Middle English Dictionary Entry
tonsūre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tonsūre n. Also tonsur, tonsour, tonchoure. |
| Etymology | OF tonsure, toncure & L tonsūra. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The shaved part of the head of someone received into clerical orders; also, the ritual shaving of such a person's head; (b) a trimming of the hair or beard; (c) ?a cutting from the hair or beard; (d) with ref. to a coin: clipping.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.167 : He took tonsure and habit of clerk.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Satan & P.(Corp-C 296)268 : Here tonsure, here abitis ben ful of lesyngis.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.970 : As a prest she had a brod tonsure..Vnworthily sat in Petris place..afftirward called Pope Iohn.
- a1450 Who þat wole knowe (Dgb 102)161 : Tonsure, abyte, ne no wede Nes no cause of religeon.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1366 : Þe abbot..gaf him tonsour and habite.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)104 : Þei disseyue þe..for þei transfiger hem in to an aungel..and wiþ face and tonsur pretendun a schadowe peyntid of religioun.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)19/10 : If þou wolt lede a religiose lif, habite & tonsure litel auailiþ.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.482 : For unlust of that aventure Ther was noman which tok tonsure..The bathes..Thei schetten in.
c
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)125/3 : Sche drank eke of þat watyr in whech þe tonsure of his berd was wette, and sche was mad hool.
d
- a1486 Assize Bread in Archaeol.57 (Mrg M 775)59 : On peny rounde and wtouten tonsure owe to weye xxxij whete cornes.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)58 : A j d. englyshe withovt tonchoure oweth to wey xxx graynes off whehete.