Middle English Dictionary Entry
sulphur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sulphur n. Also sulph(u)re, -phour, -pher, -pur, -fur(re, -fer, soulphre, -fre, solfre, soufur, -fre. |
| Etymology | L sulpur, sulphur, sulfur & OF soufre, solfre, sulfre, sulfere, AF sulphre, sulfur. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The mineral sulfur, brimstone; -- often used as a component of medicaments; also, fig. a name for the morning star [quot. c1475]; also, a variety of sulfur [quot. a1500(1471), 2nd; quot. may belong to (c)]; ~ not vive ne stoni, neither natural sulfur nor sulfur in a crystalline form [cp. sulphur-vive n. (a)]; ~ of kinde (nature), natural sulfur; ~ water, water of ~; (b) sulfur as a component of incendiary mixtures or as an element in or associated with fire; ~ and fir, fir and ~; (c) alch. sophic sulfur: one of the four spirits (or volatile substances), or one of the two elements comprising metal; also, one of the varieties of the element sulfur [quot. a1500(?1471) *Ripley Epis.]; (d) as adj.: sulfurous.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)216/6 : Watir þat is gaderid..wiþoute þe scolle..mai be curid wiþ anointing of oile of camomille & solfre grounden togidere.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1036 : Þe clay..arn corsyes strong, As alum and alkaran, þat angre arn boþe, Soufre sour and saundyver.
- 1419 Liber Albus Lond.in RS 12.1224 : Karke de soufre, xii d.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)65b/b : We tristed Sulfur noȝt vif ne stony [L sulfur non viuum nec lapidosum] for to helpe wonded neruez for þe subtile partiez of it, medling it with als mich partie of subtile oile þat it be made glutinous.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)107b/b : Anoynte þe heued with oile of camomille & sulfurre grounden so þat þer be iiij parties of oile & on partie of sulfer.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)136b/b : Take iij ounce of sulpher, rosine halfe ane ounce.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)142b/a : Ȝif þer falle a knotte in þe þiȝe oþer in þe kne, purge þe pacient and leie apon þe knotte þe emplaister of sulfer.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)198a/b : Sulphur, Soufur, is h. & d. in 3 gre.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)50/31 : Þe rednes..and þe watry placez I enoynted with ane oyntement made of blak sape and poudre of sulphur.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)82/18 : Watre of sulphur mundifieþ in hetyng or chaufand.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1508 : On a piler stood Of soulfre [vr. Sulpur]..Daun Claudian..That bar up al the fame of helle.
- c1475 Lydg.Aesop (Hrl 2251:Sauerstein)p.3 : Sulphur [Trin-C: Lucyfer] toward the dawenyng Lowtith to the oryent, whan he hath the west forsake.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)60/4 : These dryen..the body: to ete and drynk lytell..to entre bathes there as sulphure water is, and sitte longe ther-yn.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)226 : Off yt menstrewe be labour exvberate with it may be made sulphour of natour.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)912 : Be thoue wyse in Chesyng of thyn mater, And medyll with noon salttes, sulphurs, nother myn meneralles.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1193 : Ye shal..take..only these ij our white stone to make; Excepte sal armonyak, with sulphur of kynde, Such as owte of metals ye can fynde.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2176 : These clerkes..go be nyhte unto the Myne With pich, with soulphre, and with rosine, And..A wylde fyr into the depe They caste.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4094 : Medea..made a cercle aboute him [Eson] thries, And eft with fyr of sulphre twyes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)206a/b : Brymston is a veyne of erþe and haþ moche ayer and fuyre in his composicioun; þerfore it is y-cleped sulphur, as it were solum vrens, 'brennyng ground.'
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)954 : Þe rayn..Of felle flaunkes of fyr and flakes of soufre..Swe aboute Sodamas.
- a1425 Methodius(1) (Hrl 1900)109/3 : Þe Lord schal..smyte hem with sulphur & fuyre.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)71/3 : Other v Ci-tees..God made brenne with the fire of the sulphure [F souffre].
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2316 : Glew, tar & picch and oyle incendiary, And sulphour herwithal to brenne engyne.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)314 : Next to her was god Pluto set..Of fyre and sulphure all hys odour wase.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2481 : The spirit which is secounde In Sal Armoniak is founde; The thridde spirit Sulphur is.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)914 : Oure sulphure & oure Mercury be only in 1 mettall.
- a1500(?1471) *Ripley Epis.Edw.IV (Ashm 759)103a : The philosopher spekith also..Of dyuers sulphurs, but specially of two, And of two mercures ioyned in theym indede.
d
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)30/23 : These thingis..makith þe body lene: Excesse of mete and drynke..moche wrath, moche fere, and bathyng in watris þat be of Sulphure nature.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense (a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. water of sulphur.