.280 : Priue pride in pes es nettille in herbere.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416:Everett)58/3 : Þornes, orible oþes prikinge soules; netlis, nuclene wordis of brenninge lecherie, bitinge here neiȝbores wiþ here yuele ensamples.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416:Everett)140/2 : Kutte awei þe þornes of wickednes and draw up þe nettles of coueitise.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)164/20,23,25,29 : I know welle the roote of the nettille, One dough O'dynicis, fadyr of hym that now is..this nettle in Poynte was to haue be rasid out of roote, whan ye..the castell..out of the fals nettle-is Handys wyrchiply wan..And..the Same fals nettles lyghtly agayn hit gotte.
c
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)16/2 : Þæs buccan ȝeallen meng wið..netelan sæd.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)162a/b : Sympel medicines..valeriane, Cole sede, dille sede, nettel sede.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)355 : Nettyl seede: Gnydisperma.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)197/16 : Take..þe powdyr off nettyll-sede..with the juce off saguinarye.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)255/11 : Take þe juce of..netyll-croppis.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)88/236 : Seth nettill sede and..oyle and enoynt thi fete and handis & it will do away the colde.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)85b : A Nettyl buske: vrticetum.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)711/31 : Urticetum: a netylbuske.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)786/14 : Anagalidos: netyllesede.
d
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.461 : Þe netle groweþ somtyme next þe rose, so of þe same mylde Edmond com Edwyn þe worste and Edgar þe beste.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.948 : Next the foule netle, rough and thikke, The rode waxeth swoote and smothe and softe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.461 : Kanstow playen raket, to and fro, Nettle in, dok out, now this, now that, Pandare.
- c1430 Allas for thought (Cmb Gg.4.27)374 : Now as the rose, frosch & newe, Now as the netyl row of hewe.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2698 : The rose knowe be colour & suetnesse..The netle rouh for his fel sharpnesse.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)837 : Froward tounges..noyse or sclaundre make, To medle netlys with soote Roose flours.
- a1500 When nettuls (BodPoet e.1)p.69 : When nettuls in wynter bryng forth rosys red..Than put women in trust.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)13/167 : I have not played raket, 'nettil in, docke out', and with the wethercocke waved.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)54a : Wene they of A nettle to haue a rose Or of ane elder an apple sweete.
2.
In combs.: a plant of the genus Lamium; blind ~, Lamium album [see blind adj. 5. (a)]; ded ~ [see ded adj. 8.]; def ~ [see def 3. (a) and archangel n.(2)]; red ~, Lamium purpureum.
Associated quotations
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)16a : Cardiake..haþe levis somdell like to blynde netill.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)158b/b : Take þe blynde nettel with þe red blosme.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)193b/b : Archangelica: Blynd nettyl.
- ?a1425 Alphita (Sln 284)193 : Urticia: Dedenetole.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)215/10,18 : Rede netyllis..Take..þe rybbys of þe red netyl.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)75 : Take gromylle..þe rede netelle, [etc.].
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)137 : Take þe vrine of þe seek, and caste hit on þe rede netle..and ȝef þe netle be ded, hit is a sygne of deeþ.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)48/5 : Take..þe croppe of þe reed nettyll.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.42 : What herbz..Ben gode to potage..þe crop of þo rede brere, Rede nettel crop and avans.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)31a : For a hawke þat is tykyll in þe fote..Take a handfull of rede nettyllis & tey hyr Apon hem all nyȝth.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)84a/a : Recipe reed nettil and morelle..& raw grese..and leye hem hoot to þe wounde.
- a1500 Sln.Herb List (Sln 1201)76 : Herbes for a Salade..Red nettell.
3.
One of various other plants: ?horehound, ?bastard saffron, ?thistle.
Associated quotations
- a1400 Alphita (SeldArch B.35)111 : Marrubeum album: dednettle.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)398/33 : Oyles of netles [*Ch.(1): cartami; L carthami] of radysshe, of sumac.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)787/16 : Cardo: a nettille.
4.
(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.50].
Associated quotations
a
- (1379) Let.Bk.Lond.F (Gldh LetBk F)269 : John Netlebed.
- (1388) in Ewen Surnames Brit.325 : Rich. Nettelbed.
b
- (1195) EPNSoc.17 (Not.)102 : Nettleswurda.
- (1197) EPNSoc.17 (Not.)102 : Netlewurða.
- (1246-7) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)131 : Nettlebed.
- (1271) in Kökeritz PNWight254 : Ntelcumbe.
- (1300) EPNSoc.24 (Oxf.)460 : Netleden.