Middle English Dictionary Entry
scarlē̆t n.
Entry Info
| Forms | scarlē̆t n. Also scarlat(e, -lot, -led, -lad, sckarlet, skarlet(te, -lat, skarelet & scharlet(te, -led & skerlet & (error) schrlet. |
| Etymology | OF escarlate, -let(te, eskerlate, AF escharlete, scarlet, -late, skarlet & ML scarletum, -latum, AL scareletum. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The color scarlet; also, scarlet dye; red ~.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.289 : Engelonde..haþ nouȝt so grete plente of good water for dyuers coloures and hewes as Flaundres haþ and Braban; Neuerþeles, at Londoun is oon welle þat helpeþ wel to make good scarlet [L scarletum].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1917 : His rode is lyk scarlet in grayn.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)2.15 : Hire robe was ful riche, of red scarlet engreyned.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)32 : Theyr clothing was off colour fful covenable..The Sheryves, the Aldermen fful notable In ffurred clokes, the colour skarlette.
- (1439) *Proc.Chanc.PRO ser.C 1 file 9no.124 : The sayde Wiliam late boght at london..clothe of skarlot & of other diuers colours.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)442 : Scarlet, colowre: Lutus.
2.
(a) A kind of rich cloth; cloth of scarlet color; a piece of such cloth; red ~; (b) clothes (cote, coverlite, hod, mantel, etc.) of ~, clothes (a coat, coverlet, hood, mantle, etc.) of such cloth, perh. of scarlet color; (c) such cloth used as a robe, garment, an article of clothing, etc.; welsh ~, ?iron. an old, worn-out piece of clothing; (d) used fig.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.632 : Scarlet and grene wel y-wrouȝt..wiþ hem hii brouȝt.
- (1366) Will York in Sur.Soc.481 : Item, do et lego Hugoni de Methelay unam tunicam..furratam cum uno capicio mixto linato cum skarlet et vj s. viij d.
- (1372) Inquis.PM Edw.III13.84 : [The manor, held..by service of rendering a] trenche [of] skarlet [yearly].
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4464 : We han her scarletes & grene, & cloþes of tarse, & of sulk ful schene, & cloþes eke of golde.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5289/11 : Per manus Johannis Dyndon pro v virgis de scarlet per ipsum Emptis ibidem, x nobles.
- (1396) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.116 : [8 cushions, 4 of them of cloth of gold and 4 of] scarlet motle.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)33/12 : In holl þan þai hided grete welthes..Of gold and of siluer, of skarlet and grene.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Apoc.18.16 : Thilke greet citee..was clothid with bijs and purpur and reed scarlet.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)140a/b : Be þer made water Of which be þe teþe yfroted with a pece of scarlet.
- (1437) Invent.Q.Katherine in Sus.AC 37 (Add 32645)175 : Item, delivred to Johan Warthalle a kyrtel of blak cloth lyned with scarlet.
- (1459) Invent.Fastolf(2) in Paston Letters (Gairdner)3.176 : Item, j pece of scarlot, embraudit in the myddell, containing in length iij yerds and di.
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)p.124 : The hare wente þe markyth scharlyt forto syll.
- c1500 Corneus (Ashm 61)222 : I wer worthy hym to honour, Both in castell and in towre, With rede skerlyt and grene.
b
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)505 : He lette senden in cartes to his fader sake Cloþes of skarlet & of sabelin.
- c1330(c1250) Floris (Auch)130 : Florice het nime..a mantel of scarlet Ipaned al wiȝ meniuer.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)167/25 : Mochel is defouled mid þe uet of uolleres, þe robe of scarlet erþan þet þe kuen his do an.
- (1380) Will York in Sur.Soc.4108 : Item, rectori ejusdem melius vestimentum meum de skarlett furratum, cum capucio, valoris xx s.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.456 : Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed.
- (1395) Will York in Sur.Soc.455 : Capucium de scarlett, parvum, linyd conformiter, pret. xvj d., vend. pro iij s. iiij d.
- (1400) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.73 : [A gown of] scharlet [furred with] foyne.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.163 : Charite..is as gladde of a goune of a graye russet As of a tunicle of tarse or of trye scarlet.
- (1407-8) in Rec.B.Nottingham 252 : Unam togam de rubeo scarlet ad xxij s.
- (1418) EEWills36/14 : Also a gowne of Schrlet [read: Scharlet] wit brod sleues furred with gray.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)817 : Scho wappid hym in a mantill of skarelett rede.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3459 : One he henttis a hode of scharlette full riche.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)422 : But þis me þinkiþ an abusioun, To se on walke in gownes of scarlet, xij ȝerdes wyd.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)7703 : They lett make hym..Gownes of Sckarlet and eke of satyn.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)19/23 : Noþer ȝaf he hem robes of skarlet ne of grene..þat þei þoruȝ hem ne waxe wilde & so lepe into pryde.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1068/17 : Hit ys a rede sleve of myne, of scarlet, well enbrowdred with grete perelles.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9037 : Thow beyst..Clothes off sylk & off skarlet, Embrawdyd & wyth perlys ffret.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)40/2 : Then had Thomas a cloþe on hym þat was of fyne scarlad, well yfurred wyth grys.
c
- c1275 Þene latemeste dai (Clg A.9)5 : Ȝe..sittet ischrud wið skarlet & wið palle.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)687 : A scarlet wiþ riche skinne Ybrouȝt him was ful ȝare.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)37.303/313 : Ich..mad þe traile..In siclatoun and in scarlet.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)25463 : Nauþer aske I skarlet ne grene ne purtraied stede ne lorom shene.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)2.13 : I..was war of a womman wondirliche cloþide..In red scarlet [vrr. scarlate, scharled] robid & ribande wiþ gold.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)5.113 : Ȝif a lous couþe lepe, I may it nouȝt leue He shulde wandre on þat walsshe scarlet, so was it þredbare!
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1103 : Bilive sho gert Syr Ywaine bath And cled him seþin in gude scarlet.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)582 : From hym þey token þe rede scarlet, Boþe hosyn and schoon þat weren hym met Þat fel al for a knyȝt.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)460/9 : At þe Chastelet þere was made a stately ordynaunce of scaffoldes..and a man lykened to þe Kyng sittyng in a sete, kepyng a state in scarled with a furred hode.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)914 : Loke all be pur and playn wheþur he were saten sendell, vellewet, scarlet, or greyn.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cxxvi : Þe pope & oþere bischopes wole kepe here feet ful cleene wiþ scarlett & cordewane & sum tyme wiþ sendales wiþ golde, wiþ siluer, & silk preciousely diȝt.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)8996 : Hys lymmes were bare and euyll beseyn, That some tyme were clad in scarlet in greyne.
d
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6390 : A robe he let him ssape uerst of blod red scarlet þere: Þe ssarpe stones bi þe stret is tailors were, Vor he let him mid hors to drawe fram strete to strete.
3.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1185) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames308 : William Scarlet.
- (1202) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.15241 : Tomas Scarlat.
- (1206) CRR(2) 4164 : Robertus filius Scarlate.
- (1222) Domesday Bk.St.Paul in Camd.6950 : Willelmus scarlet.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1324 : Johannes Scarlet.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1031 : Ricro. Scarlat.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 383 : Johannes Scarlet.
- (1346) Feudal Aids 4182 : Johannes Skarlet.
- (1402) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.556 : De Thoma Skarlat pro xx bunche leok et x barellis oynons.
- (1428) Feudal Aids 5230 : Willelmus Scarlet.
- (c1457) Rec.Norwich 1409 : William Scarlet.