Middle English Dictionary Entry
snotte n.
Entry Info
| Forms | snotte n. Also snot, snothe. |
| Etymology | From OE gesnot & MDu., MLG snotte. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Nasal mucus; (b) ?a head cold, the sniffles; ?nasal polyps.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)633 : His neys smelled of the Iewes snot and foul spitting That thei cast vpon his face to blode and sweting.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)462 : Snothe, fylthe of the nose: Polipus.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)116b : Snott: polipus.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)747/15 : Pus: snot; polipus: idem.
b
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.43v : Dragaunce .., [the herb] Basilisca .. Tak wolle & wassh it clene & dip it wel in ious of his sed & put in þe nostrellys & it stanchith & fordoþ þat desese in þe hed þat is called 'þe snof,' 'þe snot' [Macer (Choulant 1739): morbum qui polypus est vocitatus; ME Macer 25b/18: þe siknesse þat is clepid polipus]
2.
The snuff of a candle.
Associated quotations
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ex.25.38 : Also tongis to do out the snottis.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1281 : Þe snotte fast brende, þe clothys cauȝt hete & by-gonne to brenne ful fast.
3.
(a) ?the prepuce, foreskin; (b) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- a1450 Chauliac(4) (Cai 336/725)32/26 : Of disesis of þe ȝerde, as preapismus, & closynge of þe snotte [*Ch.(1): prepucij, i. huske; Ch.(2): þe vttermeste partie of þe ȝerde] bifore.
b
- (1279) Close R.Edw.I570 : Peter Snotte.
- (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2588 : Cecilia Snott.