Middle English Dictionary Entry
senẹ̄̆ n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | senẹ̄̆ n.(1) Also cene, sen. |
| Etymology | OF sené, cené senna & ML sene, AL sena. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The powdered leaves or pods of senna, a plant of the genus Cassia, esp. the Alexandrian senna (C. acutifolia) or Tinnevelly senna (C. augustifolia).
Associated quotations
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)192/2 : Take xx damascenes & xij figis & vj datis, sene [L sene].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)106b/a : Simpel medicynes þe whiche of properte purgen humours þat ben brent, as fume terre..sene, wormode, & oþer sucche.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)386/28 : A laxatyf appozyme..made with þe forseide þinges, in puttynge þerto þe iuse of fumyter..and of cene.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)558/37 : The symple medecynes voydinge melancolye ben sene, whos dose in powdre is [1 dram], in stepynge [1 ounce].
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)82/8 : Tak þe jus of ache & a littill hony & senn.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)362 : I wene as for infirmitees In oure Englonde are suche comoditees Wythowten helpe of any other londe..That wee shulde have no nede to skamonye..Rubarbe, sene, and yet they bene to nedefulle.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)94/251 : Take iiij peny wyght of scamony and ij peny wight of rubarb and vj peny wyght of cene.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)18/2 : Þe perfiȝt cure of alle þese is..brennynge watir..wherinne be putt a litil of sene or watir of f[u]miter, or poudre of lapis lasuly, or ellis medullam ebuli.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)96/21 : Take..vi penywyght of sene.
- a1500 Platearius CInstans (Cmb Ee.1.13)3/18 : For opilacioun of þe liuer and off þe splen, take aloe wyth þe iuys of merche oþer of see hot.