Middle English Dictionary Entry
trusse n.
Entry Info
Forms | trusse n. Also trus(e, trous, tros(se; pl. trusses, (early) trussen, trossen. |
Etymology | OF tros(se, trous(e, AF trus(s)e (vars. of OF torse) & ML trossa, trousa, AL trussa. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A wrapped bundle containing clothing, laundry, etc., a parcel, traveler's pack; also, ?a bolt of cloth, cloth wound and fastened together in a roll [quots. c1436]; in ~, ?on the bolt; (b) a bound sheaf of harvested grains, etc.; a bundle of sticks, firewood, etc.; also, a quiver of arrows; (c) mil. a wad, pad, or roll of heavy material hung on a fortification to defend against a battering ram.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1225 Ancr.(Cleo C.6)129/8 : Noble men & gentile ne beoreð nane packes ne ne fareð wið trusses ne wið purses itrussed.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)87/23 : Trussen & purses, baggen & packes beoð worltliche þinges.
- (c1391) Gower CA Suppl.(Hnt EL 26.A.17)7.3253* : The paien rod upon an asse..With him a riche trusse he ladde.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)181 : Of smal trussys of clothys, tunnes of woide, barell of syndres, and all other thynges oute takyn wynes, it is ordeyned that other power, porturys or bererys, moun travaylyn among these thynges.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)187 : Other clothes..ben bought in the cuntre..the which clothes be in trusse or in pakke or in fardel.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)504 : Trusse, or fardelle: Fardellus, sarcina.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)7040 : Ech of vs a trusse shuld bere, Wonden in a feir white shete, On oure heides, that whom we mete Shuld wene that I youre seruaunt were, You to help youre clothes to bere.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)4425 : She was so ferde hir truse was in falling.
- c1650(a1450) Death & L.(Pcy)11 : When Death driueth att the doere..noe truse can be taken, noe treasure on earth.
b
- a1350 Mon in þe mone (Hrl 2253)15 : Wher he were o þe feld pycchynde stake, for hope of ys þornes to dutten is doren, he mot myd is twbyl oþer trous make oþer al is dayes werk þer were yloren.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.5056 : His Ape..hadde gadred al aboute Of stickes hiere and there a route And leide hem redy to his hond Wherof he made his trosse and bond.
- (1393) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.205 : [Four bows with one] trusse [of] setes, [20 s.].
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)28 : Ȝoure shoffez in sheffez byndyþ, In trussez ȝour sheffez putteþ.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4004 : Vndir his heed no pilowe was, But in the stede a trusse of gras.
c
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2404 : Yet wil thei this delude, And with oo crafte thoo craftis iii conclude: Of quylt & felt a trusse thei depende, Ther as the ram entendeth for toffende.
2.
Naut. (a) A rope, line, cord, etc. serving as part of a ship's rigging, prob. to hold a sail to a mast or to furl or unfurl sails; (b) in cpds. & combs.: ~ line (rop), a rope serving as a truss; ~ pareil, a rope used as a parrel; ~ puli, a pulley attached to a truss, prob. a device for raising and lowering a sail [see also puli n. (b)]; fore ~, a rope attached to the foreyard; main ~ (pareil, a rope or parrel attached to the mainsail [cp. main adj. 3.]; mesan ~, a rope attached to the mizzen sail.
Associated quotations
a
- (1295) Acc.Shipbuilding in Ant.J.7434 : Item, in xii globis fili ad duas cordis que dicuntur Trossen inde faciendas.
- (1296) Newcastle Galley in Archaeol.Ael.4.2188 : Vnum par de Trusses Inuentis in domo Johannis de Pytingtone.
- (1336-7) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 2117 : In diuersis cordis de Russhewale cum schiuis et Trussis pro vno rakke inde faciendo.
- (1356) *Pipe Roll (PRO) 32 Edw.III m.33/2 [OD col.] : Computat in..iiij trusses, iiij poleankeropes.
- (1413) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.248 : [2 pairs of] bowlynys, [2] tregettys, [a couple of] trussys.
- (1420) *For.Acc.(PRO) 3 Hen.VI F/2 dorso [OD col.] : j corda vocata slyngerope, j hauser pro Prialle ropes, j hauser pro trusses.
b
- (1301-2) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 3108 : Trossropes, ij steteropes et ij stetingropes.
- (1336-7) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 2123 : Pro vno wyndyngrop..pro duobus Trusseropes..pro vno Botrop..[etc.].
- (1364-5) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 2123 : ij bowelyns, ij trusserops.
- (1402) *Acc.Exch.K.R.43/6.m.2 dorso [OD col.] : In Bafyngera..vocata la Gode Grace..De poleys ix, De Truspoleys ij.
- (1405-10) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 2121 : ij Stetynges debil', ij Truslynes debil'.
- (1409-11) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 2122 : Vn Sailyerd fait de deux peces, vn Trusparaill' pour mesme le mast.
- (1420) *For.Acc.(PRO) 3 Hen.VI K/2 [OD col.] : j trusse parraille.
- (1485) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 238 : For trusses, ij; ffor yerdes j; ffortakkes, ii; fforshetes, ij; fforlyftes, ij.
- (1485) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 271 : Mayne trusses.
- (1485) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 280 : Meson trusses.
- (1497) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 271 : Mayne truse parell ffeble.
3.
Glossing AL ansea [?read: ansa]: ?a coupling for attaching curtains, a curtain ring [cp. sense 2.(b)]; ?an architectural brace, a truss [some other word may be intended; the sense of the L word is not established].
Associated quotations
- ?a1500 Trin-C.LEDict.Suppl.(Trin-C O.5.4)564/16 : Ansea: a trusse.
4.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1202) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames355 : John Trusse.
- -?-(1211-12) Red Bk.Exch.in RS 99602 : Ricardus Trus.
- (1327) Nickname in SAU 63196 : Joh. Trusse.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10129 : Johne Trusseman.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. truss.