Middle English Dictionary Entry
bach n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | bach n.(1) Also bæ(c)ch, bech(e. |
| Etymology | OE bæc, bece. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A stream or its valley; vale, dale, hollow; cou ~, cow pasture; (b) in names [see Smith PNElem. 1.23].
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)757 : Anacletus..ferde æfter ane bache [Otho: in one wei].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2596 : He bi-com in a bæch [Otho: in on slade].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5644 : Heo ferden in to ane mucele bæche [Otho: sclade], þa munte bi-halues.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21776 : Þer walleð of þan mæren..of dalen & of dunen & of bæcchen deopen sixti wateres.
- a1259 MParis CM (Corp-C 16)1.373 : In clenc cu beshe, id est, In pastura vaccarum.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)8.159 : [They] blostrede forth as bestes ouer baches [B: bankes; A: valeyes] and hulles.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)559 : Baches [vr. bankis] woxen ablode a-boute in þe vale, & goutes fram gold wede as goteres þey runne.
b
- (c1296) Chester R.in Chet.n.s.84205 : William de la Bache.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)238 : Þe ualeye men cleopeden 'koubache' and ȝeot men doth al-so.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)239 : In kovbache [Hrl: coubache] þat holie bodi lai wel mani a ȝer.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)275 : And seche ane þorn in kovbache [Hrl: Coubage].
- (1314) Cart.Oseney in OHS 90190 : Rob. Attebache.
- (1345) Court R.Colchester 1197 : Ric. de Bache.