Middle English Dictionary Entry
rāsen v.(1)
Entry Info
Forms | rāsen v.(1) Also ras(e, race(n, rasse. Forms: sg.3 rāseth, etc. & (error) rateth; p. rāsede, etc. & rāse, raised, reised, (error) rafit; ppl. i)rāsed, etc. & irrāsit, raised, rēsid, (error) rasyth. |
Etymology | OF raser, rasser, reser & ML rāsāre, AL rāsēre; also cp. OF ar)rachier, racer & ME arācen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To scrape (sth.); also, shave (sb., somebody's crown); (b) to make erasures; erase (writing, a passage of writing, etc.); scrape (a page, book) clean; emend (a document) by erasure; ~ awei (oute); (c) in various fig. senses: to expunge (sth.), obliterate (sb.), alter (belief); (d) ppl. rased as adj., of a strickle: smoothed.
Associated quotations
a
- (1419) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)99/8 : Diuers buttys and oþir vessels..are here rasyd and gummyd with picche, code, & oþir horrible & vnholsome þinges.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ezek.26.4 : Thei schulen distrie the wallis of Fire..and Y schal rase [WB(1): shal shaue; L radam] the dust therof fro it, and Y schal ʒyue it in to a moost clere stoon.
- (1440) in Black Leathersellers24 : If the seid Wardeins fynde ony..weyke and unsuffisant lethir, rased or frised on the bak..the same Wardeins mowe have power for to..bryng hit to the Yeldhalle there to be juged.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.80 : The mosse away yrased from hem be.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.236 : Hit cleue Vnto the roote, and with an yron se The mary rased out.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2936 : Hanybald lokid on Geffrey as he were a-masid, And be-held his contenaunce & howe he was I-rasid.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3032 : Dres the to þe Shippis ward with thy crown I-rasid.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.580 : Lich to the bok in which is rased The lettre and mai nothing be rad, So ben my wittes overlad.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3538 : To hym I make a direccioun..Besechyng hem, with her prudent loke, To race & skrape þoruʒ-oute al my boke, Voide & adde wher hem semeth nede.
- (1426) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xxi : Symkyn hathe had the hole scripture rased of a chartre undre the seal of armez of my lord of York.
- (1433) Case King Council in Seld.Soc.3599 : Hit is gretely noysed..that ye rased the record of Piers Seintjon.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.782 : Yif that I myhte, I wolde racen his name Out of this book.
- (1439) *Proc.Chanc.PRO ser.C 1 file 9no.143 : William wright..opened hys seyd testament and raysed oute the seyd godes bequethed to the seyd wife.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)19 : If þat ʒe list to race Or rende my leuys þat I to ʒou write, Ʒe may weel doo it.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)421 : Racyn bokys, or oþer lyke: Rado, abrado.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)3331 : They ordeynyd hys name..From noumbyr of popys racyd to be.
- (1447) Shillingford18 : My lorde..commaunded me to bryng the answeris to hym..and that he wolde amende hit with his awne hondis..and he rased hit as hit plesed hym.
- a1450(c1395) WBible(2) Pref.Jer.(NC 66)p.76 : Whanne he scrapide or raside awey ony waast writyng, he made the sygne of an arowe.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)47/26 : He must rase oute þo vers.
- (c1456) Paston2.152 : Thobligacion, as they surmitten, was rased.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)86 : He..leid the lettir upon Seint Petir auter..And aftir iii dayes he found it rased and amended aftir the plesauns of God.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10858 : Wordys off mokarye..sholde ha be..Yracyd clene out off the book.
c
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.92 : He is callid an heretike that rasith oure bileve.
- a1413 Chaucer TC (Mrg M 817)3.1015 : Ther Ioue soone oute of youre herte hym [Jealousy] race [vr. arace].
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jer.11.19 : Sende we a tre in to the brede of hym, and rase we hym awei [WB(1): shaue wee hym out; L eradamus eum] fro the lond of lyueris, and his name be no more hadde in mynde.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.54 : Hir name..is soo ful of grace þat synful lyef it can distroye and race.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.2994 : If she be noysed and hir name defased, It woll neuer after be cleene away rased.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)301 : Wisdames for to leere That I the tauht, al is left bi-hynde, Racid [vrr. Rasyth; Raked] awey, and cleene out of thi mynde.
d
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.396 : viij Buysshelles makith a Quarter, striken with a Rasid stryke, and neyther hepe nor Cantell.
2.
(a) To strip off (an outer covering), pull (sth.) off; ~ awei (of); (b) to tear out (sth.), pluck out; root out (trees, etc.); also fig.; ~ oute (up); (c) to pull away (sb. or sth.), snatch; also fig.; ~ awei; (d) to pull down (sb. or sth.), knock (sth.) down; ~ a)doun; (e) to come apart, tear; tear (sb. or sth.) apart, rend (one's garments); (f) to deprive (a city) of money, pick clean, strip.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.303 : He rasede [L corrosit] of oon beem of þat cherche fyve hundred mark of silver.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)253b/a : Spray þat springeþ out of þe vyne in oþer place þan in þe knottes is acompted vnprofytable and bastarde and schulde anon be pulled of and rased [L statim est rumpendum].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)254a/b : Suche sprayes..schal be pulled, y-rased, and y-roted away.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3267 : Þe right sholder oway he rase; Both arm and klob with him he tase.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Wisd.13.11 : A carpenter hewith doun of the wode a streiʒt tre and rasith awei [WB(1)]: pare awei; L eradat] perfitli al the riynde therof.
- c1440(?a1400) ?Nassyngton Trin.& U.(Thrn)219 : The knyghtes..Abowte þe lappede a mantill..That with þe blude till thi body cleuede; Sythen drew þey it ofe..And racede of all þe skyne.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)104a : Myghti chyualrye..dar..make hem self wey to þis tour and rase & rende doun the hydes and hayres & feeltes þat hit is heled wiþ.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)641/20 : He raced of his helme and smote of his hede.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)424 : He..saugh the flesshe that the knaue hadde rosted..and raced it of with his hondes madly.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)571 : Galashin hente hym by the helme and raced it of his heed so felliche that nose and browes bledde.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)633 : The serpentes raced a-wey [F esrachoient] the membres of the and thi wif.
- a1500 Chartier Quad.(2) (Rwl A.338)172/8 : The policie of Frenshmen may be likenid vnto a wodman which with his tethe bitith and raseth away [CQ(1): renteth] his own membres.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.451 : He wrapped a cloþ aboute his hond and schove it in þe leon his mowþe whan þe leon resede, and rasede of [Higd.(2): drawede owte] þe tonge and slowʒ þe leon.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1006 : Out of his hede his eyen he gan race And cast at hem.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.3672 : Your funeral smokis makþ rewmys now so bare To race out cedris, ther braunchis may nat spreede.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)1608 : Hir hare of scho gane rase.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Look TM (Hrl 2255)164 : Lat euery man doon his besy cure To race out pride and sette in first meeknesse.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Stella Celi(1) (Hrl 2255)7 : Thu heuenly queen..Racedist vp al surfetis of myschaunce, That our forn-ffadir plantyd in paradys.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.816 : Tho gan he tast how þat he may fro this lady race hir newe oppynyon.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13226 : My clerk, my skryveyn, racede oute Off strange ffeldys..And sewh yt in A-nother ffeld, ffolkys wenynge..That he hadde sowhe the same sed Vp-on hys owne lond.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)34a : For a hawke þat þe ortel cut or þe pownse is resyd.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)115b/a : Siche maner of Cankris schulden neuere ben helid but if thei ben alle and hoolly rasid vp by þe rotis.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)140/27 : He raced oute the arowe of his hede.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)164/19 : Raase ham all out of rote, as the good gardyner dothe the nettylle.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)91/36 : He þat racys it vp by þe rote and etys þe flour þynkand of any woman persone, sho shall bycome brynnand yn his loue.
- a1500 Det peruynkkle (MdstCKS U182.Z1)p.257 : Pernk' schel have wel heuyle endyng, An al hys rotes to rasse.
- a1500 Myn worldly Ioy (Sln 1212)5 : Lete pite daunger out off ʒour herte race.
c
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1907 : Þe lorde..Rased hym [fox] ful radly out of þe rach mouþes.
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Cl.(Lnsd 851)E.1103 : The childerne from hir harme þei gun race.
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Lnsd 851)F.1393 : Sche..hent þe ymage wiþ hire armes tuo, Fro whiche ymage wold sche neuer goo; No wyht myʒt of it hire hande race [Heng: arace].
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1489 : His [Cupid's] harowes..Iperced han the knyghtes hertes..the poynt of remembraunce..may not lightly raced ben away.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)362 : I sall auntyre me anes hys egle to touche, Þat borne es in his banere of brighte golde ryche, And raas it from his riche men and ryfe it in sondyre.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)395 : By your dilligence, notable instruccyoun, ffro vicious lyff ther corages to declyne, And Race awey al fals Occasyoun Which ageyn vertu shulde brynge hem to Rwyne.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)408 : He..raced a spere from a knyghtes hondes.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)12/22 : Euery man racith [vr. rateth] away his parte and makith his fardell for to goo his waye.
d
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6358 : Þei han..gredely rent and racid doun Of golde & siluer þe ornementes alle To-fore þe goddes.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)37a : In caas hir baner..were voided or rased or feld adoun out of here siʒt.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)56.460 : A lyown An hert there gan chase, and aforn the tombe down gan hym Rase.
- a1450 Forest Laws (Dc 335)241 : If ther be ony man that hath take a weye ony bounde of forest or rased ony thing that was sett in the stede of bounde of forest, ye shul do vs to wete of his name and where it was.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1645 : Hys lyonesse adon gan race All þat scle [read: sche] tok, yn body & face.
e
- c1390 Treat.Mass (Vrn)312-13 : Wiþ his teeþ he gon hit togge, And so radli he gon hit Rogge Þat al þe Rolle gon race; So harde raced he þat Rolle Þat he chopped his Cholle Aʒeyn þe Marbel-ston.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)75/299 : And Rofyn begon to rug, His rolle began to rase.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)3657 : His cloþis of gold vnto his scherk Saladyn began to rase [vr. rent tho], ffor yre.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)10256 : Ryʒt ose his mantyll reuyn was, so suld þe reme be raysed and rent.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)3.6.52b : Many gret wolves..ete this caitives & with hire scharp teeth raced hem alle to peces.
f
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)13674 : Kyng Ioas lyfed with mekyll payn, for Ierusalem was roved and rast.
3.
(a) To cleave (sth.), slice, cut apart; sever (an arm, etc.); ppl. rased as adj.: broken; ~ awei, cut off (sth.); ~ doun, mow down (helmets); (b) to lacerate (sb.), slash; cut into (a shield, armor), score; tear (someone's flesh, body, etc.); fig. pierce (a heart); (c) to carve (sth.), engrave; also fig.; ppl. rased as adj.: embossed; rased bitwixen, carved in relief, embossed; (d) to dig (the ground), trench; ~ for, ?dig for (gold); in ~, dig, delve; (e) to slash (shoes) ornamentally.
Associated quotations
a
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.108 : The fleish is mete..and Crist dwellith [read: dwellith therin] no thing rasyd, no thing dividid, but oonli broken in signe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7285 : Of Teutran first þe aventaile He raced haþe, & rent þe mail a-sonder.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2515 : Plate & maille Þei gan to seuere and assonder race.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1268 : He mette Cecylyen..Whom Thelamoun..Slowe..Racynge his arme fro þe sholder bon.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4335 : Pirrus swerd..raceth þoruʒ al þe shulder bon.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)47/148 : Hir pappes war raced hir fro.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2984 : Riche hawberkes he rente and rasede schyldes.
- c1450 *Bk.Marchalsi (Hrl 6398)24a : Race it fayre a-wey.
- c1470 Bible F.(Cleve-W q091.92-C468)82/30 : Than began the Romaynes to rase doun helmes and perse shildis.
b
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)2655 : For care scho couth noght wele him ken, So was he rugged, raced, and ryuen.
- a1425(a1349) Rolle MPass.(2) (Upps C.494)46/7 : Þou were so rased and rent..til al þi vtter blode was bledde.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)634 : Olibrius..bad his tormentours in that owtrage Hyr tendyr flesh to race and rende.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)756 : A world of beaute compassid in hir face, Whose persant loke doþ þuruʒ myn hert race.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)4126 : Wyth the poynt Partanopes Cote Was foule rasyd and eke I-rent.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8519 : Andromoca..rent of hir clothis, Rafit [read: rasit] þe red chekis roidly with hond, And þe hore of hir hede heterly pullit.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.250 : Lo serpent, leoun, tigre, bore, and bere, Thei seken yow to racen [vr. rauen] and to tere.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)150 : Many tormentryes suffered þis mayden -- betyn nakid with scorgis, rased hir body with hokys, and euyr þe next day was sche found hool.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)266/8 : Thus they fared two owres and more, trasyng and rasyng eyther othir where they myght hitte ony bare place.
- a1475 As Reson Rywlyde (Hrl 3954)11 : Her here, her skyn, sche raside [vr. racide] & rent, And seyd 'filius regis mortuus est.'
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)3.4.50b : The compace of this wheel was fiched ful of hokes of iren to rende & to race two caitifes.
- a1500 Parton.(1) (Add 35288)3935 : Fowle rased [UC: arayed] was hys schelde.
c
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ex.25.25 : Thou schalt make to that brynke a coroun rasid bitwixe [WB(1): eueramong grauen coroun; L coronam interrasilem] foure fyngris hiʒ.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)3 Kings 7.28 : Thilke werk of foundementis was rasid bitwixe [WB(1): betwix grauyngis playn; L interrasile].
- (1437-8) Will York in Sur.Soc.3063 : Unam peciam argenti flatt, coopertam, rasid, cum uno rotundo boll.
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)838 : Biggid is this place Of whik stones..Ful of veynys grauen alle with grace; The grete werkman aboue, he ded race Alle þis werk goostly in here soule.
d
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1048 : So depe they dede in race Tyl at the laste a chest they founde.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)95 : He..tok a pickex and reisid þe ground þer þe wallis schuld be.
- c1475 Earth(3) (Rwl F.32)22/72 : Thinke now, erthe, how thou in erthe Goist euer in dethis grace, And thanne thou, erthe, for the erthe Shalt neuer stryue ne race.
e
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.848 : Ther shon wer racid fresshli to the ton.
4.
Her. ppl. i)rased as adj.: (a) of the head of a raven, etc.: drawn with a jagged base as if torn from the body, erased; (b) of arms: quartered by jagged borders produced by the scraping away of paint.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.5 (Hrl 2169)175 : [Silver a cheveron sable between] iij ravyn hedys rased of sabyll..[Gules a bend silver with] iij lebardys hedys of sabyll rasyd, the tongys gold.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.7192 : [Sable a cheveron gules between three] lewcys hedys rasyd, [of silver].
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.9167 : A beryth asewre iij serpentys hedys of gold rasyd, the tongys of gold crosletwyse.
b
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)her.leaf d ii/b : Certan armys ther be quarterit and irrasit..for the colouris be rasit owt.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 20/31 : Ʒyf þyn maters cleve enyþyng to þe pannys syde, take þe a treen platere and anoynte hit with some of þyn vnce oyle byfore kept, and þyn hondes also, and reyse hit from þy panne al aboute.
Note: Glossary: "reyse v. imp. 'scrape'."
Note: Antedates sense (a), new spelling.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Hrl.218 Artist.Recipes (Hrl 218) 299/30 : Forto rason parchement without knyffe. Take roche alym and bren hym to pouder, [etc.].
Note: Glossary: "rason v. inf. 'erase (literally 'scrape')'."
Note: Postdates sense (b), new spelling.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Jul.Artist.Recipes (Jul D.8) 144/3 : Take leþer wel tawede and raskede in boþe sydes, and wete hit.
Note: Prob. error for 'rasede' ('scraped'). Clarke notes of raskede: "Literally = 'stretched', but here presumably understand as 'rasped', since..a skin cannot be stretched on one side only."