Middle English Dictionary Entry
opī(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | opī(e n. Also apie, epie, ephie. |
| Etymology | L opium, from Gr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Opium; (b) opobalsam.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1472 : He had yeue his gailler drynke so Of a clarree maad of a certeyn wyn With nercotikes and opye [vrr. opy, Epye, Ephie] of Thebes fyn That al that nyght..The gailler sleep.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2670 : Herof a draught, or two..Yif hym to drynke..And he shal slepe as longe as evere thee leste, The narcotyks and opies [vrr. opijs, Epies, apies] ben so stronge.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)99b/b : Take oile of rosis and bole armoniac..& opij grounden..of iusquiami.
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.143 : Her seed yf me reclyne In baume or narde or opi [L opobalsamo; L gloss.: opio] daies thre.