Middle English Dictionary Entry
sharn n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sharn n. Also sharne, charne, shern(e, (K) ssarn & (early) scē̆arn, sherren & (in cpds.) shar-, sar-, sher-, ser-, sor- & (in place names) shar(r)en-, scaren-, sheren-, sern- & (errors) sherm, schere, scesne, sex, sax. |
| Etymology | OE scearn, scern. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Dung, manure; cou ~; (b) in cpds.: ~ boude [OE scearn-budda], the dung beetle; ~ lond (acra), land held by the service of carting and spreading manure; ~ peni (silver), a rent paid in lieu of the service of carting and spreading manure; ~ tred, the service of carting and spreading manure; (c) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem.2.101].
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)263/12 : Wið oman bæres scearn & swefel ȝegnide on wine & ȝelome drince.
- c1150 Wenne Wenne (Roy 4.A.14)9 : Clinge þu, alswa col on heorþe, scring þu, alswa scesne [read: scerne] a wage.
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Hat 115)23 : Scearu [read: scearn]: scherren.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)325a/b : Þe lapewynke leiþ and sitteþ on brode on dritte, schere [read: scheren], and vnclene þinges.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)118a/b : Auicen forsoþ makeþ a grete composicioun de stercore vaccino, i. cowe sherne [Ch.(2): donge], dried wiþ corticis pini litarge.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)113/365 : Þen schalt þou take freische rothorus scherne..& grynde it with sope.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)123/505 : Aftur þat it [tumor] is coruen, þou schalt brenne it with an hote yre & aftur þou schalt take netus scherne & ley þer-vpon.
b
- (1222) Domesday Bk.St.Paul in Camd.6946 : Idem, ij sexacras pro iiij d. extra hidam..j acram saxacram pro ij d. extra hidam.
- (1222) Domesday Bk.St.Paul in Camd.6949 : Isti tenent seracras..xlv acras pro ix sol' & de serlond, ij d.
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)543/10 : Scarabæus: scearnbudoa, uel budda.
- (1277) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 255 : R. tenet unam acram in curia sua pro duodecim denariis de Sarpeni.
- (1298-1300) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 255 : De vi d. quadam consuetudine coterellorum vocata shersilver hoc anno in estate.
- a1300 Cart.Gloucester in RS 333.37 : Quædam consuetudo quæ vocatur Schernselver valet communibus annis duodecim denarios.
- a1300 Cart.Gloucester in RS 333.109 : Omnes consuetudinarii de Rudeforde tenent quamdam terram quæ vocatur Scharlonde ad voluntatem domini et reddunt inde per annum ad Annunciationem Beatæ Mariæ duos solidos unum denarium, [etc.].
- a1300(c1200) Chron.Brakelonda in Camd.1373 : Data eis alia quietantia cujusdam consuetudinis, que dicitur sor-peni, pro iiij solidis.
- (1302-3) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 255 : De certa consuetudine que vocatur sharnselver.
- c1325(a1300) Cust.Bleadon209 : Triturant verme [and one] veniet ad shermtrede [read: sherntrede] domini.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)61/32 : Þe ssarnboddes..beuleþ þe floures and louieþ þet dong.
- (1357) Doc.in HMC Rep.14 App.8123 : [Recept] de charnepeny.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.413 : The Scharnebudes kinde..where he seth of eny beste The felthe, ther he makth his feste.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)143b/b : Scherne boddes [L scabrones] beþ I-gendred of careynes of hors.
- (a1400) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 255 : De sharsilver pro quolibet animali 1 ob. et est redditus mutabilis.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)9.60 : Now sharnebodde encumbrith the bee.
c
- (1248) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)229 : Sernton.
- (1270) in Wallenberg PNKent174 : De Sharenden.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1011 : Alic de Sharnfolde.
- (1299) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)229 : Scarenton.
- (1327) in Wallenberg PNKent120 : De Ssarnwelle.
- (1327) in Wallenberg PNKent174 : De Sardenne.
- (1338) Name in LuSE 35133 : De Schernes.
- (1348) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)229 : Sharrenton.
- (1387) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)47 : Sharcote.
- (1412) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)229 : Sherenton.
- (1418) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)47 : Sharncote.