Middle English Dictionary Entry
berm(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | berm(e n. Also beorme, barm(e. |
| Etymology | OE beorma |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Froth or scum which rises to the top of fermenting ale or beer; (b) brewer's yeast; (c) barm or yeast used in baking; also, leaven; (d) ingredient used in alchemy and medicine; prob., same as (a).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)9/36 : Whan þe ale was as fayr standyng vndyr berm as any man mygth se, sodenly þe berm wold fallyn down, þat alle þe ale was lost euery brewyng aftyr oþer.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)32 : Berme of ale or other lyke: Spuma.
- (1469) Doc.Brewer in Nrf.Archaeol.5324 : Berme..hath frely be goven..to ye value only of a ferthyng.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)9b : Barme: Spuma..ȝeste.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)364 : A mouse on a tyme felle into a barell of new ale..The Cate come beside and herde the mouse Crie in the barme.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)772/19 : Nomina pertinencia botularie..Hec spuma: berme.
b
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)487 : Greste: berme.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)39 : Et par la gest & la bercile..And by þe berme & þe wort.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)90/242 : Put ther on a potell of barme as brewers done apon ale.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)808/15 : Hic panducsator, a brever..Hec spuma, Anglice barme.
c
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)997 : Oþerr stund tatt lac wass bræd All þeorrf wiþþutenn berrme.
- (1316) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9911 : In Berme empt. pro pistrina per vices, 3 s. 8 d.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)52 : Take fayre Floure..þan take Warme Berme, & putte al þes to-gederys..& late bake.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)39 : Take grounden porke..Put berme þer to..With egges and floure in batere þou make; Put berme þer to.
- a1486 Assize Bread in Archaeol.57 (Mrg M 775)60 : The Bakstere may wynne in eche quarter of whete..iij d..In berme ob, In woode ij d.
d
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.813 : Of tartre, alum, glas, berm, wort, argoyle.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)196 : Tak afayre smal bacyn & anoynte hyt wyþ þynne wyþ fayre barme.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)32/1 : Berme and wommanys melk do þer-to.
2.
The foam on ale or beer, the head produced by pouring.
Associated quotations
- c1275 LSSerm.(Clg A.9)38 : Loȝe heo holdet hore galun, mid berme [Jes-O: beorme] heo hine fulleþ.
3.
~ of oil, ?the water and other impurities skimmed from the top of oil.
Associated quotations
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)12.555 : Olyue vnhurt, in barm of oil [L muria] is do.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1446) Invent.Lytham in Chet.n.s.6079 : [In the pantry,] j bermetubbe.
Note: New cpd., probably under sense 1.(c), or possibly (b): ~ tubbe, ?= dough (knedinge) tubbe, a tub used for kneading, esp. a tub used in breadmaking.'