Middle English Dictionary Entry
sōken v.
Entry Info
| Forms | sōken v. Also soke, (?error) seke; ppl. soking(e, sokinne; p.ppl. i)soked and sōken. |
| Etymology | OE socian |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To steep (sth.) in liquid, moisten, soak; also fig.; ~ in (with); ~ oute, draw out (blood) by soaking; (b) to steep (in liquid), lie immersed so as to absorb a liquid; (c) of a liquid: to penetrate, be absorbed; ~ doun (in); ppl. sokinge as adj.: penetrating; (d) ppl. sokinge as adj., of a fire: slow, ?damped down.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(c1340) Rolle Psalter (Hat 12)9/46,48 : I slepe and I am soked [L soporatus; cp. ME sopped]..'And I am soked' in my synne, Lange liggand þare in.
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f. 143va : Galien seith þat of him & ginger togidre infuce (þat is wel saped & soked) in wyn, & pouder of agaric wel sabbed þerin, been mad trocis, his migth in werking is complete.
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f. 178rb : Citonius [i.e. quince] .. wel saped & soked in acet or wyn & clensed & ȝoue is migthi to þe stomac & wombe flux.
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f. 69rb : Tak marubium [i.e., horehound] & do it in wyn; & qwan it is wel macerat, saped & soked xv dayes (& let sethe in þe middis), than clense it & to þe clensyng put wax & pouder of cost & mak vp an oynement.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)40/10 : It availeþ mich þat þe yuel or sore be wele fomented or soked wiþ vinegre and watre.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)463 : Sokyn yn lycure to be made softe, or other cawsys ellys: Infundo; et istud habetur a physicis medicinalibus.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)25 : Take howhys of Vele & ley hem on water to soke out þe blode.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)156 : Resolue hem in þe same wyn þat þey were soked inne.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)62.534 (v.1:p.389) : This sely man, ful sooken with sorowe, wolde nat cessyn to cryen, sweryng also þat he wolde nevir departen from hym [viz., St. Benedict] til he had reysed vp his sonne ageyn.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.6 : Take a gad of stele, I wot in dede; In strong venegur þou schalt hit seke [rime: reke].
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)99a/b : Caste þer to as myche otemele as nediþ to þat quantite, þe which muste be first weel y-sokid in watir.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)234 : The kyng..was febyll and sokyd with sekenesse.
b
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f. 25rb : Ageyn ake & peyne in hed of hete: let hem [berberis, rubus alba] lyn & soken & sapen [Arun 42 has only 'sokyn'] in water al a nigth. It mown be kept 7 ȝere.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)64 : Late wermode lye and soke in wyn wel.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)118 : Take senuey sede and ley it with senuey rotes in must and..late hem lie and soke stille.
c
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)463 : Sokyn yn, as lycure yn dyuerse þyngys, or drynkyn yn: Inbibo.
- a1500 Jul.D.8 Planting in SN 57 (Jul D.8)26 : Ȝif þou haue no continuell sokynge water mynystrede to hem..watre hem ofte in þe begynnyng of hur growyng.
- a1500 Jul.D.8 Planting in SN 57 (Jul D.8)26 : Watre hem so þat þe moysture atteyne noȝt to þe stalke of þe gourde body wyþoute þe erþe, but lat hit soke doun in a circuit auansede þe quantite of a fote þer from.
d
- a1450 Diseases Women(2) (Sln 2463)170 : Boyle all togeder with a gret sokyng fyre fyve or foure oures at þe leste.
- c1450 *Dc.55 Cook.Recipes (Dc 55)129 : Rost hym with sokynne fyre.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)67 : Rost hym long with a sokyng fyere.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: For the p. ppl. in -en, see note under OED soak v., as well as soaken adj.