Middle English Dictionary Entry
ǒunce n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ǒunce n. Also ouns(e, ounsce, nounce, nouns(e, (?error) oins & unc(e, uncia, (error) use & (early infl.) ynsan, untsa. Pl. ǒunces, ūnces, etc. & ǒunce, ūnc(e, yǒuns, (early) yntsan, entsan, (early gen.) yntsena, untsa & (errors) uncer, entwa. |
| Etymology | OF once, unce 'ounce' & L uncia & OE yndse, yntse, entse, from L. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A unit of weight varying in amount in various systems, an ounce; (b) an ounce as one-twelfth of a pound; also, as one-sixteenth of a pound; ~ of avoir-de-pois, sixteenth of an avoirdupois pound; (c) ful ~, a complete ounce; gret ~, ?an ounce or more; ~ bi (of) troi weght, one-twelfth of a troy pound; ~ weght (iwihte), ounce(s by weight; (d) a shekel; (e) a very small amount or quantity; tiny bunch, wisp [1st quot.]
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)78.20/17 : Nim..huniȝes ane ynsan.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)99.64/1 : Nim þeos wyrt..six yntsan.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)100.64/1 : Nim..of cypres[so]..annes pundes ȝewihte & [tweȝ]ra yntsena.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 21.16 : Jesbidenob..whos iren of þe spere peisede þre hundrid owncis.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.37 : Þey durste not wiþ drawe what þe seventy hadde more þan þe Hebrewes; but þere þey made strikes liche as ounces beeþ i-write, and beeþ also i-cleped oboly.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.776 : Orpiment..Mercurie..litarge..Of ech of thise of ounces [vr. vncer] a certeyn Noght helpeth vs.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1254 : Lat take another ounce [vr. vse]..Of quyk siluer.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333a/a-b : Ciclus in latyne hatte sicta [L sicel] in hebrew & weieþ an vnce among hem and among þe grees riȝt as among latyns Siclus is þe fourþe part of an vnce.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.54 : Ilk knyght bare on his arme..Also mykelle brent gold as sextene vnce [F unces] amounte.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)82/13 : Þou schalt fynde a stater, a þinge þat weyeþ half an vnce.
- (1420) EEWills45/7 : A becure of seluer y-keueryd, þat weyyth xxv ounsus, I quarter.
- (1420) EEWills46/4 : A bolle pece þat weyyth vij ouunsus & halfe, and halfe a quarter.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1118 : Rubyes there were..And emeraudes, more than two ounces [F onces].
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)20a/b : Denus: ten ounces.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)62a/b : Stater: halfe an vnce.
- (1442) Invent.Gild in PSAL ser.2.5122 : An Ewer gylt that Weyeth xv unce et di.
- (1443) Will York in Sur.Soc.30134 : A covered maser boundon with silver and gilt, the weyght of troy a pounde and half and ij unces.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)67/10 : Þan take..a quantyte of þe sueth of a dere, ii vnnc [?read: vunc] or more.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)82/7 : A dramme is a certeyn mony of gold weying þe viij part of an vnce.
- (1463) Acc.Howard in RC 57154 : A schene of gold weyyng xix ownsys and half a ownsce, the prise off every owns xxx s.
- (1473-4) Doc.in Welch Hist.Pewterers Lond.39 : Itm, payd for iij vnces..of Syluer for the Comen Sealle, x s. v d.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.27 : Take persole, peletre an oyns.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)32b/19-20 : An ownce of barly floure, of camfre an vnce.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)714/22-3 : Hec uncia, a nowns. Hec semiuncia, half a nouns.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)2/13 : Put hit in an vnc of brasel.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)17/1 : Take a nounce comyn.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333a/b : Vncia haþ þat name for he ooneþ and byndeþ al nombre of weiȝtes and weyeþ eighte dragmes..twelf vnces makiþ libra.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)199a : Eyȝte dragmes ane ounce; Sixtene ounces makyn a pounde.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)200 : In medecyne þou shalt take þi weiȝt be whetecornes..xxti whete cornes ben a scrapale weyȝt, iii scrapulus maken a dragme. A dragme and an half is a solidus..An vnce is vi solidus and þre dragmes. A povnde hauyþ xii vnces and no moo.
- a1486 Assize Bread in Archaeol.57 (Mrg M 775)59 : Twelve unces maken a pounde, and viij pounde maken a galon.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)12 : To have knowlych of Troy Weyght ye schall understand that xxx d. whyche were coynyd and made of sylver, tempore Henrici sexti, wey an unce; and xii unces make a lb. of Troy.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)13 : Habur de Peyse..The lb. of thys weyght conteynyth xvi unces of Troy weyght, and by this weyght be all maner of merchaundyse bought and sold, as tynne, lede, iron, coper, style, waxe, wode, alem, mader, spycery, corsys, laces, sylks, threde, flex, hempe, ropys, talowe.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Add 30338)35 : An unce ys the twelfethe part of a pound.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.396 : xxxij graynes of whete..makith a sterling..xx sterling maketh an Ounce; and xij Ounce maketh a Pounde for siluer, golde, bred & Mesure..the seid xxxijti graynes of whete take out of the myddes of the Ere makith a sterling peny; & xxti sterling makith a Ounce of haburdepeyse; and xvj Ouncez makith a li..to by & sell Spycers by and all her Chaffer þat perteyneth vnto weyght.
c
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)127.116/2 : Nim..anre untsa ȝewyhte ȝesweorfes of seolfre & rosan þreora untsa ȝewihta.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)137.141/1 : Nim þisse wyrte wurtruma..þreora entwa [read: entsa] ȝewihte & smedma six entsan ȝewihte.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.135 : Ciclus is a ful unce among þe Hebrewes, and among Grees and Latyns ciclus is a quarter of an unce.
- (1442) Doc.in Nicholl Ironmongers527 : The grete gilte cuppe..weiying by troy weight xlix youns.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)39a : Anoþer lasse dart þei hadde þe whiche hadde an heued of yren þre square of fyue ounce weiȝt.
- (1458) Paston (EETS)1.42 : Item, to do make me vj sponys of viij ounce of troy wyght.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)234 : A ston..Which of fyne gold peiseth a gret vnce.
d
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Esd.5.15 : Þe firste dukis þat weren beforn me greueden þe puple & tooken of hem in bred & wyn & in monee, eche dai, fourty ouncis [WB(2): siclis; L siclos].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Esd.10.32 : Wee shuln setten vp on vs hestis þat wee ȝyuyn þe þredde part of an ounce bi þe ȝeer to þe werk of þe lord oure god.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.30.13 : Eche shal ȝyue this that passith to a name, half an nounce after the mesure of the temple; a sicle, that is a nounce [WB(2) vr. nounse], hath twenti half scripilles.
e
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.677 : By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)313 : Al my body peised in balaunce Weieth nat an vnce.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1137 : Oon vnce þereof is bettir þen fyvety pownd.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1146 : No man..wil bere it a-way, No more then thei wolde take a vnce of clay.
2.
A measure of length equal to three inches.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)332a/a : Oure grete..deled þe prouynce..in teritories, and teritories in feldes..cubites & feete..vunces and vnches [L vncias et digitos]..an vnche [L digitus] is þe leste party of mesures of feldes, and vncia conteyneþ þre ynche [L digitos] in mesure.
3.
A division of time equal to one four-hundred-eightieth of an hour.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)124a/b : A moneþ conteyneþ foure wekis..a monent [read: moment] twelve vncis [L vncias], and an vnce xlvii attomos.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)126a/a : Vncia is þe twelfþe partye of a moment; athomus is þe xlviiti part of an vncia.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)484/2467 : xii unce makys 1 libra in fysyk.
Note: Add. self-defining
- c1400 Sln.468 Cook.Recipes (Sln 468)154.18/7 : Tak & put half a quart hony in a bras panne & boyle it wel ouer þe fer, & stere it & lat seth til it be thikke as wex…& if it fare as wex tak it doun & wete a gret treen vessel wet with water…& tak a pound of…gyngere & a quartroun of an vnce of pouder peper & medele hem wel with þe hony &…whan it is cold tak a pyn of tre or of an hertes horn & stike in an hole of tre þat is bored with a wymbel…til it wexe as hard as it were tempered wex.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes in EETS SS 8151.12/1 : To mak anneys in counfyte: Take ii unc of…anneys & put þem in a panne…euermore steryng þem wyth ȝowre hand, till þei ben drye…þem…take up þi suger in a ladell þe montynance of a unc and…ster þi suger wyth a spatyle of tree & whan it begynneth to boyle take…vp…þe suger betwene þi fyngers & þi þombe & whan it begyneth…to streme…stere it…wyth þi spatyll…Bot loke þou ster þem & smertyly for cleuyng togedyr…& wyth…oþer hand…tourne þe þanne for…more hete on þe othyr syde…as ȝe see þat it ges ageyn in þe bothym…stere wyth ȝoure hand…in þis manere schull ȝe wyrke it vp til it be as grete as a peys.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes in EETS SS 8151 12/27 : Ȝif it [anneys] be made of potte suger, gyf…iii decocciouns more abouen, and at ilk a decoccioun ii vnc of suger.
Note: Additional quote(s)
- c1500(1446) Morstede Surgery (Hrl 1736)118 : Take di a unce of thurie and make yt in sotyll powdyr.
Note: Additional quote(s)