Middle English Dictionary Entry
rod(de n.
Entry Info
| Forms | rod(de n. Also rode & (in names) rad(e-, red(e-, rude- & (error) redde. |
| Etymology | LOE rodd |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A stick of wood; (b) a straight shoot, esp. of brushwood; a straight cutting from a bush or tree; tuft of roddes, an osier bed, a stand of young shoots; (c) an offshoot; -- used fig.; (d) a bar of iron.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)100 : Þe lord shuld take a faire smalle rodde in his honde, þe which oon of þe ȝemen or oon of þe gromys shuld kitte for hym and þe maister of þe game anoþer.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)96b/a : Ȝif..þu smyte on þe pacientes heued wiþ a liȝte rodde þat be drie as wilowe & it soune hoselie, it is a token þat þe braine panne is broken.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)109a/a : Take a rodde of wilowe oþer a twigge of þe vine & put þe tone ende in þe pacientes ere & lappe wexe aboute þe toþer ende & sette it on fire, ffor bi þe vertue of þe fire þe water schal be clene dried vppe.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)52 : Pryke þe cofyn with a pynne y-stekyd on a roddys ende.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)26a : If sche wyll not bath Anon, take A lytyll rode in þi hand And softely bete þe watir.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)131/18 : This noble prynce..thirste the rodde in his yie and smote it out.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)159/4 : The kyng..with the rodde sn e [read: smote] of the hedes of the popies.
b
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)92/24 : In þis gardyn be many busshis of bawme..and in þe monthe of Marche..þe roddys be kytte..and so the bawme renneþ..oute of [þe] kittyng.
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)94/2 : Euery cristenman þat haþ a busshe to kepe, he takeþ þe roddes þat be kitte and seeþ hem in water in a clene potte.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)85/2,4 : Raaf harange yaf..j oke and j cartlode of roddis in his wode of westbury yerely to be take at these termes..in march a cartlode of roddes and at whitsontyde an oke.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)458/7 : The said abbesse and couent..graunted..to the said Iohn iij acris of arable lond..with the mansion, tyftis of roddis, thorptis or croftis, and medis.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)679/23 : Of the yifte of Robert Euersy, his tofte of Roddys (in Latyne, virgultum).
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)88/197 : All ȝour roddys ȝe xal brynge vp to me, and on hese rodde þat þe holy gost is syttynge, he xal þe husbond of þis may be.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)1017 : Þat to mercy mor dothe me move Than þou dyscyplynyde þi body..Wyth as many roddys as myght grow..In þe space of days jornye.
- a1500 Leg.Cross BC(1) (Wor F.172)216 : In short tyme sprong iii roddis of a yerd in length..Forsoth tho roddis or yerdis wern ther from Adam vnto Noe, and from Noe vnto Abraham, and from Abraham vnto Moises, neuer growyng ne discresyng.
c
- a1500 O blessed mary (Lamb 306)14 : Thou art parfyte rodde of Iesse.
d
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)88/34 : Þe perlour be of many & þicke roddis of yren.
2.
A stick having a particular purpose: (a) a walking stick or staff; (b) a wand of office; also, a wand to be carried as an identifying device [quot.: a1500]; (c) a stick used as an instrument of punishment; also fig.; also in proverbs; ~ of correccioun; ~ of God; (d) a riding stick, riding crop; (e) a stick for beating wall hangings; (f) a stick used in hawking to thrash grass or brush in order to raise the game; (g) a stick used like a lathe in plastering or daubing walls; (h) a fishing pole; angle ~; (i) a curtain rod; curtine ~.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(LdMisc 108)90 : Cristofre..with is rodde wod a-ȝen; a luyte child he fond þare stonde.
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(LdMisc 108)123 : His rodde he piȝte in þe grounde and heo bi-gan a-non To leui and blowe and bere fruyt.
b
- a1450 Gowther (Roy 17.B.43)334 : There come the steward with a rod [Adv: yarde] in his honde.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)545/8 : Sir Thomas Percy, Erle of Wircestre and stuard of the Kynges howsold, come into the hall amonges the pepill and there he brak the rodde of his office.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)102/19 : Swete manna..was put in oure lordis arke, with þe wich manna also..was put specialy moyses rodde.
- c1470 Bible F.(Cleve-W q091.92-C468)76/26 : I amonest hem alle..that tomorow they come mekely out of the cite al nakid saue theire pryue clothis, with roddis in theire handis, & come to me for mercy.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)737 : The aumenere a rod schalle haue in honde, As office for almes.
- a1486(a1460) Coron.Kings Eng.in Archaeol.57 (Mrg M 775)48 : The crosse, the patene, the septir, and the kyngis rodde, the whiche bene thingis of Ryalte, schull be bore in the procession bi the abbot.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)62 : In that yere was ordeyned that all the comyn strompetes sholde were raye hodis and white roddis in her hondes.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2898 : Godd..now for thee hath mad a rodd Thi veine gloire and thi folie With grete peines to chastie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.2216 : Thus was the king withoute rodd Chastised and the queene excused Of that sche hadde ben accused.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)299/15 : Þei wolen neiþir haue þe hound of þe conscyence, ne þe staf of riȝtwiisenesse, ne þe rodde of correccioun.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)313/13 : Chastise hem with þe hondis of mercy and þe rodde of riȝtwiisenesse.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)96/2 : Putte not fro þe þi Fadris rodde but yf þou wilte þat he put þe from his heritage.
- a1450(a1401) Chastising GC (Bod 505)120/9 : Suche maner hardenesse..and manye suche mo bien his goostli roddis, wiþ þe whiche he þreteneþ.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)102/22 : Good living..causeth þe rodde of correccioun to be borne paciently.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.247 : I am Attila, the rodde of God [L flagellum Dei].
- c1475(c1447) Epitaph Duke Glo.(Hrl 2251)3 : Late nat of thy vengeaunce the dredeful rod Towche vs to-fore for gilt of oure trespas.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.287 : Knowe thysilf, therfore, while þou art grene, That when age cometh, croked and leene, Thow lieve restfullie, ay seruyng Godde, And be not beten with thyn owne rodde.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.1274 : Therfore, whoo louyth the childe, he woll the rodde not spare.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)43/35 : At som tyme he muste late him fele the rodde.
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)p.125 : Blesse be þe rodde þat chastyth þe chyld.
- c1475 Symon Lesson (Bod 832)90 : As men sayth þat ben leryd, He hatyth þe chyld þat sparyth þe rodde.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)132/9,11 : Thy discipline is upon me, & þy rodde she shal teche me..I encline me under þe rodde of þy correccion.
d
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.353 : The peple of that cuntre..vse no..spurres..Neuerthelesse, thei haue a wonde, other a rodde..to cause the horses to move.
e
- a1500 Rule Serve Ld.(Add 37969)11/7 : All þe hallynges and costers dressed in þer kynde places and shaken or betyn wyth Roddes yef nede be.
f
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)217 : Then the fawkoners full fersely to floodes þay hyen, To the reuere with thaire roddes to rere vp the fewles.
g
- (1448) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1351 : Item, we payde for Roddis, ij ob..Item, we payde for dawbyng of ye howse yt was longys, v d.; Item, we payde for Roddis to ye sam howse, iiii d.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Michael Bath in SANHS 2568 : Pro iijbus semes roddys ad faciendum le entercloce in tenementis dictis, ix d.
h
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)135/11 : Fyschyng, namely anglyng with a rod or a yarde, a lyne, and a hoke.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)141/17 : It must nedys be þe disporte and game of fyschyng with an angul-rode.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)147/18 : How ȝe schall make your Rodde craftely, j schall tell ȝow.
i
- (1483-85) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.32154 : Paid for a curteyn Rod with Rynges & poles & small corde, ij s. vij d.
3.
(a) A staff, shaft; a pole used to propel a barge; ~ rop, ?= ro-rop [s.v. ro n.(3)]; (b) the shaft of a spear.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1123 : Vor meþe hoþ in one rodde An þu mid þine fule codde..Bi werest manne corn urom dore.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1646 : Þu seist þat gromes þe ifoð An heie on rodde þe an hoð.
- (1295) Acc.Shipbuilding in Ant.J.7435 : In tribus cordis que dicuntur 'Rodropes' pro dictis bargeis.
- (1356) *Pipe Roll (PRO) 32 Edw.III m.34/2 [OD col.] : xj balteropes, ij slynges, vj slyngropes, vj rodropes.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)41/18 : Till oþer þat askes leue of þe sowdan and grace to passe by þe placez before said, he giffez comounly bot his signet, þe whilkepilgrimes beres before þam thurgh þe cuntree hingand apon a spere or apon a rodd.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)418 : Quante of [read: or] sprete, redde [Win: Qwante, sprete, rodde]: Contus.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)805 : Þe Romayns runne to a-non & on roddes [vr. poles] knytte Siþes for þe sackes.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)405/10 : His head was fon in þe felde with a hurd-man, & he sett it vp on a rodd.
b
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1234 : The king share thrugh his shild with þe sharpe ende, And the rod all-to roofe right to his honde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11094 : Pantasilia & Pirrus presit to-gedur..The roddis all to-Roose right to þaire hond.
4.
(a) A linear measure of varying length, a rod [cp. perche n.2.(b)]; (b) a measure of land, a square rod, square perch; ?a quarter of an acre, a rood; (c) a measure of timber or timberland.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1380) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103591 : In sol. facta Rogero Diker pro mundacione unius rivi circa campum de Pittyngton, videl't 240 rod cap. pro rod 1 d. ob., 40 s..In sol. facta Rog'o Diker pro factura 480 rod circa & le Bromsid, cap. pro rod 4 d. ob., 10 li, 17 s. 6 d.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)1940 : This werk was thus begonne, & the heythe of fowre roddis [F toises] vpe was j-ronne aboven the erthe.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)375/24 : The which acre holdeth in lengthe xxxij roddis and iiij fote of the kyngis standard.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)14 : Odyr dyuers places in this land thai mete grownd by the Polys, Goodys, and Roddys.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.397 : Out of the seid yard growith a Rodde to mesure lond by, the wich Rod conteyneth in lengthe v yardes & halfe.
b
- c1460 Oseney Reg.101/4,6,8 : [I], John ffiȝt John philippe of Cotes, ȝafe..vj acris of Arable londe..j acre and dj and j Rodde lyen in Stodfolde..and iij Roddis lyen In þe telth þe which Is i-callid Schelde..and iij Roddys lyen In Medelforlong.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.192/3,8 : I, John of Tywe, yafe..iij roddis of Arable londe In the ffelde of Hokenorton.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)546/7 : iij acris and iij roddys of arable lond.
c
- (1391-2) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81106 : In j rod meremii sarrand. eoden tempore, 3 s. 4 d.
5.
In surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem.2. 87].
Associated quotations
- (1199) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)103 : Redeberg'.
- (1207) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)103 : Rodebergh.
- (1287) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)103 : Radeberwe.
- (1294) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)104 : Rodberghe.
- (1420) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)103 : Radburgh als. Redbarwe.
- (1456) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)104 : Rudeburgh.