Middle English Dictionary Entry
polle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | polle n. Also pol. |
| Etymology | MDu. pol |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The head of a person or animal; also, the head as the seat of the intellect or emotions; (b) ?the hair of the head; also, a piece of fur from the head of an animal; (c) a representation of a human head; (d) the crown on top of the head; (e) the back part of the head; (f) in oaths.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.279 : Jon þe Baliol, no witte was in þi pol.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)20.85 : Forageres of kynde Hadde yprykked and prayed polles of peple.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)5530 : Thei stroke to-gedir with so gret myght, That bothe vpon here pol lyght.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)407 : Pol, or heed: Caput.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)115 : A tade pykit one hir polle.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4042 : He hadde a folted pol.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)129/18 : Take an ey and roste it hard and bynde it to þi poll all hoot.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2328 : Have of grene tymbour grete rollys And loggys leyd to route vppon her pollys.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3260 : It lijth al in þy noll, Both wit & wisdom & previth by þy poll.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.163 : Bated he boldeliche as..To plewme on his pray þe pol fro þe nekk.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)325 : Þe deuel stant and wolde fain henten heom bi þe polle.
- a1325 SLeg.Marg.(Corp-C 145)177 : He[o] nom him bi is luþer pol and harde him to gronde caste.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1265 : Nabuzardan nyl never stynt Er he to þe tempple tee wyth his tulkkes..Pulden prestes bi þe polle.
- (1418) EEWills36/15 : A gowne of blew worsted furred wit protes [read: þrotes] and polles of Martrons.
- (1450) Lin.DDoc.43/2 : Item, j nother blak gowne furred with Matrons pollys.
c
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.246 : I hadde neuere of hym..Noither prouendre ne parsonage..Saue a pardoun with a peys of led and two pollis amydde!
d
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)251/137 : A croune hi ssere him upe þe pol as hi wolde a fol do.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.14.35 : The angel of the Lord toke hym in the poll of hym [WB(2): bi his top; L in vertice eius], and bare hym in an her of his hed.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.191 : Thomas Hayward of Berkeley haþ in þe molde of his heed, pol and forheed, but oon boon.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.217 : He wolde bende his heer from þe pol [L a vertice] toward þe foreheed.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)98/1 : Fewe passen þis see but þei weten here fet of here soules..and monie þe pol of here hed, þat is þe ouer part of þer soules.
- a1475(a1450) Tourn.Tott.(Hrl 5396)61 : Þay set on þer nollys, For to kepe þer pollys, Gode blake bollys.
e
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)67a/a : Heer falliþ nouȝt by hynde atte polle [L Ab occipite].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)114b/a : Reduce hem euen ouer þe nose aȝeine & þen aȝeine to þe polle of þe heued & so aȝeine to þe forhed.
f
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Pass.Christi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)2756 : Na wra cowyth by my pol.
2.
A person, an individual; also, a single sheep; ~ bi ~, bi pate and bi ~, bi polles, one by one, individually; ~ monei, a poll tax.
Associated quotations
- a1350 Of Rybaudȝ (Hrl 2253)3 : Of..harlotes, hors-knaues, bi pate & by polle To deuel ich hem to-lyure ant take to tolle!
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.33 : Þese..payde to here lordes for every pol [Higd.(2): man; L capite] twenty [dragmes of selver].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.265 : Cesar wolde wete..þe nombre of polles [Higd.(2): men and women; L capitum] of everiche citee.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.57 : Freres wil..preyen for þe, pol bi pol ȝif þow be pecuniosus.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3070 : Þus many deed þat day..Of pollis out of Persye..Thre hundred Mille thra men.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)575 : Calle vs first by pollys.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1158 : By pollys dele, and not by dignitee.
- (1460) Stonor1.54 : Thomas Stonore..hath delyveryd to Symon Cooke..iiijxx Ewe Schepe, price the polle xij d.
- (1468-9) Doc.in HMC Rep.5 App.524b : For polmoney 3 s. 3 d.
3.
The neck; the nape of the neck.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)299b/a : The bole..is a prowde beste..and his moste strengþe is in þe nekke, in þe hornes, and in þe polle [L ceruice].
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)14 : Moun haterel oue les temples..Myn pol wt þyse templez.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)68/19 : Ad collum scabiosum. Take egrimoyne and meng þat herbe with boter, and a[n]vnte þy pol þer-with.
4.
(a) A dome or cupola; also, the capital of a column; (b) a rounded protuberance of the ground [see 5.].
Associated quotations
a
- (1429) Doc.Durham in Sur.Soc.9p.ccxvii : Superior pars magni campanilis, sub tolo vocato anglice le poll, ictu fulguris fuit accensa.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)407 : Pol, of carpentrye [Win: polere, or carpentrye]: Capitellum.
5.
In surnames & place name [see Smith PNElem. 2.69].
Associated quotations
- (1193) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.330 : Willelmus Polle.
- (1230) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.4155 : Brianus Polle.
- (1254) in Wallenberg PNKent86 : De Polle.
- (1266) Pat.R.Hen.III648 : Robert Polle.
- (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2386a : Thom' Podipol.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.68152 : De 4 d. de Eborado Polle pro una pecia terre.
- (1327) Nickname in LuSE 5581 : Ric. Donpolle.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. poll.