Middle English Dictionary Entry
pī(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | pī(e n.(1) Also piȝe, peie. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A magpie; freres of the ~, freres ~, an order of friars who wore black and white garb; (b) a sly person; an informer; (c) in proverbs and comparisons; (d) in surnames; (e) in place names; as a tavern name.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)126 : Pie & crowe hit to drowe.
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)313 : Þe souwe..deide..And fur-rotede..Rauon ne pie no oþur foul nolde enes come þare-neiȝ.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)2182 : On þe falle..swich a maner vileynie As hadde þe burgeis for his pie.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)2201 : Þe burgeis hadde a pie..Þat couþe telle tales.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.307 : A pye [L pica] grette hym..and he wondrede and bouȝt hym.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1998 : Of an hungri Pie The storve bestes ben awaited.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.650 : Owles Right for despit were peynted hem bisyde, And pyes on hem for to crye and chyde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)141b/a : Oþir foules..eten now fleische and now fruyt..as alle foules of raueyne kynde, as chowghes, crowes, rookes and rauenes, and pyes.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.227 : Kynde..is þe pyes patroun.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2417 : Þe burias in his hal had a py Þat cowth tel tales ful properly.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)49b/b : Pica: a pye.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)345 : There was..The thef, the chough; and ek the janglynge pye.
- c1430 Lydg.TG (Cmb Gg.4.27)p.21 : For here falshed & here doubilnesse Had In dispit..Ben Iayis, Pyis, Lapwyngis, & these Oulys.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)395 : Pye, bryd: Pica.
- 1448(1435) *Mandeville Brut (Arms 58:Kooper)f.321v : Þe bysshop .. made his men to go to þe church of þe ffrerys þe which at þat tyme were clepyd þe Frerys of þe Pye [Brut-1333 (Brie, 238/17): frere carmes] and þer þis bysshopys men pykkyd stonys out of hure lond to perfourme his tour.
- a1450 Walsingham Hist.in RS 28.1 (ArmsAr 7)182 : Fratrum quos Freres Pye veteres appellabant.
- a1450 Omnes gentes (Sln 2593)5 : Many qwyte federes haȝt þe pye.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)22/10 : Ther was a woman that had a pie in a cage, that spake and wolde tell talys.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)73/2 : Take a pyȝe and ete it..rosted.
- (1472) Paston (EETS)1.584 : I sye the pye and herd it spek, and be God it is not worthe a crowe.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.192 : Þe egle..kenned clerliche..Alle þe preuy poyntis þat þe pies wrouȝth.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.349 : If the pye chater and haue noo reste..They sey it is a token of som straunge geste.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)95a : A pie: Auis, pica.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)166 : Thow olde cherl..go and make a flyng..Pies and crowes to don to deth.
- a1500(?1471) *Ripley Epis.Edw.IV (Ashm 759)105a : He shall..deuoure byrdes and bestes of the wildernesse: Crowes, poppyniaias, pies, pacokkes, and mavyce.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)65 : Þe foles foundeden hem-self freres of the Pye, And maken hem mendynauns & marre þe puple.
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.527 : Dredeles, it cler was in the wynd From every pie and every lette-game.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)703 : Hyt Were impossible..Though that Fame had alle the pies In al a realme, and alle the spies, How that yet she shulde here al this.
- c1450 Dice(1) (Frf 16)147 : Ye ben a wyly pye.
c
- a1350 Mon in þe mone (Hrl 2253)37 : Hupe forþ, Hubert, hosede pye!
- c1350 Of alle þe witti (Add 45896)16 : Þey..callen me prust papelart, pilled as a pye.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3950 : She was proud and peert as is a pye.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1399 : Forth she goth as iolif as a pye.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.565 : He was of foom al flekked as a pye.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1848 : He was..ful of iargon as a flekked pye.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)355 : Beleue nouȝt yn þe pyys cheteryng.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)8.178 : I ne wolde ȝiue for þi patent on pye [vrr. piȝe, pies] hele.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.253 : Þough þe riche..crye to cryst..His ledne be in owre lordes ere lyke a pyes.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)80/5 : Þei men teche a pie or a iay to speke Latyn, þei ben not clerkes neuereþeraþer.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5755 : Somme of hem þat Bachus serue..ben as chargaunt as a pye.
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Arun 507)144 : We waful wreches..al dai chaters as pies.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.165 : It is a foul þing þat prestis speken as pies.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.FCLife (Corp-C 296)194 : Prestis..ben not constreyned to blabre alle day wiþ tonge & grete criynge, as pies & iaies.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)9/19 : Þei haue hony in here mouþes, but þei fele no swetnes þat chateren as don pyes & noȝt preieþ.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)357/266 : He jangelis like a jay..he patris like a py.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)1157 : Vn-to þe Sarazene gon he defye: 'Ȝour lawes are noghte worthe a pye.'
- c1475 Five Puzzles (Brm)12 : Take iij claterars..A pie, A iai, A woman.
- c1475 Why Nun (Vsp D.9)251 : Whoso chateryt lyke a py..schalle be put owte of company.
- a1500 Þer wer iij (BodPoet e.1)p.239 : Ther wer 3 cheteryng; iii cheteryng ther wer: A peye, a jaye, and a woman.
- a1500 When nettuls (BodPoet e.1)p.269 : Whan..pyys be mad poetes for ther eloque[n]s, Than put women in trust and confydens.
d
- (1177) in Pipe R.Soc.2679 : Radulfus Pie.
- (1210) CRR(2) 688 : Eustacius Pie.
- (1221) Justice in Eyre R.in Seld.Soc.531557 : Nicholas Pie.
- (c1230) Cart.St.John in OHS 68208 : Matheus Pie.
- (1250) Pat.R.Hen.III62 : Arnald Pye.
- (1266) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.568 : William Pye.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1153 : Johannes Pie.
- (1287) Close R.Edw.I446 : John Pyeschanke.
- (1299) Court R.Ramsey177 : Agnes Pye.
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 21110 : Rogero Pybridd.
- (1316) Nickname in LuSE 55142 : Isolda Pyebryd.
- (1327) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 7236 : Nicholaus Pyfinch.
- (1332) Nickname in LuSE 55148 : Joh. Pytayl.
- (1346-50) Feudal Aids 2165 : Walterus Pie.
- (1373) Nickname in LuSE 55148 : Will. Pyshank.
- -?-(1390) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9688 : Johannes Pye, maryner.
e
- (1339) in Ewen Surnames Brit.230 : J. atte Pye.
- (1343) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)30 : Pyesnest.
- (1384) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.148 : [A plot of meadow by] le Pye [in Norhampton].
- (1422) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.128/226 : By-hynde þe Pye atte Quenhith is a pryue place, which is a good shadowyng for theves.
- (1431) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)30 : Pienest.
- (1456) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.204 : Le Pye.