Middle English Dictionary Entry
pǒund(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | pǒund(e n.(1) Also powund, pund(e, pond, pount; pl. poundes, etc. & puwns & (early) punden, punda, pundæ, pundon; pl. or coll. pound(e, pund(e, pond(e & (error) ponge. |
| Etymology | OE pund sg. & pl., from L. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One of several measures of weight containing different numbers of ounces; e.g., the Tower pound (twelve ounces), the merchant's pound (fifteen ounces), the pound avoirdupois (sixteen ounces), and the pound troy (twelve ounces); (b) a measure of weight for precious metal; ~ of troi, pound troy; (c) a measure of liquid weight; (d) ~ weght, poundes iwighte, the weight of a pound; (e) bi a ~, considerably.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)7 : Wiþ a pound of oynement ȝeo smerede his ffet.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)144 : Homme vende cyre par la liuere: M. selluth wax by the pounde.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2520 : He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.454 : Hir couerchiefs..weyeden ten pound That on a Sonday weren vp on hir heed.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.54 : Of any broyer..wil nouht come..he xal paye a pound of wax to ye lytz.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)5.131 : Þe pound þat heo weid by peisid a quarter more Þanne any aunsel dede.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)105a/a : Be þer bounden a weght of 3 or 4 pound in þe thie.
- ?a1425 Const.Masonry(1) (Roy 17.A.1)p.264 : He schalnot supplante non other mon..Yn peyne therof that ys so stronge That peyseth no lasse thenne ten ponge [read: ponde].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)199a : Sixtene ounces makyn a pounde.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)411 : Pownde, of wyghte: Libra.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)209 : Þey broghte..a hundrethe pounde of aloes & of myre.
- (1447-8) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 486 : Vor ij puwns of talowe to the carpenterys, ij d.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1578 : To ilka lady suffise may A pond of bred a-pon a day.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)200 : A povnde hauyþ xii vnces and no moo; Sextarius is to poundes and an half.
- c1450 Form Excom.(3) (Dc 60)105/32 : We accorsen..al þat falsen or vse false mesoures..or false weightes, poundes, or ponderelles.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.502b : That every man and woman Clothmaker..delyver Wolles to be wrought, accordyng to the true pounde and due weyght.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)158a/a : Take a pound of þe fineste hony þat þou maist fynde.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)26a/25 : As gret as a loofe of two pownd.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5914 : If a stoone..Þat weied a þowsand pounde..shulde fro heuene falle..It bihoueþ to take seuene ȝere Or þat it come to grounde here.
- c1530 Weights(2) in Rel.Ant.1 (Lnsd 762)232 : xij ounces maken a pounde, which is xx s. of sterlinges.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.396 : xij Ounce maketh a Pounde for siluer, golde, bred, & Mesure.
b
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)11/12 : Se sester sceal weȝan twa pund be sylfyrȝewyht.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)22/9,14 : Ða het he wurcean ænne sealfrene hop of þrittiȝæ pundon & bismeoðian abutæn þæt treow..& allswa felæ ȝearæ swa hit ðer weox, swa fela seolfrenæ hopæ he ðerto dyde, ant anre ȝehwylc wæs on þrittiȝe pundæ.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)810-12 : To hire he haþ iȝolde Twenti pond of ride golde, And to Daris..Twenti pund he araȝte.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)938, 941-3 : Marke schuld ȝeld..Þre hundred pounde of gold..Of siluer fair y fold Þre hundred pounde al boun, Of mone of amold Þre hundred pounde of latoun.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)190/26 : A gentil wymman wodewe zente to þe uore yzede Ion uif hondred pond of gold.
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) Corp.Chr.(Vrn)185/387 : After for a þousend pound of golde, Þe prest no more synne wolde.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.674 : To muchel folk we doon illusioun And borwe gold, be it a pound or two.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)779 : For a þousande pounde of golde, Philippoun it [Bucephalus] neiȝen wolde.
- (1423) RParl.4.256b : Silver is bought and soold unkoyned atte pris of xxxii s. the pound of troie.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)15329 : Thoow he hadde of rede gold founden An hundrid thousand pounde.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)9/18 : Take þe a hundreth horse and xl thosandez pounde of golde.
- (1443) Will York in Sur.Soc.30134 : xij sponys of silver that weyn a pound of troy.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2397 : Þan amed þai to ser Alexander onane for to send A croune all of clere gold..Of fyfty ponde [Dub: pound] with þe payse.
c
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)56/8 : Take a pound of water þat þei ben soden ynne.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)127a/b : Take..white wyne two pounde.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)90/4 : Take of þe iuse of sengrene..a pounde, of grete soure wyne li. sem., i. half a pounde.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)89/64 : Ȝif he be passed v ȝere & be in good poynt, to þe whiȝte of 3 pond or 4 may he blede.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5470 : Sum men muscles him mett & with so mekill schellis Þat sex pond miȝt of paise haue ni [?read: in] of watre.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)104a/a : Seþe þe litarge in a pound of oile.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)171/2 : Take and putte þe quantyte of an egge of datys with-owte stonys..in vj powund of rose watyre.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)33b/11 : Sethe it in A poind of water.
d
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)67.3/2 : Cnuca hiȝ mid ealde smerewe buton sealte..& þæs smerewes si anes pundes ȝewhite.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)25/12 : Nim..anne sester fulne wines and ane pundes ȝewyht eles.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)167 : At the offretory come the kynge downe..there whythe offerynge a pounde weyght of golde, the whiche contaynyd xvj marke of nobbelys.
- -?-(1466) Will in Som.RS 16209 : I will that a taper of wex of a pound weight..be lighted.
e
- (c1473) Paston (EETS)1.370 : Ye haue lyghtyd myne hert þerin by a pound.
2a.
(a) An English monetary unit, based on a Tower pound of silver; a pound sterling; also, a pound Scots [quot.: c1400]; (b) ~ of nobles, a pound in nobles; ~ of sterlinges, a pound sterling; also, pound of silver pennies; at (in) the ~, in the pound, per pound; hard ~, a pound in ready money; of ten ~, worth ten pounds; (c) money, a large sum of money; everi ~ and marke, all the money; for marke (peni) ne for ~, for no amount of money; markes and poundes, large sums of money, wealth; neither peni nor ~, no money, no profit; penies and poundes, money; etc.; (d) ~ worth, a piece of land producing an annual revenue of (a given sum of) pounds; (e) for no ~, on no account; (f) in proverbs.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.777 : Þa let he Cuðbriht ealdorma[n] x bonde land..& swa þet seo Cuðbriht geaf þone abbote l punde þær fore.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1013 : Ælfsige..bohte þa þær..Florentines lichaman, eall buton þe heafod, to v hundred punda.
- a1126 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1124 : Se penig wæs swa ifel þat se man þa hæfde at an market an pund, he ne mihte cysten þær of for nan þing twelfe penegas.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)30/19 : He spæc þa wið ænne mon þe him ahte to ȝeldene ten þusend pundæ.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1770 : Ich þe wulle bi-tache a male riche, peniȝes þer buod an sunda, to iwisse an hundrad punda [Otho: pound].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4545 : Leouere me is þine isunden þenne a þusend punden [Otho: pund].
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1101 : Þe kniȝt forlef his wunne An ȝaf forme an hundred punde.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1633 : A gold ring drow he forth anon; An hundred pund was worth þe ston.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)61 : La livere [glossed:] the pount.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1878 : Þat minstrel for his lay Schal haue an hundred pounde Of me.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.409 : Þe kyng ȝaf hym þe bisshopriche for a þowsand pounde.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)45.314/189 : He..bad him take ten pound and buye Marchaundise.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2591 : To get a pound, thei spenden fyve.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1573 : He..broghte gold vn to this philosophre, The value of fyue hundred pound.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)197/24 : Þe Abbot of Scone..wolde ȝeue him a þousand pound.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3856 : This Tygre tame..was worth many hundred pound Vnto the kyng.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)82 : A litel deed leed costiþ many þousand pond bi ȝere to oure pore lond.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)203/31 : Þu woldist..a made many abbeys..for religiows men..& ȝouyn iche of hem hundryd powndys be ȝer.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)51/25 : Iulius was made victorious and Cassibilan..constreyned..to paien for his trewage þre þowsande pownde eueriche ȝere.
- (1465) Procl.Edw.IV in Archaeol.12405 : xx s. shall make a pounde.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)173/148 : Þow þat a lytyl pynt xulde coste a ml.pownde, brynge alweye of þe beste.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)988 : And hundred pound honest Of floryns..He sente to Cardelof.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Eust.(LdMisc 108)192 : Some huy reymeden for heore lif of manie harde poundes.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5949 : He ȝef ham atten ende Four Þousend pound of sterlinges.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)297 : Þe ten pound of starlings Were ispended in his fostrings.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1364 : This preest the somme of fourty pound anon Of nobles fette.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)10.289 : Be prestiore at ȝowre prayere þan for a pounde of nobles.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)416 : iiij penyes losse in the noble rounde, That is, xij penyes in the golden pounde.
- (a1452) Doc.in Kingsford EHist.Lit.(CotR 2.23)363 : Þey..gete vpon the nobull xvj d., that is, iij s. at the pounde.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.321 : A man of religion schal rydyn..on an hors of ten pound.
c
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)2/5 : Hwar beoþ nu þeo pundes þurg [pa] newes igædered?
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)67 : Ech mon mid þet he hauet mei buggen houene riche..Alse mid his penie alse oðer mið his punde.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)300 : He beð awerse stede aniðer helle grunde, Ne sullen nafre cumen ut for peni ne for punde.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)452 : Þine heouene i-nelle bi-leue for marke ne for pounde.
- c1330 Body & S.(5) (Auch)p.26 : Whar ben þine markes and þine poundes?
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.86 : An Hundret..Seriauns..Pleden for pons and poundes þe lawe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.707 : Neuere heer after wol I with hym mete For peny ne for pound.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5986 : He shal..Lese all his markis and his poundis.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.FCLife (Corp-C 296)192 : Þei wolen hire proude prestis & oþere le-cherous lorelis þus to knacke notis for many markis & poundis.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)816 : Syr Coueytyse, God þe saue, þi pens and þi poundys all!
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2746 : Þou my neygbore schuld be hangyn hye, Þerof getyth he neythyr peny nor pownde.
- c1450 Lychefelde Comp.G.(Lamb 853)284 : What schal þanne profite þi gowne y-pleite, Poundis or markis þat ȝe of þe peple peele?
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.71.49b : Þou hast nouȝt forsaken þi coueitise, bute þou hast chaunged it fro grete þinges in to smale, as fro a pound in to a pani.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.2321 : Ye bereve the pouere of lande..And stuffe youre cofris with penyes and poundis.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)889 : That wyf hym tauȝt markes and poundes.
d
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.683 : I hadde leuere than twenty pound worth lond..He were a man of swich discrecioun.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.170/20 : If oony þynge lacke to be performed x pownde worthe, I schall performe hit.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)184/7 : He yaf to them x poundeworth of londe.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)668/11 : Of the yifte of Robert, Erle of leyceter, thre pounde-worthe of lond in Halso.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)974 : He haþ gyf vs by band An c pownd worþ of land.
e
- c1460 Dub.Abraham (Dub 432)125 : Loke wele þat his horse go rownde And þat he stumbel not for no pownde.
f
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3024 : Þe peny is of riche mounde Þat ysaueþ þe hole pounde.
- (1457) Paston2.170 : A peny yn seson spent wille safe a pounde.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2244 : Þere is a comyn byword..'Wele settith he his peny, þat þe pound savith.'
2b.
A monetary unit of continental Europe roughly corresponding to the English pound; Pavie ~, a pound of Pavia [Italy].
Associated quotations
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)73.202 (v.2:p.51) : Crist for thritty pes was bitraied for to be crucified; Petir was solde for fourty Pauye poundis for to be slayn.
3.
In surname.
Associated quotations
- (1338) Nickname in LuSE 55107 : Joh. Haluepund.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (?a1400) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 258 : Custumarii pay poundsilver, 10 1/2 d.
- (?a1400) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 2186 : [In Suffolk a] poundsilver [is recorded in the extent of Hadleigh].
Note: New combination 'pound silver,' some sort of manorial payment. Placed tentatively under pound(e n.(1), but may belong under pound(e n.(2) [cp. 'pounde lien' s.v. pound(e n.(2), sense 1.(a).]