Middle English Dictionary Entry
orf n.
Entry Info
| Forms | orf n. Also orfe, oref, horf, orve, oreve. |
| Etymology | OE |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Cattle; livestock; ~ qualm, qualm of ~, widespread death of livestock, murrain; (b) sheep; also fig.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1103 : Ðis wæs swiðe gedeorfsum gear her on lande þurh mænifealde gyld & þurh orf cwealm.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1111 : Ðises geares wæs swiðe lang winter..& gewearð se mæsta orf cwealm þe ænig mann mihte gemunan.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1116 : Wes eac þyses geares swiðe hefig tyme winter & strang & lang wið orf & wið ealle þing.
- 1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1131 : Ðes ilces geares wæs swa micel orf cwalm swa hit næfre ær ne wæs on manne gemynd ofer eall Engleland.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)35/3 : Þus man hine sceal læcnie: He hine forhabban wyð feala cunna metas and drencas and wyð ȝebræd flæsc and wið ælces orffes flæsc, þe cudu ceowe [L quadrupedibus ruminantibus].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10466 : Þat orf [Otho: horf] þat heo nomen, al heo sloȝen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15879 : Quale com on orue.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)61 : He binimeð us ure agte, oðer þurh fur oðer þurh þiefes..oðer þurh orf qualm.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)161 : Godes wrake cumeð on þis woreld to wrekende on sunfulle men here gultes..and binimeð hem hwile oref, hwile oðer aihte, and hwile here hele, and hwile here ogen lif.
- a1275 Ful feir flour (Trin-C B.14.39)20 : To iesu þu salt taken..orf & lond & lude.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1157 : Þu bodest cualm of oreue [Jes-O: orue].
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1199 : Ich þat [read: wat] ȝif cwalm scal comen on orfe.
- c1300 SLeg.Eust.(LdMisc 108)58 : His Orf deide al-so to grounde; nouȝht o best a-liue he nadde.
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)418 : Sethþe þare cam in þe londe a swyþe strong qualm of orue, Þat schep and reoþeren and oþur bestes aldai leiȝen a-storue.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)883 : Tol and takel and orf he dede Wenden hom to here ogen stede.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1743 : Wiues and childre & orf he nam, And to ðe munt galaad he bi-cam.
- a1325 SLeg.Blase (Corp-C 145)80 : Euerich man here afterward þat..honureþ me mid eny of is orf..Proui it ssel þe bet wiþ him.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7764 : Manne orf [B vr. best] deide al agrounde, so gret qualm þer com þof.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)412 : Tho com ther another sorwe..The orf deiede al bidene..And tho that qualm was astin[t] of beste that bar horn Tho sente God..another derthe of corn.
- a1333 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Add 46919)238 : Orf [vrr. bestialle; best; glossing AF (Cmb): aumaille].
- c1375 SLeg.Concep.Virg.(Eg 1993)97 : Nomon..so muche of orf hedde.
- c1425 Glo.Chron.A (Hrl 201)p.6 : At London schippes mest, & wyn at Wyncestre. At Herford schep & orf, & fruyt at Wircestre.
b
- c1200 Wor.Serm.in EGSt.7 (Wor Q.29)91 : Heorden vakeden ouer heore orf.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)31 : On holie erndrake..tealde þe herdes þe wakeden ouer here oref biside þe burch belleem..On þe niht..þe ure lafdi..kennede of holie lichame ure louerd ihesu crist were herdes..wittende here oref.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)39 : Ac þe gode herdes wakieð..ouer here orf.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1640-42 : Ðre flockes of sep dor-bi..ðor abiden, al for-ði Ðor was nogt wune on & on Ðat orf ðor to water gon, Oc at set time he sulden samen Ðor hem-self, & here orf framen.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.410 : Men sein That fro the leese which is plein Into the breres thei forcacche Her Orf, for that thei wolden lacche With such duresce, and so bereve That schal upon the thornes leve.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400 PPl.Z (Bod 851)7.64 : Ys sone hyght 'Sewe-myn-ourf-fors, -slewth-nat-the-leste, Kepe vch mannes corn as thos kepest my oune, Bothe here gras ant here god, or by God thow schalt abegge!
Note: cattle tracks
Note: New comb.