Middle English Dictionary Entry
quik-silver n.
Entry Info
| Forms | quik-silver n. Also wick- & (error) quik-siluys. |
| Etymology | OE cwic-seolfor; for forms cp. ME quī̆k adj. & silver n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Metallic mercury, quicksilver; alch. an agent used in the alchemical process and associated with the planet Mercury; med. as a medicine or component of medicines; (b) deth of ~, alteration of quicksilver; malice of ~, poisonousness of quicksilver; vertu of ~, efficacy of quicksilver; extincten (mortifien, quenchen, slen) ~, to alter quicksilver by adding something to it, heating it, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.629 : Ther nas quyk siluer [vr. whike-siluer], lytarge, ne brymstoon..That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes white.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2475 : To his part Mercurius Hath the quikselver..The which..Is ferst of thilke fowre named Of Spiritz.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.772 : Of quyk siluer, yclept Mercurie crude, [etc.].
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.822 : The firste spirit quyk siluer [vr. quik siluys] called is.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)195b/a : Golde..haþ other matiere of sotil brymstone and rede and of quykke siluer [L de viuo argento] sotill and white.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)196a/b : Þer been two maner of siluer, symple and componed; þe symple is fletyng and is ycleped quyk siluer; þe siluer compowned is massy and sad and is y-compowned of quyk siluer pure and clene and of white brymston nought brennyng.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)196a/b : Quik siluer..cruddeþ nouȝt by it silf.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)196a/b : Quik siluer is mater of all metall, and þerfore it is þe simple element þerof.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)199a/a : Bras and coper ben ymade..of brymston and quiksiluer.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)296b/a : Aȝeins þe greuynge of lise ofte waisshynge helpeþ..and medicynal clensynge, ffor..quyk siluer wiþ aisshen of wythie sleþ hem.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)190/3 : Take argenti viui..amigdalarum..medle hem togidere & stampe hem til þou se noþing of þe quik siluer.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)50 : Take þe quyksiluer for as moch as ȝe wil make Oynment.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2458 : Þe water..Like quik-siluer in his stremys ran.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)120a/a : Be þer caste in quicsyluer in þe noseþrillez & in þe erez [of the corpse].
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)22/26 : The Wednysday is named aftir Mercury, and quyk siluere is youen therto.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)58 : Commodytes..commynge oute of Spayne..Bene..Saffron, quiksilver.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)124 : The wellys thanne appere As cristal or quyk syluer clere.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)202/13 : Take..juce off netlys and wyck-syluyr..and anoynt þin face.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)84/30 : For lys: Take quicsiluer and þe qwyte of an eye and þin spattelle, and onoynte a lysure þer-with and gyrde þe þer-wyȝth naked nyght and daye.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)101b : Qwyck syluer: Argentum viuum, Mercurius.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1199 : Ye may not with metalle or quyk syluere begynne To make Elixer.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1851 : Quyke siluer plenty which in him is Causith in syluer al his brightnes.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2317 : Quycsyluere..wil nevir cleve to a thing But to metal of oone kind or odyre, For there he fyndith sustir or brodyre.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)370 : A box with quyksyluer he had in hys hand; Multyplyers know hit well in euery land.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1126 : This quyk siluer I wol mortifye..And make it as good siluer..As ther is any in youre purs.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)266a/a : Asse mylke helpeþ aȝeins venymous blastes and aȝeins malice of ceruse oþer of quiksiluer.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)84a/b : I..was wont..to put..a þynne pece of lede in which be infixed þe vertue of quicsyluer, wiþ water of plantaginis.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)115a/b : At þe laste ende adde þerto þe whik siluer extincte wiþ mannes spotel.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)394/5 : Take..of olde swynes grece stomped in vynegre li. sem., of quyk siluer slayne [*Ch.(1): argenti viui extincte] with spotel quart. sem.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)396/8 : Rasis and Avicen praysen quyk siluer mortified wiþ spotil and siluer vre.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)85/26 : Do þer-to quiksyluer þat bee well qweynt.
- (a1475) Recipe Painting(2) in Archaeol.J.1 (Sln 73)153 : Holde adoun the leyt ij or iij tymes til thou seest the mater in the pott wex blak y-nowȝ, for thanne is thi quik silvir slayn.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)110a/a : Medle wiþ hem þe quyk siluer yquenchid wiþ spotil.
- ?a1500 in Singer Cat.Alchem.1.325 : The deth of our quyksilver is the begynnyng of all our perfeccion in this science.