Middle English Dictionary Entry
plǒume n.
Entry Info
| Forms | plǒume n. Also plom(e, plomme, plum(me, ploumbe, plombe, plumb(e, ploune, plon(e, (error) plowine & (in place names) plomp-, plump-, plim(e-, plimma, plimp-, plin-, plem-. |
| Etymology | OE plūme & plȳme; from L prūnus, prūnum. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A plum; (b) ~ whit, a variety of plum having light-colored skin [see also OD wheat-plum]; ~ slo, a sloe, the fruit of a blackthorn tree (Prunus spinosa); ~ seu, ?a sloe, ?plum juice; (c) a plum tree (Prunus domestica); (d) nought worth a ~, completely worthless; (e) in surnames; (f) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.68].
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)681 : Nomina Fructuum..Creke, prune, et alie: Bolas, plumbe, and cirue.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)241b/b : Þe blak plum, þat is som del hard and druye, is good for þe stomak..And þe colde plum & moyste, whanne he is weel rype, moysteth & coleþ.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)13.221 : Hit lasteþ nat longe þat is lycour swete, As pees-coddes and pere-Ionettes, plomes and chiries.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1375 : Many homly trees ther were That peches..and apples beere, Medlers, plowmes, perys.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)647/30 : Prunum: plumme.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)176b/b : Acacia is Iuyse of grene plommez or prunez [Ch.(2): of grene sloon; L prunellorum viridium].
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)559/27 : Cassia fistula is ȝeuen..dissolued largely with water of plommes.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)405 : Plowme [Win: Plome]: Prunum.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)12.215 : Plommes ben to sowe is too hond depe In lond subact.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)904 : Peris and plummes and pesecoddes grene..Were gadrid for gomes.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)201/17 : Take peleter off Spayne..mad in balles iij as grete as a plumbe.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)102 : Make þe þre balles in þyn hand þer of, ylke balle as gret as a comyn plomme.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)130/10 : Ye shall..ber her fellishipp forto ete pesen and ploumes.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)61/8 : Playster of plombe.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)112/6 : Þe jus of sloon and of ploumbis.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)97b : A Plowme [Monson: Plowmbe]: prunum.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)715/20 : Prunum: a plum.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.272 : Some bookes sayen he poysoned was Of plummes so syttyng at his meate.
b
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)29/14 : Nim plumsewes [?read: plumslewes] anes scyllinges ȝewyht, and sweȝles æpples, tweȝean scyllenges ȝewyht.
- a1400 SMChron.(Add 19677)999 : Dan Symon ȝede & gaderede frut; Forsoþe hit were plumes whit.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)90 : Take vinegre and do hit in a clene bacyn, and þe jus of sloon and plom sloen.
c
- ?a1425 Susan.(Hnt HM 114)70 : Lyndes and lorers were bred vp-on lone..The palme and þe popeler, þe perer and the plowine [read: plowme; Vrn: plone].
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)12.247 : In almaunt, in hymsilf, in malo, in peche Is graffid plomme [vr. plumme; L pruna].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)97b : A Plowme:..prunus, i. Arbor.
d
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)113/167 : Þai gyf þe joy of heven for a litel delyte of þar flesche, þat es noght worth a plowme [vrr. ploune, plumbe].
e
- (1181) in Pipe R.Soc.3091 : Petrus de Plumyard'.
- (1188) in Pipe R.Soc.38119 : Galfridi de Plumgard.
- (1205) Fine R.King John280 : Willielmus Ruffus de Plumsted.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1071 : Johanne de Plumstede.
f
- (c1150) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)309 : Plumbelund.
- (1179) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)252 : Plinton.
- (1180-84) in Ekwall PNLan.213 : Plumbtun.
- (1187) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)249 : Plimton.
- (1214) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.)30 : Plumpton.
- (c1235) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)310 : Molendinum de Plumlund.
- (1238) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)12 : Plyme.
- (1279) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)303 : Plompton.
- (1291) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)12 : Plymma.
- (1299) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)255 : Plympton Comitis.
- (1310) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)309 : Plomland.
- (1323) in Ekwall PNLan.151 : Fildeplumpton.
- (1359) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)12 : Plym.
- (1377) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.)43 : Plomton.
- (1425) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)309 : Plumpland.
- (1426) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)303 : Plimpton.
- (1446) EPNSoc.45 (Ches.)91 : Plomeley.