Middle English Dictionary Entry
splē̆t(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | splē̆t(e n.(1) |
| Etymology | Prob. MDu. splēte or splette; forms in (a) and (b) may be errors for ME splent(e n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One of the metal plates making up or reinforcing armor; (b) a surgical splint; (c) in cpds.: ~ bon, the shoulder bone, scapula [cp. spel(e n. (c) & spil(e n.(1) (b)]; ~ hat, ?a hat made of plaited strips of wood or willows [cp. speld(e n. (c)]; ~ nail, coll. small nails of some kind.
Associated quotations
a
- 1457 Libeaus (Naples 13.B.29)290/1445 : Splete, plate [Lamb: Lybeous was werreour wight And smote a stroke of myght Thorowe jepowne, plate, and mayle].
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)320/1 : Vpon þis ligature þou schalt leie faldellam..& hervpon þou schalt leie þi spletis & wiþ a corde..þei schulen be bounden þervpon.
c
- (1325-6) Sacrist R.Ely 260 : In ij m de splettenail, ij s., vj d.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)357/27 : Of woundis of þe splet boonys, of þe armes, & of þe hondis.
- (1467) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.617 : Item, pro uno maunde cum xv dussenis splet' hatts, val. viii s. iiii d.