Middle English Dictionary Entry
trifer n.
Entry Info
| Forms | trifer n. Also trifera. |
| Etymology | L tryphera, ML trifera; cp. AF trifere a mild purgative. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Med. Some kind of medicinal preparation or substance used as a mild purgative; also, this substance used in a salve.
Associated quotations
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)482/2417 : If scho fele seknes & payne & ak in hire valve efter a bath, let hyre tak trifer in þe morow, fastand, & at evyn..scho put sum þareof in hyre valve.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)431/12 : Some þinges maken good colour taken wiþynforth..for þai gendre good blood and sotil, as softe ayren and broþþes of gode flesches and swete wyne..and some medecynes..clense the blood, as trifera [L trifera] minor and myrabolanes and soche oþer þinges.
- a1450 Liber Cophonis (Add 34111)25/94 : Ȝif þat þe flewmatik renne of blode, þan do to þis oynement..crowlek and smerewort; And ȝif þat þis sekenes comeþ in wynter, do ȝif þe seek jeralogodion ymengyd wiþ trifera.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)169/32 : Take fresch estynes and grene trifera, vndyr þe weyght of a pounde, and putte it [in] a quantite couenyent of watyr..and lete hem stonde..and aftyr sethe hem..Þan take four partys of hony and putte þer-to and sethe hem tylle þei be thyk..þe propyrte is to putte awey malencoly, and to dyssolue flewme..to tempir þe stomak, to dyssolue hym þat is constipat, and to dyssolue wynde.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. trifera.