Middle English Dictionary Entry
tought adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | tought adj. Also touȝt, tout, toght, toȝt(e, toft, toth, (early) tohte, towehte & (?error) touȝe. |
| Etymology | Prob. a specialized development of the -t and -th forms of tough adj. with possible influence from OE tēon (from *teohan) or ME tẹ̄n v.(1), esp. through the p.ppl. togen. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Stretched; strained; also in fig. context [last quot.]; also, as noun: strained circumstances [1st quot.]; maken maue ~, to stretch (one's) stomach, i.e., eat voraciously; blouen ~, of a bladder: made taut by inflating; ifilled ~, filled full, stuffed; (b) not flaccid, firm; also, firm-bodied [1st quot.]; (c) constrictive, tight; (d) in phrase: maken hit ~, to make an agreement firm or binding [1st quot. could also be construed as tough adj. 5.(c)].
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)703 : Þe niȝtingale al hire hoȝe Mid rede hadde welbitoȝe Among þe harde, among þe toȝte [Jes-O: towehte], Ful wel mid rede hire bi þoȝte.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1446 : Ne mai ich for reoþe lete Wanne ich iseo þe tohte ilete.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)160 : Whan he comeþ to þe mete, he makeþ his mawe touht [vr. towt] Of þe beste.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)237 : Þe beste he pikeþ vp himself and makeþ his mawe touht.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4390 : Ech of hem ne drof forþ on, With pakkes y-charged euerechon, Wyþ harneys y-fillid toȝte.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.2267 : Thanne shal this cherl with baly stif and toght [vrr. tought, touȝe, toft] As any tabour hider been ybroght.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)591/14 : A bleddir..makeþ greet noyse and soune ȝif it be towht iblowe and þanne ibroke.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)283/24 : If þou smite..his wombe, he wole sowne as it were a touȝt leþer ful of wynd.
- c1450 Earth(3) (Cmb Ii.4.9)32/16 : Erthe goos on erth & tyllys with hys plowe, Erthe a-geyn erth holdys it full toght.
b
- c1400 St.Alex.(2) (Trin-O 57)28/116 : Þo he was in-to boure y-broȝt, He by-held þat may swaþel and toȝt Of briȝte hywe.
- a1500 Gracius and gay (DubNLI D.1435)6 : Hyr feyngerys bytt long and small, Hyr harmus byth rown & toth.
c
- c1300 SLeg.(Hrl 2277)481/128 : Oþer bendes he moste make, for þulke nere noȝt toȝte.
d
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10498 : Þe king glosede her & þer & made it somdel touȝt, Ac þo it com to þe strengþe, he nolde it graunti nouȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)522 : 'Gos into my vyne, dotȝ þat ȝe conne'; So sayde þe lorde, and made hit toȝt.