Middle English Dictionary Entry
tē̆t(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tē̆t(e n. Also tette, tat(e, (early) tæt; pl. tetes, etc. & teten, tittes, teatis, (SW or SWM) tutes & (early) titten, titta. |
| Etymology | OF tete, tette & OE tit. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A nipple, teat; moder ~; (b) the human female mammary gland, breast [some quots. may belong in (a)]; also, the breast of a humanlike creature; (c) the human male papilla, nipple; (d) the mammary gland of a female animal; also in fig. context [last quot.]; (e) in phrases: from..moder ~, from..tetes, etc., from infancy, from earliest childhood; (f) in asseverations.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)129/11 : Wið heortece, nim þisse wyrt..leȝe ofer þone wynstran tæt.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2506 : Þu eært mi bærn deore. Loka her þa tittes þat þu suke mid þine lippes.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2850 : Kay..þat nas nouȝt late Forto souken his moder tate Ac Arturet forsoþe it seke.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2944 : Kay, mi sone, a norice y toke, And þou mi wiues tate soke.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 11.27 : Blessid be the wombe that bar thee, and blessid be the teetis whiche thou hast sokun.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)53b/a : Þe tete, þe heed of þe pappe þat þe childe soukeþ..hatte pappilla in latyn.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)69b/a : Þe childe is propirliche clepid puer when he is i-wanied from melk and departid from þe brest & þe tete.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)275a/b : Þe Camele haþ foure tittes [L conos] in þe tweye vddres.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)795/196 : Heo schewede hure brusten and to him seide þis, 'Þeos tutes þou soke ylome.'
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)10230 : That on of hem was ȝit so ȝoug [read: ȝong]..He soukede then his moder tete.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)463 : Sokynge, of a pappe or tete: Lactacio, succio.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)348/11 : A ȝonge hynde-fowne þat is newe-borne sekeþ refute of þe modere & for to sowke here tetes.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)441 : Blissid be þe wombe þat bare þee & þe tetis þat þou hast sokun.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)65/10 : Wið tytta sare..cnuca þeos wyrt..leȝe þanne þarto.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)114/795 : Heo..drohen hire wiðute þe burhȝeten ant tuhen hire tittes up of hire breosten, bi þe beare bane, wið eawles of irne.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)188/10 : Ure lauerdes sonde..brohte salue..to healen hire tittes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7476 : In hire bosme heo bar bi-neoðen hire titten ane guldene ampulle of attere i-fulled.
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)246 : Heo nomen þe kene crokes of Ire..And, also man draweth with combes wolle, hire tetes heo to-drowe Fram hire bodi mossel mele.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2621 : Sche forð ran And brogt hire a fostre-wimman, On was tette he sone aueð lagt.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3480 : He..Of olde abraham and of sarra bi-geten Dede ysaac of olde teten.
- a1350 Most i ryden (Hrl 2253)58 : Hyre tyttes aren anvnder bis as apples tuo of parays, ouself ȝe mowen seo.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8466 : 'Knawestow ouȝt þat leuedi Þat þoleþ al þat vilanie?'..'Þou ouȝtest amende hir stat For þou souke of hir tat.'
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)36 : Pys, peitrine, et mamelle: Brest, brestbon, and tete.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.30.33 : Who forsoþe strongly þresteþ tetis to drawyn out mylc þresteþ out buttere.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lam.4.3 : Þe mermynes nakneden þer tetis, ȝeeuen þer whelpis souken.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)265/28-30 : A wommans tetis ben maad of fleisch þat is glandulous, & of veines, & of arterijs, & of nerues, & ben but veines þat comen fro a wommans lyuere to hir tetis & þe maris, as it is seid here tofore, & in what maner blood turneþ into milk.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)26a/a : Expapillo: to vnbynde naked tetes.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)67/31 : Bytwene it [uterus] and þe tetes beeþ melky and menstrual veynes contynued.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.MG (Hnt HM 111)72 : Thy maidens wombe in which our lord lay, Thy tetes whiche him yaf to sowke also, To our sauynge be they blessid ay.
- a1450 SLeg.Suppl.Bod.(Bod 779)342/322 : 'Crissant, hou faristow?'..'wel ic fare now..þis me lykeþ bet þan me dede in my ȝouþe, mylk of any tet.'
- a1450 3 KCol.(1) (Roy 18.A.10)89/25 : As sche sat on þis stone and ȝaf her sone souke, þer fil downe out of her teete a litil mylk on þe same stone.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)196/620 : Mylk þt is hardyd in wymmens tetis: Seþe mynt in wyne and oyle and lay hem apon the tetys in a pleistre.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)131/2 : Sche was biried in þe Frere Austines..and aftir hir biriing lii ȝere..sche mad hir bare, and sche was found hol in all membris; her tetis, whan þei were pressid with handis, þe flesch ros up ageyn.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)46/186a : Vber..mamma: a tete.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)28b/10 : If þe sekenes wer withinforthe aboute þe tetis or the brest, lay þe playster by tuyx þe two shulders.
c
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.7 : On þat semed þe maidens son..was cloþed in an Aube riȝth vnto þe erþe & gird vnder his tittes [Apoc.(2): teetis] wiþ a girdel of golde.
- c1400 Aelred Inst.(1) (Vrn)35/382 : Haue in þyn awter þe ymage of þe crucifix..and hys tetys beþ al naked ischewd to þe to ȝyue þe melk of spiritual delectacioun.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)499/19 : Þat the pappes waxe not ouer mykel..in men, it byhoueþ to kitte þe tetes..aboue and vnder with a rounde kyttinge.
d
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.22.27 : Oxe, sheep & goot, whenne þei were geten, seuene dayȝes þei sholyn bee vnder þe tete of þer damme; þe eyȝþe..þei mowe be offred to þe lord.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.43 : A wolfesse þat hadde i-lost hir whelpes fedde ofte þe children, and made hem ofte souke of here owne tetes [vr. tyttes].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3704 : I moorne as dooth a lamb after the tete.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)266a/b : To haue muyles and burdones y-gendred..brynge forþ ȝonge coltes..& setteþ hem in derknesses to tetes of asses.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)46 : Her tetes abiden grete and wexen ful of wynde in to þe tyme þat þei shuld haue had here whelpes.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)91/3 : Lana succida, i. þe wolle þat groweþ aboute þe tetes of þe schepe..fulfillen þe declenacioun by dryeng.
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)41 : It is nat pleasaunt to the sones of kynges to bien sette to souke on the teatis of vnresonable beestis.
e
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)21.8 : Þou art myn hope fram þe tettes of my moder.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.242 : She was fro hir byrthe bothe meke and myeld, Mercy fro the tetys grewe wyth hir also.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)9/19 : He fond not þe name of Crist in al þis book. This name was couchid in his hert fro his moder tete, þat what book he red..he was not fully plesed with it but if Cristis name wer þere.
f
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)168/9 : Eadmodnesse..bigileð ure lauerd..halseð meadlesliche on his derue passiun..o þe ilke tittes þet he seac þe milc þet hime fedde.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)140/7 : Þe lowe Man of hert bigileþ god al day..& hailseþ hym by his deþ on þe rode..by þe mylk þat he souke of her swete tates.
2.
A teatlike projection or process in the body.
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)47b/b : Þe nose þrilles ben two chanels oþer two holes assending oþer goinge vppe to þe bones of þe colatorie, where þer ben sette addiciouns mamillers of þe braine in þe whiche tetes is smelling.
3.
Fig. (a) A source of spiritual nourishment or guidance; also, a source of encouragement in sin; (b) a source of fruitfulness; drie tetes, barrenness; (c) erotic love; an object of erotic attraction.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.49.25 : All miȝty schall blysse to þe, with blyssingz of heuen from aboue..& with blyssyngez of teetez & of þe wombe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.91.11 : As an vnycorn shal ben enhauncid myn horn, & my laste age in þe mercy of þe tete.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.66.11 : Gladeþ with ierusalem..þat & ȝee souke & be fulfild of þe tetis of his counforting.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)132/20 : Þe furste wombe of synne is þe furste þouȝt of synne..and so þe synneful man ȝeueþ his cursede childe souke wiþ two tetis of his fyue wittis.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)141/7 : Mony myseises..ben þe spices of þe whuche þe beste oynementis ben ymad worþi to Cristis spouse wiþ hure two tetis, þat ben compassioun and congratulacioun.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)50/15 : Biholde þe face of myn amyable spouse..holy chirche, how it is defacid..of her foule couetise..I mene þe couetise of þo mennys goodis, to þe whiche her teetis ȝeuen mylk.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)232/3 : Putte fro þe þe tetys of ydylnes, þat þou souke no more þer-of for no delyȝt!
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)89/36 : This religion, whech we clepe our sistir, was but ȝong at þis tyme, for sche had no tetes as ȝet of prelates and souereynes to gyue soke on-to þe tendyr age of her subiectis.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.91.15 : Þe riȝtwise as a palme shal flouren..ȝit þei shul ben multiplied in þe laste age of þe tete.
- a1425 WBible(1) (CC 145)Hos.9.14 : Ȝif to hem a ȝate of wombe wiþoute free childer & drie tetes.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)SSol.1.1 : Kisse he me with þe cosse of his mouþ..for betere ben þi tetis þan wyn.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Hos.2.2 : Do she aweye hir fornicaciouns..and hir auowtries fro the mydil of her tetis.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. teat.