Middle English Dictionary Entry
sterne n.(1)
Entry Info
Forms | sterne n.(1) Also stern, (chiefly N) starn(e & (early NEM) steorne; pl. sternes, etc. & (16th cent.) stearnes. |
Etymology | ON: cp. OI stjarna, (infl.) stjoörnu. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. sterre n.
1.
(a) An apparently luminous celestial body; a star, planet, comet; also fig.; also, a star or planet as used in divination or prophecy; (b) the star of Bethlehem heralding the birth of Jesus; (c) in similes and stock comparisons; also, in epithets for the Virgin Mary: ~ of the se, ~ of sternes; (d) a star-shaped ornament or piece of jewelry; also, a star-shaped idol representing the Assyrian star god [1st quot.]; (e) a patch of white hair on the forehead of an animal; (f) in cpds. & combs.: ~ chaumbre, = sterre chaumbre, s.v. sterre n. 2.(e); ~ leme, a ray of starlight; also, fig. Christ; ~ slime, a nostoc believed to have been produced by meteorites; blasinge ~, a comet; dai ~, the morning star; also, the time at which the morning star becomes visible, dawn; also, fig. one who arouses hope or joy; -- used as an epithet for the Christ child; even ~, Venus; lode ~, a guiding star, esp. Polaris; also fig.; se ~, a lodestar; also fig.; seven sternes, the seven solar bodies recognized as planets in Ptolemaic astronomy: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, the sun, and the moon.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2136 : Þe steoressmann Aȝȝ lokeþþ till an steorrne Þatt stannt aȝȝ still upp o þe lifft & swiþe brihhte shineþþ.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7087 : Ta Kalldisskenn kingess..haffdenn dep innsihht..& unnderrstodenn maniȝwhatt Þurrh snoterr gyn bi sterrness.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1809 : Was non of hem þat his hernes Ne lay þer-ute ageyn þe sternes.
- (a1382) WBible(1) Pref.Jer.(Bod 959)1.36 : Appolony..come to bragmans, þat hyarch syttand in þe golden trone..techyng..of starnes he myȝte heren.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)375 : He wroght..þe firmament..wit sterns gret and smale.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)115 : In þe founce þer stonden stonez stepe, As..stremande sternez, quen stroþe-men slepe.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)8/67 : Sum lay stareand on þe sternes And sum lay knoked out þaire hernes.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)260/3230-31 : Nest byȝond þis ȝodiac is þe firmament, with all hys sternys turnynge evermare about erth fra þe est to þe west, karyinge with hyt all þe sternys & þe planetys.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)42/26 : Charite, qwene of vertew, þe fayrest sterne, is bewte of þe saule.
- c1440(?a1400) ?Nassyngton Trin.& U.(Thrn)55 : The sternes þou made on þe sky standande & the planettes in þeire course passande.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)9031 : Als he was ded, þen ros a sterne..'Comete' ys cald in astronomye.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)95 : We callen þe magis þoo þat calculun bi þe sternis þingis to cum.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)74.5 : Sum says 'the sterne of my birth gert me syn,' and this is wickidnes.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)42/8 : Alexander..askyd of him..þat he sholde shewe to him þe..power of sternes in astronomy.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1498 : Cassandra..hade knowyng by course of þe clere sternys.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)14/12-14 : Twynned shalbe through my might the light from thestearnes. Light 'day' I wilbe called aye, and thestearnes 'night,' as I saye.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6601 : Ta kingess..sæȝhenn efft forrþrihht anan Þe steorrness brihhte leome.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.94 : Kinges thre..said..'We saw a stern in our contre.'
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11489 : Þan stode þe stern þar iesus and his moder wern.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)36/9 : Þise three kynges..ware at Bethleem þe ferthe day after þat þai had sene þe sterne.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)369/9 : Vnto þe kynges þat war prayand on a hyll, a fayr starn appey[r]ed.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)143/98 : I shall not fayll..To wyt what this starne may mene That has me led..ffro my cuntre.
- a1500 As holy kyrke makys (Adv 19.3.1)25 : To seche þat chylde þei toke þo wey..A sterne forth ladde þeis kyngis all.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.32.13 : I schall multiplye ȝour seede as þe sternes of heuen.
- c1429 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)5025 : Joye to the, modere of Crist, sterne of the see lumynouse.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)21/15 : Þou myghte..alsonne nommer þe sternes of heuen as þe folke of þe empire of Perse.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.Ballade ROL (Sln 1212)22,23 : O sterne of sternys..Sterne of the see, on to shipmen lyght and gyde..On me haue mercy for thi Ioyes fyve.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)118.1 : Other psalmys as sternys gifes light, bot this psalme as sun..shynys.
- a1500 Heil be þou marie þe (Adv 19.3.1)p.146 : Heyle blestefull starne of tho see.
d
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 7.43 : Ȝhe toke þo dwellynge-stede of Meloch ande þo sterne of ȝoure god Rempha, þat wore figures þat ȝhe made forto worschippe.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)392 : In stele was he stuffede..Alle of sternys of golde þat stekillede was one straye.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3224 : Ȝit ware þe wawes of þe wanes wroȝt..Polischid all of pure gold..And þat was streken full of sternys & of sere gemmys.
- (c1454) Will York in Sur.Soc.30176 : I witt to Bossall kirke a vestement of rede cloth of gold..and rede cape with starnes of gold.
- (1471) Will York in Sur.Soc.45194 : j purse with j sterne.
e
- c1400 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Hrl 490)p.72 : Vache or veel l'oreille Chival veron al front paille [glossed:] sternys [vr. sterrid].
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)405 : Þe calf is rede, I vndertake, With a white sterne in þe fronte.
f
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2132,2134 : Hire name tacneþþ uss Sæsteorrne onn Ennglissh spæche, & ȝho beoþ..Sæsteorrne inn haliȝ bisne.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3442 : Son se þeȝȝ þatt steorrneleom Þær sæȝhenn upp o liffte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6536 : Þatt steorrneleom Rihht ledde þa þreo kingess Towarrd tatt illke burrȝhess tun Þatt Crist wass borenn inne.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7276 : Crist sellf iss þatt sterrnelem Þatt all mannkinn birrþ follȝhenn.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)109.4 : Ofe wambe..Bifore daistern gate i þe.
- (1422) Close R.Hen.VI46 : [In a chamber called the] Sternechamere [within the palace of Westminster].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)751 : Schipe-men scharply schoten þaire portez, Launchez lede apon lufe, lacchen þer depez, Lukkes to þe lade-sterne, when þe lyghte faillez.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1682 : Coryneus he dighte hem ȝerne & went out at þe day sterne & busched þem on a rowe.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)124/24 : All kynges to youre croune may clerly comende Youre lawe and youre lordshippe as lodsterne on hight.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)32b : A Day sterne: lucifer, fosphoros.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)42b : The Euenstern: vesperus..et idem planeta dicitur venus.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)120b : Sterne slyme: assub.
- a1500(1456) Whan lordschype (Dub 516)17 : The blasynge starne with his late constellacion ys pleynly determyned weyis latayle [read: batayle].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)35/423 : I se on the firmament, Me thynk, the seven starnes.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)139/727 : Hayll, lytyll tyne mop!..Lytyll day starne!
2.
Anat. ~ of the eie, eie ~, the cornea; sternes of the eie, the pupils of the eyes.
Associated quotations
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)307/19-20 : Of brekynge of þe eyȝe sterne [L De ruptura cornee] and of goyng out of þe humour..if the sterne of þe eyȝe be broken..it is an open token.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)406/26 : He shall firste be examyned if he be dede or alyue in touchinge his pulse..and in byholdynge þe sternes [L pupillas] of þe eyȝen if þai be movede.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)451/13 : Vngula..is a manere of growynge owte of þe pannycles comynge forth fro þe lacrimale vpon þe coniunctyf and sometyme vnto þe sterne of þe eyȝe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.vv. eye stern and stern of the eye. See also his article "'Star of the Eye' in English Historical Dictionaries," Notes and Queries (June 2019), 222-224 [advance copy received from J. Norri], on the basis of which, sense 2. has been moved from sterne n.(1) to sterne n.(2). Cp. the similar use of sterre n.: "In lyke wyse a chylde of .viii. yeres of age was hurte with a shafte in ye sterre of his eye / that therin was sene a grete webbe / thrughe yt whiche stroke he was blynde" -- Hieronymus Brunschwig, The noble experyence of the vertuous handy warke of surgeri (London : Petrus Treueris, 1525; STC 13434, ESTC S119422), cap. 38 [EEBO vid 20057, image 33], which corresponds to "sterreken van zijn oge" in a Middle Dutch version (Hieronymus Braunschweig, Das Hantwerck der Cyrurgien (Utrecht, 1535), sig. H1vb. as quoted by Norri, p. 224) and to "stern des ougenn [oghen]" in German. The usage would appear to be rooted in the brightness of eye and star, and to derive from Dutch or German.