Middle English Dictionary Entry
stuble n.
Entry Info
| Forms | stuble n. Also stubble, stub(b)el, stub(b)il, stubbille, stub(b)ul, stob(b)le, stobel, stobil, stob(b)ul, stouble, stouple, stopil, stopple & (error) scouple. |
| Etymology | OF estoble, estouble, AF e)stuble, stuple, vars. of OF esteule; also cp. L stup(u)la, ML stubula, AL stubla, vars. of L stipula. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A stalk of grain; the yet stondinge in the ~, unharvested grain, grain still standing; (b) coll. the ends of grain stalks left in the ground after reaping, stubble; harvested stubble or flax stems; also fig.; -- also pl.; ~ gos, a goose fed on stubble, fatted goose; ~ ground, ground covered with stubble; (c) a pictorial representation of a stump or a short piece left on a tree after a branch has broken off; -- ?error for stub(be n.; (d) in surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4578 : Þoru hauberc & þoru is coler, þat nere noþing souple, He smot of is heued as liȝtliche as it were a scouple [B: stouple].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judg.15.5 : Þe fruytis now broȝt to gidere & þe ȝit standynge in þe stobil ben brent.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.41.23 : Seuene eeris of corn..camen forth in o stalke, and othere seuene..camen forth of the stobil [WB(1): stalk; L stipula].
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)62b/a : Stipula: a Stobbul [Hrl 1738: stopyl].
- a1500(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Stw 952(1))16322 : I kan neuere..haue hertly Recours vnto the..as a drye stobyl..ffalle to the Erth and neuere ys reysed vp ageyn.
b
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)82.12 : Ha þou, my God, sett hem..as stuble to-fore þe face of þy wynde.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.5.7 : Namore ȝe schall ȝeue chaff to þe puple, þat sclattis ben made as before; bot go þei hem seluen & geþere stobel [L stipulas].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.15.7 : Thou has sent þin wreþ þat deuouride hem as stoble.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.2.6 : She..made þe men to styȝe opp into þe soler of here hous & keuerede hem with stobul [WB(2) vr. stobil or schyueres] of flex þat was þere.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.40.24 : Ne rootid in þe erþe þe stoc of hem..& a whirlewind as stoobil shal taken hem awei.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Co.(Manly-Rickert)A.4351 : Of thy persely yet they fare the wors That they han eten with thy stubbul [vrr. stubbed, stubbled, stopped] goos.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)137b/b : Rubigo..destroyeþ stubles [L stipulam] and hey.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)238b/b : Barliche..hath foulest strawe among alle corn And vnworþieste stoubles.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)249b/a : Stoble..is propreliche þat strawe wiþ leues and hosen þat is y-lefte in þe feelde after þat rypmen haue y-repen þe corn..many men gadereþ þis stoble..to many dyuerse vse, for somme men þacceþ houses þerwith and some feedeþ bestes þerwith instede of straw and..some makiþ fuyre þerwiþ..Stouble is a light þing, holowȝ and druye and rowȝ.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)72/5 : At þe iugement God schal departe þe goode from þe yuel..and he þat schal be stubble & rotid in erþeli þingis he schal plucke up bi þe rootis & caste into þe fier of helle to brenne.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ecclus.21.10 : Stobyl [alt. from: Scheuys; WB(1): A flax top; L Stuppa] gaderid togidere is the synagoge of synneris.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3191 : Þe lest veniel syns sal brin sone, Als stobble, þat son brinnes and son es done.
- (1425) MSS Middleton in HMC108 : If any man tye his horse in any stubbull and it be mowen in resonable time, schull pay the forseyd peyn.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.63 : Þou schewist þi power aȝenes a leef which is rauyschid wiþ þe wynde, & þou pursuest drie stobil [vrr. stubul, stubbel].
- (1437) Acc.Tintinhull in Som.RS 4178 : Item, uno homini locato pro le stubel vocato helmebought falcando hoc pro dicta domo pistrine cooperienda, ij d.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Semblable (Ashm 59)106 : Þe pyebaker leteþe heos pyes blode, With stobul-geesse selleþe garlec dere.
- a1450 Dives & P.(Dc 295)2.311 : Stobil [Htrn: It is non good fyȝtynge in myrys ne amongis corn ne in sledyr ground ne in pytty ne in stubby ground].
- a1450 LDirige(1) (Dgb 102)142 : O þe stubble, þat is so drye, Þou pursuest me and wylt me bynde.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)544/6 : The..Couent sholde fynde yerely..j acre of Stobill in the feld of Shillyngford..at theire owne wille to be gadered.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)122b : Stubbyll: Stipula.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton) : Gyue nomore chaf to the peple for to make lome and claye, but late them goo and gadre stopple.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)49.4 : Here descryues he his comynge til the dome..than may the cafe drede, and stubil, in syght of him.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.271 : As þe stubbyl whyl þe wynd blowith waueryt & flyyth aboutyn in þe eyr..ryȝt so þis proud coueytous folc waueryn in þis world.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)48 : Take not stoble [F estuble] off your londe þer as it growe lesse þen ye haue grete nede þer off ffor couerynge off your howses.
c
- c1475 Chaucer CT.Kn.(Trin-O Arch.49)A.1978 : Stublis [Heng: First on the wal was peynted a fforest..With knotty knarry bareyne trees olde Of stubbes sharpe].
d
- (1345) Court R.Colchester 1197 : John Stubbelfen.