Middle English Dictionary Entry
periode n.
Entry Info
| Forms | periode n. Also pariode; pl. period(i)es. |
| Etymology | ML periodus & OF periode. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An extent of time; the period of human life; the span or duration of a government or city, as marked by astronomical occurrences; (b) daies periodes, with daies construed as sg. gen.: ?the seven canonical hours of the liturgical Day Office; with daies construed as pl.: ?the days corresponding to the seven dominical letters; -- but perh. an error; (c) med. a cycle of recurrence of a disease, periodicity; ?also, an attack of a recurring disease [last quot.].
Associated quotations
a
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)137/15 : The influence of bodyes celestiall ben shewde vnto us by the maisters of the moost inestimable science of astronomye, that in the celestiall book of the firmament..may be knowen the cours and lastinge of the lordshipps and citees, the whiche the naturiens callen the periode [F periode] and that they haue sekenesse and deth as mankynde in thaire nature.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.28.71b : Holy and entierly the sowle is, within his owne word, hool in euery place for the tyme and pariode befor ordeyned of the first maker.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)19/12 : Feble Natur..was..alwayes made redy and susteyned vttirly with his power..for to make vs endure our litill rightfull peryode.
b
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)102/3 : Seuen heuens er, and seuen planetys & seuen dayes, and þe cercuyt of þe moone ys seuen, and dayes of drynkynge or of medicyn er seuen, & dayes Periodies er seuen, and many oþer þinges bylonges to þe nombre of seuen.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)22b/a : Apostemez yn periodez, i. circuites [Ch.(2): in termes], and in paroxismez, i. accessez, & in crises, i. alteracions or domez, seweþ þe analogie, i. comparicioun or proporcioun, of þe materiez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)94b/a : Þai [medicines] helpe not in hem [hemorrhoids] þat haþ not periodez, i. circuitez [Ch.(2): certeyn styntes and certeyn tymes of comynge].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)132b/a : After periode, i. circuitee [Ch.(2): þe certeyne terme]: If þe fantasie be not continued, bot som tyme interpolate..It procedeþ of the wombe.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)133/31 : Kyndes of obtalmyes hauen peryodos, i. termes assignede by kynde, and paroxismos, i. laboures of þe sekenesse..and þe longest of þo termes [*Ch.(1): periodez] is drawen alonge vntil 7 dayes.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)83/27 : Greuous syknesse þat commen of hete or of peryodis and of þe cours of þe mone, er kennyd whether þey be sshort or long.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Sense (b) highly doubtful. For 'dayes Periodes', Ashm SSecr. has 'daies of perilles' and Caritate SSecr. has 'dais dysemolle' -- in both cases, days of misfortune or danger.