Middle English Dictionary Entry
sprōte n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | sprōte n.(1) Also sprotte & (in names) sprot, sprothe-. |
| Etymology | OE sprota; also cp. OE sprot. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. sproute n.
1.
(a) A shoot of a plant, sprout; also, a twig; -- also coll.; (b) pl. splinters, slivers; (c) pl.?waste twigs; ?coll. an area where waste twigs are found; (d) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem.2.140].
Associated quotations
a
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1142 : I ne haue hws, y ne haue cote, Ne i ne haue stikke, y ne haue sprote.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)17/290 : I wold that it were in thi throte, ffyr, & shefe, and ich a sprote.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.103 : Smaragdus..passeþ in grennes erbes and grase & twygges or sprotte.
b
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)156/27 : The tronchouns flen in sprotes & peces.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)553 : Spakly her speres on sprotes þey ȝeden.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)790 : Al to-spryngis in sprotis..speris of syris.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1195 : Speires vnto sprottes sprongen ouer hedes.
c
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)54b/b : Quisquilie: sprottes, of halle [read: offalle; Hrl 1738: offal or refus and shyppys; Cnt: sprottys or refuse or stubbys medlyd with stykkes and drye levys or small chaff].
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)557/32 : And j half acre lieth atte sprotte, beside Adam Barat in the same feld.
d
- (c1130) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames329 : Sprot.
- (1135-40) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)52 : Sprotley.
- (1176) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames329 : Sprot de Spaldintona..Willelmus filius Sprot.
- (1196) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)52 : Sprottelea.
- (1270) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)52 : Sprothele.
- (1333) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)498 : Sprotford.
- (1409) EPNSoc.30 (West Riding Yks.)64 : Sproteburgh.