Middle English Dictionary Entry
spottī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | spottī adj. Also spotẹ̄. |
| Etymology | From spot n.(1); the form spotẹ̄ may = spote and be an error for *spoted, p.ppl. of spotten v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Having spots, speckled, mottled in color, dappled; also fig.; (b) of skin, nails, etc.: blotchy; of a mirror: dirty, smudged; of an infection: characterized by blotchiness or eruptions on the skin; of a leaf: spotted with disease; also, of an animal: blemished so as to be ritually unacceptable for sacrifice.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1070 : The mone may þerof acroche no myȝte; To spotty ho is, of body to grym.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.30.35 : He seuerde..the she geyt and the sheep..dyuerse and spotti.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)8.73-4 : Yf hit [ram's tongue] be spotty, that a man may wite Yf he bigete hym spotty lombis yonge.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)117a : Somtyme a watery cloude makeþ him [sun] pale, somtyme a reyn makeþ him spotty.
- a1450 Ch.Feasts (Roy 18.A.10)105 : Moyses..spak Of þe lambe þat sprang of mayden clene, A white lambe, with senn blak Spotty myȝt he neuere bene.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)18/35 : Blak Saturne and þe spotty moone figure & bitokene þe condicioun of helle.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)548 : My lytylle spote [Thrn: spotted] hoglyn, Dere boght thy dethe schalle bee.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)192/14 : Þou ne sselt naȝt maky none sacrefice to god of oxe ne of ssep þet by spotty.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)113a/b : Morphea & alberas..scabiez, serpigo, impetigo, & lich þyngez beþ maculose, spotty infeccions of þe skyn.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)142b/a : Foule & spotty naylez..rectifieþ Rasis with eruca & acete.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)204/13 : Þat loue is as a maner of a tre bryngynge..forþ but fruyt of deeþ, stynkynge flouris, spotty leues.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)390/13 : The morphewe..is a spotty defoulynge of þe playne skynne.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)497/34 : Brusynge happeth ofte tymes to þe nayles..and sometyme foule and spotty colourynge.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)133 : Who-so be envenemed with hemlok, his skyn is spotty.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.28.71a : A clene myrroure will more pleynly represent the formes..of thinges set befor it than wil a nothir þat is foule and spotty.