Middle English Dictionary Entry
rō̆tennes(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | rō̆tennes(se n. Also rotenes(se, rotenese, rotines. |
| Etymology | From rō̆ten adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The process of natural decomposition of animal or vegetable matter, decay, putrefaction; also, the state of being decayed or putrefied; also fig.; (b) decayed or decaying vegetable matter; (c) scum, filth; (d) med. pus, suppurating matter; also, the process of suppuration.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)p.185 : Rotennes entred in my bones.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.28.7 : Rotenese [WB(2): failyng; L tabitudo]..and deth stonden on in the hestes of hym.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.63 : Y schal be wastid as rotenesse, & as a cloþ which is etun of a mouȝte.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.68 : I seide to rotenesse, 'þou art my fadir, & to wormes, ȝe ben my modir & my sister.'
- a1456 Affter þe stormy tyme (Trin-C R.3.20)124 : O filthy man..Vessel of dung, heep of rotunnesse.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.15 : It heghts divers richesse, hye welth, and grete honoure And filles a man at eende with rotynnesse and fetoure.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.42 : Marie in rotynnesse ne poudre neure after hire dede slade [glossed: descendid noght to corruptionne].
b
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)180/15 : Of the roteness [F purretture] & oþer thing þat was within the schippes grewen such buscaylle & thornes & breres & grene grass.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)147b/a : Þes ben sumdel drier: yreos, Aristologia, Orobus, lupines, Rotennesse of trees.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)159b/b : Some fysshe..is ygendred of slyme and of wose of grauele and of rotennesse þat is vpon þe water.
d
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)57/14 : A moist discracie þou schalt knowe..bi aboundaunce of whiȝt liquide rotenes [L putredinis], þe which þou schalt helpe wiþ desiccatiuis.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)82/21 : It were good..þat þer were maad a newe wounde in þe place..þat þe rotynes & þe quytture myȝte þe bettere goon out.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)94b/a : Be wele warre þat orifice of þe wounde be not stopped wiþ putrefaccioun oþer rotennesse.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)145b/b : Putridum vlcus, þat is to seien, a roten olde sore, schal ben cured wiþ remocioun of þe rotennesse oþer þe stenche.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)181b/a : When putrefaccioun falleþ in woundes of sinewes oþer is engenderd in hem and in fistules & in ioyntes, þen þe moiste partie of þe sinewes is dissolued be cause of þe hete and þe rotonnesse.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)97/18 : Þe estiomene..is deth..and destruccioun of þe membre..wiþ rotynnesse [*Ch.(1): putrefaccioun; L putrefactione] and softnesse to difference of þe lupe and of the cancre.
- ?a1450 Lanfranc (Add 12056)77/28 : Euery olde wounde hauynge rotenesse oþere virus, þat is, þenne venemy quyter..nys noȝt y-clepyde wounde, but is y-clepyde ulcus, þat is an olde wounde.
- a1500 *3 Inspect.Hematoscopy (Sln 3486)f.147v : If þe smelle of þe blode be stynkynge, it betokneþ corrupcioun of humours or rotennesse in þe body.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. rottenness.