Middle English Dictionary Entry
pulī n.
Entry Info
| Forms | pulī n. Also pulẹ̄, pulli, pullei, pulhie, poli(e, polẹ̄, polei(e, pollei, polhie, pallei & puleive, polif, polef, polhif, polive, palive, (Latinate) pulifo & (error) polhille; pl. pulies, etc. & (error) polesis. |
| Etymology | OF polie, pulie & ML poliva, puliva, (error) polhilha. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A mechanical device consisting of a wheel or sheave fixed to a revolving axle or carried freely on a stationary one, round which a rope is wound, used for pulling or raising a weight; -- also personified; double ~, a block containing a pair of pulleys; (b) naut. boue-line ~, a pulley for hauling a bowline; bou-sprete ~, a pulley connected to the bowsprit; henge (hok) ~, a pulley forming part of the apparatus associated with the pintle of the rudder; stetinge ~, a pulley for hauling some kind of rope; trusse (trussinge) ~, a pulley used in securing a yard to a mast; windinge ~, a pulley used for hoisting or hauling; ~ stok, a block to which a pulley is attached; ~ twin, cord used on a pulley.
Associated quotations
a
- (1295) *Acc.Exch.(PRO) 5/8 [OD col.] : Ad extrahendum le palley et le fraunt topp.
- (1296) *Acc.Exch.K.R.5/20.m.4 [OD col.] : In vno pulyfo empto de Waltero Goderyke.
- (1324) *Acc.Exch.K.R.Bundle 165 No.2.lf.17b [OD col.] : Pro vij Haussers et aliis cordis ad poleys.
- (1357) *Pipe Roll (PRO) 32 Edw.III m.34/2 [OD col.] : j Rack' cum apparatu, ij poliues cum ij rowels eneis.
- (1372-4) Doc.in Nicolas Navy 2479 : [For..] polyss [and divers other instruments..4 s. 4 d.].
- (1383) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.125 : Puleyve.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.184 : Ther may no man out of the place it dryue For noon engyn of wyndas or polyue [vr. palyue].
- (1396-7) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81123 : Et in ij trendelys ligniis emp. pro fonte Sci. Wilfridi et mangnum puly, 10 d.
- (1398) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.93 : [4] boyeropes, [4] boies, [12] poleies.
- (1399) Fabric R.Yk.Min.in Sur.Soc.3518 : Instrumenta Carpentariorum..j par de pulees cum vj shives.
- (1407-8) Will York in Sur.Soc.4347 : Ego, Johannes Awstyn, carpentarius..Lego novo operi Ecclesiæ..omnia mea polys de ere.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)14a/b : The lower roundnes is double..as if it war a double polhille [Ch.(2): double knotte; *Ch.(3): doubel poleye; L perosilla duplex, vr. (Wallner) polhilha duplex], i. poley, þorgh whens passeþ cordes with which watres bene drawen.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)100a/a : Ofte tymez..þe fracture is equate wiþ þat þing þat þu wote..in which I haue seen proffitable a weyght wiþ a polhif [Ch.(2): poleye; L pallula].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)101b/b : And to þe fote I bynde a weiȝt of lede, a corde passyng vpon a litel polhie [L polegeam], so þat it shal hald þe legge in his lengþ.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)103a/b : Be it drawen of aiþer partie ouþer wiþ a bande wiþ a piller and cauillez, i. wegez, or pulhiez or tournez & like ingeniez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)105a/a : Be þer bounden a weght of 3 or 4 pound in þe thie in takyng þe leg, and hyng it wiþ a polhie [Ch.(2): polye].
- (1427-8) Rec.St.Mary at Hill68 : For makyng of iiij polesis [read: polefis] of bras & iron werk and lede þat serued for þe vayl: v s. viij d.
- (1429) Doc.Southampton in HMC Rep.11 App.3136 : Et de iiij d. solutis Richardo Uppe pro emendacione unius poleye pro Grue occidentali..Et de viij d. solutis pro uno poley de novo empto pro occidentali Grue.
- c1450 St.Eras.(Add 36983)p.202 : These passions he suffred..Drauyng vp withe cordes þe body be a poly.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2510 : When thei sette vppon, this wallis blynde With gabils & polifs hem ouerwynde.
- (1468) Acc.Howard in RC 57526 : Paid fore iiij pullyes, xvij s.
- (1468-9) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7869 : Pro uno pully et pro emendacione lampadis, iiii d.
- (1469-72) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31528 : Payed to Thomas More for poleys, nailys, and rollys, with other amendyng of whelys, xx d.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)30b/a : It is maad as it were a poleye with which watir is drawen out of a pitt.
- c1500 The shype ax (Ashm 61)155 : Than be-spake the polyff With gret stronge wordes and styffe.
b
- (1357) *Pipe Roll (PRO) 32 Edw.III m.34/2 [OD col.] : j wynding-rope, j ȝerderope, ij trusspoliues.
- (1373) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.369 : [2] wyndyng poleys, [2] skeynes poletwyne.
- (1384) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.135 : [In the hands of William Holeman 4] trossyng poleys.
- (1409-11) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 2121 : vij Polivestokkes sanz sheves..a ij hengepolives cum les strops, a j bowespritepolive.
- (1413) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.248 : [2] hengepoleyys, [a pair of] hokepoleys, [a pair of] stedyngpoleys, [a pair of] trussepoleys.
- (1417) *For.Acc.(PRO) 8 Hen.V D/1 dorso [OD col.] : j Ketille, j Fane, et Wyndyngpoley.
- (1417) *For.Acc.(PRO) 8 Hen.V G/1 [OD col.] : j slynge, iiij Trusse Polleys, j henge pulley.
- (1465) Acc.Howard in RC 57201 : Item, for iij grete polyves, ijs. Item, for a bowlyne polyve, vj d. Item, for vij smale polyves, xiiij d.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57210 : Item, for iiij trusse polyves, viij d.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. pulley.