Middle English Dictionary Entry
sǒuple adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | sǒuple adj. Also sople, sup(p)le. |
| Etymology | OF sople, soup-le, supple. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Flexible, not rigid; also, as adv. in comb.: ~ werkinge, flexible; (b) of the skin: soft; of the body: relaxed; of bodily tissue: moist and pliant; of boots: pliant, i.e., made of soft fine leather; also, of the veins: conducive to the flow of blood; (c) cook. of a mixture containing eggs: ?soft and pliant.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4577 : Þoru hauberc & þoru is coler þat nere noþing souple, He smot of is heued as liȝtliche as it were a scouple.
- c1400 Aelred Inst.(1) (Vrn)34/358 : Flex is ibete wit a betyl to be þe mor suple to werk.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)135/103 : The even draught of the wyr-drawer maketh the wyr to ben even and supple-werchinge, and if he stinted in his draught, the wyr breketh a-sonder.
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.203 : He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt..His bootes souple, his hors in greet estat.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.5170 : My manhod was applied By sleihte off women..To take ther habite & clothe me in ther weede, To shaue my berd and farse my visage With oynementis..To make it souple.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.1634 : His bodi flayn & his skyn was take, Tawed..Souple and tendre as thei coude it make.
- a1450 Diseases Women(2) (Sln 2463)166 : With wyne softely moiste þe marice ofte tymes till it wexe souple & softe [DW(3): nesche] & þanne esilich putt it into þe membre ther it shulde be.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)118 : For þe voyes: Senuey sede etyn wole helpe þe voys and amende, for it wole make liȝt and suple þe veynes þat þe woyes is gendred by.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)179 : This oynement wole wondirly helpe to þe palesye, if þe pacient be ofte with þis oynement frotid with hondes somedel harde; Þis oynement wole make al his body suple and esy.
- c1460 My fayr lady (Hrl 2255)p.201 : Hire skyn is tendyr..As of an hownd-fyssh..Whoos tewhyng hath coost many a crowche Hire pylche souple for to make.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)70/18 : Whenne þou hauys wyl to ete aftir þe oure of þy costome, vse a lytel trauaill yn ridynge, yn goynge, or som-þinge doynge, ffor þat helpys þe body, it dryues out wyndys, comfortys þe body, and makys hit souple.
c
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)133.158/2 : Take swyne lyuours and seeþ hem wel; take brede & grate it, and take ȝolkes of ayren, & make hit sowple, and do þerto a lytull of lard caruoun lyche a dee.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)442 : Take swynes lire and sethe hit and hewe hit smalle, and do therto ȝolkes of egges, and medel hit wel togedur, ande make hit right souple.
2.
(a) Humble, obedient, suppliant; compliant, docile; (b) well-disposed.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3690 : In youthe..this maister..maked hym so konnyng and so souple That longe tyme it was er tirannye Or any vice dorste in hym vncouple.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3376 : Daungere..is feers of his cheere..A feloun firste though that he be, Aftir thou shalt hym souple se.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)484 : Supple, or plyant: Supplex...plicabilis [Win: Placabilis].
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)281/27 : For all þe herte, tunge, and dede arn so harde as grauell-stonys, þat it mowe noȝt brestyn in deuocyoun to godwarde, but it arn supple ynow to þe world, to þe flesch, & to þe deuyll.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)76/5 : Yif þou wilt be a very religious, þou must be pacient..wich paciens must be..esy þat þou cowthist in al..wronges be..sople and tretable.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)113/11 : An hert þat is supple and mylde may lightly be applyed to receyue þe enpressioun of oure lordis lore and meke doctrine.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.5.4a : Teris..scourin & clensin þe herte fram al þe fulthe of synne, and maketh hit..buxum, suple, & redi for to fulfulle al godis will.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.325 : Ȝif þu haue childryn, teche hem wel & bowe hem & make hem supple & meke in her ȝougþe.
- a1500 Hilton ML (Roy 17.C.18)21/11 : Bodely wirkynge..longith to all yonge begynnynge men..forto make hem able to goostely wyrkynges and forto breke downe the vnbuxomnes of the body..that itt myght be souple and redy and not moch contrarious to the spirite.
b
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)69/23 : When a saule es tempted..than es it tyme to pray and to make hymselfe symple and boxsom to god; Bot he be boxom, na maner of prayer makes god souple to hym.
3.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1254-5) Hundred R.Tower 2240 : Wills le Suple.