Middle English Dictionary Entry
spark(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | spark(e n. Also sparc(k, sparche, (early SWM) spærc & sperk(e, (in surname) sperc; pl. sparkes, etc. & sparken, (K) spearken & (early) spearcan. |
| Etymology | OEspearca, spærca, sperca. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A fiery particle, spark; also fig.; -- also coll.; ded ~, an extinguished spark, a bit of ash; (b) fig. a small amount or trace of something; a small bit or germ from which something springs; also, the last remaining thing [quot. a1382]; ~ of enemite (hatride, love, etc.); ~ of lif, a trace of vitality; (c) in proverbs, prov. expressions, and conventional comparisons; (d) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)117/5 : Se lege wæs mid manna sawlen afylled, & heo asprungan up mid þan fyre, swa swa spearcan.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)61/666 : An engel..þet lei lihte & acwente hit anan, eauer euch sperke.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Trin-C O.2.21)1008 : Sparken [vr. sparkes; glossing AF (Cmb): estenceles].
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2226 : Opon þe Pentecost..þe Holy Gost Among þe tvelue apostles cam, So sparc of fer.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)137/14 : Huet am ich bote esssse, and spearken, and hor, and stench.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1599 : So harde þey hywe on helm & scheld..Me miȝte y-sen in tal þe feld how þe sparkes by-fore out-wente.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.1.31 : Ȝoure strengþe shal ben as a dead spark of a flax top & ȝoure werk as a sparcle & eiþer shal ben brend vp togidere.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)2925 : He sau þat contre..wid spark and reke couerd abouen, Als it war of a brinand ouin.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.19.28 : Abraham..saw a multitude of sparkis steiynge vp fro the erthe, as smook of a furneys.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)28b/a : Fomites: sparkes fallynge of hote yren.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)7732 : He fferd, as he scholde men haue brent With spark of fire that fro him glent.
- c1440 Hilton ML (Thrn)34/4 : Oure Lorde hase sente in-to thi herte a littill sparke of his blysside fire þat es hym-selfe.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)35/11 : O fire of helle..the flaume is pride, the sparkis be foule wordes, the smoke is the evill name.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)840 : Ȝov I prai..o ladi Venus briȝt..Hir hert so to fire and to mark, As ȝe me whilom brent with a spark.
- c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson)96 : Up sterte Mars..In stede of teres, from his eyen tweyne The firi sparkes brosten out for peyne.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)8377 : The mayles of her good hawberkis Sprongen owte as it were sperkis.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)118a : A Sparke: fauilla, scintilla.
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)24 : With sparkes of fyer spittinge out of his mouthe so lotheson..that no tunge can tell..the abomynable and dysfigured shappe of hym.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)35/26 : Ryght as the Sparke makid the brond come, Also the brond shall make the fyre come aftyr.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)36/6 : Ich..sparki in ham sparken of lustes se luðere þet ha forberneð inwið & þurh þet brune ablindeð.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)51/22 : Ne chastie ȝe na swuch mon neauer on oþer wise, for in wið þe chastiement he mahte ondswerie swa & blawen se liðeliche þet sum sperke mahte acwikien.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)153/8 : A sihðe þet tu sist..ȝef hit eawt stureð þe, cwench hit wið teares weater..hwil hit nis bute a sperke, ear þen hit waxe & ontende þe swa þet tu hit ne mahe cwenchen.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 14.7 : Þei sechen to quenchen my sparke þat is laft þat þer be not laft name to my man & relikes vp on erþe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.792 : Mortal werre First be-gonne..Of a sparke of lytel enmyte Þat was not staunchid first whan it is gonne.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1068 : O hatful harm..Kyndled so long, o spark of old hatred..grounde of envie and Ire.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.6.102 : Therfore doute the nothing, for of this litel spark thine heet of liif schal shine.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)49/24 : That preson dured longe, but as thei wex in age the sparke of loue encreced.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)495/23 : Go away fro me, womman, ffor yit þer is a sparke of lyfe in me.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Expos.PNoster (LdMisc 683)247 : I..Can In myn eien nat seen a large beem..Can seen weell motys in other menhis sight, A smal sparck, that casteth out no beem, Blent in my fauhtys.
- a1500(c1370) Chaucer Comp.L.(Benson-Robinson)14 : The sore spark of peyne now doth me spille.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.48 : A ruby..as a sperk of lowe, so wantounly Semyt birnyng upon hir quhyte throte.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10719 : Cador sprong to horse swa spærc him doh of fure.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11731 : Ardur..sprong forð an stede swa sparc ded [read: deð] of fure.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)153/28 : Þe sperke þe wint up ne bringeð nawt ananriht þe hus o leie, ah lið & kecheð mare fur.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)91 : Of knith ne hauede he neuere drede, Þat he ne sprong forth so sparke of glede.
- c1330 KTars (Auch)38/194 : He brend so spark on glede For ire & for envie.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)605 : Of helmes & sheldes þat fyr out went so sparkes doþ of brondes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2946 : Bot such conseil ther mai be non..That it nys lich the Sparke fyred Up in the Rof, which for a throwe Lith hidd, til whan the wyndes blowe It blaseth out on every side.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25756 : For na mar þan a sparc in see Mai sin agains his merci be.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.785 : Of sparkys þat ben of syȝt smale Is fire engendered þat devoureth al.
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Th.(Petw 7)B.2095 : He..forþ vppon his way glode As sparke out of þe bronde.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)163/1438 : Clement..spronge als any sparke one glede.
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)274/5 : Ire is so eville that a litille sparke makithe lightly a fire.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)114/8 : As a sparke of fyre es in myddel of the see, so al synne and wyckednes of man to the mercy of god.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)899 : Claryoun smote R[i]cer suche a dynt That fyr flewe out as sparche of flynt.
- a1500 Hrl.3362 Prov.(Hrl 3362)309 : Of a lytyl sperk ys mad gret feer.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1428 : A word þat is..in wrath holdyn May feston as a fyre with a fuerse lowe, Of a sparke unaspied, spred vnder askys May feston vp fyre to mony freike sorow.
d
- (1202) Assize R.Lin.in Lin.RS 22371 : Willelmus Sperc.
- (1223) Pat.R.Hen.III397 : Petrus Sparc.
- (1257) Close R.Hen.III47 : Willelmus Sparc.
- (1280) Pleas Som.in Som.RS 11345 : William Sparke.
- (1293) Bk.of Fees1311 : Willelmus Dulle Sperke.
- (1297) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 16129 : Simone Sparck'.
- (1297) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 16145 : Alexandro Spark'.
- (1403) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)8.333 : Thomas Spark de Cestria.