Middle English Dictionary Entry
Pisces n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Pisces n. Also piscis, pissis, pisses, pishes. |
| Etymology | L |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
One of the twelve constellations of the zodiac, the Fishes; also, the twelfth sign of the zodiac, Pisces.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1216 : The tuelfthe, which is last of alle Of Signes, Piscis men it calle.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.704 : And thus..Mercurie is desolat in Pisces [vrr. pisses, Piscis] wher Venus is exaltat, And Venus falleth ther Mercurie is reysed.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)108b/b : Gemini, virgo, sagittarius, piscis,. þise signes beþ I-clepid housis, for þey beþ þe home & þe wonynge place of planetis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)111a/b : Þat signe hat pissis, þe fische.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)161a/b : It is to be chosen þat þe mone haue ynowȝ of liȝt..And be it in moiste signes, As bene Cancer, Scorpio, & piscis.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)1.8.5 : Under the compas of thilke degrees ben writen the names of the Twelve Signes: as Aries, Taurus, Gemini..Aquarius, Pisces.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.28.21 : Alle the signes fro the heved of Libra unto the ende of Pisces ben clepid signes of the south fro the equinoxial.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.28.42 : Of whiche signes, Gemini obeieth to Cancer, and Taurus to Leo, Aries to Virgo, Pisces to Libra.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4039 : Ver entrid full euyn, eger with all; The sun in his serkyll set in þe last, Passyng fro pisshes vnder playn course.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)3/35 : And so I seie of spicis..þat resseyuen a synguler influence of þe sterris of Capricorn, Aquarie, and pisces.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)50a/b : Pisses, þe 12 signe & þe laste, hath lordschipe ouer þe feet.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)5.23.102a : But the signe of Piscis yit haue I for to say.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)63/30 : Sette the mone in the Scorpion, Libra, other in Pisces [Lambeth: fisshes; L pisce].
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)8938 : Whanne þei ben bore, þe mone þan is In a signe þat men calle Pissis.