Middle English Dictionary Entry
bai(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bai(e n. Also (error) boi-. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The berry-like fruit of various plants, trees, or shrubs (including the laurel, olive, rose, nightshade).
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)222b/a : A bowgh of laury tree ful of bayes.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)20a : Doworte..berith grete bayes, greter þan houndbery.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)50a : Mistilte..beryth many branches and bayes.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)52a : Nyght shade..berith black bayis.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)150a/b : Bayes of þe lorer.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)156a/a : Baies of yue.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.529 : The floure inwith the rose is not to take, But bayes that as lytel peres growe.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.566 : Of mirte and laures bayis [L baccis].
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)43 : A braunch of laurer with ripe bayes yeron.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)37/16 : Take þe bayis of þe lorer, and grynde hem well in oyle..þat is clepyd oleum lawreum.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)7b : A Bay: Bacca, fructus lauri & oliue.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)104/18 : Take..bayes of iuy þat growes in þe wode.
2.
(a) Specif., the fruit of the laurel tree (Laurus nobilis); ~ berie; (b) the laurel tree; ~ tre; ~ leves, laurel leaves; (c) oil de bai(es [see quot.: a1500]; (d) pouder of baies.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)222b/a : Þe fruyt of laury tree beeþ y clepid bayes..hoote in compleccioun and druye..of bayes is y made precious oyle þat helpeþ aȝeins..colde passiouns.
- a1400 Med.Bk.(2) (Roy 17.A.3)144b/16 : Tak jus of boiberies [Add: heberles], jus of netle [etc.].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)48a/b : Take..of baye de lorer [*Ch.(1): baccarum lauri].
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)254/14 : A precyus medcyn..for many dyuerse syknes..Take..fenell..baye de lorre [etc.].
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)220/696 : Take smalach sede, bayes, and anneys.
- (c1470) Stonor1.110 : Ples yt yow to be remembyrde apon genciayn, ruberbe, bays.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)83/17 : Nyme ix bayes, that is the frute of the lorere.
b
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)94a/b : Þe fruyt of bayes.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)227/19 : For þe palsey..Take ambrose..strawbery-leuys, bay-leuys.
- c1475 Sln.4 Recipes in Rel.Ant.1 (Sln 4)324 : Aqua vitae..Recipe herbam vocam warmot, the tendernesse of bay trees, [etc.].
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)629 : Laurus: baytre.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)237b/b : Oyle de bay, oleum laurinum.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)119a/b : Oyle de baye.
- c1440 Thre gude brether (Thrn)32 : Take oyle de bayes, þat es so swete.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)206 : Oyle de bay.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)105/12 : For to make oyle de baye: Take þe tendir leues of lorer-tre..and of þe bayes of þe same tre..and stampe þem in a morter..puttis þer-to half so many poundes of oyle, and so many half-vnces of wex, and lete hem stonde..ix dayes..fry hem..and after streyne þem.
d
- (1419) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)101/20 : Þe same William..for to make the same wyn haue a lykly colour of Romeney, wold have put poudir of bayes and oþer poudres þer-in.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)176/548 : A lectuary for rysynge and ach at the hertt, take hony..and do þerin powder of bayes.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)85 : Ad dealbandum faciem..Take fresshe barowes grece, and þe whit of aney, and stampe hem..wyþ alytul pouder of bayes.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340:Halliwell)302 : For the coght: Take pouder of bayes [etc.].
3.
A pellet.
Associated quotations
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.198 : Take a bay [L gleba] of gotis donge And..make hit holugh & putte in seedis yonge.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)135/650 : Take þe poudur of bais-de-lorer & comyn & hony & make a plaster & ley to þe sore.
Note: Add to sense 2.(a) and note the combination ~ de lorer, found also in quots. ?c1425 and c1450. Cp. combination baie de lorer in AND s.v. baie n.(1) and lorer n.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. oil de bay.