Middle English Dictionary Entry
oistre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | oistre n. Also oister, hoister, oestre, oiestere, eister, & ostre, oster, hostre; pl. oistres, etc. & oistrin & oistere, ostre. |
| Etymology | OF uistre, oistre & L ostrea. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An oyster Ostrea edulis; also, the so-called pearl oyster Meleagrina margaritifera; also, a similar kind of shellfish, a mussel; (b) in phrases or proverbial expressions: drinken to oistres, to drink to (one's) oysters, get the worst of a deal, have a bad time of it; not the valeu of an ~, not in the least, not at all; not worth an ~, worth nothing at all; (c) ~ bot, a boat which brings oysters to market; ~ mongere (sellere), a seller of oysters; ~ shelle, a shell of an oyster; (d) in place names and surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- (1290) R.Familiae in Archaeol.15352 : Pro vi lagen oistroz..iij s. iij d.
- (1343) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9939 : [For the first week in May: 800] Ostree.
- (1364) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.7 : [To supervise the sale of] hostres, muskeles, cokkes, and welkes.
- (1367) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.lxxv : In solucione facta Vicecomiti Dunelm..cum amigdalis et hoisters emptis eodem anno.
- (a1377) Acc.Abingdon in Camd.n.s.5138 : In ostreys, ix s.
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)p.116-17 : For to make Oystryn in Bruet: They schul be schallyd and ysod in clene water; grynd peper, safroun, bred, and ale and temper it wyth Broth; do the Oystryn thereynne and boyle it and salt it.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.181 : Þe ouermeste of þe neþer kynde touche þe neþermeste of þe ouer kynde, as oistres [Higd.(2): oestres; L ostria]..passeþ but litel þe perfeccioun of lyf of treen and of herbes.
- (1393) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52213/1 : Et pro ostreis, lxx s.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.2100 : For many a muscle and many an oystre..Hath been oure foode, oure cloystre for to reyse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)137b/a : By nyȝte in springinge tyme oystres openeþ hemsilf aȝaynes dewe..and by his incorporacioun..brediþ..a stone þat hatte margarite.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)161a/b : Oystres ben yclepid ostria and han þat name of shelles þat defenden and warden the nesshe fysshe with ynne.
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.59 : Oysters in Gravey: Schyl Oysters and seeþ hem in wyne and in hare own broth.
- (a1399) Oath Bk.Colchester11 : A Farcost that comth charged wyth Oysters or Muskelys or Kokkelys.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)344/4 : For vij causis diuers þingis ben brent..The iij cause is þis, þat it mowe gadere scharpnes, as stoonys, oistris, & schellis of eiren.
- (1422) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.128/236 : John of Ely hath take a charge..for to do kepe þe assay of oistrez, that þe oistrez be gode, holsome, and in sesoun for mannes body.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.5.32 : Oistres and muscles and oothir swich schelle-fyssch of the see..clyven and ben norisschid to roches.
- c1425 WBible(2) Gloss.Ex.(Lin-O Lat.119)30.34 : [Roy: Onyca], that is, a litil oystre smellynge sweetely.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)449 : At the first cours, oysturs in grave and baken herringe and pyke and stok fissh and merlynges fried.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)161 : Also of oystrys and muskelys that comyn to..Gippeswich to sellyn, it is ordeyned..that such maner of fyssh with shelle be seld by the handys of tho same men that bryngyn hem to sellyn.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)446 : Schyllyn oysterys, and thyngys closyd yn schellys: Excortico.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)13 : Oystres en grauey..take fayre Oystrys & parboyle hem in fayre Water..Oystrys in grauy bastard: Take grete Oystrys an schale hem.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)100 : Oystres in cevey.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)37/27 : Tythe owyth to be payed of all manere wode, of leynys of oystrys, of leynys of fysch.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)126/332 : For the fflyx: Take hertys horne in the shell if [?read: of] an oystere, [etc.].
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)245 : He reseyved the Sacrament in the cherch, and fro his mouth voyded it to his hand, bare it hom, and ete it with his oystres.
- a1475 Herkyn to my tale (Brog 2.1)p.85 : Ther was..Waspis and eysturis..Eyche one toke a penne of ther purch, and offyrde at the mas, The eyster [vr. oystur] offyrde ij d. and sayde he wolde pay no las.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.17 : For to make potage of oysturs: Perboyle þyn oysturs, [etc.].
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.53 : Oystere in browet: Take and schole hom and sethe hom in clene water.
- (1475) Stonor1.152 : Payde..on freday nexst after Estur for eysturs and elys, iiij d.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)90a : An Ostyr: Ostrium, peloris.
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.182 : Thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre.
- (1470) Paston (EETS)1.557 : For and I had not delt ryght corteysly..I had drownk to myn oystyrs.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13155 : I ne haue noon avauntage ffor to harme nor do damage -- Nat the valu off An Oystre.
c
- (1321) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms198 : Oystermonger.
- 1419 Liber Albus Lond.in RS 12.1376 : Item, oystrebot qui navigat in tholles dabit obolum, et si in horloc, i denarium.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)46b/b : Ostriarius: an oyster siller.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)174a/a : Strongest medicines ben as vnslecked lime of stones, of oyster schelles, and of eye schelles, Resalgar and oþer sucche.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)30/18 : Aftirward be it enoynted..on ich aside about þe lure wiþ Salus populi hette in an ostree shell.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)90/31 : Þis oyntment is hard, and þerfore when it is nede to vse it, take of it and putte in ane holow oistre schelle and melt it aboue colez.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.1135 : Eek oister shellis drie and al togrounde With hard picche and with figis dooth the same.
- (c1448) Rec.Norwich 1345 : John Gladman of Norwich..on fastyngong tuesday made a disporte..crowned as King of Kristmesse in token that all merthe shuld end with ye twelve monthes of ye yer, afore hym eche moneth disgysd after ye seson yerof, and Lenten cladde in white with redde herrings skinnes and his hors trapped with oyster shelles after him in token yt sadnesse and abstinence of merth shulde followe and an holy tyme.
- (1455) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 498 : To gaderyng of oyestere scellys: j d.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)89b : An Ostyr shelle: Ostria.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)262 : An Ostre seller: ostrearius.
- a1500 Now god þat syttyst (Cmb Ff.1.6)p.239 : Falsehed and sche [Meed] byn bothe of oon substaunce; Alle be they not worth an oyster-schelle.
d
- (1259) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)1.4 : [Houses, rents, etc...at the corner of] Oystregate.
- (1265) Pat.R.Hen.III516 : John de Oystregate.
- (1305) Acc.Faversham in Archaeol.Cant.10223 : Waltero Ostreman.
- (1305-6) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.177 : Oystrehull.
- (1309) Pat.R.Edw.II117 : Walter Oystreman.
- (1349) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)1.595 : [A shop at] Oystregate.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Trin-C.O.7.23 Artist.Recipes (Trin-C O.7.23) 289/9 : Grynde hem wel vpon a ston of marbyll..and then put hit to an euster schelle and wassch it ofte with water.
Note: Additional quote, sense (c).
Note: New spelling.