Middle English Dictionary Entry
rok(ke n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | rok(ke n.(1) Also roke, rock(e, roc. |
| Etymology | OF roque, roke, roce, vars. of roche; also cp. ML roca, rocca, AL roka; & cp. OE stān-rocc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. roche n.(2).
1.
(a) Rock; a rock, stone, esp. a large rock or rocky outcropping; (b) a large rock or crag along the seacoast or in the sea; (c) a rocky outcropping on a mountain, cliff, precipice; ~ side; (d) a citadel, stronghold, castle; (e) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem.2.87].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.63 : Þe Danes..i-digged dennes and caues vnder hard rokkes and stones.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.347 : Þe stones were i-clove; þerfore hit semeþ þat veynes and clustres þat now beeþ i-sene in quareres and in roches and in rokkes come of þat erþe schakynge in Bithinia.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)199a/b : Þe stoon of þe which bras is blew..brekeþ nought esilich but it be y-brend first wiþ strong fyre in þe rokke.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1570 : Bot in þe hast þat he myȝt, he to a hole wynnez Of a rasse, bi a rokk, þer rennez þe boerne.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1384 : Whan that the stordy ook..Receyved hath the happy fallyng strook, The greete sweigh doth it come al at ones, As don thise rokkes or thise milnestones.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)164 : A fewe welles..ronnen doun ryght by a cave That was under a rokke ygrave Amydde the valey, wonder depe.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)128/2 : Then they schitt the dore, and with barres of yrne, and bare vp rokkes and stones for to defende it.
- a1500 Bod.EMisc.Lapid.(BodEMisc e.558)24/44 : Other maner of Saphires there be founde faste by a grete rok þat men calle Paray.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)135/102 : So ofte falleth the lethy water on the harde rocke til it have thorow persed it.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.463 : Þey fil anon uppon a rokke nouȝt fer from þe londe, and þe schippe to cleef.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1034 : This king..made upon the derke nyht Of grete Schydes and of blockes Gret fyr ayein the grete rockes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1061 : As preyeth hire so greet a flood to brynge That fyue fadme at the leeste it ouersprynge The hyeste rok in Armoryk Britayne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)157b/b : Scilla is a grete rok [L saxum] in þe see with many cragges.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)175a/b : First þis londe hiȝt Albion and hadde þat name, oone cause for white rokkes and cragges þat ben aboute þe Ilonde.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)254 : Thenne he swengez and swayues to þe se boþem, Bi mony rokkez ful roȝe and rydelande strondes.
- ?c1400 Fragments Southwell (Southw)1/1-2/4 : Þer stode a rok craftely on to se..Ayenst þe whiche þe waves fast gan bete..And on þt rokke in his cruel tene Þis fendely man þe [shippe?] steryth hym r[ight?].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3611 : For neuer schip schulde..skatre on rok, nor be with tempest rent..Ȝif it wer kepte in þe hauene stille.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2193 : To the stronde barefot faste she wente And cryed, 'Theseus..Where be ye..' The holwe rokkes answerde hire agayn.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)441/3 : His shyppe felle on a rocke and disperysshed all save sir Lameroke and his squyer.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)42/233 : On Rokkys ryght sharp is many a man torn.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13499 : Romyng on the Roces in the rough bankes..Hit happit hym in hast the hoole for to fynd, Of the cave & the clocher, þere the kyng lay.
c
- a1275 Judas (Trin-C B.14.39)13 : Iudas, go þou on þe roc, heie up-on þe ston, lei þin heued i my barm, slep þou þe anon.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.10.73 : Hou shalt thou mowe susteyne rydyng, and so grete oost in the feeld, where is no stoon, ne rocke, nether place of fleeȝynge?
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.99 : Þe mount of Oreb..haþ grete plente of gras and of lese, but hit is harde to come þerto for hiȝe rokkes and skarres.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)188b/a : þere ben solempne hauens of þe see and noble citees and tounes, Ryuers & welles..is moost y-strengþed wiþ rokkes and roches in þe syde, as it fareþ at þe Rochel.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)252a/a : The contray..is ful of mounteyns and hard to come to for hyȝe rokkes and cragges.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)730 : Ner slayn wyth þe slete he sleped in his yrnes Mo nyȝtez þen in-noghe in naked rokkez.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2144 : Haf here þi helme on þy hede, þi spere in þi honde, & ryde me doun þis ilk rake, bi ȝon rokke syde, Til þou be broȝt to þe boþem of þe brem valay.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)25a : Nouȝt onliche þis schulde ben vsed in playn felde, but also þei schulde ben vsed, boþe horsmen and foot men, to clymbe on hyȝe clyues and rokkes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4849 : Þe kyng..vp to þe cliffe wendis, Saȝe quare þe same serpent slepit in a roke.
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)leaf d iii/b : Ther is a Fawken of the rock, And that is for a duke.
d
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.3.45 : Jerusalem was not enhabited bot was as desert..and the holy thing was defoulid, and sonys of aliens weren in the heeȝ rocke or toure [WB(2): hiȝ tour; L arce].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.4.2 : The sonys that weren on the heeȝ rocke weren leeders to hem.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1514 : Þer watz rynging, on ryȝt, of ryche metalles, Quen renkkes in þat ryche rok rennen hit to cache.
e
- (1241) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)103 : Henry de la Stanrok.
- (1242) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames297 : William de Rok.
- (c1250) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.167 : Rok.
- (1265) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)291 : Rocius de Stonrocke.
- (1296) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)391 : John Stonrok.
- (1314) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.167 : Rokk.
- (1330) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)407 : Adam atte Rocke.
- (1427) Chart.Newport in Archaeol.48442 : Per dictum vivarium usque saxum vocatum le Rocke.