Middle English Dictionary Entry
slekken v.
Entry Info
| Forms | slekken v. Also slekke, sleck(en, sclek(k)e & slē̆k(e(n & (error) fleke; p.ppl. slekked, etc. & slekket, scleket. |
| Etymology | ON: cp. OI slœkkva. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. slaken v.(1), slechen v., slokenen v.
1.
(a) To quench (fire), extinguish, put out; also fig.; ppl. slekking as adj.: quenching; (b) to cool (sth.) in a liquid; (c) to relieve (thirst, hunger); slake (lime); slekked lim; (d) to lessen (sth.), abate, overcome; mitigate (sin); alleviate (sorrow); ~ purgatorie, lessen (the sufferings of purgatory); (e) in surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10126 : Waterr hafeþþ mahht To sleckenn fir & cwennkenn.
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)276 : Þou schuldest sleke þe cole wiþ stikkes.
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)278 : Hit is good þat vche man..gete him stikkes..for to norissche þe disyr of loue in his soule, þat hit ne be not slekked.
- a1400 Alle-mighty god in trinitie (Roy 17.B.17)93 : Fire þat neuer sleckid shal be is þere.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Mat.3.12 : Þe chaff he schal brenne in a fyre þat may not be slekked.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Eph.6.16 : In alle thyngys ȝee takande þe scheld of þe feiþ, in þe whiche ȝee may sleke alle þe fyrede dartys of alþereuelest deuylle.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Thes.5.19 : Þe spyrit wile ȝee not slekke.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)12667 : Troyle bad faste the fir be bet, But Thelamon bad his men hit slek With water of broke or of bek.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)459 : Slekkyn: Extinguo.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)115b : To Sleke: Extinguere.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)344 : Slekkyd: extinctus.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)538 : In þat temple was fuyre ay cler, that slek myȝt no wordly wyȝt.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 2250)9787 : For slekkyng water þurgh Goddes sonde þo Holy Gost skekket wele is.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 2250)10669 : As fir slekket is quen þe brondes ben tan Away, So is þe Holy Gost I-wis in mon quen charite is Abatet ay.
- a1500 GRom.(Add 9066)120 : As watir sleketh fire, so almesdede sleketh synne.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)777/6 : Eulepius..slekyd þe fyre & caste þe water owȝte of þe hows.
b
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)47/2 : Tak a new lyn clathe & wete it in þe water þat þe smythe slekkes his yryn in & lay it on þe bryssour.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.6 : Take a gad of stele..hete hit þou may, And in goode wyne sleck hit..Hit shalle be venegur.
- c1500 Recipe MSS Hast.in HMC (Hnt HU 1051)1.426 : Tak a tyle ston and lay it in fyre and fleke [read: sleke] it in gud stronge vyneger, and lay that ston in wyne and thu schalt have gud vyneger.
c
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5689 : All hiss hunngerr & hiss þrisst Shall ben þurrh Drihhtin sleckedd.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14484 : Iff þu drunnke waterrdrinnch..Þatt maȝȝ þe slekkenn wel þin þirrst.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1230 : Wið swinc and hete hem wex on ðrist; Ðe water sleckede ðe childes list.
- (1390) in Salzman Building in Engl.149 : Pro v doliis de slekkydlym.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)18020 : Aisel haue i blend wid gall For to sleke his threist wid-all.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6764 : Na licour sal þai fynd..Þat þair threst mught sleke.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)4116 : Watur myght he non come by..þen prayd he god..vochsaue to sleke his threyst.
- c1450 Chaucer LGW (Frf 16)2006 : In-to the beste throte he shal hem caste To sleke [vrr. slek; slake] hys hunger and encombre hys tethe.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)208 : Tak..scleket lym & let stond al nyȝt in aquart water.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)217 : Tak arpment & slekyd lyme & argoyle.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)2/8 : Take a pound of slekyd lyme and a galoun of clene water and stere hym to-gader tylle þe water be whit.
d
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10124 : Allmess dedess hafenn mahht To sleckenn þine sinness.
- 1372 Þu sikest sore (Adv 18.7.21)17 : To hire þu speke, Hire sorwe to sleke.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)708 : Luf-lowe hem bytwene lasched so hote Þat alle þe meschefez on mold moȝt hit not sleke.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)5489 : Ector sorow myght no man sclekke [rime: nekke].
- (1434) Misyn ML (Corp-O 236)108/3 : Þe penitent..bus..gostely armore take, þe deuyll & all his suggestions gaynstand & fleschly desires sleek.
- (1434) Misyn ML (Corp-O 236)118/1 : All temptacion þou sall ouercum & all malesse slek.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)352/29 : Tribulacyone..doþ awey synne, slekith purgatory, [etc.].
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.45.30b : Y wolde þat if þou miȝtest noust fully quenche it [false vain love], þat þou miȝtest sumwat sleke it.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.69.47a : Þe ground of synne miȝte..be sumwat sleked in þe.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)1400 : Thurgh fulloght..Adam syn..with water is slekket.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)9607 : The son..schewyde hym for to scleke oure synne.
- a1500(c1400) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)331 : Þe fyrst slent þat on me slode slekkyd al my tene.
- a1500 Ihesu mercy mercy (Trin-C B.10.12)83-5 : If..alken synnes wer wroȝt in me, þou may þaim sleke, als is a sparke when it is put in myddes þe see; & þar may no man sleke my myse bot þou, ihesu.
e
- (1284) Close R.Edw.I249 : John Sleckesorgh.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 39/28,30 : Whanne þe lyme is wel ysliked with þe watre put þerto more watre..stere hit..and late hit reste al a day or more vntil þy lyme be slyked [Sln 73: sleckened] atte fulle.
Note: Glossary: "slyked, sleckened, ysliked ppl. adj. 'slaked (of lime)'." New spellings (p.ppl.) sliked, sleckened, isliked.
Note: Additional quots., sense (c).