Middle English Dictionary Entry
pigge n.
Entry Info
Forms | pigge n. Also pig(e, peg(e, pigh, pl. pigges, etc. & pigkes. |
Etymology | ?OE *pigga; cp. pic-brēad mast, food for pigs. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A young pig, piglet; also, a young porcupine; (b) a pig, regardless of age or sex; antoni ~, a stray pig [see also under Antony]; barou ~, a barrow; ~ ele, some kind of eel; pigges-hous, a pigsty; ~ takere, a provider of swine for household consumption; ~ withe, a twig or branch used for tying hogs; pigges-wol, the finer hairs of swine, or a blanket made of them; (c) a pig as food; pigges-fot, a pig's foot; also, a game played with the knucklebones of swine; (d) in proverbs and proverbial comparisons; (e) in surnames and place names.
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)90/28 : Þe suwe of ȝiuernesse, þet is glutunie, haueð pigges [Corp-C: gris] þus i nemmed.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)90/32 : Þus beoð þeos pigges i ueruwed.
- a1333 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Add 46919)273 : Pyg [vrr.gris, hoge; glossing AF (Cmb): Purcel].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.237 : In þat stoon is i cornere white sowe wiþ þritty pigges [L porcellis].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)54a/a : Whanne a sowe farweþ, sche ȝeueþ þe firste pappe to þe firste pigge [L filio].
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)8 : Porcelle gerist, sengler releie:..Pig wrenneþ, boor boweþ.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)30 : The sowes leden about her pigges wiþ hem in to þat tyme þat þei han farowed, ii tymes and no lenger, and þan þei chosen her first pigges away.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)63b/a : Suculus: a lytel pygge.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)47/18 : The Sarazines bryngen forth no pigges [vr. grysez; F porceaux], nor þei eten no swynes flessch.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)149/32 : He commaundeþ to lay þerto sowes melk, ȝefyng mylk to here firste pigges.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)211 : Gryce, swyne or pygge: Porcellus, nefrendis.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)183 : Pacokes and plouers in platers of glode, Pygges of porke-despyne, þat pasturede neuer.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)59/22 : Mysseyeres..beþ like a sowe þat haþ pigges, þat wole gladly bite on þat haþ on white cloþes.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.143/14 : Thabbot hathe In Heyforde ij partys of scheves, of lambys and of pyggys and of other smalle tithis.
- (1466) Paston (Gairdner)4.229 : For purveying of all the velys, lambes, x beefins, certain piggs.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)258 : A sowe delitith..in fowle draff hir pyggis for to glade.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)54 : Þat tyme shall your sowis haue pyggis.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)624 : Porcellus: pygge.
- c1500 Recipe MSS Hast.in HMC (Hnt HU 1051)1.422 : Take the ballokes of an olde cokke or of an yonge bore pygge that sowkeryth on the mother.
b
- (1322) Acc.Wellingborough in North.RS 8124 : Item, in pigWithis et virgis emptis.
- (1344) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.208 : [Ordinance that all chalons made of material called] Piggeswolle [be sold before Easter].
- (1356) Close R.Edw.III257 : [Two mattresses..seven coverlets..four] pigges wolles.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.700 : In a glas he hadde pigges bones.
- (a1399) Oath Bk.Colchester10 : An hog, j quart..A pyg or ij, j qt.
- (a1425) Stonor1.40 : For iij pygges, xij d. ob.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)182/16 : Þei speken nought, but þei gronten as pygges [vr. swyne].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)109b/a : Renners aboute fro house to hous as antonie pigges & fro towne to towne..seme þat þei kunne hele of alle maner sekenesse of þe yȝen.
- a1450 Agnus Castus (Roy 18.A.6)153/6 : Þys herbe..sode wyþ pyggys grece..ys a gode oynment.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)385/23 : There com to hym an Antony pygge and folowed þe ost.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)385/26 : Atte þe last, þis pygge and God brouȝt hem out alle saaf.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)74/19 : Tak sawge, and gres of a ratoun and of a peg.
- (1454) Proc.Privy C.6.229 : Thoffice of þe catery..iij gromes bochers, j grome pigge taker.
- (1463-4) Let.Bk.Lond.L (Gldh LetBk L)45 : If ther come..oone Shipp..with..Elys, Whityng, Places, Coddes, pagan, Makarell, Pigell, Heryng, [etc.].
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)123b/a : Recipe þe flaiþis of a ȝong barowe pigge & kutte hem smale in pecis & seþe it.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)167b/b : A pigge or anoþir beest schal be kut in þe myddis of þe wombe and leyd al hoot to þe guttis.
- (1495-6) *Acc.R.Abbotsbury : Pyggeshowse.
c
- (1355) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.257 : [They would not play again the game called] le bon dictum Piggesfot.
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)p.108 : Nym pyggus and hennys and other maner fresch flesch.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1841 : Haue I..of youre softe breed nat but a shyuere And after that a rosted pigges heed.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)258b/b : Some [animals] beþ y-ordeyned..to be y-ete, as swyn and pigges [L sues & porci].
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.23 : Take Pigges yskaldid and quarter hem and seeþ hem in water and salt.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)437 : Take vell or pyggus or capons or hennus or gryse and sethe hom wel togedur a longe tyme in watur and wyn.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)40 : Pygge y-farsyd.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)41 : Broche þin Pygge.
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)604 : Longing for keruers..a pyge heddyde, a lame sydyde.
- (1468-9) Stonor1.101 : For ij pygkys, viij d.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.31 : Take pigges and scalde hom in water clene.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)47a/a : Riȝt siche bonys ben y-founden in piggis feet whane þei ben eten, as þouȝ it were cheristonys.
- a1486(c1429) Menu Banquet Hen.VI in Archaeol.57 (Mrg M 775)p.57 : Pigge endored.
- a1550(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Sln 1873)2993 : Such hete wherwith pigge or gose is scallid, In this arte decoccion it is callid.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)130/128 : Nowe will I..put owt that I have in my poacke, and a pigges foote from puddinges purye.
d
- a1325 Prov.Hend.(Cmb Gg 1.1)st.36 : Wan man ȝevit þe a pig [vr. gris], opin þe powch.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4278 : They walwen as doon two pigges in a poke.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.54 : Childe is pigge, and fader is the flicche..When me profereth þe pigge, opon þe pogh. For when he is an olde swyn, thow tyte hym nowȝht.
- c1450 Dice(1) (Frf 16)356 : Sothe ys seyde that man shal neuer make Of pigges tayle goode lyltinge horne to blowe.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)190 : Als goode was Jacke Robyn as John at the Noke, for alle were as hyghe as pygysfete.
e
- (1186) in Pipe R.Soc.36165 : Johannis Pig.
- (1190) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.1126 : Jordanus Pigman.
- (1209) Pipe R.Winch2/18 : De Nicolao Pig.
- (1227) Close R.Tower 2196 : Willelmum Piggesfot.
- (1240-49) Cart.Oseney in OHS 90382 : Extenditur..usque ad domum quam Piggesfot tenuit.
- (1268) Close R.Hen.III488 : Ricardus Pyg.
- (1280) Pleas Som.in Som.RS 4421 : Richard Pygge.
- (1286) Feudal Aids 1337 : Hugo le Pigh.
- (1296) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)453 : Richard de Pyggeuorde.
- (1316) Close R.Edw.II443 : Reyner Piggesflesch.
- (1327) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)272 : Richard de Pigerithe.
- (1327) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames151 : Luca de Pygerich.
- (1327) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms68 : Walt. Pyghurde.
- (1332) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)272 : John atte Pygherygg.
- (1332) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)453 : John de Pegeford.
- (1332) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames151 : Lucia de Pyggherythe.
- (1333) Court R.Colchester 1106 : Richard Pyg.