Middle English Dictionary Entry
rọ̄f n.
Entry Info
Forms | rọ̄f n. Also rofe, roffe, roef, rove, rouf(e, rufe, ruf(fe, (Orm.) rhof & (errors) rosse, rone. |
Etymology | OE hrōf |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A roof; also, the framing structure of a roof independent of its outer covering; also fig.; bastel (chaumbre, chirche(s, halle, hous) ~ [see bastel n., etc.]; (b) a shelter from the elements; (c) the outer covering of a beehive; (d) the covering of a tent; (e) fig. the lid of a coffin or burial vault.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1446 : Vppen..Appollones temple..þe king feol on þene rof, þat he al to-draf.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)95/5 : Cariteð..arist up anon to ðe roue, forðan to hire bieð ifastned alle ðe raftres of ðe hali mihtes.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2082 : A rof shal hile us boþe o-niht.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.128.6 : Be þei maad as hey of rooues þat befor it be pullid out it ful out dryede.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2947 : The Sparke fyred Up in the Rof..for a throwe Lith hidd.
- (a1395) Acc.Savoy in Archaeol.24308 : In v c claues empt' pro le roef.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)197b/b : Lyme made of neissche stoon is best for roues.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.324 : Grace..of al holywrit..made a rofe..And called þat hous vnite.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6345 : Þe roves huge Couered with leed..Were now..bare & bareyne y-maked.
- (1428) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)174 : In the said ȝer..was performed þe Wallez of our hale..upe tule þe plate of the roffe.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)99/26 : Hir palace was wonder ryalle..all þe ruffe þare-of schane wit golde.
- (1448-9) in Willis & C.Cambridge 211 : iiij xx li. of lawfull money of Inglond to be payed at daies here expressed..at the reysing of the rofes of the seid howses x li.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)108b : Make..in þi toures vlorus & rovus in whiche þi..wacche men mowen be heled fro wynd & reyn.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1948 : On the roof [vrr. rove; Rone] men may yet seen A thousandholes, and wel moo, To leten wel the soun out goo.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)131/19 : He must make walles and þan a rowfe..but ȝiff þe roffe keuere well all toþeþur..els þe walles and all to-þeþur must nedis faile and waste.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)85/16 : Therewith the castell brake, roffe and wallis, and felle downe to the erthe.
- (1471) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1347 : Robert Fitz Symon shall have a towre..and he bylde hitt up with stones and lyme..and put a roffe of oke tymber therupon and hellet with sclates.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)194/16 : He fley a-way..and bare a-way with hym the rofe of the hous.
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)33 : My good ange..smot iij gret strokes in the mydil of the seid chirch in the rofe.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Bar.6.67 : Bestis ben better than thei, whiche mown flee vndir a roof [L tectum] and profit to hem self.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)271a/b : Þey..pergetteþ þe roof of hire huyue wiþ woos and gumme al aboute.
d
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.3.26 : Þei shal haue wacchis in þe tabernacle of þe boond of pees, þuke tabernacle & his couertor, þe tente þat is drawyn by fore þe ȝatees of þe roof of witnessynge of boond of pees, [etc.].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.4.25 : Þis is þe office of þe meyne gersonytys, þat þei beryn þe cortynys of þe tabernacle & þe roof of þe boond of pees.
e
- c1175 Body & S.(1) (Bod 343)10 : Ðe helewaȝes beoð laȝe, sidwaȝes unheȝe; Þe rof bið ibyld þire broste ful neh.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)4/31 : Nu þu hauest neowe hus, inne beþrungen; Lowe beoþ [þe h]elewowes, unheiȝe beoþ þe sidwowes; Þin rof liiþ on þine breoste ful [neih].
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)157 : Wene þe rug is ate flor, þe rof ate nese, Al þis worldis prude nis nout wrid a pese.
- a1275 Þene latemeste dai (Trin-C B.14.39)30 : Þin hus is sone ibuld þer þu salt wonien inne, Boþe þe wirst & þe rouf sal liggen uppon þin chinne.
- ?c1335 Earth(1) (Hrl 913)2/17 : When erþ is in erþe, þe rof is on þe chynne.
- c1450 Earth(3) (Cmb Ii.4.9)32/26 : When erthe is in erth for wormys wyn, The rof of his hows xal ly on his chyn.
2.
(a) A rooftop; a housetop; (b) a roof as the highest part of a building or as a high or an exposed place; also fig., in phrase: rote and ~.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11351 : Þe deofell..brohhte himm o þe temmple & sette himm heȝhe uppo þe rhof, Wiþþutenn att te waȝhe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.48.38 : Eche berd shauen shal ben..& vp on alle þe rooues of moab & in alle his stretis alle weiling.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Zeph.1.5 : Y shal leese of this place the relikis of Baal..and hem that worshipen vpon roues the knyȝthod of heuen.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 2.4 : Whanne thei miȝte nat offre hym to hym for the campanye of peple, thei maden the roof nakid wher he was and, makynge opyn, thei senten doun the bedd in whiche the sike man in palasie lay.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 13.15 : He that is aboue the roof, come he not doun in to the hous.
b
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)227 : Þa cweðen hi betwxe ham þat hi woldan wercen ane burch and enne stepel binnan þara birie swa hahcne þat his rof astiȝe up to hefenne.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 12.3 : Tho thingis that ȝe han seyd in derknessis schulen be seid in liȝt, and this that ȝe han spoken in eere in the cowchis schal be prechid in rooues.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)484 : Blesside is he that makith dewe profe, For that is rote of connyng and roffe.
3.
The interior surface or area of a roof, ceiling, or vault; the areas amid the rafters; bi ~ and ground, at the ceiling and at the floor.
Associated quotations
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)361 : Ðe spinnere..festeð..hire fodredes, o rof er on ouese.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)187/99 : Is blod spreinde In þe rof an heiȝ.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3837-9 : They tolden euery man that..He hadde yboght hym knedyng tubbes thre And hadde hem hanged in the roof aboue And that he preyed hem for goddes loue To sitten in the roof par compaignye.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.915 : Thise metals been of so greet violence..somme ar scatered al the floor aboute, Somme lepe in to the roof with outen doute.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)796 : He..Bad hire heo schulde nyme kepe Þat heo neo leyde hire nouȝt to slepe..Bote heo hadde candel-lyȝt And wyndowes and dores..Waren sperd by rof and grounde.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1441 : Þare was a ryalle roffe [vr. rooffe] In þat chambir a-boffe.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1344 : Of the halle..every wal Of hit and flor and roof and al Was plated half a foote thikke Of gold.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)388/24 : Gladius, when he had bene lang in his cell, xx yere or more, yit he lukid neuer vp, nor neuer saw þe rufe þerof within.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)393 : The rooff was made verament Euenliche vnto the firmament.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)316/1039 : Tak barowȝ grese that hath hangyd in the roffe and pyke out all the skynnes clene.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)91/11 : Þou ouȝtist sette þee no lower þan in þe roof of an house forto defende þee fro greete flodis.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)171/12 : Sette it viij dayis vndyr a rofe qwer pur eyer is..qwan þe mone..faylith þe ouir cowrs.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.140 : Þer wele noo wyse man wrytyn his counseyl..in þe rofe of his halle, ne aboutyn on þe wowys þer alle meen moun seen it.
4.
(a) A dwelling, building; under ~, in a building, under shelter; also, into a house; (b) ~ of heven (reinboue), heven ~, the vault of heaven.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)26/14 : Ne am ic na wurðe, Drihten..þæt ðu under mine rofe inȝonge mid fotum.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)4/24 : [No]ldest þu on þine huse herborwen þeo wrecchen; Ne mihten heo under [þin]e roue none reste finden.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)80/17 : Ȝet is ancre ieuenet her to spearewe þet is ane under rof as ancre.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.14.26 : He shal setten his sones vnder þe roof of it, & vnder þe braunchis of it he shal wonen.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.30.18 : Lo, I shal conuerte þe conuerting of þe tabernaclis of iacob, & to his rooues I shal han merci.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.8.8 : Lord, I am not worthi that thou entre vndir my roof.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.375 : In þat tyme, men usede nouȝt to bulde no bostful buldnes, but þei used to offre hem self to God under what roof þat it evere were.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)52a : Þey vsed to occupie her foot-men in dedes of armes in þe feld in mery wedir and vndir roof in housynge y-made þerfore in stormes and in foule wedir.
b
- c1200 Wor.Serm.in EGSt.7 (Wor Q.29)34 : He feol fran heuene rof into helle flor.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)101 : Ðe firmament..mai ben hoten heuene rof.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22170 : It es na land þat man kan neuen Under þe rof o crists heuen þat he ne sal do þam to be soght To bring þe cristen men to noght.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)514 : He shal be kynges alle aboue Bitwene þis and heuen-roue.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.248 : Iche rewme vndir roff of þe reyne-bowe Sholde stable and stonde be þese þre degres: By gouernanmce [read: gouernaunce] of grete and of good age; By styffnesse and strengthe of..myȝthffull men of þe mydill age; And be laboreris of lond.
5.
The roof of the mouth, palate; ~ of the mouth.
Associated quotations
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)67 : En la bouche amount est palet [glossed:] rof [vr. rof of the mouth].
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)30 : Iungyues et palet: Gomes and the roof of the mouth.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.257 : Men of the est sowneþ her wordes in þe þrote, as Hebrewes and Siries; men of myddel londes in þe roof of þe mouþ, as Grees and Asyans.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)45b/b : Þerfore þe palet & þe roof of þe mouþ is holough þat þe wrast of þe tonge may meue þe esiloker to schape þe voys.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)47a/a : Palatum: þe rof of þe mouþe.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)40/7 : Þe seuenþe is þe bone basillare þat is sette somewhatafter þe roof of þe mowth.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)78 : Kutte a Swan in the rove of the mouthe, [etc.].
- a1475 *Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340)14a : Wasch his hedde þerwith & do sum in the ruffe of his mouthe.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.16 (Hrl 2340)13 : Rubbe his tonge and the ruff of his mouthe with powdere of sauge.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)63 : An Egret tak and brek his nek and cutt of the roof of his mouthe.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)20a/b : Þat same boon lauda..sprediþ fro þat place more dounward where he susteyneþ al þe rof of þe mouþ, and in þat place he ys clepid þe ouer mandible.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.78 : If a man have sore yen or sor teeþ or sor in þe rofe of þe mowþe þat be full of bleders, take þe wyȝt corall & g[r]inde him small, [etc.].
6.
In cpds. and combs.: (a) ~ gable, a gable; ~ nail(s, nails for securing roof tiles or shingles; ~ til [OE hrōf-tigel], ceramic tile or stone slate used for roofing; (b) ~ tre, the central beam of a roof to which the upper ends of the rafters attach, a ridge pole; also, a rafter; (c) ~ spret (tre), naut. a spare spar.
Associated quotations
a
- (1284) in Sundby Dial.Wor.97 : Rofnayl.
- (1333) *Acc.de Weston (PRO)Bundle 469, no.15, m.3 : ml. ml. de rofnail pro dicta loga pro lathand' precii ml x d.
- (1350) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.262 : [Also, 23,000 of] rofnail [at 12 d. the thousand, 23 s.]
- (1361-2) Doc.Thaxted in Ess.ROP 3371 : [In 130] Roftyl [&] Cornertyl [bought for the same 6 s. 8 d.].
- (1410) in Salzman Building in Engl.484 : Les queux measons pardesuis serrount faitz ouesque trois Roofes gables deuers le haut Rewe deuers le Est.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.157/539 : Item, for dj quarteron of rooff till, ix d.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.158/544 : Item, for ml. of rooff naill, xij d.
- (1441) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.6 : Item, payed for a lode rofe tylle, v s..payed for the wall pyning, dowbing, tyling, & rofe naylle, xiiij s. viij d.
- (1467) Acc.Howard in RC 57429 : Item, for lathe nayles, tyle pynnes, and rofe tyles, prise of alle, viij d.
- (1471) Will York in Sur.Soc.45188 : Lego..Johanni, filio meo, j juvencam cum albo capite, j bigam ligatam with rosse [read: roffe] nallys.
- (1471-3) MSS Penshurst in HMC1.236 : Pro c de roftyle ap opus manerii, 3 s.
- (1472-74) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31533 : Payed..for di. a C. of Rofe Nayle, j d...; item, for Rofe nayle, ij d.
b
- (1321) Doc.Manor in MP 3452 : Roftre.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)250b/b : Roof trees hatte tigna and ben tres arered and strecched fro þe walles vp to þe coppe of þe house and bereþ vp þe hilyinge þer of and stondeþ wyde byneþe and comeþ togideres vpwardes.
- (1439) Agree.Build.St.John in BAAJ 25118 : The whiche roof shal be wrought of vj pryncepal couplys archebounden..havyng atwix eche two princepals a purloyne, a iope, and iiij sparrys, havyng a rof tre abovyn, suffisaunt, of whiche sparrys ich on shal be brede of vij unches & thicknesse of iij unchys, [etc.].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)435 : Roof tree: Festum.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)439 : Ruff tree of an howse [Hrl 2274: rufters]: Festum.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)106a : A Rufetre: Festum, Doma.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)777/28 : Hoc festum: a roffetre.
c
- (1336-7) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 296 : Item, in ij Roftres emptis ad eandem precium, cuiuslibet ij s., iiij s.
- (1350) *Acc.Exch.(PRO) 25/32 [OD col.] : Rofsprete.
- (1373) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 296 : lx teeldes, xvj skaltrowes, ij Rooftrees, j Grapenel, j cheyne de xvj bras, ij watersyles, iiij xx ores pour le barge.
- (1399-1401) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 296 : De byrlynges xxiiij; De rofspretes ij.
- (1420-21) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 296 : j Sundynglyne; j Roff Spritte.
7.
In surname and place names.
Associated quotations
- (1302) Pat.R.Edw.I43 : John atte Rof.
- (1332) Name in LuSE 3583 : Hoton Ruf.
- (1332) Name in LuSE 3583 : Hotonroef.
- (1338) Name in LuSE 3583 : Houton Roof.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1472-74) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31532-533 : Payed for tyling of the Chirche..for ij Dayes..; item, for ij C Tyle, xvj d.; item, for iiij rose [?read: rofe] Tyles, iiij d.
- (1478-80) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.3237 : Payde for ij Ml tyle for the Chirche, xj s.; item for a Ml of Rose nayle, viij d.; .. for a quarter & di. of Rose tyle, xij d.
- (1480-82) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.32150 : First, paid for Ml tile, price v s. vj d.; item, paid for a quartron rose tyle, xvj d.
- (1480-82) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.32150 : Paid to the tiler for rose naile and sprig, ij d.
Note: Probably all errors for compounds in 'rofe-' (sense 6.(a)); the emendation from 'rose Tyles' to 'rofe Tyles' ('roof tiles') is an easy one, especially since 'rofe nayle' appears nearby in the same account, --but note that some further emendation or interpolation would likely be necessary, since 1 d. per tile (in the 1472 example) is 20 times the going rate for ordinary roof tiles (see Salzman); the companion item of 200 tiles for 16 d. is closer to the mark. Either the 'rose tiles' are something very special and really are 'rose tiles' (tiles bearing the image of, or shaped like, a rose?), or, more likely, 'iiij' should be taken to mean either "iiij C" (which would make the tiles very cheap), or "one quarter" (?i.e. of the previous '200'), which would give 'rofe' tiles the same unit cost as the undistinguished 'tiles'--or an error for "xxxx", which would put them in a similarly appropriate price range. Note that subsequent examples of 'rose tile' measure them in 'quarters,' which supports that intepretation of the 1472 quotation. If the 'rose tile' really all are errors for 'rofe tile' (etc.), then the 'rose nail(es)' are certainly 'rofe nail(es)'.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 5.), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. roof of (the) mouth.