Middle English Dictionary Entry

nī(e n.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms nī(e n. Also eie, ye, jye, je.
Etymology OF ni nest.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
A brood of pheasants.
Show 11 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • c1450 Terms Assoc.(2) (Cmb Ll.1.18)231 : An iee of fesauntez.
  • a1500 Terms Assoc.(3) (Lamb 306)233 : A Nye of Feysantes.
    • Note: In view of the supplementary material, which includes the quots. added from the deprecated entry eie n.(3), nī(e n. now needs senses (a) and (b). The quots. in the dictionary entry all belong to sense (a). Delete the existing definition and replace it with the gloss below.
    Note: Gloss: (a) As term of association: ~ of fesauntes, a flock of pheasants.
  • a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340:Halliwell)296 : Ye schull say I have founde a covey of pertrich, a bevey of quayles, and [read: an] eye of fesaunts.
    • Note: Additional quot.
    Note: Quot. belongs to sense (a).
    Note: This quot. has been taken back to books.
  • a1500 *Roy.Recipes Hawk.(Roy 17.D.4)90b : If that the sere of here beke, the sere of her yen, fote, & leggis [be] yelowe as yoke, than she is a brauncher; And if the sere of her beke, yen, fote, and leggis be pale or while [read: white], than it is an nyes.
    • Note: Quot. belongs to sense (b).
    Note: Gloss: (b) a young hawk taken from the nest for training, or one whose training is incomplete; neies hauk.
    Note: This quot. has been taken back to books.
  • a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)845 : Syr Garcy went crowlande for fayne As rampande eyen do in þe rayne.
    • Note: New form.
    Note: Quot. belongs to sense (b).
    Note: This quot. has been taken back to books.
  • a1486 Sln.Bk.Hawking (Sln 3488)140 : Fede not Anneyes hauke al longe thus An nyes' hauke is, that is y tak oute of the nest yonge, while the Dowles beth on hir.
    • Note: Supplementary material for sense (b).
Note: The etymology of nī(e n. needs to be reworked. See deprecated entry eie n.(3).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the existing form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. List of (unaltered) spelling forms in quots.: ny, nye, neyes, nyes, eye, ye, jye, je, iee; pl.eyen--notes per MLL

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