Middle English Dictionary Entry
trench n.
Entry Info
| Forms | trench n. Also trenche; pl. trenches, (errors) renches, tenches. |
| Etymology | OF trenche, trench. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A path cut through a woods, walkway; ?also, a ditch; (b) a cutting or piece of cloth; (c) a parasite, prob. an intestinal worm; ?a sharp pain in the belly; also, an ailment afflicting horses, prob. colic [last quot.]; (d) in place names [see Smith PNElem.2.185].
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.392 : Forth she walketh esily a pas..And in a trench forth in the park goth she.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)441 : The huntes went of kyng poliboun Thorgh the forest, game forto fynde..and as the Reenge the trenchis by and by, They herde a noyse.
- (1475) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)11.847 : xxxv Hominum Laboratorum vocatorum Manyonerers, Casters of Dyks and Trenchis & aliorum Operum necessariorum.
b
- (1371-2) Inquis.PM Edw.III13.84 : [The manor, held of the manor of Horton..by service of rendering a] trenche [of] skarlet [yearly].
c
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)67 : Þe sauour of stampid garlyk dryueþ a-wey noyous wormes; Seth garlek in mulsa and..drinke hit; þis wole destroye þe wormes..and þe trenches.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)125 : Coriaundre..wole sle þe wormes of þe wombe and þe renches [read: trenches].
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)130 : Þis drunken wol sle þe wormes of þe bely and þe tenches [read: trenches].
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)113 : Ad occidendum le trenches in corpore.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.70 : Whoso bereþ metist [read: ametist]..schall not assent to eny tresoun, neþer horse þat he re[d]yþ one schall neuer haue þe wormes ne trenche.
d
- (1312) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)347 : Trenchweye.
- (1327) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)143 : Trench.
- (1343) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)448 : Randolvestrenche.
- (1359) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)591 : Sorebystrenche.
- (1375) Award Blount in ORS 7205 : A filde callid trenchfilde conteynyng xxvjti acres.
- (1375) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.)270 : Middeltrenche.
- (1386) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)591 : Wadestrench.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. trench.