Middle English Dictionary Entry
splaien v.
Entry Info
| Forms | splaien v. Also splai(e, (in surname) spal-; ppl. splaiing(e, splaing; p. splaied, splaid(e; ppl. splaied, splaide & (errors) splayned, spaid. |
| Etymology | Shortened form of displaien v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To unfurl (a banner, flag), display; ~ oute; (b) ppl. splaied, displayed on a banner.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.8035 : An hundrid schipes..Gan proudly saille..And þe baners, brode, briȝt, and large, Were splaied out vp-on euery side.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.1370 : Suerd nor sceptre..Ther was non seyn, nor baners splaied wide.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)9918 : Horn ne trompe dide non blowe..Til alle were splayed ilka banere.
- c1475(c1420) Page SRouen (Eg 1995)p.2 : Þe Duke of Exceter..splayyd [vr. splayde] hys baners on a bent And herrowdys unto þe cytte were sent.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Chr.Pass.(LdMisc 683)50 : Al this was doon, O man, for love of the! A standard splayed, thy lord slayn in that fight.
- a1500(?c1400) Song Roland (Lnsd 388)452 : They splayd baners.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)451/30 : The baners of blys bene splaied & preparate.
- a1500 Thos.Ercel.(Hat 56)121 : They shull..baners splay [Thrn: rayse] On Gladmore.
b
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.MRose (Hrl 2255)116 : It was the Roose of the bloody feeld, Roose of Iericho, that greuh in Beedlem; The five Roosys portrayed in the sheeld, Splayned [vrr. splayde, Spaid] in the baneer at Ierusalem.
2.
To spread out (their leaves); ~ flight, fig. of fame: fly about, fly abroad; ppl. splaied, of a collar: spread out; splaied abrode, of a peacock's feathers: spread wide; (b) of a rose: to spread out (its) petals; of wings, banners: flap; ~ oute, stretch out; (c) her. ppl. splaied, of a bird: having its wings and legs extended, spread-eagled; (d) cook. to split (a fish) lengthwise and lay open; (e) hunt. ?to stretch (a deer) out for butchering; ?error for spaien v.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3106 : Floures eke ageyn þe morwe-tyde Vp-on her stalke gan splaie her levis wyde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2587 : Þe pecok..I-sacrid is, with his feþeris schene Splayed a-brod as a large sail.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.625 : The cok confesseth emynet Cupide When he is gemmy tayl bygynnyth splay About hymself.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)33 : The floures..gunne for to sprede, And for to splay out her leves on brede Ageyn the sunne.
- (1452-4) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)339 : Item, paye to j gardener..to kytte and splaye the vynes, Summa xxj d.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)228/105 : A beggerys dowtere..To cownterfete a jentyl woman..Here colere splayed and furryd with Ermyn calabere or satan.
- a1500(a1449) Lydg.Haste (Cmb Kk.1.6)134 : Swyft of wynge sclaunder doth his message, And frowarde ffame splayeth his fflyȝt ful wyde.
b
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Miseric.(Hrl 2255)30 : Ther is no tryumphe in knyhtood..Marcial sheltrouns, nor baners brood splayeng.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)697 : Ther kam a dowe whyt as snowh, With hys wynges splayng oute.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)18521 : Ther sate a krowe, His whynges splayynge to and ffro.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)75 : White in his Baptem, the lillies did sprede; The Rosis splayed whan he did shede His purpurat blood.
c
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.5 (Hrl 2169)180 : [Gold a bend gules with three] merlettys of sylvyr splayed.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.9 (Hrl 2169)167 : A schoychon of gold [with] an egyll splayed of sabyll.
d
- c1475 Eg.Terms Carver in Hodgkin Proper Terms (Eg 1995)56 : Lampray ys Cordyde, Pyke splayde..Haddocke ys Sydyde, Breme ys Splayde.
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)leaf f vij/b : Of fysshes..a Pyke splatted..a Breme splayed.
e
- a1425 *York MGame [OD col.] (Bod 546)prol. : And after, whenne þe hert is splayed [Vsp: spaied] & ded, he vndoeth hym.
3.
Of the sun: to appear.
Associated quotations
- ?c1450 Iff a man (Stockh 10.90)312/186 : Erly on morw, or sonne splay, Gadere celydony.
4.
Ppl. splaied, of a horse: having a dislocated shoulder, shoulder-shot.
Associated quotations
- (1463) Paston (EETS)1.288 : I sent your grey hors..to þe ferrore..he seythe he was splayyd and hys shulder rent from þe body.
5.
?In surname.
Associated quotations
- (1293) Close R.Edw.I339 : Hugh Spalfot.