Middle English Dictionary Entry
penne n.
Entry Info
| Forms | penne n. Also pen, peine. |
| Etymology | L penna & OF pene, penne, paine. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A feather, plume; also, plumage; (b) pl. wings; fig. the pennes of wind (windes), the wings of the wind; (c) anat. a lobe of the liver or the lungs.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)140b/a : Eire I-closid in þe holouȝnesse of pennes and feþeris [L inter pennarum concauitatem] makeþ a bridde liȝt.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.247 : Riȝt as þe pennes of þe pecok payned hym in his fliȝte, So is possessioun payne of pens and of nobles.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)62 : Pluis ayme archer penne de poun..more loueþ þe archer þe penne of þe pakok.
- a1425 PPl.C (Lond-U V.88)15.180 : Pennes [Hnt: For hus peyntede feþeres þe pocok is honoured].
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)909 : Summe lord or summe lordeyn lely schal loute To be pyth wyth perlys of my proude penne.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4988 : Þar bade a brid..all þe body & þe brest..Was finely florischt & faire with frekild pennys.
- c1450 *Bk.Marchalsi (Hrl 6398)24b : Oyne þe wounde wyth a penne.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.16 (Hrl 2340)16 : How a penne that is brokyn schal be drawe oute withoute eny laboure.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)221/8 : In fowles, by kynde tho whyche haue harde federes bene stronge and corageous, as a cooke, And tho that haue nesshe pennes bene dredfull, as turtures bene and curlyours.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 22.11 : He steȝede vp vp on cherubyn, & flewȝ & sloid vp on þe pennys [WB(2) vr. federys; L pennas] of wijnd.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.103.3 : Lord, my god, þou art magnefied hugely..Þat puttist þe cloude þi steȝynge vp, þat gost vp on þe pennys of wyndis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 13.34 : Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that sleest prophetis..hou ofte wolde I gedere to gidere thi sones, as a brid his nest vnder pennes, and thou noldist.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)135b/a : Þe souþerne wynde..chaungiþ in foules and briddes olde pennes [L pennarum] & feþeris.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Prov.23.5 : Reise not thin iȝen to richessis, whiche thou maist not haue, for tho schulen make to hem silf pennes [WB(1): federis; L pennas], as of an egle, and tho schulen flee in to heuene.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.547 : Yef hem comyn ynough & baume her pennys, And dowuys mo ynowe in wol they brynge.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4529 : Iuno..Ȝe presand hire a pakoke with pennes of an Aungell.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.215 : Pennes [vr. pennus] schal I pycche into þi mynde, Þat it arisen into heighte may.
- a1500(a1400) Libeaus (Lamb 306)2074 : A worme ther ganne oute-pas..Hir tayle was mekyll vnnethe, Hir peynis [Clg: pawes] gryme and grete.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)15a/b : Þe pulmon forsoþ haþ 5 lobos or pennes [Ch.(2): wynges; L pennas], 2 in þe lefte partie & 3 forsoþ in þe riȝt partie.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)65b/b : Þe additamentes off þe liuer, þe whiche be cleped þe pennes, ben as þei were þe fyngers off a mannes honde.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)39b/a : Þer ben in þe lyuere summe additamentis þat ben y-clepid penne, And þei ben lijkned bi þe philosophore to þe fyngris of a mannys hand.
2.
(a) The hard hollow stem at the base of a feather, used as a tube for various purposes; a quill; also, the whole shaft of a feather; gos ~; (b) a pipe, conduit, tube.
Associated quotations
a
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)99 : Nym caponys and schald hem; nym a penne and opyn the skyn at the hevyd and blowe hem tyl the skyn ryse from the flesshe and do of the skyn al hole.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)89/11 : Festre is a deep old wounde..& he haþ wiþinne him a calose hardnesse al aboute as it were a goos penne or ellis a kane.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)64a : Þe juis of þis erbe..put in a pen, and þat y-blawe in to the nose þrill for the migrane.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)179/11 : In þat contre ben many Griffounes..And of hire ribbes and of the pennes of hire wenges men maken bowes full stronge.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)129a/a : Þer be put in a poyntelle vnder þe palpebre, And be it raised vp & excoriate hooly with þe poyntel or with a penne [L cum stilo aut penna].
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)141/750 : Blow it with a gose-penne ofte-siþes in-to his eye.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)232 : Fawkoners..Brosten the bones and brekyn thaym in sondire, Puttis owte with a penn þe maryo one his gloue.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)157/12 : Take a feyr corke..boyr hyt þorow with a smale hoyt yrun & put þer-yn a penne at þe gretter hoole.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.4 (Hrl 2169)227 : [Sable three ostrich feathers of silver with] penys of golde.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)29a : Take orpyment..& put it in A gose penne & blowe it with in þe fedyrs in to þe skyn.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)50 : Ye must haue a pen betweene the lidd and the coffyne to blow the pen, that the lid may rise welle.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)151a/b : Þe ferþere lippe schal be holden vp wiþ a gos feþere, ouþir wiþ an instrument maad in þe maner of þe tuel of a gos penne, þat þe nedele may entre in to þe chanel of þe instrument þat þou holdist vp þe lippis wiþ al.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)33a/12 : Whan it is nede, temper it with wommans mylke that noressheth a mayd child, and mynistr it with a penne.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)39/17 : For nase-bledyng..blow þe poudre in his nose with a penne.
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)9.186 : Water may be led..In chanels, or conditis of leed, Or ellis in trowis ymaad of tre..The water that gooth thorgh the leden penne [L gloss.: condite; L plumbeis fistulis] Is rust corrupt, vnholsum.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)94a : A Penne: pugillaris.
3.
(a) A writing instrument; a pen; also a pencil, stylus; also fig.; ~ ful, a penful; ~ clerk, one able to write, but not fully educated; writinge ~; pennes ord, ~ point, the tip or point of a pen; (b) fig. writing ability, literary skill, style or quality; also, an author; (c) in phrases: ~ and inke, inke and ~, ~ and inke-horn, ~ and parchemin, ~ and inke and parchemin; with ~ ne point.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Ne mai no lewed (Hrl 2253)25 : Heo pynkes wiþ heore penne on heore parchemyn.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)44.2 : My tunge is penne of þe scriuayn swiflich wrytand.
- c1390(?a1325) LChart.Chr.A (Vrn)644/85 : Þe penne þat þe lettre was wiþ writen weore scourges þat I was wiþ smiten.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.271 : Sche tok a Penne on honde tho..and al the wo..Unto hire dedly frend sche wrot.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)219a/b : A writynge penne hatte Calamus scriptural.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)10626 : Hir witt, hir vertu, hir loue word, May na man write wid pennys ord [Trin-C: wiþ penne poynt].
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.13 : Þis was þe tixte trewly..Þe glose was gloriousely writen with a gilte penne.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1724 : For þat forþande fylþe, þe Fader..Hatz sende..Þe fyste wyth þe fyngeres þat flayed þi hert, Þat rasped renyschly þe woȝe wyth þe roȝ penne.
- (c1422) Hoccl.Dial.(Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)647 : Thow wilt nat haaste, I trowe, Vn-to thy penne and ther-with wirke heedlynge, Or thow auysed be wel.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)11a/a : Calamus: a rud or a pen.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)31a/b : Graphium: a penne.
- a1425 Ordin.Nuns(1) (Lnsd 378)143/14 : When sho hase redde hir profession, hir maistres sall gyffe hir a penne with ynke.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)253/13 : Þat childe..was prikked wiþ a penne [*Ch.(1): a poyntelle; L grafio].
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2491 : Me lyste nat vouche-sauf on hym to swynke, Ne spende on hym a penne ful [vrr. penne-full, penfull, pen full] of ynke.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.PPriests Benef.(Corp-C 296)246 : Lordis..wolen not presente a clerk able of kunnynge & of good lif & holy ensaumple to þe peple, but a kechen clerk or a penne clerk..þouȝ he kunne not rede wel his sauter & knoweþ not þe comaundementis of god ne sacramentis of holy chirche.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)5/21 : Whan þe prest began fyrst to wryten on þis booke, hys eyn myssyd so þat he myght not se..to mend hys penne.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)31a : Þere schal ben made a rolle of parchemyn oþer elles tables in whiche wiþ penne or wiþ poyntel schul ben entred þe names.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)598 : A penne I toke and gan me fast spede, The woful pleynt of this man to write.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)300/30 : Wyth bakbytyng, lesynge..they [envious men] distroyn theyre neghtbours name..And so is theyre tonge a penne to the deuell.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)510 : O weepyng Mirre, now lat thy teerys reyne In-to myn ynke so clubbyd in my penne.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)94a : A Penne: calamus, penna.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.13 : I set me doun, And furthwithall my pen in hand I tuke.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.215 : Iulius Cesar his hond was able to þe penne as to þe swerd.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1736 : To smal is bothe thy penne and eek thy tonge For to discryuen of this mariage.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)189b/a : A penne may nouȝt wryte atte fulle þe preisynge of þis kyngedome.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4678 : And ouermore, to tellen of Cryseyde, Mi penne stumbleþ, for longe or he deyde My maister Chaucer dide his dilligence To discryve þe gret excellence Of hir bewte.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)334 : Vouchesaf of thy singuler grace, lady, My wyt and my penne so to enlumyne Wyth kunnyng & eloquence.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)25 : Suetonius seith of him þat his hand was as able to þe penne as to þe swerd.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.2 : In the begynnyng of this litell werke I pray to God my penne he leede.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1182 : I pray god that this turne not me to charge, For I drede sore my penn goith to large.
c
- c1375(?c1280) SLeg.Advent,etc.(Eg 1993)85/426 : He tok apenne and parchemin and þe name wrote.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)3 John 1.13 : Y wolde not wrijte to thee bi ynke and penne [L calamum].
- c1390 Treat.Mass (Vrn)305 : A foul fend he sauȝ þer-In, Wiþ penne & enke & parchemin.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9280 : A fende with penne and parchemen yn honde..wrote alle þat euer þey spake.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11885 : Arthur..Let calle a clerk wyþ inke & penne, & bad hym write he scholde hym kenne.
- c1460 Cursor (LdMisc 416)10626 : The wytte þe vertu to hir ioynt May no man wryte with penne ne point.
- (1471) Will York in Sur.Soc.45194 : M. Thomas Tone, j pen and j hynkorn gyltid.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)332 : Penne and ynkhorn in on word: Scriptorium, Cala[ma]rium.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)10783 : Men mowe speke and sende with penne and Inke What they wole, and women now [?read: mow] but þinke.
- a1500 St.Jerome (Lamb 432)335/15 : Y toke penne and ynke to write a pistell þerof vnto moest holy Jerom.
- c1500(1463) Ashby Pris.(Trin-C R.3.19)68 : Hauyng pen and Inke euyr at my syde, Redy to acomplysshe theyre commandment..in theyr seruyce I spendyd all my youth.
4.
In surname.
Associated quotations
- (1428) Feudal Aids 1224 : Thomas Penmane.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. pen.