Middle English Dictionary Entry
tapē̆t(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tapē̆t(e n. Also tapette, tappet, tapeth, tapit(e, tabet, tapie; pl. tapetes, etc. & tappettes, tapittes, tappites. |
| Etymology | OF tapit (var. of tapiz) & L tapēte, tapētum, ML tapitum; also cp. OE tæpped, -et; & cp. MDu. tapete, tapeet & tapijt. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A piece of decorative fabric bearing a painted, embroidered, or woven pattern or figures and used variously as a carpet, coverlet, bed or wall hanging, or the like, a tapestry; also fig.; also in fig. contexts as a symbol of luxury; (b) a hanging screen of tapestry, an arras; (c) anat. a protective cushion, pad; (d) ?error for table n.
Associated quotations
a
- (1380) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.269 : [A] tapit [of black and white] sarge.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.7.16 : I haue arayed with cordis my litle bed & sprad with peyntid tapitis [WB(2): tapetis; L tapetibus] of egipt.
- (1393) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.210 : [2] tapets [of] taune.
- (1393) Will York in Sur.Soc.4185 : I wyte to Johan my brother a coverlet wyth a tapete of rede of the same sute.
- (1395) EEWills4/12 : To Thomas my sone, a bed of tapicers werk with alle the tapites of sute, red of colour, ypouthered with chapes and scochons in the corners, of myn Auncestres armes.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.173 : [11 green] tapetz [of] tapyserwerk [with divers arms].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11240 : Was þar na pride o couerled, chamber, curtin, ne tapit.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)858 : Burnez..broȝt hym to a bryȝt boure, þer beddyng watz noble..Tapytez tyȝt to þe woȝe of Tuly and Tars, & vnder fete, on þe flet, of folȝande sute.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)179/10 : Þe stretes wer couered ouer his heued wiþ riche cloþes of silk, wit tapitz of riche coueryng.
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)46 : iiij costers..longyng to þe same bedde of wurstede..iij corteyn of þe same suyt, and a tapit of reed wurstede of iij ȝerd longe and ij ȝerd depe þerto.
- (1424) EEWills57/22 : I wul þat ilk of my said childre haue a bed, þat is to say, couerlide, tapite, blankettis, too peyre schetes, matras, and canvas.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)64b/a : Tapetum: a tapyte [Hrl 1738: tapeth].
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)57 : Spredynge a tapite or a cloth byfore the childes feete..they leiden there vppon..golde, encense, and myrre.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.PPriests Benef.(Corp-C 296)246 : Summe ladies ben menys to haue a daunsere, a trippere on tapitis.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.536 : God and Kynde with fresshnesse off coloures And with ther tapitis & motles off gladnesse Had maad that place habounde in al suetnesse.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)486 : Tapet [Win: Tapette]: Tapetum.
- (1446) Invent.Lytham in Chet.n.s.6082 : j Grene bedde wyth yolowe swannes & vines wyt a Tabet of the same.
- (1447) Acc.St.Margaret Southwark in BMag.32485 : Peid for a grene tapyte to fore the high awter, v s. viij d.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)239 : Wyth tapytys of tafata I tymbyr my towrys.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)7784 : Tapyttes [vr. tappettes] and cusshons to hem be fett; In an erber..be they sett.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)51 : The soyle was pleyn, smothe, and wonder softe, Al ouer-sprad wyth tapites that Nature Had made her-selfe.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)5.363 : Wer ther any tappytez, large or wyde, The nakyd grounde to keuer and to hide?
- (1465-66) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31398 : For A Tapie for the fonte, viij d.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cxxx : Crist laye in a stable bi twix an oxe & an asse & a fewe cloutes..& þei in gay chaumbres..wiþ tapites & qwisschyns spradde al a boute.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)122/13 : In the quere are to be sett dosers, tapytes, and bankers.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)11493 : On hir lifte side gothe kyng Claryn To lede hir to a place where tappett and cusshen Of clothe of golde were faire yspred.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.215 : God set neuer kyng to be a ryotoure, To trippe on tapettes, and lyue in ydelnesse.
b
- (1425) RParl.4.298a : Yere was on a nyght taken by hynd a tapet in ye said Chambre, a man..yat..was yere..to have slayn ye said Prince yere in his bedde.
- 1532-1897(a1475) Ass.Ladies (Skeat)499,501 : I saw Perseveraunce, How she held up the tapet in her hand; I saw also..This greet lady within the tapet stand, Coming outward..And after her a noble company.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)65a/a : Þe fleisch þat liþ in hotter [?read: otter; L exteriori] parties of bones þat restiþ vpon þe fleische is as it were a nedeful tapet [L culcitra] and esement for þilke bones.
d
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)884 : Sone watz telded vp a tapit on trestez ful fayre, Clad wyth a clene cloþe..Sanap & salure & syluer-in sponez.