Middle English Dictionary Entry
potter(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | potter(e n. Also pottar(e & (in names) pott(o)ur, poter, podur & potier(e, potiare. |
| Etymology | OE pottere (cp. potteres leage in Birch Cart.Sax.3.49 14th-cent. copy) & AF poter (Domesday Book), CF potier & AL pottārius. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A maker of various kinds of vessels, esp. earthenware vessels; a potter; also fig.; erthe ~, a maker of earthenware vessels; (b) a maker of metal pots, vessels, or other objects of metal; (c) ~ craft, the trade or skill in making vessels, bells, etc.; potteres clei (erthe), potter's clay; potteres gavel, a kind of rent; potteres lond, potter(es place, a potter's field [see Matt.27.7]; (d) as surname; (e) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.72].
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)73/15 : Ȝif he belæfð hal and ȝesund, ðe pottere hine deð ðar to ðe he iscapen was.
- ?c1335 Heil seint Michel (Hrl 913)p.157 : Hail be ȝe, potters, wiþ ȝur bole ax.
- (1358) Halmote R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.8220 : Johannes Oteson, potter.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.9.21 : Wher a pottere [WB(2): potter; L figulus] of cley hath not power of the same gobet for to make sothli o vessel in to honour, anothir forsothe in dispyt.
- (1392) Will York in Sur.Soc.4175 : Roberti Toth, potter.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22937 : Als potter wit pottes dos Quen he his neu wessel fordos, He castes al þan in a ball, A better for to mak wit-all.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.2.9 : Thou schalt breke hem as the vessel of a pottere [WB(1): crockere; L figuli].
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)28a : Figulus: a pottare.
- (1426) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms236 : Ric. Beverlay, erthpotter.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)411 : Pottare: Ollarius, figulus.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1136 : A potter was my fadir.
- a1450 Cat.Plays Yk.p.xxvii : Potters: Maria, duo angeli, [etc.].
- (1457) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms236 : Joh. Potter, erdepotter.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)3863 : Yiff the pot sholde also seyn To the potter that hym wrouhte..Yiff he pleynede off hys makyng..Yt wer a thyng nat covenable.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)137/21 : The potter by the compace of oon molde makith diuers pottes of different bignesse and facions, bothe more and lesse.
- c1475 St.Anne(2) (Trin-C R.3.21)135 : She ys, forsoth, that blessyd hygh erthe fyne, Of the whyche the heuynly potter hath made..The pot of oure hope.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)98a : A Pottere: figulus, ollarius, plastes, vrnarius.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)2.9 : And as vessel of the pottere, thou sall thaim breke.
b
- (1440) in Rec.B.Nottingham 2172 : Ricardus operaret cum praedicto Willelmo Langton in arte sua et facultate potter.
- (1443) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9982 : It., Willelmo Browne, potter, pro factura ij paten', 1 brasyn morter, 2 parvarum ollarum cum 17 libris eris, 12 s. 6 d.
- (1471) Fabric R.Yk.Min.in Sur.Soc.3575 : Johanni Hoton, potter, pro factura vj bolstirs de ere pro iij campanis minoribus.
c
- (1284) Inquis.PM Edw.I2.322 : [The manor..including 36 s. 8 d. rent of assize of the burgesses of Midhurst called] potteresgavel.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16536 : Wit pris o þat hali blod, a potter [Ld: potters; Trin-C: potteres] place þai boght.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)95/6 : Hij wolden biggen þerwiþ a potters londe, forto buryen jnne vncouþe bodies þat weren dede.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)159b/a : He schal take..as muche of potters cley oþer of oþer cleie as sufficeþ to þe oynement be as þicke as honye.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)411 : Pottarys erthe: Argilla.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)443 : Þe smyth..says, 'I walde fayne For godes sake make þi bell agayne, Bot to make it I am daft, For I can noȝt of potter craft.'
d
- (1197) in Fransson Surn.184 : Joh.le Potier.
- (1198) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.992 : Alfwinus le pottere.
- (1214) CRR(2) 7206 : Lambertus le Pottur.
- (1253) in Fransson Surn.184 : Geoffrey le Poter.
- (1285) in Fransson Surn.184 : Joh. le Potyr.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.6696 : Willelmo le pottere.
- (1306) in Fransson Surn.184 : Thom. Le Potyare.
- (1307) in Fransson Surn.184 : Gilb. Le Pottar.
- (1327) in Fransson Surn.184 : Benedicta la Potyere.
- (1333) in Fransson Surn.184 : Ric.le Pottare.
- (1355) R.Arms Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.14301 : Johannes pottour.
- (1396-7) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103600 : Reginaldo Potter.
- (1462-3) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9990 : Will.Potter.
e
- (1196) EPNSoc.33 (West Riding Yks.)108 : Potertun.
- (1254) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)37 : Pottereshill.
- (1285) EPNSoc.33 (West Riding Yks.)135 : Neuton Potter.
- (1287) Rec.Norwich 23 : Pottergate.
- (1290) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)202 : Potterkeld.
- (1315) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.)105 : Potteresburi.
- (1344) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)37 : Potteresrawe. Potteresfeld.
- (1347) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)197 : Pottergate.
- (1402) EPNSoc.30 (West Riding Yks.)251 : Pottercrofts.
- (1424) EPNSoc.33 (West Riding Yks.)108 : Podurton.
- (1444) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)443 : Potterstrete.