Middle English Dictionary Entry
bat n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bat n. Also bot. Pl. battes, bottene, bottes. |
| Etymology | Early Western bat, bot prob. from Wel. (as the rare OE batt); for later instances of bat, cp. OF batte pestle. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A war club or mace; a cudgel or flail; (b) a (shepherd's) staff; a (fuller's) bat; (c) a crosier.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21591-3 : Þæ cheorles mid heore botten [Otho: battes] weoren þer wið innen. Þa botten [Otho: battes] heo up heouen & adun riht sloȝen.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)99a : His luue þe underueng se heui dunt, us forte burhen from þe deofles botte i þe pine of helle.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)343/125 : Decius..liet nime scourgene, with grete bottene [vr. battes] of lede, And liet beten þis holi man.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8073 : With fauchons, axes & battes Ich ȝaue oþer sori flappes.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)3415 : Þar com..Wiþ is batte [Cai 175/96: clubbe] Ascoparde..A felde, boþe hors & man.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.26.47 : With hym came a grete cumpanye, with swerdis and battis [vr. staues; L fustibus].
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5823 : Hij..laiden hym on wiþ swerd and batt.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)110/251 : Sere turmentries, al newly wroght: Plummes of lede at battes grete [etc.].
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)8668 : With spere & scheld and many a bat.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)26 : Batte, staffe: Perticulus.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)39a : Þe whiche fiȝte wiþ battis of leed.
- c1450 St.Eras.(Add 36983)p.202 : Grete balled battes.
- c1460 Awake lordes (Dub 432)33 : Som þat were þe ragged bottis [i.e. the badge of the Beauchamps and the Nevilles] Had lever were þe stafford knottis.
- a1475(a1450) Tourn.Tott.(Hrl 5396)63 : Þay set on þer nollys..Gode blake bollys, For batryng of battis [cp. 43: flayl].
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)160 : The pepylle toke grete battys in hyr neckys and so they wentte.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)223/25 : Þay ren toward hom wyth bottys and staues and oþer wepon.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)648 : The Geaunte stert to a grette clobbe..and reised the batte for to smyte the Kynge on the heed.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)391 : 'Ne was ich ones an erles sone And now am herde'..He nemeþ is bat [Cmb: bott] and forþ a goþ.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)75.113 (v.2:p.62) : Oon of hem hent a fullers batte in his hande and with a grete stroke hitte hym [St. James] on the hede.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)61 : Jacobus..was..smet with a fulleres bat.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.381 : Men of þis lond dredeþ more forto swere vppon eny of þilke belles and gold battes [Higd.(2): crokede staves; L baculi recurvi] þan vppon þe gospel.
2.
A blow, a stroke.
Associated quotations
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)277/163 : Þat xal be A-sayd be þis batte: 'what þou, jhesus, ho ȝatt þe þat?'
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)5492 : He gaff hym suche a batte..That nose & cheke was bothe lyke.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)180/491 : Had I had bot oone bat at that lurdan..It shuld haue bene spokyn..with many a tong.
3.
A chunk (of bread); a clod (of clay); a wad (of wool).
Associated quotations
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.167 : Nedde Pers..with a Benene Bat [vr. bene batte]..hutte hongur..A-midde boþe his lippes.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)19.92 : And bad hit be [of] a bat of erþe a man and a mayde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4166 : Flaggis of þe fell snawe fell fra þe heuen Þat was a-brade..as battis ere of woll.
- ?c1450 PPl.A(2) (Mrg M 818)12.70 : I haue a gret boyste Of battys & broken bred thi bely to fille.