Middle English Dictionary Entry
rubī(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | rubī(e n. Also rubẹ̄, robi, ribi, ribẹ̄, rebẹ̄; pl. rubies, etc. & rubeus, robies, rebies. |
| Etymology | OF rubi & rubïe; for forms in -o- cp. OF robin, var. OF rubin. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The precious gem, ruby; a ruby; also fig.; ~ baleis, = baleis n.(1); (b) as (like) ~, as ~ red; (c) the ruby used medicinally; (d) alch. the red stone; (e) a virtuous, fine, or radiant person; also, ?a martyr [quot.: c1390]; -- also used as an epithet for the Virgin Mary or a martyred saint; (f) as adj.: of the color of the ruby; alch. ~ ston, the red stone; (g) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) St.Patr.Purg.(1) (Auch)p.107 : He gan yse a gate..tre no stel nas þer on non; bot rede gold and precious ston..Jaspers..ribes..And diamaunce.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)76/34 : Hy clepieþ þe smale guodes þe guodes of time..þet byeþ þe smale stones of gles ssynynde and þe conioun his bayþ uor rubys uor safyrs.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3658 : Of rubies [vrr. Rubees, Rebees], saphires, and of perles white Were alle hise clothes brouded vp and doun.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2147 : A wrethe of gold..Vpon his heed, set ful of stones brighte, Of fyne rubyes [vrr. rubeus, rubeis] and of dyamauntz.
- ?a1400 Bozon (Hrl 1288)205 : Ibi inveniuntur preciose gemme vocate rubyys.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1007 : Þe sexte þe rybe he con hit wale In þe Apocalyppce þe apostel John.
- (1402) Will York in Sur.Soc.4296 : Lego Johanni filio Milonis de Stapilton..unum annulum de auro, habentem j rube.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1022 : Þe statue..Fiftene cubites complet was of heiȝgte, A crowne of gold hiȝe vp-on his hed, With..saphirs & many rube red Fret enviroun.
- (a1422) Doc.St.Alb.in RS 28.5 pt.2 (Cld E.4)330 : Item, habetur anulus magnus..continens unam gemmam in medio subrubeam et oblongam, videlicet, dictam vulgariter rubibalois.
- (a1422) Doc.St.Alb.in RS 28.5 pt.2 (Cld E.4)331 : Item, unus annulus aureus cum quatuor crampones, habens lapidem infixum purpurei coloris, et æstimatur rubyebalis.
- (1439) Liber Scac.in Archaeol.2136 : In ye same tablet ys a rubee and xxxv garnardes.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)552 : I haue but litel Rad or seyn..To scale the laddere above the nyne sperys, Or medle of Rubyes that yeve so cleer a lyght On hooly shrynes in the dirke nyght.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1490 : The ryby so bryght shone in hys ye.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1250 : Tytus..to þe temple wendiþ, Þat was rayled þe roof with rebies grete, With perles.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1663 : He..Geues þam garsons of gold..robies [Dub: rubies] & perles.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)8525 : The name off thy ffyrste ston Ys the mynde most off vertu, Off the deth off cryst ihesu..Thys, the precyous ruby Ryche, In al thys world ther ys noon lyche; Wych receyuede hys rednesse Off crystys blood.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)1.37 : Ȝe come to ȝoure kyngdom..Crouned with a croune..filled with vertus stones..With rubies rede þe riȝth for to deme.
- a1500 Awntyrs Arth.(Dc 324)394 : His gamesons glowed as a glede, With graynes of rebe þat graied bene gay.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.110 : Rubie is a red stone shynyng..It haþe vertu above all oþer precios stones.
b
- a1350 Ichot a burde in a (Hrl 2253)4 : Ichot a burde in a bour..ase gernet in golde ant ruby wel ryht.
- a1500(c1380) Chaucer Rosem.(Benson-Robinson)4 : As the cristal glorious ye shyne, And lyke ruby ben your chekes rounde.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)461/42 : The water clere that erst was cristallyne, As ruby reed is changed in to wyne.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.153 : Lytill fischis..dressit tham to sprede Thair curall fynnis, as the ruby rede.
c
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)66/4 : Þise þings restreyneþ blode..Saphir, rede coralle, rubye, and fyme of wilde swyne.
- c1475 Court Sap.(Trin-C R.3.21)1061 : The good Ruby, that stauncheth alwey blood.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)171/7 : Putte þer-to..poudyr of precious stonys, þat is to sey, rubyis, safyris, topasys.
d
- a1500(?1471) *Ripley Epis.Edw.IV (Ashm 759)103a : Who will our perle and rubie make The seid principilles loke that he not forsake.
e
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)48 : Heo is rubie of ryhtfulnesse.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1800 : This gemme of chastitee, this emeraude, And eek of martirdom the ruby bright.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)380/207 : O richest rube, rubefied with blood In thi passion..Directe my stile.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.Ballade ROL (Sln 1212)85 : O ruby, rubifyed in the passyoun All of thi sone.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)1210 : Thenk hou she is..The sterre of beaute, flour eke of fairnes..and eke þe rubie briȝt, Hertes to glade Itroubled with derknes.
f
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1809 : Rubye colour is of a thyne fume fuccendid [read: succendid], In a clere bodye, which also is amendid when in that bodie regnyth plenty of lyght.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2562 : Profite shall growe..In this oure white worke allone, As well as in the Rubie stone.
g
- (1182) in Pipe R.Soc.3130 : Rogerus Rubi.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Lydg.CB Interpol.(Hrl 2407)17 : The setryne reby of ryche degreys..passeth al stonys þt ys under hevyn.
Note: New form: Also..rebi.
Note: This quot. belongs to sense 1.(a).
Note: (Rubies may exhibit a range of secondary hues.)--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. ruby.