Middle English Dictionary Entry
trāce n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | trāce n.(1) Also tras(e, trais(e, trasche, traze, (error) crayse; pl. traces, etc. & tracesse. |
| Etymology | OF trace, trase, trache. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A course, path, way; taken ~, to make (one's) way (to a place); (b) fig. a course of action; a way of life; gon ~, to follow a course of action; retournen ~, come back, return; (c) in misc. fig. phrases: folwen (seuen, taken) ~, to follow (someone's) example, emulate (someone's) way of life or actions; also, pursue a course of action.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7765 : Alisaunder and Candace To chaumber token her trace.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4095 : He hath sought If he myght fynde hole or trace Where thurgh that me mote forth by pace.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)498 : Trace, of a wey over a felde: Trames.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1922 : Haue don, felaus, and take ȝoure trasche And wende we þedyr on a rasche Þat castel for to cleue.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1458 : For þere was no-thyng senene y-wys Of þe trace þat þe prest had wt þe fyle y-made.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)3394 : Done solempnite of pace, To farne agayne he takes his trace.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)664 : Vn-to þe kechyn þan looke ye take youre trace.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)97/34 : That day the children of Israel entred firste in-to the londe of beheste and passid Flom Iordan with a drye trayse.
- ?a1500(?a1475) Abbot & C.(Hrl 2380)40 : To þe kyrke he toke þe trace.
- 1600(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2013)10/235 : Heither thou hast us broughte into dungeon to take our trace.
b
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)21.276/13 : He þat wot wel þat gostly lare Techeþ hem to leue his trace And torne from his seruyse to grace.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25528 : Þou sceu þe lauerd al vntil us, Þat al to mikel has ben vnbuxs Vnto þe suet trace.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1823 : Discrecioun..schulde þe haue lad From þe tracis of sensualite, Þouȝ it ful selde in mannys power be.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.746 : Affter the maneres..Vsid off pryncis in dyuers regeouns, The peeple is redy to vsen and fulfille Fulli the traces off ther condiciouns.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3410 : All þi benefetys he set at nowth But toke hym to þe Deuelys trase.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)2107 : Al this worlde gooth the same trace And stondeth in [the] selve case.
- c1450 Treat.Perf.(Add 37790)229/7 : I intende to transpose..a trettesse..whiche..is called the tretesse of perfeccioun of the sonnys of god, that es to saye the grownde and the ledere vnto the trew crayse [read: trayse] of perfeccioun.
- c1460 Chaucer CT.Prol.(Bodmer cod.48)A.176 : Trace [Heng: This ilke Monk leet oolde thynges pace And heeld after the newe world the space].
- c1460 Dub.Abraham (Dub 432)79 : She faileþ not of sorowes trase.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)123/22 : Thre hundred mark, Simon, if þei make þe bischop; With mony þou tredis þi trace, so Simund Simon eyer he was.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)50/243 : My joye returnyth his trace.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)249/200 : He cals hym a kyng in euery place; thus wold he ouer led Oure people in his trace and oure lawes downe tred.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)705 : That was neuyr my purpos For to leue oon soche a trase, Be nyght nor be day.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Mand.& Sultan (BodeMus 160)16 : Your prestes that suld tech vertus trace, They ryn rakyll out of gud race.
c
- a1325 Man folwe Seint (Add 11579)1 : Man, folwe seintt Bernardes trace And loke in ihesu cristes face.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)16.264/216 : Such wordus seide crist to Eustas, To make him suwe his owne tras.
- (a1392) Clanvowe 2 Ways (UC 97)70/525 : Crist suffrede for vs, leeuynge vs ensaumple þat we schulden so doo folewynge hise traaces.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.35 : Forthi bliz ic him wit graze That folues noht the Iewes traze.
- a1400 Cato(3) (Frf 14)374 : Gode grante vs grace to folow catouns trace in his teyching.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.322 : Cornelius..dide his dever dewe Hem to translate, and the tracys sewe Of thise auctours by good avisement.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)153/52 : Of him he was baptist And toke trace of Jhesu Crist.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)198 : Ther [n]is quene, Countesse, ne duchesse..That she of dethe mote dethes trace sewe.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.1317 : Prynces echon folwe nat the traas Off noble Drusus.
- a1450(a1387) PPl.A(2) (RwlPoet 137)12.91 : Wend þou no ferther, But lyue as þis lyf is ordeyned for the; þe tomblest wiþ a trepget ȝif þou my tras folwe.
- ?a1450(c1380) Chaucer Gent.(Benson-Robinson)3 : What man that desireth gentil for to be Must folowe his trace.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)1197 : For Tarquinius gaf not hir askynge, Thre of them she brent aforn his face And saide that odyre shuld folow the same trace.
- a1475 Cato(2) (Rwl G.59)427 : Of yuel men thou sywe the trase.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)450 : Enlumyne my resoun, To folowe the traces of spirituall doctryne.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)33/11 : They plesen here moder, scilicet, holy chirche, and foloweth here tracesse.
2.
(a) A human track or trail; also, a track left by an animal's movement; also as term of association [quot. a1475]; folwen on the (his) ~, to track an animal, pursue a person; (b) a mark or sign left by the passage or presence of something; also fig. and in fig. context; also, a scar.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)4918 : Gvinbat fleiȝe out of þe place; Gaheriet on hors his trace Folwed out fram þat ost.
- ?a1350 Guy(3) (Add 14408)1948 : Of thair hors fet he sagh the trace.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.39 : Þe Lyoun dooþ away & hideþ his trace wiþ his tayl whan he fleiȝeþ by þe mountaynes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.17 : As þe grete flye folweþ þe tras of þe malschave, so after oþer woo com þe pestilence of þe Ismaelites.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1210/35 : Þis beste hiena fleeþ þe huntere and draweþ towarde þe right syde to occupie þe trase of þe man þat goþ bifore.
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.73r : Sneylys smellyn it fro fer, as hounde tras of hare, or nase soote þyng.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)40 : Men clepen þe steppes or þe marches of þe Otere as men clepe þe trace of þe hert.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)77 : Ȝe may knowe a greete hert bi þe steppis, þat in Engelond is callid trace.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.5.4, 10 : Some of hem han hir bodyes straught, and crepyn in the dust, and drawen aftir hem a traas or a furwe icontynued (that is to sein, as naddres or snakes)..oothere beestes gladen hemself to diggen hir traas or hir steppys in the erthe.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)63 : Þies gomes þay ga in grevys so grene, And boldly blawes rechayse, And folowes faste one þe trase.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4055 : The trays of þe traytoure he trynys full euenne And turnys in be þe Treyntis, þe traytoure to seche.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)962/24 : Than sir Bors rode after sir Lyonell, hys brothir, by the trace of their horsis.
- a1475 Terms Assoc.(1) (Brog 2.1)60 : A trype of harrys; A trase of harrys.
- a1500 Awntyrs Arth.(Dc 324)610 : Als wounded as he was, Sone buredely he ras And folowed fast one his tras With a swerde.
b
- ?c1250 Somer is comen & (Eg 613)55 : Mayde & Moder þar astod, marie ful of grace, And of here eyen heo let blod uallen in þe place; þe trace ran of here blod, changedere [read: changed here] fles, & blod, & face.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)91/1719 : Þer mihte men seo þe traces of bledyng Of heore veynes streynyng.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)106/8 : Alle ben passed as schadewe, as a massanger rennynge, or a schup or a brid or arowe þat leuen no trace aftur hem to knowe bi whider þei passen.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.30 : Be myn helpe in this grete nede To do socour my stile to directe, And of my penne the tracys to correcte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)308 : Virgile..was in party trewe of his writyng, Exsepte only that hym lyst som whyle The tracys folwe of Omeris stile.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)636 : Where-so I trad was blody tras.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.3.45 : In whiche Epycuriens and Stoyciens for as myche as ther semede some traces or steppes of myn abyte..pervertede some.
- ?a1425 Chauliac(1) (NY 12:Wallner)3.48/13 : I trowe wise lechez..for to haue hidde to nature þe tradicioun..of so grete a benefice, siþ þe trace of it is kut away in þe tretys of hem.
- ?a1425 Chauliac(1) (NY 12:Wallner)3.69/1 : He þat is bityn of a wode hounde is not sured þat, ne þof al he fele noȝt, þe trace of hym..may appere after a moneþ.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)114a/a : It is entensioun of doctours þat þe place be cured with cantarides..not forsoþ with actuale cauterie..for þe vestigiez, i. traces, shuld more appere.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)156 : J haue sakked many oon that j haue needes..put out and left trases of dunge after me, as a snayle.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)175/8 : The longe passinge of tyme maketh a mannes dedis olde and defaceth here traces, and thanne there abideth no thinge but good renowne..in the hertis of here successours.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)188/32 : We will shewe ouer all the traces of our gladnesse.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)746 : Now Meyntnance and Perjury Hathe schewyde þe trace of þer cumpeny.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)2648 : Bar foot thei lad hym..That blissid Albon toward his passion..the tracis wer weel seyn, For with his blood the soile was died red.
- a1500 Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149)74 : The veyle of the temple brake yn the myddes, and yt was wel seene that an avngel dyd yt by a trace of ffyre.
- a1500 Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149)115 : Now ther nys noon that wepeth, nor yn hem appereth no trace of teres, whych wer wont to renne oute of her yghen.
3.
(a) A footstep [1st quot.]; a step in a dance; also iron.; also, the music for a dance [quot. c1475, 1st]; (b) motion, progress; maken a ~, to move or run (toward sth.); (c) a procession.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)16.6 : Fulfyl my goynges in þy bestiȝes, þat m[i] traces ne be nouȝt stired.
- a1456(a1426) Lydg.Mum.Hertford (Trin-C R.3.20)27 : He may with hem vpon þe daunce goon Leorne þe traas, booþe at even and morowe.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)125/48 : If þai like noght to listyn youre lawes, As traytoures on-trewe þe sall teche þem a trace.
- c1450 Marion ABC (Arun 168)80 : Than is þer no daunce, purdowy, ner trace, But only your prayers þat ben so swete and clere.
- a1475 Heart & Eye(3) (Lngl 258)445 : He hade also..A sheef of arowes sette in ordennaunce To teche the louers his trace to daunce.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)72 : Ande how, mynstrellys, pley þe comyn trace! Ley on wyth þi ballys tyll hys bely breste!
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)528 : Þe goode man Mercy xall no lenger be hys gyde, I xall make hym to dawnce anoþer trace.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)190 : To his lady he cam full curteysely, Whan he þought tyme to daunce with her a trace.
b
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)82/650 : Children on a day maden aplawe; Atte Bars heo maden a tras [Cleo: ournen], A cours he tok wiþ his felawe.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)226/160 : Goode sir..tarie noght my trace, For I haue tythandis to telle.
c
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)285 : After hem coome of wymen swich a traas That..The thridde part of mankynde, or the ferthe, Ne wende I not by possibilitee Had ever in this wide world ybee.
4.
Her. A line, tressure.
Associated quotations
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)her.leaf e vij/a : Portat duplicem tractum cum floribus gladioli contrapositis..Anglice sic: He berith golde a dowble trace florischyt contrari.
5.
A pile; a heap of dead bodies;— ?error for tas(se n.(2) (a).
Associated quotations
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.3145 : Afforn destroied his castellis & his touns..His princis slayn, ther baneres nor penouns Nor brode standardis mihte hem nat auaile; The tras out souht, spoilled of plate & maile.
- c1460 Chaucer CT.Kn.(RwlPoet 149)A.1005 : Trase [Heng: Theseus..dide with al that contree as hym leste, To ransake in the taas of bodies dede, Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede].
- c1460 Chaucer CT.Kn.(RwlPoet 149)A.1020 : Trace [Heng: They founde..Two yonge knyghtes liggynge by and by..Nat fully quyk ne fully deed..Out of the taas the pilours han hem torn].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 Cmb.Dd.6.29 Artist.Recipes (Cmb Dd.6.29) 70/3 : Furste þu schal make a plum tras, and seiþe drawe hit with roset.
Note: ?New sense.
Note: Glossary: "tras n. 'outline'."
Note: Cf. trace, n.1, sense 8. a. 'A line or figure drawn; a tracing, drawing, or sketch of an object or of a piece of work.'