Middle English Dictionary Entry
pōl(e n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | pōl(e n.(2) Also polle, poele, pouale. |
| Etymology | OE pāl, from L. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A pole, stake, staff; ?also, a spear shaft; ~ hed, a stake; ?the top of a stake; alder ~, a pole made of alder wood; ~ pike, ?a spike to be affixed to the end of a pole; ?a long-handled pick; (b) a pole used to punt or pole a boat; ?also, a mast; (c) a pole used as part of the apparatus for hitching a horse to a wagon or carriage; a tongue or shaft; (d) as a unit of linear measure; (e) a point or projection on some kind of machine for threshing grain; (f) ?a pestle; (g) in field name & surname.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 SLeg.Blase (Corp-C 145)107 : Wiþ hokes and polles [Ld: poles] þis wretche men hore godes faste soȝte..& vnneþe hi hom to londe broȝte.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)203/11 : Þe eddre of bres..Moyses..arerede ope þe pole zuo heȝe þet al þet uolk hise yzeȝ.
- (1379) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81103 : De j Cable..de iij Wegges ferri..Et de j Pole.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.369 : Ȝif a pole [Higd.(2): staffe or a thynge of a tree; L palus] is i-piȝt þerynne, þat partie of þe pole þat is in þe erthe schal turne in to iren.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.52 : Poysoun on a pole þei put vp to his lippis.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)47a/b : Pallus: a polhed.
- a1425 WBible(1) (CC 145)Ezek.15.3 : What shal be do to þe tree of þe vyne of alle trees..wheþer..a litil pol [vr. paal; WB(2): stake; L paxillus] shal be forgid of it?
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2202 : Hire coverchef on a pole [vr. poll] up steked she Ascaunce.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3028 : Aithire freke with his folke in þe fild metis..Put pennons on pollis payntid of siluir.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)361/18 : The knyȝtes hedis were sette on polez & brouȝt to London.
- (1451-2) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99147 : Pro j polepike et quinque Sholyrnez, 2 s. 2 d.
- (1454) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)354 : Item, ij longe whit pooles to opyn þe kechyn wyndowes.
- (1458) Doc.in Rec.B.Nottingham 2365 : For c allor polls, v s. iiij d.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)20398 : Maystres off dyvers crafftys Hang out, on polys and on rafftys, Dyuers sygnys hih and lowe.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.210 : Whan a tre is newly set, men..settyn stakys & powalyys aboutyn.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)407 : Pole, longe rodde: Contus.
- ?c1450 Trivet Constance (Harv Eng.938)229 : In that shyp that ungoodly Morderes, the Sowdans Moder, put that mayd Constaunce withoute pooles [F sigle] or Orys.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)286 : A Polle: contus piscatoris est.
c
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.527/12 : Pro j cariage sadelle, x s.; et pro j cella pro somario de cuphous, xvj s.; vna cum emptione poles, girthes, sursengles et aliis necessariis.
- (1393) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52247/8 : Item, pro j house pro sella domini de coreo, ij sursengulis, iij gerthis, j pole.
- (1411) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.clvii : Stabulum..Item, j sella pro valectis cum freno novo cum singulis pro predictis et polys.
d
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)14 : Odyr dyuers places in this land, thai mete grownd by the Polys, Goodys, and Roddys; and sum of thame be of xviij fote, sum of xx fote, and sum of xxi fote.
e
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.41.15 : I haue sett þee as a newe wayn thresshing, hauynge pikede polis [vr. poeles; WB(2): bilis; L rostra] sawing.
f
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)286 : A Polle..tolus.
g
- (1218) Nickname in LuSE 55183 : Thom. Waghepol.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)287/13 : j half acre lieth in polforlonge.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1402) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.115 : [4 barrels of] primesak, [a barrel of] socrepolles.
Note: Compound 'sugre pole' was glossed in MED s.v. sugre sense 1.(d) as "?a stick of crystallized sugar, penide." If correct, a corresponding new sense is reqired here in pol(e n.(2).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The Cath.Angl. quot. under sense (b) (which glosses 'pole' as 'contus piscatoris'), would seem to beg for a gloss more specifically to do with fishing than 'punt pole.' Though it is tempting to see a 'fishing (angling) rod' here, the Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources cites an example of 'contus' referring to a fish spear or gaff, and that is the more likely meaning in Cath.Angl. as well.