Middle English Dictionary Entry
shēth(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | shēth(e n.(1) Also sheith, seth(e, chethe, shede, (SW) ssethe & (in cpd.) ? shet- & (early) scæðe, scaþe, seaþe, (Orm.) shæþe & (in names) shathe, shade & (error) schope; pl. shethes, shetz, (?error) scathes. |
| Etymology | OE scēaþ, scǣþ sheath, nail. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A holder for a sword, knife, etc.; a sheath, scabbard; also fig.; ~ makere; (b) ?a decoration of some sort, perh. shaped like a sheath; ?error for shaft(e n.(2); (c) ?~ nail, = (?error for) scot-nail n.; (d) in surnames and place name.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)55/23 : Dauid..awænde his swurd in þære scæðe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14675 : Abraham..droh hiss swerd off shæþe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4078 : Euielin þene brond igrap..& braid hine of þere scæðe [Otho: seþe].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11583 : Bruttes buȝen heom to..Luken vt of scaþe [Otho: seaþe] sweordes longe.
- a1300(c1250) Floris (Vit D.3)105 : Ase a mon þat draȝh him sulue to þe deþe, His knif he draȝh out of his scheþe.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1161 : Þi swerd, Peter..in þi sheþe aȝen þou do.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2864 : Nim god ȝeme of þis castel here Were he mowe þe luþer vortiger witie fram þe deþe, Þat ich in is Ineward mid suerd make a sseþe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 20.8 : Þerabooue gird with a knijf hangynge vn to þe reyne guttis in þe scheþe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2066 : Hise iambeux were of quyrboily, his swerdes shethe [vrr. shede, seth] of yuory.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)1014 : His swerd he breide out of his sheeth [vr. sscheþe], þe children to haue don to deeth.
- (1406-7) Rec.Norwich 254 : [For making the] scheetz [of the Mayor's sword].
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)47 : Item, a pair of kervynge knyves iiij in a sheth.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)5/35 : A fyn sweerde is ofte houȝsed in a roten scheþe & a strong souȝle herbored in a feble bodi.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)43/17 : In þat place sawe Dauid þe aungell smytand þe folk with a swerde and seyne puttand it all bludy in þe schethe [F gaigne].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)443 : Scawbert, or chethe: Vagina.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)555 : Schoken out of scheþes þat scharpe was [read: were] ygrounde.
- c1450(c1393) Chaucer Scog.(Benson-Robinson)39 : Ne thynke I never of slep to wake my muse, That rusteth in my shethe stille in pees.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4940 : To Robert Harwel j be qwethe my lytel baselard harneysyd with silvir and sangweyn schede.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)862/34 : Anone he leyde hys honde on the swerde and lyghtly drew hit oute of the stone and put hit in the sheethe.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.439 : The kynge makynge grete haste, his swerde felle owte from the schethe [Trev.: scaberge].
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)259/6 : Seynt Gregory..sygh an angyll..wypyng his blody swerde and put hit vp ynto his schope [vr. scheþe].
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)76/312b : Vaginarius: schethemaker.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)95/327a : Voniellus [read: Vomellus]: a chap of a scheyth.
- -?- Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.12029 : Ordeigne est..qe nulle dudit artifice rien ne overe desoreenavaunt des buklers ne de shethes de noetaine Samady, [etc.].
b
- (1424) *Will Cornwall (Comm.Crt.London) [OD col.] : Togam penulatam cum scathes [?read: schathes].
c
- (1365) in Salzman Building in Engl.317 : Shetnayle.
- (1374) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99211 : In spikyngs, schetnaill, stanbrod.
d
- (1307) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms226 : Thom. Shatheman.
- (1313) in Wallenberg PNKent275 : Atte Seth.
- (1332) in Wallenberg PNKent275 : Atte Schede; atte Setthe.
- (1334) Select Pleas Forest in Seld.Soc.1368 : De Thoma Sheth de Mamesfeld'.
- (1348) in Wallenberg PNKent275 : Atte Seathe; atte Shade.
- (1364) Let.Bk.Lond.G (Gldh LetBk G)176 : John Clapschethe.
- (1365-6) Let.Bk.Lond.G (Gldh LetBk G)207 : John Claspeschethe.
- (1406) in Wallenberg PNKent275 : Atte Sethe.