Middle English Dictionary Entry
talou(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | talou(e n. Also tallou, talowe, tal(l)ough, taloughe, talouȝ, talouh, tallo, talogh, talowhe, talu, talugh(e, taluȝ, taluh, taleu, tal(e)we, talwh(e & talgh(e, talȝ, tale & (?errors) talowu, talour, talor, (errors) taluþ, tarowe. |
| Etymology | ?OE *tealg(-, *talg(-: cp. MLG tallich, talch, MDu. talch, older Dan. talgh, & G Talg; & cp. ML talo tallow. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The fatty tissue of an animal; fatty tissue from around the kidneys or other internal organs of an animal; also fig. and in fig. contexts [some fig. quots. could also be construed as other senses in 1.]; also, a piece of fatty tissue; (b) rendered animal fat, suet, tallow; tallow used in waterproofing, soapmaking, etc., or sold as a commodity; also, a piece or measure of tallow; ~ grese, ? melted or liquefied tallow; ~ lof, a lump of tallow; grom ~ man, an attendant or officer in charge of procuring or making tallow; shep ~, tallow made from sheep fat; (c) tallow used in a medicinal preparation or an ointment; deres (gotes, etc.) ~, shep (wether) ~; (d) rendered animal fat used in cooking, suet; shepes (wetheres) ~; (e) tallow used to make a candle; the waxy part of a tallow candle; ~ candel, a candle made of tallow;—also coll.; ~ chaundeler, one who makes or sells tallow candles, a tallow-chandler; (f) ?lanolin.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.23.18 : Þou schalt not offer apon whete þe blode of þi sacrifise, ne þer schall not leeue the taluþ [alt. from: fatte] of my solempnite vnto þe morn.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Par.7.7 : He hadde offrid þere brent sacrifises & talewes [vr. talwes; WB(2): innere fatnessis] of pesible thyngis.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Par.29.35 : Þer weryn þanne manye brent sacrifises & talewes [vr. talowes] of pesible thingis.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.62.6 : As bi talwȝ [vr. talȝ] & fatnesse be fulfild my soule.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.72.7 : Wente forþ as of talwȝ þe wickedenesse of þem; þei ouerpasseden in to lust of herte.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.47.2 : As talwȝ seuered fro þe flesh, so dauid fro þe sones of irael; with leouns he pleiede as with lombis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)65b/b : Eueriche beste with moche talouȝ [L sepi] haþ litil seed.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)265a/a : Lambren haueþ an yuel and beþ to fatte aboute þe reynes, for if þe talough couereþ þe reynes, þanne þey deyeþ.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)103 : Þe hare..is þe merveiloist beest, þt is for euere she fumeþ, or croteieþ, and roungeþ, and bereþ talow and grete [read: grece].
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.247 : Þus shulden preestis preche to lordis, to holde hem paied of worldli goodis..But þe fend haþ stranglid þese houndis wiþ talwe, þat þei mai not berke.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)104 : Prelatis..ben so chokid wiþ talow of worldly goodis and occupacion abouten hem þat þei may not preche þe gospel.
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57542 : Item, he receyved of John Noryse for talow of the said cow, xix d.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apost.(Dub 245)440 : A lumpe of talowe strangliþ þe houndis and lettiþ hem boþe to berke and to byte.
- c1475 My dere sone wher (RwlPoet 143)575 : Þe hare..femays for ho beres talogh..And ho crotays, men sayn, for he beres grece.
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)leaf e iii/b : All that bere skyne and talow..Shall be flayne safe the hare.
- a1500 Treat.Hunt.(Cmb Ll.1.18)48/56 : I sey þat hit [hare] is veneson bycause he beres talowe.
b
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5271/1 : Clerico marescalcie..pro grees et talowe per ipsum emptis ibidem pro equis domini, iiij s. pr.
- (1394) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29183 : In lardnaria..ij stane de talugh cum dimid. j magna cista cooperta et alia non cooperta pro pane servando.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)206a/b : Þough tyn be more neisshe þan siluer and more hard þan lede, leede may nouȝt be soone y-sowded to leed nouþer to bras noþer to Iren wiþoute tynne, nouþer þuse mowe be y-sowded wiþoute fatnesse oþer talowe.
- (a1399) Oath Bk.Colchester8 : Blak sope, 1 barel j d., 4 cas sope de Spayne, ij d..Talws j weye, ij d.
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.80 : Euerych sellere fo [read: of] grece and of smere and of talwȝ shal, at þe feste of Estre, to þe kynge a peny, in þe name of smergauel.
- (1410) Will York in Sur.Soc.4550 : Soluti pro talor [?read: taloȝ] et salsamento empt., x d.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)18a/b : Cremium: krote of gres or taluȝ [Hrl 2257: talwgh; Add 33534: talwh] when þat hyt ys y-brent.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)660/37 : Hoc sepum: tallo.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)124a/a : Ther is..2 maner sope: sarasenicus, which is softe, & gallicus, which is hard..Gallicus is made of 2 parte of capitelle and 1 of shepe talowȝ.
- (1439) RParl.5.28b : It is ordeyned that Hides and Talowe goyng out of this youre Roialme shold be hadde to youre Staple of Calys, there to be sold.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)486 : Talwhe: Cepum.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)164/22 : Loke þou haue redy plente of botyn, of brymston, of pyk & tar, of talwȝ grece and oyle þat men clepen þe teendare; al þis þou most haue redy to brenne and to fire..þe gynnes & þe ordenaunce of thyn aduersarie.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)188/8 : Þe schippes..for þei beeþ greced wiþ talowh, piche, & tarre, thei brenneþ wiþoute quenchinge.
- (a1450) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.12065 : Item, in shappyng to the talgh and the laying inne and the dryssyng als abyll chafyr to tham yat awe it, he shall haf for the wyrkyng iij d.
- (1454) Proc.Privy C.6.229 : Thoffice of þe catery: j grome pigge taker..j grome talewman.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)125a : A Tallow [Monson: Talghe] lafe: Congiarium.
- a1500 Lystyne lordys verament (Lin-O Lat.141)23 : The sowter hath mad hys testament..He bequethyd hys dowtyr Bell Hys talow, hys gres, now euerydell.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)13 : By this weyght be all maner of merchaundyse bought and sold, as tynne..hempe, ropys, talowe.
- -?-(1474) Ordin.Househ.Pr.Edw.32* : He is bounde to answere to my ladyes advantage the valewe of all the hydes of oxen, veale-skynnes..and the tallowe of all theise at the ende of every moneth.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)225b/a : Þe bene..helpiþ hem þat hauen potagre and gowtes if it is soden wiþ schepes talow and y-leyde to þe sore.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)60/15 : Take schepis talow & buttere & make a plaster.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)165a/a : Medicinez..ruptyuez þat makeþ nouȝt escare..bene cantarides medled wiþ ferment, i. leuane, or with som talowgh.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)153b/a : Take þe rote of merchemalowe, hennebane, lilye..and grynde hem, and meddel hem wiþ olde weþir talouȝ..and leye it to hote.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)92/3 : Þan ow þou for to putte with þe oile as war þrid parte of schepez talow, and boile hem togidre.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)36/20 : Tak hauyrmele grotes & sethe þam..& do to þam a gud porcyon of schepe talghe.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)128/30 : Þe vertu of þis herbe is ȝif it be fryed wyȝt talwȝ and leyd to, a man þat haȝt þe potacre, he schall ben hol.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)251/13 : Take þe rotis of persly, alexander..and put þer-to bene-flowur..capun-grece, schepis talowu [?read: talouw], and hert-talow.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)77 : Take otenmele..and do þer to þe jus of synygrene and shepes tarowe [vr. talewe].
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)201 : Tak þe hard talou & þe pyles of garlek..& bren hem in an erþene pot to poudre.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)86/16 : Take þe flowres of brom..þanne do þer-too oyle de olywe and gotys-tallowgh or hertis.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)136/13 : Take..ii vnce of derys-talwe and an vnce of galbanum.
- a1475 Gilb.Angl.(Wel 537)59/1 : Take apostolicon and medle it over þe fyer with oile and with boles talowe.
- a1500 Diseases Women(3) (Yale-M 47)61/588 : Oþer medycyns..ben good fore þis sekenes, as a plastre made of caluere donge stamped yn a mortere with gotys talowhe.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)21/3 : Þenne take virgine wex and ferches schepys talew and hony.
d
- 1381 Dc.257 Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)65.15/2 : Nym eyryn wyþ al þe wyte & myse bred & schepys talwe as gret as dysys.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)135.167/2 : Take a wastel..Take ayren & shepis talow & þe crummes of þe same wastell.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)85b : Shrede þis cars smale; then..put þere to wyne drestis, and whete branne, and wedders tale.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)39 : Hagws of a schepe: Take þe Roppis with þe talour [?read: talouȝ] & parboyle hem.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1560 : Notes may serue vs ffol wel, And wex sumdel caste þertoo, Talwȝ and grese menge alsoo, And þus ȝe may oure mete make.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)300/6 : Thou stynkyst all of the kychyn; thy clothis bene bawdy of the grece and talow.
e
- (a1307) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.I in Parker Eng.Home91 fn. : William Whyte, taloughchaundler, for iii dozen ix lb. paris candell.
- (1376) in G.Otto Handwerkernamen86 : Talughchaundeler.
- (1382) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms204 : Talughchaundelers.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)163/35 : Whanne þe talow of a candel is doon, or wex or oile, þanne þe liȝt wole passe.
- (1420) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)213 : In custodia Ricardi Morys, civis et talowchaundeler.
- (1428-9) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7822 : For talw candel azeyns Alhalwynday & Crysmasday ii lib., iii d.
- (1431-4) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7828 : i lib. candelarum de talow ad luxfulgebit.
- (1434) EEWills102/27 : Thomas Colman, Talvchaundeler.
- (1435-6) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7836 : For i lib. of talow candell y-wyrede to the rode solere, ii d.
- a1450 Rev.HWoman (Lngl 29)79/666 : Þe blaknesse of hyr body went away as hit had bene þe talgh of a candel when hit dropeth for hete.
- (1454-56) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31243 : Payed for talugh candells, ij s. i d.
- (1460-65) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31395 : Payde to the Talowghechaundler for oyle and Talow Candyll.., xxv s. j d.
- (1474) Let.Bk.Lond.L (Gldh LetBk L)125 : It is ordeigned..that no Taloughchaundler nor noone other persone occupiyng makyng of Candell..shall bye no Talough of any bocher.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)2.24. 46a : The wex candel smellith werse aftir it is qwenchid than the candell þat is maad of talughe.
- a1500 Travel Instruc.(CotApp 8)281 : Suppostes..may be made like a manes fynger of white sope, or of a faire talough-candell ende.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.400 : When he bieth j lb. of Tallowe for an ob., þan schall he sell j lb. of Candell for a d.
f
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)126/36-8 : Here is tarre in a pott, to heale them from the rott..well I wott the talgh from them take, And yf sworne yt had the thursse, yett shall the talgh be in my purse, and the sheepe never the worse to renne on the rake.
2.
The fatty tissue of a human being.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 1.22 : Fro þe blood of þe slayne, fro þe talwȝ [WB(2): fatnesse; L adipe] of stronge men, þe arewe of Jonathas neuere turnede aȝeen bacward.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)34a/a : If blod is wel I-sode & defied, þerof men makeþ wel talogh.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)70a/a : Þe vtilitee of þe fatnesse oþer of þe taluȝ þat enuirounes oþer belappeþ þe Reynes is ordeyned be cause þat it mowe temper oþer refreyne þe hete of þe Reynes þat cummeþ þoruȝ mordicacioun of þe vrine.
3.
The kernel or meat of a grain; also, ?flour [last quot.]; ~ of whete, heart of wheat, fine flour.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.80.17 : He fedde hem of þe talwȝ of whete.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.146.14 : Preise þou þi god syon..Þat sette þi coostis pes, & with talwȝ of whete filleþ þee.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.7.18 : Sones gederen trees, & faders brennen vp fijr, & wymmen sprenge togidere talwȝ þat þei make swete cakis to þe qween of heuene.
4.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1294) Pat.R.Edw.I115 : Geoffrey le Talghmongere.
- (1313) Pat.R.Edw.II56 : Thomas Talghman.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1424-5) Acc.in Boyle Hedonp.clxxii : In vij lb. de tughcandell emtis pro sustentacione luminarum..iij s. vj d.
Note: Error for talou(e n. ('tugh' for 'talugh'). Belongs to sense 1.(e).--per REL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 61/28 : Putte þerto half a pounde of fayre clene talwe of a scheep þat be clene molten byfore.
Note: Additional quot., prob. 1.(b).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. tallow.