Middle English Dictionary Entry
bē̆k n.(3)
Entry Info
| Forms | bē̆k n.(3) Also beck, bekke. |
| Etymology | OF bec |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The bill of a bird, beak; (b) a human nose; (c) a sharp point or projection; specif. the pointed prow and stern of a boat; (d) ?as pers. name.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)62 : His bec is get biforn wrong.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.418 : With hir beek hir seluen so she prighte.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)487 : Ho broȝt in hir beke a bronch of olyve.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)53b/b : Tenaculez of Albucasis..beþ to þe maner of þe beke [*Ch.(2): bille] of a brid dentate.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)378 : Nature held..A formel egle..To loke on hire, and ofte hire bek to kysse.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)23.459 : The bek of his hed..was as scharpe As Ony spere.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)148 : Therwithalle hire bekes gonnen meete.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.4 (Hrl 2169)229 : Gryffon of goulys, armyd, with aseure bek and fet.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.5 (Hrl 2169)184 : Beryth..iij eglys hedis of sylvyr, the bekys gold.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13994 : She hadde..A peyre of spores..Lyk the bek off a somer Iay.
b
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)169 : Nodde not with thyn heuy bekke [vrr. beck, bek, beke, beeke; rime: effecte (vrr. effekke, effek)].
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)104a/a : In þe shuldrez ar..þe spalde receyuyng wiþ 2 bekez [*Ch.(2): billes; L rostris] & þe furcle.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.131r : Harolde kyng of Norway sente him a shippe hauyng the bekes of tofore and behynde of golde, the saille of purpre [Wm of Malmesbury, Gesta Regum Anglorum 2:135 (Stubbs, p.149): navem rostra aurea et velum purpureum habentem], all aboughtes bysette withinne the shippe by the sydes and enbelisshed with shildes ouergilde.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)4233 : Wyth the Beke [vr. becke] yet of his gleve, Vpon his helme..he smote.
- (1483) in Strutt Dress2.212 : The greatest estates to have..hoodes and tippettes..and that bekes be no more used.
d
- (1321) Feet Fines Kent in Archaeol.Cant.14274 : Stephen le Beek.
- (1328) Sub.R.Der.in Der.ANHSJ 3078 : Henr. le Beek.
- (1333) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 1090 : Beeke, Alice le.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475(c1450) ?Scrope Mirror World (Bod 283)2168 : He wil not knowleche thoo that he hatthe doon opynly but rather defendeth hym with his beeque and with his cleys.
Note: French spelling of bek n.(3), not recorded by MED. New form.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. beak.