Middle English Dictionary Entry
sinō̆pre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sinō̆pre n. Also sinoper, sinaper, sinobil, cinopre, cinoper, zinopre, cenopere, sanopir, sinople, sinoble, cinople. |
| Etymology | OF sinople, sinopre, synoble; cp. AL cinōprum, var. of L sinōpis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A red ocher used in making a vermilion coloring material; also, the color vermilion, red; (b) her. ?the tincture vert, green [the change in meaning from red to green prob. does not antedate the 15th cent. in England].
Associated quotations
a
- (1320) in Salzman Building in Engl.168 : [4 lb. vermilion 2 s. 8 d.; 3/4 lb.] cinople [4 s. 9 d.].
- ?a1350 Recipe Painting(1) in Archaeol.J.1 (Hrl 2253)64 : Vorte make cynople: Tac brasyl and seoth in dichwatur, [etc.].
- (1351-4) in Salzman Building in Engl.168 : [1 1/2 lb.] cynople [17 s. 3 d.; 1 lb.] cynople [30 s.; 1/2 lb.] cynopre [10 s.; 2 lb.] cynopre de Monte Pessulano [16 s.].
- (1366) in Salzman Building in Engl.168 : [1/4 lb.] synople [10 s.].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.22.14 : I shal bilden vp to me a large hous..& peynteþ with cynoper [WB(2): reed colour; L sinopide].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)310a/b : Synoper is a reed colour and was first y-founde in þe ylond pontus bysydes þe cite synopis and haþ þerfore þat name.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.964 : He myȝt seen..þe wallys, with-Inne and with-oute Endelong with knottis graue clene, Depeynt with azour, gold, zinopre, & grene.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)60b/b : Sinopis: Sinopre.
- (1453) Will York in Sur.Soc.30189 : Item, j copp of sanopir, foted and covered.
- a1475 Limn.Bks.(Brog 2.1)78 : How thou schalte make cenopere: take v galonis of old urine and do sethe hit overe the fyre, [etc.].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)114b : Synopyr: sinopis, genus coloris.
b
- (1445) Arms Codrington in BGAS 21307 : Of Synoble, iii Roses of goules in a Bende of Silver; A Right Hand of the Bende in the left Quarter.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.5 (Hrl 2169)186 : Beryth a poynt of ermyne the chefe ente of synobyll.
- c1475 Sln.4 Recipes in Rel.Ant.1 (Sln 4)324 : There he [read: be] but ij metallys and v colours yn all blasyng of armes, that ys to say, sylver and gold metalles, sabylls, aser, gowles, synaper, and vertecolers.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)530 : Lo, hym ther that thow sechest with the shelde of synopre [F al escu de sinople].
- a1700(1454) Grant Arms in Hrl.Soc.762 : I..have made herein due serche and founde the right armes of the seid John as his progenitours out of mind haue borne hem, that is to sey, quartley in the first quarter siluere & sinoble paled of iiij peeces.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Sln.122 Artist.Recipes (Sln 122) 84/30 : Take half a pownd of blywe flokkys, and .ij. galonys of fyne leye, and sethe hem togeder..and þan grynde hem on a stone. And in þe same manner make þu synnoper with flokkes of skarlette.
- a1500 Trin-C.R.14.45 Recipes (Trin-C R.14.45) 137/31 : Forto make synopure. Take a galon of olde ureyn and sethe hit and scome hit into a faire vessel ouer þe fire, [etc.].
- a1500 Trin-C.R.14.45 Recipes (Trin-C R.14.45) 138/8 : Breke þin synopur on smale gobettes and put hit inne a letheren bagge and kepe hit.
- a1500 Rwl.C.506 Artist.Recipes (Rwl C.506) 171/24 : To make cynope. Take .iiij. galons of olde vryne and seþe it a grett while and skyme it wel and þen lat it kele, [etc.].
Note: Glossary: synoper, sinoper, synopure, cynope, cenoper n. 'generic term for a red organic pigment...especially that made with brazil'."
Note: Editor's note: "Also to note is synoper, which refers to any organic red lake pigment (the definition 'red ocher' in MED s.v. sinopre is incorrect)." And: "Synoper. A polysemous word in ME (and medieval Latin), denoting a red colour not a specific material; in the recipes it refers only to organic pigments."
Note: ?Modify sense (a) to make broader, or ?new sense.
Note: New spellings (with medial nn), (with ur(e ending) and (without r).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Cp. sinopis n.