Middle English Dictionary Entry
bācī̆n n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bācī̆n n. Also bacine, basin(e, -en, -on, bassin, -en, bas(s)ing, bascin. |
| Etymology | OF bacin |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A large shallow vessel or dish; basin, pan, platter; specif., a wash-basin; brod as a ~; ~ pan; (b) a basin used as a gong; a gong.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)20/26 : His twa ehnen..brade ase bascins.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)879 : In a bacyn water he gan to caste And his disciples ffet gan to wasshe ffaste.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1490 : To dragouns þer layen..Þe eiȝen so a bacine cler [Dc 236 (1106): Wiþ eyȝen brod as a basyn cleer].
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)101/2111 : Ouer þe pie þai gan handel A cler bacyn and a candel..Wiȝ bacyn beting and kandel liȝt þa bobbed þe pie bi niȝt.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.603 : Thilke horrible sweryng..as doon thise false enchauntours or nygromanciens in bacyns ful of water.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)302a/a : Whanne he [a bear] is y take, he is y made blynde wiþ a bright basyne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)331b/a : A bacyn hatte peluis..of pellis, the skynne, for þer Inne ofte is y waisshe þe skynne of foote and of honde.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1456 : Þer wer bassynes ful bryȝt of brende golde clere, Enaumaylde wyth azer, and eweres of sute.
- (1419) *Will Bury155 : Also an hol basyn & þe best flat basyn & þe best lavowr.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2463 : Þe gletering of þe bacyn bright, Wend þe py, war leuynyng light. Þe bacyn-beting made hir wonder.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)540 : Hir heer was as yelowe of hewe As ony basyn scoured newe.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)18a/a : Þe vesic which is a receptorie, as a bason or a sac, of þe superfluitee of þe vrine.
- (1443) Will York in Sur.Soc.30133 : Also a basen of silver with Jhesus in the bothom.
- (1449) *Doc.Ludlow : Y yeue..a Bassen of seluer..to the forseide Paresshe Churche to serue..euery gode fryday in Wesshyng of the holy Crosse.
- (1450) Lin.DDoc.39/35 : To Pykeringes wyff, j litell depe Bacyn of Syluer.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)26/30 : One of hem bade his wiff lepe into the basin that he had sette afore her on the grounde.
- (1462) Will York in Sur.Soc.30261 : ij wirt pannes, j basyn pan, j litill pan, j gret frying pan, j basyn, j laver.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)696 : Þo euwere thurgh towelle syles clene His water into þo bassynges shene.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)971 : Looke þat ye haue þe bason for chambur & also þe vrnalle.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)119 : The two damisell that comythe with basyng & towayle..to putte fleshely affecions in the bason of holy doctrine.
- a1500 Little Child.Bk.(1) (Adv 19.3.1)87 : Spyt not in þe basyn, My son, þat þowe weschest in.
- (a1500) Collect.Anglo-Premonst.in RHS ser.3.6263 : In coquina two panis, a kettille, a littille pot, a bassene, a bassene with holis.
b
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)38 : Þe flemmysshe..agynneþ to clynken huere basyns of bras.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)272b/b : Wiþ betynge of bacynes, tillynge and tynkynge of tymbres, þey [bees] ben y comforted and y cleped to þe hyues.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.5.23 : For to rescowe the mone, thei betyn hir basyns with thikke strokes.
2.
(a) The oil reservoir of a lamp; (b) one of the scale dishes of a balance.
Associated quotations
a
- (1445) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 853 : For a basyn and harneyse to a lompe yn the bowke of the schersche.
- (1448) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1349 : A lamp wt a bassyn of laton.
b
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.16.14a : Let him put it in the right basyn of the balaunce.
3.
A helmet, basinet.
Associated quotations
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3484 : Þat oþer..him hit on þe bacin.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2329 : For so he took on his bacyn Þat he cleued hym to þe chyn.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2571 : Some he hytte on þe bacyn [vr. bacenett], þat he cleff hym to þe chyn.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. basin.