Middle English Dictionary Entry
pǒunen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | pǒunen v. Also poune, ponne, pone, (early) puna, (late) pound; p.ppl. pouned, pound, poind. |
| Etymology | OE pūnian. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To pulverize (a medicinal ingredient, an herb, an ingredient of a perfume or paint); reduce (sth.) to powder, crush with a pestle; also fig.; ~ togeder, blend (a mixture, ingredients) by pounding; (b) to grind or hull (grain); pouned corn, ground or hulled grain, esp. flour; (c) ppl. pouned, of oil: beaten.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)23/27 : Nim niwe beane and puna.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)29/2 : Eft nim dracentan wyrtrume and puna hy smale.
- c1200 MS Fst.A.10 in Cockayne Leechdoms3.292 : Wið þa bleinna þes se hocces mora ȝesodan, puna & ald rusel smoru lea þer to.
- a1325 SLeg.Cuth.(Corp-C 145)53 : Þe ius of smal sage do þerto & clene wete flour; Togadere poune it swuþe wel & lei it al hote þerto.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.16.14 : It appeerd in wyldernes lessid &, as with a pestell pownyd [L tusum], into þe licknes of a hoorfrost.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.30.36 : Whenn alle þou hast poynd [alt. to: powned] to gyþer [L contuderis] in to most small powder, þou schalt putte of it befor þe tabernacle of wyttnessing.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)310b/b : And some powneþ coles of olde woode wiþ glew and doþ þerto.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)135/22 : Þe soule..gedereþ togederes and pouneþ in a morter of hure conscience monye and diuerse bitter spices of hure synnes.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.89 : Spicerye ȝyveþ smell whan it is powned, but dritte, ȝif stired more, is more unsavery.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)29b : Take this erbe, stalke and al, pone, and with water yf [read: yt] drinke.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)103/249 : Poune to-geder piper & vertegrece & arnement & cerfoyle.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)232/27 : Take sengrene..rybworte, and ponne hem small.
- a1500 As I walkyd vppon (Hnt HM 183)117 : Pownd hym [the herb chastity] and temper hym with penitence.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)40/19 : Take þe route of þe docke and poune hit wel in barweys smere.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.5.11 : Þei eetyn of þe frutys of þe erþe þat oþer dai, þerf louys, & corn pouned [L polentam] of þe same ȝeer.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 17.17 : Tac to þi breþeren powned corn [WB(2): meete maad of meele; L polentæ] of þe mesure of ephi & þese ten looues.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 17.28 : Machir..offredyn to hym..whete & barli & mele & powned corn [WB(2): flour; L polentam] & bene & botere.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.29.40 : Þou schal don in þe auter..þe tennþ parte of þe tryed floure spreynd with oyle pownd [L tuso], þat haue a mesour, þe fourt parte of hyn.
2.
(a) To beat (sb.), crush; also fig.; (b) to strike, punch.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)260/389 : Þat folk & ȝonge children ek þane wrecche bigonne to poune.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 19.1 : Hou longe ȝee tormente my lif, and pownen [WB(2): al to-breken; L atteritis] me with woordis?
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.2.44 : He that shal falle on this stoon, shal be broken togidre; forsothe vpon whom it shal falle, it shal togidre poune [WB(2): al tobrise; L conteret] hym.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)140/21 : Þe maystyr of þe Iewes lawe þroston hym don from loft and wyth stonys pounet hym, so þat he was negh ded.
b
- c1390 Disp.GM & Devil (Vrn)380 : Bet him wel wiþ þe beste..Or on þe hed ponne hard.