Middle English Dictionary Entry
tronchǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tronchǒun n. Also tronchoune, tronchon(e, troncheoun, troncheon, tronchen, tronchin, tronsoun, trouncheoun(e, trounchon, trounchen, trounsoun, trounson, trounsoune, trun(s)choun, truncheoune, trunchon(e, trunche(o)n, trunchine, (in surnames) trunchun, trunson & (?errors) trochon, trounsom, (errors) trwnfown, truch; pl. tronchouns, etc. & trunsoun. |
| Etymology | OF tronçon, tronchon, tronson, trosson, AF trunçun, trunchun, trunchoun, tronchoun, tronsoun. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A piece broken or cut from something, fragment; (b) a fragment or broken part of a spear or lance [sometimes difficult to distinguish (b) from (c) and vice versa]; (c) the shaft of a spear or lance; ?also, in synecdoche, a spear or lance.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)31/805 : Þe grehound wolde nowt sessed be Til þat adder ware toren of þre..Of þe adder he fond mani tronsoun.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Widow's Candle (Phys-E)p.162 : This candel brac bituix thaim tua, And scho stec of hir slep riht sua, And fand a tronchoun [vr. trounsun] redy broken.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)40/827 : On a tronsoun [vr. tronchen] of is spere Þat heued a stikede for to bere.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)41/856 : He nadde noþing him self to were Boute a tronsoun [vr. tronchyn] of a spere.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2150 : First hym mette wiþ speres egge Þorouȝ shelde and breny and aketoun—Þe spere tobrast on two trunsoun.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)156/26 : Þei make knyghtes to jousten in armes full lustyly..& þei breken here speres so rudely þat the tronchouns [Man.(2): trunschouns] flen in sprotes & peces all aboute the halle.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)9613 : His spere brak, hit myght not last; The tronchon [vr. tronchone] a-way fro hym he cast.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)1063 : In his hande lefte a littill troncheoun; Þer-with full faste he dange þam doun, Full Many Ane heythyn hounde.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)48/10 : With the troncheon he sette hym on his horse and gate hym wynde.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)885/25 : He drew the truncheon of the speare oute of hys body.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1074/1 : Helpe me that thys truncheoune were oute of my syde, for hit stykith so sore that hit nyghe sleyth me.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)1655 : He went..Vnto the kynge Mellyagere, And in his halle brak his spere..The tronchoune felle vppon þe bord.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9434 : A trunchen of the tre & the triet hed Abode in his body, & in his brest stake.
c
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3093 : Þurch þe bodi he [Esclandar] bar a trounsoun: Wiþ boþe honden he held him to þe arsoun; Boþe bifore & eke bihinde, Þe blod gan out fast winde.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2615 : He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun And he hym hurtleth with his hors adoun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1585 : Whan þat he knewe..Þat Paris hath Pallamydes y-slawe, Anoon he bad þat þei shulde out drawe Þe large tronchoun & þe stelen hed.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)4461 : The tronchon yede al fro the bodie..it passed for by, And bare his helme into the felde.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2007 : Kynge Rycharde helde a tronchon [vrr. trochon, trounsom, trownsoune]..Sir Margaryte he gaue a dent than Aboue the eye vpon the pan; The skull braste with that dente.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)77/27 : Surdyte..bett doune mony with the tronchon of his sper.
- c1450 Siege Thebes (Rwl D.82)271 : Pollymet..with his spere bare Ethiocles þorgh þe body..þe tronchoun of þe spere abiding in his body.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)275/12 : Withoute the pavylyons hynge three whyght shyldys on trouncheouns of sperys, and grete longe sperys stood upryght by the pavylyons.
- a1500(a1400) Libeaus (Lamb 306)662 : A tronchon oute he laught [Clg: a tre yn honde he kauȝt]..And with the hede of the tre He smote Lybeous shelde in thre.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)2975 : In hys body he had a tronchon..Both behynde and before The blode ranne downe of hys gore.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)41/694 : The ffosters he bete down With a dynte of a trounchon.
2.
A staff; a short staff; a club, cudgel, truncheon; also, a truncheon or hammer used to beat a rhythm for oarsmen [quot. 1440, 2nd].
Associated quotations
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7250 : Merlin him turned flesche and liche And was bicomen a garsoun In hond berand a tronsoun.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)73/1428 : At þe prisoun dore Beues fond A tronsoun [vr. trounchen] þat he tok in is hond.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)81/1545 : Wiþ þe tronsoun þat he to prisoun tok A slouȝ hem alle, so saiþ þe bok.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)504 : Trunchyne [KC: trunchone; Win: Truch], staffe: Fustis, trunculus.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)504 : Tronchon or wardere: Porticulus.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)909 : On þat tronchoun with his teþ he [Nero] toggeþ & byteþ Tille hit was piked at þe poynt.
- ?c1450 Iff a man (Stockh 10.90)324/709 : At fywe ȝer age he [dragonwort] beryth his seede Lik a trwnchown [vr. trwnfown] or a pestell.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)73/1316 : In to preson whan he come down, There he ffound a shorte trunchown.
3.
The trunk or stock of a tree.
Associated quotations
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)28 : Tho bowis grewen out of stockis or tronchons, and the tronchons or schaftis grewen out of the roote.
4.
A short, thick parasitic worm which affects horses and humans.
Associated quotations
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)504 : Trunchon, wyrme: Lumbricus [Win: Tarinus].
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)140/3 : Crassula minor is an herbe..and it sleth wyrmus and trwnchonys.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)221/10 : For to sle þe trunchynis in a manis body.
5.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1209) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames355 : William Trunchun.
- (1258) Pat.R.Hen.III635 : Henry Trunchun.
- (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2559 : Robertus Trunchun.
- (1327) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames355 : Thomas Trunson.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. truncheon.