Middle English Dictionary Entry
taste n.(2)
Entry Info
Forms | taste n.(2) Also tasta, teste & (error) trest. |
Etymology | OF taste a surgical probe & ML tasta; for forms in -e- cp. OF test (var. of tast) & AL testor (var. of tastor). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Surg. A probe.
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)60b/a : I put it with one intromisse, i. sercher, made to þe maner of an nedle, Or I put yn a trest [vr. teste; Ch.(2): a smal stalke; L tastam] of tree, And fro aboue y make þe inscision more sikerly.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)85a/a : It is to take hede..þat þe tasta [Ch.(2): tastour; L tasta] be better put in..þat þe taste þat is infixed be softe and anoynted with som vnctuose þing..þat þe taste or anoþer probe..be..persed.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)86b/a : Is þe 2a. entension complete þus, þat a taste of tree put in vn to þe rote.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. taste.