Middle English Dictionary Entry
shingles n.
Entry Info
| Forms | shingles n. Also shingeles, singles, singels, singulus, sengles. |
| Etymology | From ML cingulus herpes (var. of L cingulum) or pl. of OF cengle an illness, shingles; for forms cp. OF sengle, cingle, chingle, vars. of cengle belt, fence. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. sengle n.
1.
A skin disease, prob. herpes zoster, characterized by eruptions and a tendency to spread in a circle around the waist.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)232b/b : Lappa..helpeþ þerfore aȝeins ycchyng, & scabbes wete and drye, and aȝeins þe schingles [L impetiginem].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)251a/b : Of whete is y-made oyle þat helpeþ..in ycchynge, and in scabbes wete and druye, and schynglis and tetres if it is wel y-froted wiþ a rowhe cloþ.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)299/24 : Cancre..In the þighes..is cleped lupus, a wolfe; In þe myddes of þe body..singulus [L cingulus], a girdel.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)216/14 : Synglys wol spryng out as wylde fyre and it is wundyr-perlowus, for iff it beklepe a man, he is but ded þer-for.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)268/873 : The schyngles..is an euell þat will sprynge owt of a man as it were fyre, but it is gretter and redder, and it will sprynge euer a raw, and iff begird a man, happely he shall neuer be hole.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)78 : For þe sengles [vrr. Schyngelys, syngels]: [t]her ys an euel þat men callen þe sengles, and is red in þe maner of wyldefuyre, & wol springe out a rone as hit were wildefyre.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. shingles (pl.).