Middle English Dictionary Entry
acūte adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | acūte adj. |
| Etymology | L ppl. acūt-a. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a fever, a disease: having a sudden onset and short duration, acute (as opposed to chronic); (b) of a humor: sharp, irritating.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)44a/b : Þe nose wexith scharpe..in scharpe feueres & acute.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)91b/a : There beþ nouȝt alway certayne tokenes of yueles þat beþ acute.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)46b/b : Euery Idropisy in a febre acute [*Ch.(2): in an agewe i. scharpe feuer] is yuel.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)49b/a : Þai falle to hem þat lyueþ melancoliously..and after sikenez acutez [*Ch.(2): scharpe sekenesse], when þe materie is expulsed þider.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)136b/b : Stynch of breþe & perceyuyng of it in likenez of odour of fisshez in febrez acutes is an yuel signe.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 277)21/12 : In þe fourtened day, which is endyng of acutez sekenez and begynnyng of cronicez.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)83b/b : Causez of þise vlcerez beþ shrewed humours colric acute i. sharp, mordicatyue.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1475 *AgilonUrin in Norri Dict.Med.(Sln 121)48r (1:641) : Lechys oftentymes faylen þat ben vnkunynge or neccligent, yevynge .. an acute medicyn to a cronyk yuyll or ayenwarde, .. a continue medecyn to an interpollar yuylle.
Note: Modify gloss: also, of medicine: treating an acute (as opposed to a chronic) illness.