Middle English Dictionary Entry
trenchǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | trenchǒur n. Also trenchoure, trencheour, trenchor(e, trenchur(e, trencheure, trencher(e, trens(c)houre & (error) trechor; pl. trenchour(e)s, etc. & trenchirres, (error) tryschurs. |
| Etymology | OF trencheor, AF trench(e)our, vars of OF trancheor. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A knife, blade; a cutting tool; (b) a platter or serving dish; a slice of bread serving as a platter; also, a slice of bread; (c) in cpds.: ~ bord; ~ bred (lof), stale or otherwise inferior bread used for platters; ~ knif; ~ molde, a mold for a platter.
Associated quotations
a
- (1360-70) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99175 : In j pare de trenchours pro Priore, 12 s.
- (1382) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)7.357 : Duo magna Paria Cultellorum, vocatorum Trencheours.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.166 : Fulle broþely & brim he kept vp a trencheour, & kast it at Statin..His nese & his ine he carfe at misauentoure.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)99 : Wiþ a sharp trenchour [vr. trenshoure] kitte as þik as he can þe flesshe doun to þe nek bone.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)659/1 : Sissorium: trenchure.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1328 : Þe kempe kest hym a trenchour, & with þe same he schef hymself to þe herte.
- a1450 Lestenit lordynges I you beseke (Sln 2593)p.279 : My baselard haght a trencher kene, Fayr as rasour, scharp and schene.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)129b : Trenschowre: Secarium, Scissorium.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)773/8 : Sissorium: a trenchore.
b
- (?c1300) Sub.R.Lynn in Nrf.Archaeol.1353 : In ij trenchurs, j alvaz, ij s.
- ?c1335 Whose þenchiþ vp (Hrl 913)p.138 : What wol men for þe sowle del? Corne no mel..Bot wel seld at þe mele A rowȝ bare trenchur oþer a crust.
- (1354) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.xxxvii : Item, ij cultelli pro trenchores faciendis.
- (1392) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52218/30 : Clerico panterie..in pane pro trenchors, v duc. di.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)471 : Take qwyte bred, and make therof trenchours, and tost hom, and lay hom on syde.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)41 : Take whyte Brede, & kytte to trenchours, & toste ham; take þin paste whyle it is hot, & sprede it vppe-on þin trenchourys with a spone.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)678,681 : Moo loues of trenchirres at a brayde He settes..Two loues of trenchors and salt þo, He settes be-fore his son also.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)203 : On þe lifft side of your trenchoure lay youre knyffe synguler & playn.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)323 : Kervynge, of bred leiynge, voydynge of cromes, & trenchewre: with ij fyngurs and a thombe loke ye haue þe Cure.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)17 : There ys a numbyr that ys called a stoke..thereby be sold Pruse trenchers, dysshes, and platters.
- (a1500) Collect.Anglo-Premonst.in RHS ser.3.6264 : Item, in ye buttre, ii tabille clothis & a towelle, a bassene & an Ewere of pewder..iii dosen tryschurs [read: trynschurs].
c
- (1388) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)5.37 : [A pair of table knives and a] trenchourknyf [worth 3 s. 4 d.].
- (1392) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.53 : Trenchour burde.
- (1425) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.187/1460 : For white brede and trencheour brede, and iij pekkes of Flour fyn..vij s. x d.
- (c1451) Doc.in Welch Hist.Pewterers Lond.15 : Item, j qware bolle molde iiij part ys, vij li.; Item, j Trechor [read: Trenchor] molde iiij part ys, v li. d. qa.
- (?1474) Stonor1.147 : Item, a coberde cloþe wyth iij towellys, and j trencher knyfe.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)197 : Lay on þat arme viij louys bred with iij or iiij trenchere lovis.
- a1500 Gloss Dict.Garland (Hrl 1002)123 : Mensaculos [glossed:] trencher-knyvys.