Middle English Dictionary Entry
bẹ̄te n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | bẹ̄te n.(1) |
| Etymology | OE, from L bēta. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A beet; the red beet Beta vulgaris or white beet (Beta cicla); ?also, the wild beet (Beta maritima); ~ stok, beet root; blak ~, the red beet; (b) beet leaves used as medicine or food.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)112.86/1 : Nim þisse wyrte seaw, þat man persinacam & engle bete nemneð.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)217a/b : Beta is a comune herbe of Gardyns..and þer of is double kynde, blak and white..me may graffe on a beete stok [L radicem] as me doþ on a caule stok.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)44b : Smere-wort beryth his sede like bete.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)128a/b : Couere it..with þe leves of betes [L folijs blete].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)34 : Betys, herbe: Beta vel bleta.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)7.75 : Bete & radich exerciseth their haunt.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)19/107 : Erbys and gresse, both beetys and brake.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)83/7 : Take þe Iuys of the blake bete and smere þi forhede.
b
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)29/7 : Nim betan ane handfulle.
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.13 : Take Borage, cool, langdebef, persel, betes, orage.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)75/9 : He may eten amidoun, betis, letuse, & breed.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)55 : Make hym a Clistre..of Malowes and beetes.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)49a/b : Decoccioun of betes [L sicle].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)119b/b : Bathes be made of the water of the sethynge of alume, of salte of betes [L salis blete], of broome.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)69 : Take Betus and Borage..parboile, presse out the water, hew hem small.
- a1500 Travel Instruc.(CotApp 8)281 : Put in watere, where betes, malowes..have ben sodene ynne.