Middle English Dictionary Entry
bastā̆rd n. as adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | bastā̆rd n. as adj. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Born out of wedlock, illegitimate; bastard sone (doughter) ~, etc.; (b) false, counterfeit, defective.
Associated quotations
a
- (1376) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.2 : Twey douteres bastardes, letisse and alisse.
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Mk.(Corp-O 198)B.3568 : Thy bastard broþer made þe to fle.
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Cleo.(Cleo C.4)151 : In this yere whas lost a good tovne in Normandy [of the lord Scales]..with his bastard sone therinne.
- (1456) Will Masey in LCRS 3013 : A bastard doughter of my brother.
- (1458-9) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA 83.m.2 : John þe second son bastard had none Issue.
b
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)93/13 : Þus crien mounkis & oþir bastard religioun þat sellen..her habit & her suffragijs.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)78/13 : Countirfeted hopes .. bryng men to confusion .. by maner of .. folishe trust evell foundid ..; the furst bastard hope is callid presumpcion.
2.
(a) Of animals: mixed, cross-bred; (b) ~ braunch, a wild shoot or sucker; also fig.; (c) ?grafted, ?cultivated (i.e. not growing naturally).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)295b/a : Þe pardus..is a leccherous beste and gendreþ wiþ þe leonesse, and of suche bastard generacioun comeþ leopardus.
- c1475 *MS Eg.1995 [OD col.] (Eg 1995)63b : A grehounde, A Bastarde grehounde.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)253b/a : Al þat 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.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)254a/b : Vitulamen..is þat bastard plaunte..þat springeþ out of þe roote of þe vyne.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.90 : Thei ben bastard braunches that launchen from oure bileve.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.100 : Lest yvel eerbis growen þere, and bastard braunchis wiþouten bileve.
c
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.69 : Þanne contenence is nerre þe croppe as calwey bastarde, Þanne bereth þe croppe kynde fruite.
3.
(a) Cook. Prepared with sweetened wine [cp. bastard n. 3 (c)]; (b) ~ lof, a kind of (?inferior, ?mixed) bread.
Associated quotations
a
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)13 : Oystrys in grauy bastard.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)21 : Vyaund de cyprys bastarde.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)22 : Mammenye bastarde.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)94 : Malmens bastard: take a potell of clarefied hony..Reysons..And ij galons of wyne [etc.].
b
- 1341 *Secretum Abb.Glastonie (MS.Wood empt.1) lf.146b [OD col.] : Alterum panem uocatum Bastardlof..tercium panem uocatum seriauntlof.
4.
Of various objects: not genuine, adulterated, inferior.
Associated quotations
- (1370) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29165 : j sella basterd, j sella pro summario.
- (1418) EEWills35/3 : Item I bequethe to Symond Wrenchin, Skynner, my Bastard Swerd.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)228 : ij vnces of fresche recles..& as muche of bastard recles.
- (a1451) Will York in Sur.Soc.4597 : j zona de cerico bastard.
- (1456) Invent.Armory in Archaeol.16125 : xiij olde bastard Sadyll some parcell broken.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Modify gloss. Objects in sense 4. are not necessarily inferior or 'adulterated' but are rather of mixed character, or occupy a middle ground, a ~ sadel being perhaps one that combines features of a civilian and military saddle for example. -- per JLS
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)her.leaf b i/b : There be ix dyuisionis of cotarmures…The v perfite be theys: Termynall, Collaterall, Abstrakte, Fixall, and Bastard.
Note: New sense: her., per MJW.