Middle English Dictionary Entry
bank(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | bank(e n.(1) Also bonk(e, bunk. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI bakki (akin to OE benc bench). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. benche.
1.
(a) A natural ridge; (b) a height, hill, mountain; (c) a slope, a hill-side; (d) ?the crest of a wave.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)9210 : Whærse iss all unnsmeþe get Þurrh bannkess & þurrh græfess..Þær shulenn beon ridinngess nu, & effne & smeþe weȝȝess.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.521 : A thousand of men..blustreden forth as bestes ouer bankes [A: valeyes; C: baches] and hilles.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.176 : Part of the banke he schof doun riht.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)379 : Uuche..bowed to þe hyȝ bonk þer brentest hit wern, And heterly to þe hyȝe hyllez þay aled on faste.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)482 : Noe..nymmez efte þe doveue [read: dowue] And byddez hir bowe over þe borne efte bonkez to seche.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)160/277 : Downe I ley me vpon this banke Vnder this bryght sterre.
c
- c1390 Bi west (Vrn)175 : Hit is heor kynde on Bank and bouh A quik Brid to hauen and holde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2726 : He dremeth..hou he clymbeth up the banckes And falleth into Slades depe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)511 : Þe softe somer..sues þer-after bi bonk.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)239 : Bryng me fro this brery bank To heuen blys aboue the sky.
- c1430 Allas for thought (Cmb Gg.4.27)417 : The whiche flour..I myghte..se..A-geyn the sunne in euery mede, On bankys hy a-mong the bromys.
- a1450(?1400) In blossemed buske (Dgb 102)5 : I sawe two buyrnes on o bank.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)574 : So þat I be lord of toure & toun, be buskys & bankys broun.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)340/3-5 : A man..wroght in a banke for syluer vre. And sodanlie þe banke fell and kyllid all þat was vnder-nethe.
- c1650(a1450) Death & L.(Pcy)58,69 : Estward I looked Into a boolish banke..& as shee came by the bankes the boughes..lowted to that Ladye.
d
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)363 : Þen bolned þe abyme and bonkez con ryse, Waltes out uch walle heved in ful wode stremez; Watz no brymme þat abod unbrosten bylyve.
2.
A natural height, slope, or margin bordering water; coast of the sea, shore of a lake, bank of a river; ~ side, se ~, water ~; fig. the ~ of deth, the brink of death.
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2717 : Þe riche cite..vpon þe see bonke.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 27.39 : Thei biheelden sum hauene hauynge a water banke.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.8 : To reste Vndur a brod banke bi a Bourne syde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.720 : A Castel..Which upon Humber banke stod.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.849 : Now stood hir castel faste by the see And often..walketh she, Hir to disporte vpon the bank anheigh.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.70 : His folk went vpto lond..To bank ouer þe sond.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.241 : Þe kyng controued þer ouer, a brigge forto make..Ouer þe water..fro bank to bank rauht itte.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3490 : He ne sank Tyl þat he com to a bank [vr. water bank].
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.138 : Jesus þat stondiþ ȝendre on þe banke [of Lake of Galilee].
- c1440(a1350) Isumb.(Thrn)169 : Thay entirde thane to a water kene, The bankes were fulle ferre bytwene.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)6499 : Vpon the banke of that Rever.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)290 : Þey tyȝten vp tal-sail whan þe tide asked, Hadde byr at þe bake & þe bonke lefte.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5863 : He..bowet fro the batell to þe bonke side.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)19 : Flode gates and mylle pittes, and weyr þe watur restith by the banke & þe streme renneyth nye þer by.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)198/4 : They had a syght of the bankys of Normandy.
- ?c1475 Direct.Sailing in Hak.Soc.79 (Lnsd 285)12 : Go your cours in to Temesse with the grene bank west southwest.
- a1450 Rolle MPass.(2) (BodeMus 232)35/256 : Drawe me evyr to þe..as a net draweth fyshe, til hit come to þe bank of deth.
3.
An artificial earthwork or embankment; also fig.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.27 : Þat welle is..nouȝt depe bot to þe kne, i-closed wiþ hiȝe bankes in eueriche side.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.508 : Fulofte a litel Skar Upon a Banke, er men be war, Let in the Strem.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.182 : Þe dikes were fulle wide þat closed þe castelle about, & depe on ilk a side, with bankis hie without.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)110 : The dubbemente of þo derworth depe Wern bonkez bene of beryl bryȝt.
- (1449) RParl.5.149a : Dikes, Geteys, Keyes, Scluces, Bankes, and other reparations that shuld be made for defence of the Towne and the Watir outeward.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4193 : Ȝyff ȝe fylle weel þe dyche To þe banke al in a resse.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)79 : The bankys rounde the welle environyng.
- c1475 St.Anne(2) (Trin-C R.3.21)133 : Of oure wele she [St.Anne] was the verrey banke.
- ?a1500(?1458) Off alle Werkys (Inscr)p.42 : They [ditches] were i set with a quyk mownde To holde in the bunkes for ever and ay.
- a1525(?1430) Cov.Leet Bk.136 : The said priour & Couent shull make within ther Garden aftur the town wall a bank of Erthe Joynyng to the said wall.
4.
In place names.
Associated quotations
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 21100 : Waltero del Banck'.
- (1328) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)207 : Hulbanks.
- (1350) Doc.Hatfield in Sur.Soc.32237 : Nichil de pastura del Viverbanks.
- (1366-72) Deed Norris in LCRS 9336 : [In] le Bonkfeld.
- (1408-9) Acc.Iron Master in EHR 14517 : De parco de Belbourne et le Blakbank.
- (1451) Deed Norris in LCRS 93203 : Bonkehowses.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)9/14 : Þat we be not ouer flowed with þe salt water is long of þe see banges.
Note: New spelling