Middle English Dictionary Entry
balk(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | balk(e n. Also bauk(e. |
| Etymology | OE balca ridge (corresp. to OS balko beam), & cp. OI balk-r partition. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A ridge or mound; the mound of a grave; an archery butt; (b) fig. an obstruction or obstacle.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)62 : Fro spot my spyryt þer sprang in space, My body on balke þer bod in sweuen.
- c1400 PPl.C (Vsp B.16)8.159 : Balkes [Hnt: Bote blostrede forth as bestes ouer baches and hulles].
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)317/1317 : He þat wyll stalke be brook or balke.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)196 : Þer is non archer..i dar lay with hym ale, Þat whoso sonyst hittys a bauke, For to haue þe toþer haut To what thyng he will hale.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)118/49 : To my shepe wyll I stalk..Ther abyde on a balk or sytt on a stone.
b
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)808 : He couthe lye and laugh and leepe ouer þe balkes There any grucche or groyne or grame shuld arise.
2.
(a) A strip of unplowed land between two fields; balkendes; also, a ridge between furrows left unplowed accidentally or carelessly, a balk; (b) an oversight or blunder.
Associated quotations
a
- (1202) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)325 : Austbalca.
- (c1250) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)325 : Balkendes.
- (1254) EPNSoc.3 (Bedf.& Hnt.)292 : Rowebalk.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)543 : Grene balke [glossing:] vert tenail [vr. terayl].
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.100 : To heren þis half-Acre helpen him ful monye. Dykers and Deluers Dikeden vp þe Balkes [vr. baukis].
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)18a/b : Crebro: balke bytwix forisse.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.1197 : Makyng no balkis, the plouh was treuli holde.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.15 : The balkis that they calle vnered lond And ouerheed, bihold that ther be noon.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)8a : A Balke betwixe two furris: crebro, porca.
b
- c1450 In a noon (Lamb 853)47 : Þouȝ a ȝong man make a balke, Ȝit take to þi mynde reuertere.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)6384 : He vnderstondeth neueradel..He goth be-syde & maketh a balke.
3.
(a) A beam of wood suitable for use in the framework of a building or ship; maister ~, the chief tie-beam of a building; one of the tie-beams (the balkes) stretching from wall to wall of a house; (b) with ref. to Mat. 7.3-5: the beam (in the eye).
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Arun 220)p.170 : Les trayes: the balkes.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)2365 : Þe wryghtes þat þe tymber wroght, A mykell balk þam burd haue ane.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3626 : He made laddres thre To clymben..Vnto the tubbes hangyng in the balkes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1671 : A schippe be-houes þe to dight..þi timber..bind..wele wit balk and band.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8778 : Quen al was purueid [for the temple]..And bunden samen balk [Trin-C: beem] and lace.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)26750 : Þai sal yow vp on balkes lift Als suine þat ar to salting tift.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)8796 : To seke a maister balke [Vsp: sparr] for to fest..our werk to-gedir.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)22/25 : Be þai [the patient's legs] hungen vp with a corde..festned aboue to a balk or a beme.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)21 : Balke yn a howse: Trabes, trabecula.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)339/68 : For þat balke will noman vs blame To cutte it for þe kyng.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)84/17 : On nyghtis he garte hyng his bed att a hy balke.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)482/7 : He had þer many bakon-flikkis in þe balkis.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 9118 : For mendyng the lead over the bauke of the chirche.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3920 : He kan wel in myn eye seen a stalke, But in his owene he kan noght seen a balke.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)5/35 : In þi broþir ehe þu ses a stra, And noht a balke in þin azen.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)403 : Ful wele þou may perceaue & se A litil mote in þi sister ee, Bott a grete balk in þin awn Vnto þi sight may not be knawn.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)155 : Þe abbott..askid hym of þe balke & þe mote, what þai wer..þis balk was his awn synys, and þis litle mote was þe synnys of þe toder man.
4.
(a) An (iron) beam in a chimney; (b) the beam of a balance.
Associated quotations
a
- (1432) Will York in Sur.Soc.3023 : Unum instrumentum ferreum in camino aulae, vocatum balk.
b
- (1399) Fabric R.Yk.Min.in Sur.Soc.3518 : j magna balke ferri cum les scales.
- (1404) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100395 : Item j balk de ferro empto de Stephano Qwhytegay. Item j balk in solario sub scaccario.
- (1457) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103635 : Item 1 par del Weyscalez cum 1 balke ferr. et ponderibus plumbiis.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 Cmb.Dd.6.29 Artist.Recipes (Cmb Dd.6.29) 70/20 : Ley on þi syse..and let hit driȝe..and þen moyste hit wiþ breeþ and shaue hit wyþ a scharp knyfe..to hit be ȝeuene wiþout any balke.
Note: Glossary: "balke n. 'blister'."
Note: ?New sense.