Middle English Dictionary Entry
acūte n.
Entry Info
| Forms | acūte n. |
| Etymology | From adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A fever of short but severe course; (b) of blood: sharpness, corrosiveness; (c) mus. a high-pitched note [see Du Cange, superacutae].
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)69a/a : In fracture of þe heued, þe perilez & þe yuel accidentz ar abiden..to 4 [*Ch.(2): fourty] daiez, for sich is þe laste terme of acutez [*Ch.(2): agewes], And..to 15, which is comon terme of acutez [*Ch.(2): agewes].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)143a/a : Stynkynge of brethe and þe takynge þerof in þe likkenesse of smellynges of fisshes is an evel token in acutes i. in scharpe feueres.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)65/1 : Þer ben manie enchesouns of cause antecedentis, as..to myche acute [L acuitas] of blood.
c
- a1450 Treat.Music (Lnsd 763)264/14 : Aftir þat þe plain-song hauntiþ his course eyþir in acutis fro Gsolreut a-boue to Gsolreut be-neþe, to close dunward in sight euyn vpon þe plain-song vpon one of þese keyes, Dlasolre, Csolfaut, Alamire, or Gsolreut benethe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: See also MED ague n.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. acute.