Middle English Dictionary Entry
sherd n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sherd n. Also sherde, szherd, cherd(e, shard(e, shord & (in names) sherdi, serde, sarde, scarde, charde, sharte, shar, shi(e)rde & (errors) so(o)rde. |
| Etymology | OE sceard, -scerd (as in croc-scerd, var. of croc-sceard). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. pot-scarth n., pot-sherd n., scarth n.
1.
(a) A piece of baked clay; a piece of broken pottery, potsherd; a piece of broken tile, tile sherd [see tile n.(1), 1.(c)]; (b) an earthenware pot or other vessel; also, a dish, plate [quot.: Trin-C.LEDict.]; (c) a scale of a dragon.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)973 : Þo Jesues picher was to broke..Þe scherdes liet þare ligge þat child Jesu.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Job 2.8 : Job..with a sherd [L testa] scrapide awei þe quyture.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.21.16 : My vertu driede as a shord [WB(2): tiyl stoon] & my tunge cleuede to my chekis.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.22.7 : Who techeþ a fool as þat glueþ togidere a shord.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.151 : Þe erþe was i-bete sevene dayes to giders wiþ grete hayle stones i-medled with scherdes [L testarum fragmentis].
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)65a/b : Testula: a lytel shelle or a sherde.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)580/4 : Thai ben fired in a crusselle or on a scherde [*Ch.(1): a teste, i. scarþe] with coles blowen with a belowe.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)445 : Scherde, or schoord, of a broke vesselle: Testula, testa.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)50 : If a man delue in þat hill he schal fynde all þe erde ful of schordis of pottis.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)202 : Ley hyt in water or appon a scherd & let hyt cole.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)4174 : I kan..breke the pot in pecys smale..On smale sherdys I it breke.
- (1457-58) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31246 : Item, for Tyle Scherdes for the Chymney, ij d.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)399 : Sord, idem quod soorde, supra.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)52b : Philosophers..sought..In vrine..In blood..Sundring elementes & breking many a pott, Sherdes multiplyeng.
b
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)1009 : Va quere breses en un teske [glossed:] szherd [vrr. a pot schoord, that schard].
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)27b/b : Fictilis: sherde, or erþe, or metale [Cnt: quod facile potest fingi, quod fictum est, vasa terre].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)175a/a : Take hempe sede rye..boile hem oþer frie hem in a scherde to þey wexe blake þat þei maie be pouderde.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)210/11 : Take salte and hete it in a cherd and put it al hote in a bagge and plaister it þer as þe ache ys.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)235/7 : Take a fyche þat ys callyd a roche and branne hym to poudyr in a scherde.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)591/34 : Lanix: a sherde.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.128 : Sueche as þe sherd or þe shelle [vr. pott] or þe vessel takyȝt qhanne it is newe, sueche it sauouryȝt qhanne it is eld.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)20/7 : Meng al to-gedre and het hit in a scherd.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1985 : Sche sih, hir thoghte, a dragoun tho, Whos scherdes schynen as the Sonne.
2.
(a) A gap in a phalanx; an opening in a hedge or perh. in a fence; flod ~, a channel; (b) in surnames and place names: a topographical gap or notch [see Smith PNElem. 2.101].
Associated quotations
a
- (1377) in Sundby Dial.Wor.149 : ii flotsherdes.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)21a : Þese..fiȝteres..myȝte be redy to stoppe þe scherdes ȝif eny were made in þe first frount of þe bataille, so þat..þe scheltroun scholde euermore stonde hool.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)82a : Þyn oost..schulde sprede hem-self widder & þynnere, and so liȝtliche make gappes and scherdes in the myddes or in þe sides of þe scheltrom.
- (1471) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 4107 : For makyng a schorde at the wyte croste, ij d.
- a1500 Lady Prioress (Hrl 78)p.114 : The other twayen [fleeing men]..sparyd nethe stylle ne sherd; They had lever then mydylle erd Ayther from other have scapyd.
b
- (c1200) EPNSoc.28 (Der.)501 : Sardeloua.
- (1202) EPNSoc.28 (Der.)501 : Serdelaw.
- (1224) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)445 : Wansherd.
- (1248) EPNSoc.44 (Ches.)242 : Sharston.
- (1269) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)445 : Dichsherd.
- (1273) EPNSoc.28 (Der.)501 : Chardelawe.
- (1275) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames184 : Will. atte Sharde.
- (1280-81) EPNSoc.47 (Ches.)162 : Elerinscharde.
- (1284) Nickname in LuSE 55109 : Henr. Harescherd.
- (1295) EPNSoc.28 (Der.)501 : Scardelowe.
- (a1300) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)445 : Wanserde.
- (1302) in Kökeritz PNWight222 : La Schirde.
- (1305) in Kökeritz PNWight222 : La Schierde.
- (1316) Pat.R.Edw.II402 : John atte Sherde.
- (1317) in Sundby Dial.Wor.96 : Atte Floudcherde.
- (1323) in Ekwall PNLan.109 : De Sherdilegh.
- (1327) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames25 : Ric. atte Brodecherde.
- (1333) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)445 : Atte Notescherde.
- (1362) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)445 : Le Redesherde.
- (1377) in Sundby Dial.Wor.149 : Le Flotsharte.
- (1408) in Sundby Dial.Wor.149 : Hulkescherde.
- (1419) in Sundby Dial.Wor.149 : Watersherdusforlong.
- (1462) in Sundby Dial.Wor.149 : Somersherde.
- (1470) Statutes Ireland 3p.682 : Le Kyngesshard aultrement appelle la Watershard.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. shard.