Middle English Dictionary Entry
rōp n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | rōp n.(2) Also rope, roppe, (N & early) rap(e & (?error) repe; pl. ropes, etc. & roapes, (N) raipes. |
| Etymology | OE rāp; ?for form repe cp. MDu. reep, repe. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A strong, heavy cord, a rope; a tightrope [quots.: a1425, ?c1475]; leten haven to longe ~, to give (sb.) too much freedom; pullen up ~ and stake, break camp; taken everi ropes ende, ?join in with any activity; (b) a slender rope, a cord, string; also, a rope made of broom [quots.: ?1440]; ~ del oinyons, a string of onions; ~ of coral, a string of coral beads; (c) a cord used as a belt or girdle by Franciscans; also, a cord used as a whip by Christ; (d) a bell rope.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1140 : Þe king..besæt hire in þe tur, & me læt hire dun on niht of þe tur mid rapes.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)15818 : Þeȝȝ wrohhtenn rap þurrh sinnfull lif To draȝhenn hemm till helle.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)47 : Me nom rapes and caste in to him fro to draȝen hine ut of þisse putte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10145 : Heo wurpen ut enne rap [Otho: rop], & Baldulf hine faste igrap.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)45/14 : Hie stieð up to heuene..for us te warnin þat ure ropes ne to-breken, ðe bieð ibroiden mid þrie strænges, of rihte ileaue and of faste hope te gode and of ðare soðe luue ðe is ihoten carite.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)127 : Hi drowen vp Iosep mid one longe rope.
- a1350 When man as mad (Hrl 2253)10 : When men ledes men in ropes to buyen & to sellen.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)985 : Bi þe rope [vr. a corde] þai it adoun let.
- (1379-80) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81101 : In ij cordis pro les raypes, 3 s. 2 d.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.181 : His fadir Gracianus was i-cleped Funarius..for he baar a roop þat was to sellynge, and fyve knyȝtes myȝte not wreste the rope [Higd.(2): roope; L funem] out of his hond.
- (1404) Will York in Sur.Soc.4331 : Lego Thomæ Danyell, servienti meo, omnia utensilia schoppe meæ pertinencia, videlicet cultellos, axis, & rapes.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)58b/a : Scenobates: goer in repe [?read: rope].
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)15523 : Some bad pul vp rope & stake, For thei wolde hamward schake.
- (1434) Misyn ML (Corp-O 236)107/3 : Abundance of Riches, flaterynge of wymmen, ffayrnes or bewte of ȝouthe: þis is þe threfold rope þat vnnethis may be brokyn.
- c1440 St.Chris.(Thrn)646 : With stalworthe rapes gane þay bynde His handis bakewarde hym byhynde.
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Cleo.(Cleo C.4)133 : Thre othere gentylmen..were saved thorugh helpe of them that were abought the Brigge, with castyng dovne of roapis.
- a1475 Friar & B.(Brog 2.1)p.59 : Ropys anon they toke in hond, The freyr to the post they bond.
- a1475 How GWife Pilgr.(Brog 2.1)46 : Take not euery roppys end witt euery man þat hallys.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)102a : To go on Rape: funambulus, scenobates.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)8874 : Lat hir not to longe roop haue.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.199 : He bare a burþen of meny yuy stalkes i-bounde in a schorp rope [vr. schort roop; L brevi funiculo].
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)77.60 : With lote he delt am land In a rape [vr. strenge] ofe to-delegiueand [Vulg. in funiculo distributionis].
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)857 : Þere were..cortynes of clene sylk..couertorez ful curious..Rudelez rennande on ropez, red golde ryngez, Tapytez tyȝt to þe woȝe, of Tuly & Tars.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.797 : Lest hit be lorn, In ropis kept this confect meddillynge Be.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.801 : This roopis with this seedis close hem vndir.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)323 : Þey..Piȝten pauelouns doun of pallen webbes, With ropis of riche silk.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1520 : He plyes ouire þe pauement..Sylours of sendale..And sammes þaim on aithire side with silken rapis.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)118/33 : He teyhid his legge fro þe ground with a roop on-to his schulderis, and þus bare he þe legge whech schuld a born him.
- (1463) Will York in Sur.Soc.30259 : Lego Ricardo..et Henrico Langton..j rope de corall inter eos dividendum.
- (1469-70) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9993 : Pro 14 Rapys del unyons empt. erga festum Sci. Cuthberti, 12 d.
- (1472) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9994 : Pro 30 rapys del unyons, 2 s. 6 d.
- (1474-5) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1924 : Ye Rope yt drawyth up the Kanape of ye fante.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)150 : Ech frere Menour..In stude of is gurdel al-so, with rope he him bond.
- ?c1335 Heil seint Michel (Hrl 913)p.155 : Ȝe habbiþ a hus at Drochda, war men makiþ ropis.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)107/247 : Þeȝ man go gert wyþ rope, Ȝet prede to hym swyþ.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)19.157 : Crist..with a rop [B: corde] smot hem And ouer-turnede in þe temple here tables.
d
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10485 : Me rong bellen in al þe toun & vaste þe ropes drou.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)208 : Homme de corde seyn sonne: M. with rope belle ryngguth.
- (1442) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 7115 : A rope to the grete belle.
- (1485-86) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.32156 : Paid..for a Rope for the sakering bell, ij d. ob.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)17 : A serpent had made his nest vndir þe Roope of þis belle.
2.
(a) A rope or cord used to hang a person, a hangman's rope; (b) a noose, snare; haven in ~, to have (sth.) in (one's) power.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Jas.(LdMisc 108)117 : Ane Rop he dude a-boute is necke and ladde him toward is dome.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2902 : Þanne aboute ys nekke þay caste a rop ful harde y-wounde.
- (1400) Let.Hen.IV in RS 18.1 (Cleo F.3)38 : A roope, a ladder, and a ring, heigh on gallowes for to henge: And thus shalle be your endyng.
- (c1422) Hoccl.Dial.(Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)401 : Right as a theef þat hath eschapid ones The roop no dreede hath..Til þat the trees him weye vp, body and bones.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)10010 : Þer ostages ilkon he heng Heye on galewes wyþ rop & streng.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2392 : Out on Chastyte, be þe rode..In harde ropys mote sche ryde!
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)178/4 : High myght ȝou hang right with a roppe [rime: a jape]!
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)2601 : A stronge roope he toke thoo, And aboute his nekke he gan it doo.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)22/460 : I shall hang the..with this rope.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21920 : We mai noght scape, Ded sal rug us til his rape.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23729 : Ded has vs wit-sett vr strete, Nil we, wil we, we sal mete, All sal we rin into his rape [Trin-C: lace].
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6288 : Now þe kyng haþ al þis in his rope, He shipped swiþe in to Ethiope.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)98 : Þe hunter shuld lat slippe þe rope [vr. noose] while he [deer] stood on his fete and lat þe lymer go to, for bi ryght þe lymer ne shuld neuer out of þe roope þougthe he shippe fro neuer so fer.
3.
(a) Naut. A ship's rope, a nautical line or cable; pl. rigging; (b) ?a bundle of hay; (c) anat. the radial vein; the ~ of the arm.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)552 : Heo rihten heora rapes [Otho: ropis], heo rærden heora mastes, heo wunden up seiles.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14508 : Seiles heo up droȝen, forð heo gunnen siȝen, luken rapes longe, liðen forð mid uðen.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2507 : Þei..bunden him rith at hire tayl With a rop of an old seyl.
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)97/481 : Þabot present him aschip..Þe ropes wer fast y knett; To þe se þai gun drawe.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5240/30 : Pro v ropes magnis et v lynes parvis pro les ankeres et seyles..iiij marc. xix scot.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)150 : Furst to-murte mony rop and þe mast after.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)641 : In goth the grapenel, so ful of crokes; Among the ropes renne the sherynge-hokes.
- (1447) RParl.5.135a : They toke and led awey with theym the Rother of the Ship, the Saile, and..all the Cables, Ancres, Cordes, Ropes.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1575 : The tempest was so huge..That wel was hym þat coude bynd or ondo Any rope with-in the Shipp, þat longit to þe crafft.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)58 : In a ship som that be yonge of mighty power halithe up the ankirs, othirs goithe feersly aboute the ropis fastenyng.
b
- (1393) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52158/24 : Diuersis operariis facientibus ropez de dicto feno pro diuersis equis in naui, vij s.
- (1393) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52174/27 : Pro factura de ropes de dicto feno, viij scot.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)53a/b : It is cleped ffunis brachij, þat is to seien, þe rope of þe arme.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)56a/b : And a veyne þat is cleped ffunis, þat is to seyen on ynglische, a corde oþer a rope.
4.
In cpds. & combs.: (a) ~ leiere (makere), a ropemaker; ~ yarn; brest ~, q.v.; cart ~ [see cart n.8.(b)]; fat ~, ?a hoop for a barrel [cp. MHG reif]; lode ~ [see lod(e n.2.(b)]; (b) ~ mone-dai, the Monday following the second Sunday after Easter, Hock Monday [cp. hok(e n.(a), (c)]; ~ tide, the second Monday and Tuesday after Easter, Hocktide; (c) naut. ~ bende, = ro-bende [s.v. ro n.(3)]; bast ~ [see also bast n.(1) 1.(a)]; boie ~ [see also boi(e n.(2)(b)]; bolt ~ [see also bolt n.5.(c)]; bot ~ [see also bot n.(1) 3.(e)]; brail ~ [see also brail n.(a)]; gide ~ [see gide n.3.]; hed ~ [see also hed n.(1) 9.(e)]; honde ~ [see hond(e n.8.(d)]; liche ~, q.v.; prial ~ [see also prial n.]; rif ~ [see rif n.(2)(b)]; ro ~ [see ro n.(3)]; tou ~; trusse (trussing) ~; twist ~; viring ~; winding ~; yerd ~; etc.
Associated quotations
a
- (1376) in Boys Hist.Sandwich (1792) [OD col.]556/1 : De chescun roplegher de xx bussell de cambre.
- (a1399) Oath Bk.Colchester7 : Cableyarn and Ropyarn, c lb., ob.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.210 : [2] fetropes, [a] dongforke, [a] shovele.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.215 : [A] vetrop.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Deeds 18.3 : For he was of the same craft, he dwellide with hem and wrouȝte; and thei weren of roopmakeris [WB(1): cenefectorie; L scenofactoriæ] craft.
b
- 1403 *Maldon (Essex) Court Rolls Bundle 1, no.5 [OD col.] : Die lune proximo ante festum apostolorum Philippi et Jacobi, videlicet Ropemoneday.
- (1406) *Maldon (Essex) Court Rolls Bundle 2, no.2 [OD col.] : Dat de fine vi s. viii d., inde solvit iii s. iiii d., et soluet ad Ropetyde prox. iii s. iiii d.
- 1413 *Maldon (Essex) Court Rolls Bundle 8, no.2 [OD col.] : Curia ibidem tenta ex parte ballivorum die lune, vocat. Rope Moneday, anno regni regis Henrici Vti post conquestum primo.
- (1444) *Doc.Maldon : Every man that holdith burgage londe shall do iiij sewtis by the ȝeer that is to sey, the nexte monday after seynt Hillary, Ropemonday, [etc.].
- (1463) *Maldon (Essex) Liber B [OD col.]fol.viii b : At the Courte holde at Maldon, with the lete, on the Monday callyd Ropemonday.
- 1468 *Maldon (Essex) Court Rolls Bundle 44, no.4 [OD col.] : Curia cum leta ibidem tenta die lune vocata Ropemondaye secundo die Maii.
c
- (1294-5) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 297 : In..cordis..que dicuntur Horlok, Lorlines, Twystlines, heuedlines, Ropbendes..Item, in Cordulis que dicuntur Twystlynen, Heuedlynen, et Ropbendes.
- (1312-13) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 217 : j boltrop et j Twystrop, xij s.
- (1336-7) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 2123 : Pro vno wyndyngrop..duobus sewengeropes..pro duobus Trusseropes..pro vno Botrop..vno towerop..tribus viryngropes.
- (1383) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.125 : [A] bastrop, [a] wyndyngrop.
- (1398) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.93 : [2 anchors, 2 cables, 4] bowelynes, [2] trussyngropys.
- (1398) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.93 : [4] boyeropes, [4] boies, [12] poleies.
- (1404) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.141 : [An anchor, a cable and a] hederop.
- (1409-11) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 229 : A iij brailropes debil'..a iij brailleropes.
- (1413) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.248 : [A cord called] braylerope, [2] sclyngys, [a cord called] bote rope.
- (1420-21) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 2123 : De..ij Prialle ropes debil' j Trusse rope.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)5a/b : Antempna: Þe hede rope of a ship or þe saylȝard.
5.
As surname and in street name.
Associated quotations
- a1200 Reginald Bk.St.Cuth.(Dur-C Hunter 101)24 : Stithard Rap cognominari meruit.
- (1316) Name in LuSE 3523 : Rap.
- (1394) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.116 : Roppelane.
- (1428) Acc.St.Mary Stamford (Vsp A.24)180 : Johanni Rope pro j corda campane, xj d.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. rope 1.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 3.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. rope of the arm.