Middle English Dictionary Entry
tǒurte n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tǒurte n. Also torte, turte & (in surname) -tur; pl. tortes, etc. & torteis, (errors) courtes, -is. |
| Etymology | OF torte, tourte & ML torta, tourta, turta. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A kind of coarse brown bread; ~ bakere; (b) a tart of some sort [cp. tart(e n. (a)]; (c) veter. a disease of horses characterized by the formation of an abscess beneath the epidermis; (d) her. ?a device resembling a round cake or loaf of bread [cp. tourtelle n. (b)]; (e) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- (1272) Pat.R.Hen.III659 : [Grant to W. archbishop of York that none of the king's ministers or serjeants shall take against his will great bread called] Turte [from those who grind their corn at the mills late of John de Mose].
- (1299-1300) Court R.Lond.57 : [The defendant carried a loaf of] tourte [through the streets].
- (1371) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)2.146 : [Thomas Kyngeston], Tortebaker.
b
- ?c1400 Dur-U.Menus (Dur-U Cosin V.3.11)41.9/3 : At þe i cours, bores hedes enarmyd..capons, beefe, & pestell of porke isode, & torte, þerwith fesauntes & bytores irosted.
c
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)89/71 : Many euelus comeþ on hors..þat is to say..schale & mangew & turtes & many oþer euellis.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)113/389 : Tortes beþ apostemes in þe ouer half of þe flesche, genderynge with-inne þe skyn in þe manere of a Cake þat men clepuþ tarteles, of þe whiche he takeþ his name.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)115/396-7 : Þou schalt slitte þe skyn of þe torte up & don euene in þe myddes of þe torte.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)115/409 : Or if þe turte at þe furste tyme be nesche & þou vndur-stonde þat it be rotid, in þe stede þer þe þynkeþ þat it is neyschest, [etc.].
- c1450 *Bk.Marchalsi (Hrl 6398)28b : Ther be þre maner of farsyfys, and þe tourte is þe fowrthe, þat comyt of farcine.
- c1450 *Bk.Marchalsi (Hrl 6398)31b : The courtis [vr. toortis] is a maner of farsyf..and whan þat he goth to þe hepisward with-outyn to þe croupeward, he is cleped courtes [vr. the toortis], And for þat he is rounde, also men clepith hym þe courtes [read: tourtes].
d
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.9 (Hrl 2169)174 : John Hemyngbourgh beryth ermyn, a cheveron counterbataylyd goulys, iij torteys of the same yn the chefe.
e
- (1156) *in Pilkington Surn. : Anfridus Buteturte.
- (1273) *in Pilkington Surn. : Butetur.
- (1303) Freeman R.in KRec.18185 : Stephanus Tourte dictus Gorld.
- (1303) Name in EStudies 3320 : Henr. le Tourtebaker.