Middle English Dictionary Entry
acētǒus adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | acētǒus adj. Also acetose. |
| Etymology | ML acētōs-um. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Sour to the taste or smell, acid; (b) milk ~, soured milk; sirup ~, a decoction of honey or sugar and vinegar; water ~, water mixed with vinegar; (c) physiol. sour.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)27a/a : Pomegranates, orenges, lymonez & al acetous [L acetosa] ar for hym.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)56a/b : Al sharp spicez and alle salt þyngez & acetous.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)156a/b : That forseid þat declyneþ to grossenes..or egrinesse and acetous odour [*Ch.(2): soure sauoure], is melancolic blode.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)284/26 : Sirup acetose maad wiþ seedis & sugre.
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.38r : Sirup acetous [Add 27329: siruppus acetosus] of acet & sucre & of colde þynges as þu fyndest in Antidotarye.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)26b/b : Granates coct with acete or with water acetous [*Ch.(2): soure water] wirketh þat same.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)28a/b : Benez incorporate with sirup acetose.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)117b/b : With mylke acetous i. soure.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)30b/a : When anoþer humour comeþ to it [phlegm] fro withoutforþ, as if blode, it is made swete; if colre, it is made salt; if melancolie, pontic & acetous.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.44ra (2.5) : The 4 spice is 'fleuma acetosum' or 'fleuma acrum,' þat al on is to mene: a fleume acetouse or elles egre fleume or sharp fleume, a sowre fleume.
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.62vb (2.8) : 'Vrina pallida' or 'subpallida,' menely thenne, seiþ a cotidien causede of a fleume acetouse.
Note: Editor's gloss: 'sour, vinegary'. In phrase fleume ~. Cf. fleum(e n., sense 1.(b) for comparable phrases acetous ~, ~ acetosum and additional examples.