Middle English Dictionary Entry
sprai n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | sprai n.(1) Also spraie & (in place names) sprei-, spre-, spri, esprai; pl. spraies, spraius, spraise. |
| Etymology | OE *spræg, LOE (in place names) Sprei, Sprē-. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A branch, shoot, or twig of a tree, shrub, or vine; a switch; also fig.; also, a branch as a symbol of victory, strength, or prowess [quots. c1440 & c1450, 2nd]; ivi ~; (b) leafy branches and twigs collectively, foliage [quots. c1380 & a1500 may belong to (a)]; brushwood, underbrush; new plant growth; also, a place characterized by growing plants [1st quot.]; grene wode ~; (c) a branch of a vein or an artery; an internal bodily duct; (d) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem.2.139].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.219 : Noon yuy sprayse [L Brachia], no noyse of do[ues], none layes. Ȝereliche [vr. ȝe liche] [of chere] I-fere wiþ oute eny gile.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)214a/b : Þe beste [amomum] is..ful of seed y-spradde vpon rede sprayes [L virgas].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)217b/b : Cipressus..haþ most swete smel..and smoke of sprayes [L ramis] þerof destroyeþ stenche of dede cariens.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)239b/b : Palmes..is..a spray of a vyne..And þe spray bereþ þe fruyte.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)249b/b : Þis tree..hath many harde twigges and sprayes [L virgulas] wiþ knottes, and þer with often children ben y-chastised.
- a1425 Siege Troy(1) (LinI 150)146/1853 : Hit by-feol in þe bygynnyng of may, When foulis syngen on vche a spray.
- c1440 Thos.Ercel.(Thrn)354 : The Bretons blode sall vndir fete; Þe Bruyse blode sall wyne þe spraye.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)29 : The sprai cometh out of the braunche, the braunche out of the bouȝ, [etc.].
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)2130 : Ne lef on tre ne spryng on spray May ben lich þi swete face.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)123 : As raþe as þe sonne ros..Þe tres spradden hure spraies.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)729 : Þe hauter of he[r]cules alle ȝe hihten, And hit spreden wiþ spraius of springinge braunchus.
- c1475 Why Nun (Vsp D.9)69 : I sportyd me..for to see..birde syngyng on euery spray.
- a1500(1413) ?Hoccl.Poems PS (Eg 615)p.xlvi/8 : A blisful flour owt of this spray schal springe.
b
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)275 : Ho-so wonede a moneþ in þat spray, Nolde him neure longen away.
- c1305 Als i me rod (LinI 135)1 : No[u] spri[nke]s the sprai, al for loue icche am so seeke that slepen i ne mai.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11522 : Gret fur he made þer aniȝt of wode & of sprai.
- a1350 Bytuene mersh (Hrl 2253)2 : Bytuene Mersh ant Aueril..spray biginneþ to springe.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4867 : On þe moneþ of May..þe foules syngeþ on þe spray.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1960 : The wodedowue vp on the spray..sang ful loude and clere.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)274b/b : Bombax is a worme þat bredith in twigges and spray [L frondibus] of Cipres.
- c1440 Thos.Ercel.(Thrn)86 : He knelyde downe appone his knee, Vndir-nethe þat grenwode spraye.
- a1450 I syng of a myden (Sln 2593)8 : He cam also stylle þer his moder lay, as dew in aprille þat fallyt on þe spray.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)675 : In averel, the thyrdde thay [read: day]..foules synge on the spray.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)27a/a : Out of a denne of þe lift side of þe herte comeþ a veyne..& is departid in tweye braunches; þe on þerof goþ douward [read: dounward] and sprediþ in many bowes and sprayes..Þe oþir..goþ vpward and is departid in þre braunchis. Þe riȝt bow..goþ to þe riȝt arme & þe lift bowe to þe lift arme and sprediþ in diuers sprayes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)57a/b : Þe caas of þe Galle is a certeyn skyn I-set vppon þe bowhes of þe lyuour, and haþ tweye sprayes: by þe on þerof red colera is I-bore to þe guttis..by þe oþir spraye is colera Ibrouȝt to þe stomake.
d
- (1179) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)208 : Spray.
- (1180-81) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames329 : William de Spray.
- (1205) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames329 : Geoffrey Espray.
- (1238) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)446 : Spreiton.
- (1242) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)54 : Sprecumb'.
- (1242) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)208 : Spree.
- (1303) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)54 : Spreycomb.
- (1319) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames329 : John Spray.
- (1330) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)31 : Sprecote.
- (1350) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)209 : Le Spray grene.
- (1385) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)54 : Sprycombe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. spray.