Middle English Dictionary Entry
plū̆men v.
Entry Info
| Forms | plū̆men v. Also pleume; p.ppl. i)plumed, plumet. |
| Etymology | OF plumer |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To strip (a bird) of feathers, pluck a bird; ~ on, of a hawk: pluck the feathers from (prey); also, pull the head off (prey); (b) ppl. plumed, covered with feathers.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)153 : Piez with a papegeay parlid of oones, And were y-plumed and y-pullid and put into a caige.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.16 (Hrl 2340)10 : While the hauke plumyth on þe pertrich.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.16 (Hrl 2340)20 : How men shall fede here hawkes in mewe..yeue him briddes ynowe, and lete here hem take and plume on hom if she woll, the which schall clense well here bowell.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.163 : Than bated he boldeliche as a brid wolde, To plewme on his pray þe pol fro þe nekk.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)169 : Sir stiwarde, take these briddes..now may ye plume, and as gladly mote the kynge hem ete as I it hym yeve.
b
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)554 : Vndyr this harpe the Sqwan, that to Jouys dyd perteyne, Was plumyd with oryent margarytys.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.94 : In a chiere of estate..all plumyt bot his face, There sawe I sitt the blynd god Cupide.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 Dur-CRO.Bk.Hawking (Dur-CRO Roll D/X/76/7)24/63 : And tak þi thombe and strek þe skyn fro þe neke, and pull þe nek fro þe body with þi thombe qwyll þi hawke plumes on þe partrik.
- a1486 Sln.Bk.Hawking (Sln 3488)142 : While þe hauke plumeth hure on þe partrich wassh thilk nek and reward hir therewith, but we [read: be] ware of þe bones.
Note: Supplemental material
Note: Additional quotation for phrase ~ on, under sense (a), and a reflexive variant of same.