Middle English Dictionary Entry
sparwe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sparwe n. Also sparewe, spar(r)ou, sparo(we, sparu(e, sparuwe, (early SWM) spearewe & sperwe, (early SW) sperrewe, sper(r)uwe; pl. sparwes, etc. & sparrowes, sparovis, (SW) sparewene, (early SWM) spar(e)wen & (error) spawyns. |
| Etymology | OE spearwa, spearewa, spearuwa; pl. spearwan, spearwas. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. sernou n.
1.
(a) A sparrow (Passer domesticus) or similar small bird of the family Ploceidae; ~ eiren, sparrow eggs; ~ fet, sparrows' feet; ~ net, a net for catching small birds; (b) Pl. the flesh of sparrows, sparrows used as food; (c) a figure of a sparrow; (d) ~ hauk, the European sparrow hawk Accipiter nisus [cp. spar-hauk n. (a)]; (e) in plant names: sparwe(s tonge, knotgrass Polygonum aviculare; sparwe-haukes fot, = spar-haukes fot [see s.v. spar-hauk n. (c)]; (f) in surnames; (g) in place names.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14608 : Þa bi-sohte he nute-scalen..& tinder nom and..fur þer-on brohte, and to þan sparewen uoten uaste heom icnutten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14609-10 : He lette forð wenden swiðe ueole sparewen; þa sparwen heore flut nomen.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)75/20 : Ich wes waker..ilich spearewe [Nero: sperrewe] under rof ane.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)80/16 : Ȝet is ancre ieuenet her to spearewe [Nero: sperruwe; Ancr.TSenses: sparowe] þet is ane under rof as ancre.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)91/19 : Chiterið ower beoden aa as spearewe [Nero: speruwe] deð ane.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (Hrl 2277)p.55 : As hit were a sparewe oure soule ibroȝt is Out of the hunteres bonde.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Trin-C O.2.21)787 : Sparewe net [glossing AF (Cmb): severoundel].
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)390 : Homme..prent muscheroun en serounde And takith sperwe in nette.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)10.1 : Wende þou in-to heuen as a sparwe?
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.103.17 : Þer shul ben fulfild þe trees..þere sparewis [L passeres] shul maken nestis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 12.6 : Wher fiue sparrowis ben not seeld for tweyne halpens, and oon of hem is not in forȝeting bifore God?
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.626 : As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe [vr. sparowe].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)325a/a : Sparwe eiren beþ ful litil & smale, and þe sparwe leiþ and bredith twies a ȝere.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)819/6 : He..let nyme mid ginne Alle þe quike sparewene þat me myte awinne.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)83.3 : Sothlike ilke sparw Findes him hous, wide or narw.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)94/24 : Þai..token peces of tunder & fire and bonde to sparwe feet & afterward lete ham flee.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)55 : Wt wynges fleeþ þyse sparues [F mussoms].
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)7750 : This Archer..sendes Arwes..slees the Gregeis, as men take sparwes With lym or net or lymȝerdes.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)541 : Som þer were with..encense &..some with sparovis & dovues..That forto offerin gan hem to delite.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)87 : The same yere was grete batelle of sparowys..where the bodys were founde dede in the feldys with-owte nombyr.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)123.6 : Oure saule is takyn out as sparw fra the snare of huntand.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)119/2526 : A sparoo [Auch: Ich was so lite & so meruȝ, Eueri man me clepede dweruȝ].
- a1500 PPl.B (Oriel 79)15.119 : [Ld: But if many a prest..for here baselardes and here broches] Schulden go synge seruyseles wiþ sire philip þe sparwe.
- a1500 When nettuls (BodPoet e.1)p.269 : Whan spawyns [?read: sparwyus] byld chyrchys on a hyth..Than put women in trust and confydens.
b
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.168 : Pyes Cawekes ben goode to goshaukes, and not to sperhaukes, for they moste haue tendere mete as Sparrous, eysoges..and oþer smale briddes.
- a1500 Diseases Women(3) (Yale-M 47)55/473 : Let þem eschewe metes þat encresen sede boþe in man and in woman, as ben yelkes of egges, fresche flesche, and namely porke, sparouys, pertriches, quayles, [etc.].
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11986 : O lame o þaa lakes selue Wit handes made he sparus [Frf: sparous] tuelue.
d
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)43/21 : A bryd..went out of his cage, and a sparow-hawke wold haue slayne hym.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)625 : Nisus: sparowhawke.
- a1500 Parton.(1) (Add 35288)4831 : Yet more gaffe he..Goshawkys, sparohawkys, and ryalle facownys.
- c1500(?a1475) Landavall (Rwl C.86)444 : A sparow-hauke she bare vpon hir hande.
e
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)75a : Sparowetonge ys an erbe..oþer wyse callyd swynes carsse..his branches goþe lowe and wide, and þey beþ full of knottys.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)144/4 : Centenodium is an herbe þat men clepe centenodye, or sparwystungge, or swynys grees.
- a1475 MS Cmb.Dd.10.44 in Hunt Plant Names (Cmb Dd.10.44)205 : [Pes nisi]: sperowhaukefote.
f
- (1168) in Pipe R.Soc.126 : Ricardus Sparewe.
- (1195) CRR(1) 1112 : Willielmus Sparewe.
- (1208) Close R.Tower 1107b : Alanus Sparuwe.
- (1212) Bk.of Fees77 : Alanus Sparue.
- (c1230) Cart.Oseney in OHS 97271 : Adam Sparewe.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 1205 : Johannes Sparewe.
- (1296) Newcastle Galley in Archaeol.Ael.4.2163 : Henrico Sparu.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.66127 : Iohanne Sperwe.
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 2131 : Rogero Sparow.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3161 : Richardus Sparwe.
- (1363-4) Freeman R.in KRec.18213 : Radulphus Sparewe, taillour.
- (1393) Doc.Thaxted in Ess.ROP 3341 : John Sparowe.
- (1400) Comp.R.in Frost Hullapp.21 : D' Johe Sparowe.
- (1466) Paston2.556 : Johannis Sparwe.
g
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14645 : Þa folc þa þer wunede cleopeden heo Sparewenchestre in heore leod-spellen.
- (c1255) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)161 : Sparwecroft.
- (1351) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)64 : Sparweshous.
- (1391) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)64 : Sparweshaugh.
- (1430) in Madox Form.Angl.(1702)286 : In magno Vasto sive magna pastura vocata Sparowefeld.
- (1473) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)64 : Sparwesfeld.