Middle English Dictionary Entry
plumber n.
Entry Info
| Forms | plumber n. Also plomber, plumer, plummer, plomer, plommer, (errors) blumber, plumbiner. |
| Etymology | L plumbārius & OF plomier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A worker in lead, plumber; an installer or repairer of lead roofs, gutters, pipes, etc.; (b) ~ hous, a building in leadwork is done; ~ shipe, the office of chief plumber; plumberes wir, wire used to clean out lead pipes; (c) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- (1399-1400) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81129 : In salario Willelmi Bettys, plummer, operanti super corpus ecclesiæ.
- (1408-9) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81138 : Item, et in xlj li. de peltro empt. pro soudara pro plumbar et glauser.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.159/579 : Item, paide to j plomer for werkynge & takynge vp and settynge aȝen of þe olde lede yn þe same goter, with ij lb. of Sowder, xviij d.
- (1427-8) Rec.St.Mary at Hill69 : For a plomer on þe vestyarye & on gretynges hous for v lb. souder.
- (1431) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)206/16 : Also payed To þe plommer For schetyng off all þis lede and leyeing þer off dyvers Gotters, and For þe Femerell and For alle þe sowdour longing þer To.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)292 : Leedare or plummare [Win: plumbare]: Plumbarius.
- (1442) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 7117 : To turne ye spowte of ye stepul, to ye plummer, iii s.
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1400 : xij Plummers by xiij wekes, yche of theym taking by the day vj d.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)40/32 : Tylerys, masouns, plomerys, tannerys, peyntourys, & alle oþere men of craft..owyn to payin þe tythe.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)603/33 : Plumbarius: a plomer.
- (1460-65) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31396 : Payd to a plommer for a Cesterne.
- (1465-6) Acc.Howard in RC 57324 : Item, to the plomer for a gotter.
- (1467) Acc.St.John Peterb.in Antiq.51410 : Also payd to the Plumer for makyng of the spowts of ledd & Sowdyr therto, for schelyng of ledd & hyllyng of Saynt John Chapell.
- (1473) Acc.St.John Peterb.in Antiq.51412 : Item, payd to the plumer for workyng of the sayd porch.
- (1474-5) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum17 : In conduct' Johannis Holbeme aduenientis plumbare in reparacione campanilis.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)285 : A Plummer: plumbator, plumbarius.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)686/5 : Plumbarius: a plumber.
- -?-(1370) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9666 : Johannes de Beverley, plumbiner.
b
- (1385-6) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100391 : Pro punctura x rod' et dimid. de Wrigthous et le Plomberhous.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)149/3 : How ȝe schall make your Rodde..take a plumars wyr þat is evyn & strong & scharpe at þe oon ende; þen hete the scharpe ende in a charcol fyr tyl hyt be hote & pers þe stafe þerwith.
- (1455) RParl.5.316b : Oure Graunte of thoffice of Plummership of the Castels of Carnarvan, Beaumares, and Hardlagh be not comprisid within this provision.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum15 : Item, in the clansyng of the plumar house and store hous, vj d.
c
- (1102-7) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames277 : Godric Plumberre.
- (1199) CRR(1) 1269 : Arnaldus Plumber.
- (1230) in Fransson Surn.140 : Ric. le plumber.
- (c1240) Cart.Oseney in OHS 90329 : Radulfo Plumber.
- (1255) in Fransson Surn.140 : Thom. le Plumber.
- (1270) Inquis.PM Hen.III232 : Roger de Plumbare.
- (1281-2) Expense R.Edw.I in Archaeol.1640 : Willelmo le Plomer.
- (1303-4) Acc.Chester in LCRS 5942 : Thomas le Plummer.
- (1350-51) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100552 : Johanni Plumber pro pipa in aqua de Were de novo facienda.
- (1366-7) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.lxxii : Johanni blumber, pro cooperacione chori ecclesiæ, et Johanni ledbetar cum altero Johanni blumber, pro labore suo, de anno preterito, vj l. xij s. x d.
- (1375-6) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103583 : In filo canobi empt. cum una sera empt. pro capite aqueductus, et cariacione plumbi ultra pontem Novi Castri per Joh'em Plumer.
- (1400-1401) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103603 : Item, Thome Plumber pro factura fenestrarum in infirmaria et dormitorio.
- (1408-9) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81138 : In salario Will. Plumbar et Ric. Plumbar operantium super chorum ecclesiæ.
- (1444-5) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100411 : Willelmo Plumber pro tectura super Navem ecclesie et campanile Galilee, 65 s.
- (1456-7) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum359 : Johi Plummer pro xxv c iij quartr. & xxj libris plumbi.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1390) Doc.Beverley in Seld.Soc.1433 : Ordinatum est…quod quilibet artifices…viz. mercers et drapers…smyths, plummers, bollers, turnors…and workmen habeant suos ludos et pagentes paratos…qualibet die in festo Corporis Christi.
Note: Antedates sense (a)