Middle English Dictionary Entry
spinnen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | spinnen v. Also spin(ne, spine, spenne, spenen; ppl. spinninge, etc. & spinant; pl.impv. spinneth, etc. & spinnet, spennitz; p. span(ne, spane; pl. spunne, sponne(n, span; ppl. spunne(n, i)sponne(n, spon(e(n, spoune, (error) sponny. |
| Etymology | OE spinnan; p. span; pl. spunnon; ppl. gespunnen (& cp. twi-spunnen). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To twist raw fiber into thread, spin; ppl. spinninge, engaged in spinning, while spinning; (b) to spin (thread); twist (raw fiber) into thread; also fig.; twist (horsehair) into rope; make (rope); also, make (cloth) by weaving threads; ~ oute, make (cloth) by weaving threads loosely; -- also without obj.; ~ rokke, empty a distaff of fiber; ppl. spunnen, spun; (c) to spin thread into (clothes, a coat, etc.); also fig.; (d) of spiders: to spin (threads, a web); of silkworms: make (silk); ppl. spinninge as noun, in phrase: spinninge web, one who spins a web, a spider; (e) in proverbs and prov. expressions; also, ppl. spunnen as adj.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)327/156 : Mine hondene me beoth bi-nome þat Ine may sevwy ne spinne.
- c1300 Weilawei þat (Berlin Lat.th.249)p.47 : Weilawei þat ich ne span þo ich into wude ran.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.6.28 : The lilies of the feelde..traueilen nat, nether spynnen.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3097 : Thow shalt haue my distaf and go spynne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1283 : Hire moder..Bad that sche scholde..lerne forto weve and spinne.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.223 : A fewe sheep, spynnynge [vr. spynynge], on feld she kepte.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6796 : Habbeþ hij no wille to spynne: Her cloþes ben of bestes skynne.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.74 : The most needy..That þei spynnynge may spare, spynen [vr. spenen] hit in hous-hyre.
- (1415) Hoccl.Oldcastle (Hnt HM 111)147 : Lewde calates! sittith doun and spynne, And kakele of sumwhat elles!
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2244 : Off fals vsage he was so femynyne, That among women vppon the rokke he span.
- a1450 When adam delf (Cmb Dd.5.64)1 : When adam delf & eue span [vr. spane]..Whare was þan þe pride of man?
- c1450 All this day (Cai 383/603)p.306 : Rybbe ne rele ne spynne yc ne may For joyghe that it is holyday.
- c1475-c1500 Looke well (Skeat)31 : Women, of kinde, have condicions three..To spinne also hit is hir propertee.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.294 : It were lesse wycke to..spynnyn in þe Sonday þan to ledyn dauncis.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)33/337 : Nor for gill will I turne..Till I haue..spon a space on my rok.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)126/298 : I am sett for to spyn.
b
- a1350(?c1280) SLeg.Concep.Virg.(Ashm 43)191 : Heo sewede & span & waf boþe wollone & lynne.
- (1376) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103584 : In 2 lib. de Sponegarn empt. per plumbar. pro aqua ductu ligand., 3 s.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judg.16.9 : A man wolde brekyn þe þreed of a top of flax þat is spunnyn [vr. sponnen; WB(2): writhun; L tortum] wiþ spotle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)233b/b : Flex is..y-ribbed and y-hecchelid and y-sponne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)249b/b : Hvrden..is..nouȝt ful able to be solde and to spynne þerof þreed, naþeles þer of is þreed y-sponne.
- (a1399) Oath Bk.Colchester8 : Coton, sponny [?read: sponne], c, viij d.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7244 : He haþ ysponnen on þrede [LinI: aþrede] Þat is ycome of yuel rede.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)5.130 : My wyf was a wynstere & wollene cloþ made; And spak to þe spynstere to spynnen [vr. spyne] it softe [vr. spynne out; B: spynnen it oute].
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)7.11 : Wyues þat han wollene, werchiþ it faste, Spynneþ [vrr. spynnet, Spennytz, spenne] it spedily.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)70 : He shuld be taught for to spynne heere of hors for to take couples for þe houndes.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.36/26 : His wyfe..was wount..cume to the Cite to receyue her wagys for that she hadde sponne.
- (?c1440) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.12078 : That noon..meld garn, nother of thair awne spynnyng nor bought spon.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1226 : Tow on my distaf haue I for to spynne.
- c1450 Ryl.Prov.& R.(Ryl Lat 394)94 : Good day, my rokke ys sponne.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)79/26-7 : And she aspied he was going to the londes, spenyng his cordes, and came afore hym with a rocke under a gerdell spynning blak woll.
- (1471) Acc.Howard in RC 57551 : Alys Haweryng hat spowne and cardyd and twystyd tweyntey pownde of ȝerne.
- a1500 Jhesu that arte jentylle (Chet 8009)p.197 : I toose owlle and card het and spyn het on the wheylle.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(LdMisc 108)167 : Eadmund..werede strongue here..heo nas i-sponne ne i-weoue, ake i-broide strengus longue.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)999 : He has a kyrtill..That was sponen in Spayne with specyall byrdez.
- (c1450) Ffor feer or for favour (CotR 2.23)9 : Support not theym this wo by-gan..let theym suche clothis as þey span.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6567 : A better coote he dyd vpone, Thanne euer his dame hym spanne.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)270a/a : The venymous Spyþur..spynneþ longe þredes in schort tyme.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)317a/b : Certeyne smale wormes..spynneþ and weueþ and makeþ webbes and weftes.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)89.10 : Oure yheres til vs ere ai, Als spinnandweb [L aranea] thoght þai.
- ?a1500 Othea (Hrl 838)100/11 : Of her [Arachne] came..these yreygnes, þat weyve & spynne her webbes.
e
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.37 : Evere comeþ out uvel sponnen wolle [vr. sponne web], bote if me hit wiþinne forbrenne.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)91/150 : Wel to conne, and nauȝ no don, Nys naþer rawe ne y-sponne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.2381 : It schal nevere wel achieve That stant noght riht..Bot lich to wolle is evele sponne.
- (c1400) Gower PP (Eg 2862)299 : Men sein the wolle, whanne it is wel sponne, Doth that the cloth is strong and profitable.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2617 : No man can be war be oþyr Tyl he hathe al ful spunne.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)21/435 : Ill spon weft ay comes foule out.
- a1500 How GMan(1) (Cmb Ff.2.38)7 : Jarne that ys..evell spon, Evyll hyt cometh owt.
2.
Of the fates: to determine (someone's destiny); also, predestine the future.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6966 : I noon excepte..Satorn nor Mars..Nor ȝe þat spynne þe lives þrede fatal Vp-on þe rokke of euery maner man.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.734 : O fatal sustren, which, er any cloth Me shapen was, my destine me sponne [vr. spunne], So helpeth!
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.4871 : Present wern the Fatal Sustren thre With ther rokke, and gan to spynne faste.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)487 : Er I was borne, my destanye was sponne By Parcas sustren.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Aesop (Hrl 2251)887 : Ioyned with hym..Were..Cloto, Lachesis, that spynne the threde smal.
3.
(a) To move frenziedly; ~ in, plunge into (sth.); ~ oute, thrust out; also, refl. rush ahead; ~ to, rush at (sb.); (b) of blood: to gush; ~ oute, spurt out; ppl. spinninge as adj.: gushing; (c) of plants: to shoot up.
Associated quotations
a
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1397 : Wyth spete of spere to þe I spynne..Wyth my spud of sorwe swote I reche to þyne hert rote.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)837 : Þe folke..With arwes & arblastes & archers manye, With speres & spryngoldes sponnen out hard.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3033 : He spynnes [vr. spedes] him out a grete space fra he[s] peris all.
- c1450(a1400) Chev.Assigne (Clg A.2)331 : An edder spronge out of his shelde and in his body spynneth.
- c1500 King & H.(Ashm 61:Furness)56 : They reysed þe dere vp þat stondes So nere, þei span and sprent The hundes all as þei wer wode.
b
- 1372 Þe garlond þt (Adv 18.7.21)21 : Þe nail went in, þe blod span out, þe fles was wonded sore.
- ?a1425 *Roy.12.G.4 Med.Miscell.(Roy 12.G.4)190a/b : Ȝif þu se by fore is tye as hit were a blo spinant webbe red, þat is tokene þat þe reme of þe brayne is broken.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)69/37 : If þu see bi-fore his tay als it ware a spynnande webbe or rede..þe ryme of þe hernes es broken.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1022 : Beryn..smote þe Damesell vndir þe ere; þe weet gon vpward spyn.
c
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)35 : So semly a sede moȝt fayly not, Þat sprygande spycez vp ne sponne.
4.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1296) Nickname in LuSE 55168 : Will. Spinsmal.
- (1316) Close R.Edw.II335 : John Spynevyl.
- ?c1382 Survey Hatfield in Sur.Soc.3279 : Matildæ Spynsmall.