Middle English Dictionary Entry
task(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | task(e n. Also tasque, taxk, taxske & (in surname) tasche. |
| Etymology | OF tasche, taske, tasque tax & ML tasca, taska, tasqua, tascha. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. tax(e n.
1.
(a) A payment of money due to a king, town, etc.; a levy, an impost, a tax; (b) an indemnity, a monetary compensation for damage sustained; unto ~, for damages; (c) work, or a piece of work, that is paid for by the job, piecework; ~ werk; ~ man, man of ~, a workman who is paid by the job; at (in, to) ~, by the job, per task; (d) a piece of assigned labor, an allotted task; don (yelden) ~, to perform (one's) task; setten (yeven) ~, assign a task; (e) in surname.
Associated quotations
a
- (1415) Rec.Norwich 1108 : As touchynge ye Kynges taske..yere shal be chosen..iiij men for to leye ye taske and ij men to gadderet.
- (1417) *Assem.Bk.A Shrewsbury (ShropRRC 3365/67)f.84 : Ordnaunce made touching the taske of the toun of Shrosbury.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)487 : Taske, or talyage: Taliagium, taxa, taxacio, capiticensus.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)108/35 : Gedre vp..þe tributes and taskes or taxus and taliages þat townes ben ybounde to paye to þe werres boþe in gold and in corn.
- (1483-85) Worcester Prol.Codicil in RS 22.2 (Lamb 506:Stevenson)526 : Also ys made mencyone..of the tasques, taylles, [etc.].
- (1465) Acc.All Sts.Tilney30 : Item, ye Taxske to Kyng, vij d.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) Ctn.(Hrl 2261)454 : A grete..murmur was hade..for grete exaccions and taskes.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)73 : The pore comons..have ben..surcharged grevouslie withe paieng of tasques, tailis, subsides, and imposicions beside theire rentis..paide to your predecessours for youre demains, and to theire landlordis that halden of you.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)84 : They might pay no more tasque ne taile.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)188/26 : If he induce þe to receyue money of hys sogettis be taske or odyr mene, he hatith þi welfar.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.185 : Lytil nedede our lord þe kyng to chargyn þe peple with taxkys and taliagis.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.198 : Þe peple hadde leuere to payyn grete taskys [vr. a taxe] to schadyng of manys blod þan to payyn smale taskys for to haue pes.
b
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17918 : This is the somme that Gregays aske, That thei wole haue vnto her taske: Ten hundrid thousand pound of golde.
c
- c1400 St.Alex.(3) (LdMisc 622)50/675 : He hym bitook..Nouȝth as a Man of task.
- (1419-20) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.120199 : Qui vocatur taskeman et operatur denariatum operis.
- (1419-20) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.120200 : Artificii vocatur journayman..non est habilis ad operandum taskewark sed operatur per septimanam.
- (a1472) Acc.Bodmin in Camd.n.s.1413 : Item, to Richard Richowe for the taxk work, that is to seye, Receyvd for the pelerys yn iij paymentes..xxij li.
- (a1472) Acc.Bodmin in Camd.n.s.1424 : Y paiede to John Hancok for helyng..yn taxk, xx s.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum15 : Paid to John Holbeme at diverse tymes laboryng aboute the reparacion of the steple and other thinges at taske, xvj s.
- (1475) Paston (EETS)1.375 : William Pecok shall send yow a byll what he hath payde for yow for ij taskes.
- (1476-7) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum363 : Swaryng of tymber to carpynters to taske, viij d.
- (1477-8) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum364 : Helyng and poyntyng in dyvers places atte Taske, 14 s. 11 d.
d
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)45.313/41 : We all ȝiue þe taske þat þou mai him wel almus aske.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)4280 : He..ȝyueþ Terlyncel hys taske.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5872 : Taron sett he men at ask Of ilk dai to yeild þair task.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12209 : Ihesus gaf him þan his task.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)29000 : Crist..has..sett vs certain task.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)124/7 : Þe senteneres mote..enserche þat euerich men do truely his taske.
e
- (1219) Doc.in Bateson Rec.B.Leic.124 : Will. Tascheman.