Middle English Dictionary Entry
tou n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | tou n.(1) Also towe, tough, touȝ(e, touhe, togh, tawe. |
| Etymology | Prob. OE tow- (as in tow-cræft, towlīc, tow-tōl); also cp. ON (cp. OI tō wool). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Unworked flax; also, the coarser parts of flax or hemp prepared for use in caulking, in packing a wound, etc.; (b) raw flax used as kindling; also used as an example of a flammable substance; (c) the fiber of flax, hemp, or a similar substance as prepared for spinning or ropemaking;—usu. used in fig. context: work to do; also, trouble.
Associated quotations
a
- (1358-9) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 1177 : In ccc lb. de towe, vj xx, fassibus straminis..Que quidem towe, stramen, et wyuelyng computat expendisse super factura et reparacione earundem nauium.
- (1378-81) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 1177 : Pro iiij xx lb. tough, precium lb. j d. qa, pro la Calfatyng dicte nauis..viij s. iiij d.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)41/7 : Leie a lynnen clooþ I-het aboue & aftir þat a good quantite of tow [vr. towȝ] I-tosid.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)49/1 : Raab..ressayued þe messangers of Israel..and feled þam in hir hous amang towe of lyne.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)130b/b : Þer schal summe liȝte splente folden in towgh be leide aboue & bounden þerto.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)194/32 : Þay ben made of wel-clensed towhe or of gobettes of þe forsaide cloþe.
- (1426-7) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 1178 : In..iij petris de towe..pice, bitumine, Rosyn.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2004 : We shul make hym balles ek also Of wex and tow.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.342 : Ek hem [pomegranates] do writhe or wynde In togh [L gloss: in tenacibus] vppon their tre right as they honge.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)156/472 : Take hardis of tawe and wete it in watir and wrynge it owte, and do thies thre thynges on the hardys as a pleystre.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)149a/a : Plumaciolis of hempen towȝe wett in good strong wiyn..& leid to þe wounde suffisiþ.
- a1500(c1437) Brut-1436 (Lamb 6)582/30 : Men bold Come rennyng..With messis & meskins, & eke with side Iakes..Stoppid al with hempen tawe..Stiched like a matrace.
- a1500 Jhesu that arte jentylle (Chet 8009)p.197 : I bete and swyngylle flex, as ever have I heylle; I hekylle the towe, I kave, and I keylle.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.5623 : Fyr, whan it to tow aprocheth, To him anon the strengthe acrocheth, Til with his hete it be devoured.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.89 : Peril is bothe fyr and tow tassemble.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.245 : Ac hew fyre at a flynte fowre hundreth wyntre; But þow haue towe to take it with tondre or broches, Al þi laboure is loste.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)331/13 : He made in þe same place a bed of dry wud, & put stra þerin & put fyre vnder-nethe in tow, & coverd it clenlie with a shete..& þe fyre began to kyndell in þe bed.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)40/12 : The glorye of euile princes and the reising of their digniteis is as the fire that is withinne flex or tough, which litle while durith.
- a1500 Leg.Cross BC(1) (Wor F.172)220 : Cam ther suche a womman..whiche vnwarly sittyng vpon the holy tree hir clothes biganne to brenne as stuppis of tow.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3774 : This Absolon ne roghte nat a bene Of al his pley, no word agayn he yaf; He hadde moore tow on his distaf Than Gerueys knew.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)498 : Toow, of a rok, or a roket: Pensum.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1226 : Tow on my distaf haue I for to spynne, More..þan ye wot of yit.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1458 : I haue espied..Þis is þe tow þat þou speke of ryght now.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)128/389 : I haue tow on my rok more then euer I had..A house full of yong tharmes..wo is hym has many barnes.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. tow.