Middle English Dictionary Entry
bẹ̄che n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bẹ̄che n. |
| Etymology | OE bōce, bēce. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The European beech tree (Fagus sylvatica); ~ tre, a beech; (b) the wood of a beech.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Owl & N.(Jes-O 29)14 : Þe Nihtegale bi gon þo speke In one hurne of one beche.
- ?a1300 StJ.List Trees (StJ-C E.17)155 : Arabel Mapel: ffou beche.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)23 : Ydeleblisse is þe grete wynd þat þrauþ doun..þe greate beches ine wodes.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)651 : Coudre, fov, et tilier: Hesul, beche, and lynde.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2923 : Mapul, thorn, beech, hasyl.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)47/372 : Ooþur maister hedde he non, But okus and beches.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.18 : Beches and brode okes weore blowen to þe eorþe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)225a/a : Þe beche is a tre þat bereþ mast.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5233 : Þe kyng dude onon afelle Many þousande okes..Beches, birches.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)26b/b : Fagus: a beche.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)27 : Beche, tre: Fagus.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)10b : A bechtre: fagus.
b
- (1296) Newcastle Galley in Archaeol.Ael.4.2185 : In xxx bordis de Beche emptis de J. Lescot, xviij d.
- (?c1300) Sub.R.Lynn in Nrf.Archaeol.1347 : In Carbon & bord de Bech, xl s.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Arun 220)171 : De fou: of bech.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)505 : Eschamel chaier de fow; Stole chayre of beche.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.928 : Oure fyr was nat maad of beech.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.169 : For another c lathes of beche, vij d.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)98a/b : Splentez playne & softe of beche or fir.
- (c1425) Stonor1.43 : j longa tabula de beche.
- (1426-7) Rec.St.Mary at Hill66 : For ij beche latthe.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)12.447 : Beche, he wole rote in wete, in drie endure.
- (1441) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.6 : Payed for jc and di of besche lathe, ix d.
- (1468-9) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum11 : Pro factura xllvij pynys de Beche and Asshe.
2.
(a) In personal and place names [apparently confused with bache, brook, stream, valley, cp. OE bæc, bece]; ~ medewe, ?beech meadow, ?brook meadow; ~ wod, ?beech wood, ?brook wood; (b) becheling, ?beech grove, ?brook; becheman, becher, ?one who lives at a beech grove, ?one who lives near a brook; bechet, ?a small beech grove, ?a small stream.
Associated quotations
a
- (1159) in Pipe R.Soc.152 : Walterus Bech.
- (1182) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames5 : Edwin. de la Beche.
- (1214) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames4 : Joh. atte Beche.
- (1231) Close R.Hen.III593 : Willelmum de la Beche.
- (1240) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames5 : Will. de la Beche.
- (1296) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames4 : Joh. de la Beche. Sym. atte Beche. Elia ater Beche. Godefr. ate Beche.
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 2162 : Willelmo Attebechus.
- (1310) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames5 : Joh. de la Beche.
- (1322) Close R.Edw.II in Archaeol.Cant.5160 : Phillipum de la Beche.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3139 : Thomas atte Beche.
- (1332) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10308 : Johannes atte Besche.
- (1341) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames4 : Joh. atte Betche.
- (1345) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames5 : Sim. atte Beche.
- (?a1450) Lond.Charterhouse in Archaeol.58306 : Seynt John medue, þat is callyd White Welle beche medue.
- a1500(1459) Cart.Boarstall in OHS 8839 : [Two crofts..beneath] Bechewode.
b
- (1230) Close R.Hen.III431 : Petri Bechet.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1057 : Ric. de Bechelyng.
- (1332) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames7 : Ric. atte Becchette.
- (1332) in Fransson Surn.203 : Will. Becheman, Joh. Becheman.
- (1359) in Fransson Surn.194 : Walt. Bechere.