Middle English Dictionary Entry
pleit n.
Entry Info
| Forms | pleit n. Also plait(e, plet, plit(e, plight, pliȝt & (?error) plice. |
| Etymology | AF pleit; cp. CF ploit. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. pli(e n.
1.
(a) A pleat, fold, or wrinkle; a convolution or coil of the intestines; pl. a style of veil [1st quot.]; fig. a complication; undon oute of ~, to unfold (sth.); (b) a braid; (c) a strand in a braided cord; a ply; (d) a unit of measure for cloth.
Associated quotations
a
- (1398) Will York in Sur.Soc.4240 : Lego Aliciæ..unum velum vocatum plytts, et unum de cypres.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)50b/a : Plica: a plet.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)90a/a : Þe rollers moste ben clene & smoþe & liȝt & softe, and þer schal be no seme neþer foldinge neþer plite neþer selfegge.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)402 : Playte, of a clothe: Plica, plicatura.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.23 : A plyt sche lapped on hire garnement.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)333/16 : Þis fend..went oute of þe maydyn & come in-to a plite of þe gown.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)167/4984 : Semyd me hir surcot verry straunge, For..as the playtis vp and downe arayse, So did dyuerse the hewe in sondry wise.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)79 : Vndoo these letteres out of plyt; rede hem.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)242 : Fold ye alle there at oonys þat a pliȝt passe not a fote brede.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)42a/a : Þis necke bitwene his aforseid tweye mouþis in his concauite haþ manye involucouns & plitis.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)44a/a : Inguine, þat is to seie, þe grynde..is more openly declarid þe wrynkle of þe schar or þe plitis þat ben wiþinne bitwene þe schar and þe flankis & also þe þies.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.156 : But if þe slevis slide on þe erthe, Þei woll be wroth..And if Pernell preisid þe plytis bihynde, The costis were acountid.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)338 : The stiell passed through two plites of the hauberke.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)48 : If thow haddest sought in the plites of myn entrailes, thow shuldest have founde a jacinct.
- a1500 Galawnt pride (RwlPoet 34)18 : Theyre gownys be sett with plytys fele.
- ?a1500 Trin-C.LEDict.Suppl.(Trin-C O.5.4)608/35 : Ruga: a wrynkyl, or a playt.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)144/77 : In this boke be many privy thinges wimpled and folde; unneth shul leude men the plites unwinde.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)66b/b : Þe pleitis [vr. plettes] of wommen heer ben I-knytt & Ibounde wiþ laces.
c
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)107/744 : Þis cord is custom þat is of þre plytis [vr. pleytys], þat is, of ydel þouȝt, vnhonest speche, and wickid dede.
d
- (1394) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.225 : [10] pliȝt Crymyll [of silk at 10 s. each].
- (1408) in Rec.B.Nottingham 252 : Pro ij plyces [?read: plytes] de coton cremyll.
- (1415) Will York in Sur.Soc.4382 : j plice [?read: plite] de lawnd.
- (1426) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.7332 : j plyce [?read: plyte] de umple..ij plyces [?read: plytes] de plesaunce.
- (1432-3) Will York in Sur.Soc.3023 : Duas plytes de wolas.
- (1446) Will York in Sur.Soc.45101 : De v plite laune, pret. le plyte, vj d.
- (1451-2) Lin.DDoc.58/25 : To ayther of my sistres a plite of laune.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.505a : Noo woman Wydowe..were..eny Kerchef wherof the price of a plyght shall excede the some of iii s.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.505a : Their seid wyfes may use..Kerchiefs of the price of a plyte of v s.
- (1465) Acc.Howard in RC 57321 : On Crystemesse even my mastyr paid for a plyte of lawne for Anne Fuller, ij s.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)18 : 1 pece Tartyrn ys x yerdes; 1 pece lawne or umpill, xvj plyte or xviij yerds; and euery plyte schold be the length of the bredythe of a pece lawne; and a pece lawne schold be a yerd and dim. quarter brode.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: For the complex history of this French word in English, see OED s.v. plait, n.; pleat, n.; plet, n.1; plat, n.6; plight, n.3; as well as ply n. and ploy n.1. Also see AND s.v. pli, pleit (etc.) n.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. plait.