Middle English Dictionary Entry
stench n.
Entry Info
| Forms | stench n. Also stenche, stinch(e, (WM, early SWM & SW) stunch(e & (early) stenc(e, stænc, stunc, (infl.) stæncen & (errors) stech, stenh. |
| Etymology | OE stenc, stync. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. stink n.
1.
(a) An odor, a smell; (b) the faculty of smelling; (c) ?exhalation; ?vapor or fume.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)132/10 : Þær becom þa on þære hwile mycel swetnysse stænc, swylc hit eall gestreawod wære on þære stowe mid wynsume blostmen & wyrtgemangum.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7860 : Himm birrþ lokenn himm þatt he Ne ȝeorne nohht to dowwnenn..naness kinness þing, Þatt hafeþþ swete stinnchess.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)92/29 : Ða anȝite beoð þus ihaten: Visus, þet is sihð; Auditus..Odoratus, þet is stenc on þære neosæ.
c
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Hat 115)24 : Steam: stunc.
2a.
(a) Offensive or stinking odor; also fig.; a particular or distinctive stench; also, putrefaction, rottenness, filth; (b) the offensive odor of a person's body, bodily part, an ulcer, animal, a substance, etc.; the sharp or strong odor of a plant; also, the stench of decaying human or animal corpses; also, a particular or distinctive stench of a wound, decaying corpse, etc.; (c) fig. ?a disagreeable or undesirable situation; (d) strong- or foul-smelling smoke or vapor.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)112/21 : Stench stiheð uppart, & ȝe beoð hehe iclumben þer þe wind is muchel of stronge temptatiuns.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of godde (Hrl 913)42 : Whate prude saltou se þar Bot stench and wormis icrop in dritte?
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)137/15 : Huet am ich bote esssse and..hor and stench, wermes?
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)312b/a : De ffetore..Stynche is vapor resolued and comeþ of corrupt þing.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)313a/a : Þough no good odour be contrary to þe oþer, ȝit som stynche is contrary to oþer stynche..þe stynche of oon is nouȝt feled whanne oon stynche swoloweþ anoþer.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)124/8 : Þou maist not conceyue of any þing..By þin nose, not bot eiþer stynche or sauour.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)14b/b : Clades: slauþe, maledy, stenche, skabbe, wrecchedenes [Cnt: slaught, malady, stynk].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)104a/a (2nd occurrence) : Experte surgenes..kunne distingue wele þe stinche of a canker fro alle oþere stinches.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)606/18 : Putor: stenche.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)105b/a : Vlcus putridum is þilke old wounde in which is riȝt greet stynkynge and putrifaccioun wiþ a straunge hete so horrible infect þat it is vnable to be writen or discryued by lettre fro oþere stynchis, putrefacciouns, and hetis.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)208/27 : By the noosthurles we haue knowlech of odeurs and stynches.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2007 : Stynche is a vapour, a resolued fumosite Of thingis which of eville complexion be.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)107/12 : Hi [snakes] þane stence ȝest[inc]að.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)201/3 : Heo þana fulne stenc þara oxna & ealle þas lichama afyrȝed.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)86/6 : Þone heo [soul] ut gæð, he [body] went al to stence.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)167 : Te lichame [of Job] warð bretful of wunden and at eche wunde wul ut atter..ne mihte no man for stenche cumen him enden.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2386 : He stonk so foule..Þat onneþe ani man miȝte for stunche neiȝ him beo.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)248/36 : He him onworþeþ þet serueþ to..his wombe huerof ne may guo out bote uelþe and stench.
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)105/700 : He ne myȝt nouȝt hymself suffre his owne stynch.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)30.288/10 : In wildernesse an hermyte fand A ded monnes bodi stinkand..ffor stunch þe hermite his neose held.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)85b/b : Polipus is superfluite of fleische growinge of noseþrilles..wiþ þis passioun..comeþ horrible stenche.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)313a/a : Stynche of wolle brent or of filþe ybrend þerof..is holsomliche do to þe noseþerles.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)83/8 : A stynkynge wounde is heelid in remeuynge awey þe stinche & þe rotenes.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)128/21 : Þe gospel telliþ not þat Crist stoppede his nose as nyse foles don more for þe stenche of an hound.
- a1425(a1400) Titus & V.(Pep 2014)2881 : A eleuen þousand þere lost her lyff..for þe stynche þat of hem come, Manyone his deþ þere þei nome.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)74b/a : Anoþer veine..is leten blode for stinche of þe mouþe.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)148a/b : Þou maye palen hem and remewe aweye þe stinche wiþ wesschinges and emplaisters.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)157/7 : Þou heldest þi noyse for þe stynche of ȝendur fowle careyn.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.119 : A disease..toke hym anoon..From whom a grete stynche and as intollerable come.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)78a/b : He schal casten a þicke blody quytture, with þe whiche þou schalt fynde þe moost abhomynable stenche.
- c1475 Abbrev.Trip.SSecr.(UC 85)338/15 : Rubbe thy teeth with som barke..to take awey the stenche of the mouthe.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)2054 : Encense was offride als I-wys stenche of stabul forto qvace.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2036 : Stynch of garleke voidiþ stynch of dong hillis.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)6095 : The þridde is callid þe Stinking See; Þere-ynne may no lyuynge man be, For þe stinche þat it come fro.
c
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)356/44 : Yif they ben sufferyd thus, this will bredyn a stench.
d
- a1450 Diseases Women(2) (Sln 2463)102 : Do picche on a softe lynnen clothe & leye it to þe prevy membre, & þe stynche of þat pitche shal make hyr to drawen hir inward to hir owne place.
- a1450 Diseases Women(2) (Sln 2463)102 : Subfumigacion..this pouder is made of stynking spyces and stiptyk..but bewarre þat none of þat stynche come to þe womannes nose.
2b.
(a) The stench or fume of hell, of the burning sulphur in hell, or of purgatory; the stinking odor of a demon, its mouth, etc.; also, a stinking place in hell [quot. c1465]; ~ of helle, helle ~; lond of ~, hell; (b) fig. the stench of sin or of a particular sin.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)118/4 : Seo swearte nywelnysse þe þu gesege mid þan ormæten þeostren & fulen stæncen, se is helle muð.
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Elucid.(Vsp D.14)143/31 : Heo sculen drigen brynstanes stænc on helle.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.DD (Lamb 487)43 : He him sceawede þe sea of helle and innan þan sea weren vii bittere uþe..þe seofeþe ful stunch.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)26/4 : Ich habbe isehen hu þe feond..tofeol efne atwa & felde hu his fule stench strac & sturede aweiwart.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)55/16 : Vre lauerd..þreateð ham wið helle stench [Nero: stunch; Cleo: stenh].
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)112/11 : He [the devil] schal..pinin ham wið eche stench [Tit: stech] iþe put of helle.
- a1250 Cristes milde moder (Nero A.14)44 : Þer ne schulen heo neuer..weoþen..ne helle stenches stinken.
- c1275 Þene latemeste dai (Clg A.9)48 : For þine fule sunnen..Hi schal, wrecche sawle, to ateliche stenche.
- a1300 Sayings St.Bede (Jes-O 29)155 : Deop in helle stunche [rime: þinche] His saule he may bringe.
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)300 : Stunch and hete þat þarof cam him þouȝte al-mest [him] a-slouȝ.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)264/34 : Helle is..Vol of stenche.
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)95/546 : Þey bar þis pot into þe lond of Sennar, þat is to seye, into þe lond of stench, þat is helle.
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)95/546 : Þer schal be stench in stede of soote smellynge.
- c1390 Disp.GM & Devil (Vrn)971 : Foul he stonk as stunch of helle.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)70/13 : Fals prelatis & þese false clerkis..schulen haue..þe stynche of helle for her leccherie.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)117/181 : Anon he vnselid þe pit þore; With a stynche gurd out a rore.
- a1450(?1409) Vision Staunton (Roy 17.B.43)65 : Y saw..fendes..shityng owt of here erses stench and fen.
- a1450(?1409) Vision Staunton (Roy 17.B.43)67 : Þyulk sowles lay..on the grownd..And all the stenche and þe smyche of al the fires to foresaid, rysyng vp in here mouthes.
- c1465 Chaucer CT.Pars.(Bod 414)I.841 : A stenche [Elsm: A-uowtiers shullen ben in helle in a stank brennynge of fyr and of brymston].
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)10059 : Þe fourþe is stinche in þat hole Þat no wight it may thole.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1203 : Gat iss..Gal deor & stinnkeþþ fule, & forrþi tacneþþ..Galnessess hate stinnchess.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1208 : Þatt sinness fule stinnch Shall shædenn hemm fra Criste.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)46/7 : Þulliche men..bringeð euch stude o stench þet ha to nahið.
- a1250 Mon may longe (Mdst A.13)19 : Man, let sinne and lustes stench.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8354 : Mid wimmen of painime hii dude hor foule kunde, War of þe stench com in to heuene an hey.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)39.2 : He..lad me out of þe stenche of uices.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)139/2 : Schame is to ligge longe & namelich in stynche.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)402/36 : Þis fruyt..casteþ out stench of inobedyence.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)147/17 : Þanne schal þo glotouns, for here stench of drunkeschipp, be speryd out for euere.
3.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1172) in Pipe R.Soc.1859 : Ricardus Stinc.
- (1213) Fine R.King John481 : Rustenc.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 165 : Tho. le Stinch.
- (1324) Court R.Lan.in LCRS 41117 : Thomas Stencemen.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Ashm.750 Artist.Recipes (Ashm 750) 257/31 : Qhwan it ryse no more [put in] .ij. or .iij. red onyonys al hol for þey wyl distreye þe steynche.
Note: New spelling (steinche). Prob. sense 2a.(a).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. stench.