Middle English Dictionary Entry
bītinge ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | bītinge ger. Also bitting. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The act of biting, or an instance of it; (b) a wound inflicted by biting, a bite; ~ place.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)299 : Þe deuel bitez þe men..his bitingues beoth wel ille.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)p.187 : Foules shal deuore hym wyþ bitterest biting [L morsu].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Wisd.16.9 : Hem..the bityngis [L morsus] of fleȝes and of locustis slowen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)267a/a : Suche addres greueþ most now wiþ bytyng.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)19/14 : Ȝe schal fele berkyng & bityng.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.6.44 : Slayn by bytynge of smale flyes.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.696 : The goos with grasse & water vp is brought..Her bytyng [L morsu] harmeth corn.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Corp.Chr.(Trin-C R.3.20)192 : Oure olde grevaunce, Brought Ine by byting of an appul smale.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)59/10 : Deþ comeþ so sodenly after þe bitynge, þat a man may not be holpe.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)100 : What thynge is foulere than a man the which the bytynge of flyes sleeth?
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)15 : For the pyke ye schall take a good fyne lyne..enarmyd with wyre for bytyng a sundure.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)19 : The bytyng tyme ys erly by the morow.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)371 : The bytyng of the houndes.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)279a/a : Suche whelpes y opened and y leyde hoote to þe bytyng of serpentes draweþ oute venyme.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)46b : Hit helpiþ for waspis bitynge.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)157a/b : Bityngez [L morsuras] & prickyngez & venemous pustulez.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)54b/b : Kyttynges and..bresynges and..bitynges.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)p.65 : This same emplastre is good a-ȝeins houndes byting.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)p.67 : Hit wole hele houndes bytyng ȝif þou wole oynte þerwiþ þe bityng place.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)p.151 : The decoccon of þis herbe..cureþ alle dedely bitynges.
- ?a1450 Arderne LW (Em 69)120 : The place of the bytynge.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)p.147 : Take alitul fresche flesche and rubbe on þe byting.
- a1500 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 19674)p.84 : For Bitynggue of An Eddere.
2.
Physiol. Caustic or corrosive action or quality.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)50a/b : Somtyme þe ioyntes ben ful of superfluyte of humours, an by þe scharpnes & bitinge þerof ache brediþ in þe sinewe of felinge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)313b/a : Swete sauour wiþoute wemme of bytyng & scharpenesse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)315a/b : Sotil substaunce comeþ in to þe partyes and departeþ hem atwynne and þerfore þere is bytynge and fretynge [L corrosio].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)45b/b : When þe blode repugneþ to conuersion bi his mordicite i. bityng & multitude bi which he hurteþ þe brayne.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)172a/a : Al stiptic & pontik þing..erthy and grossing, wantyng mordicacioun i. biting [*Ch.(2): fretyng].
3.
(a) Smarting, ache; (b) remorse.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.5.32 : What thyng is thanne this power, that mai nat don awey the bytynges of bysynesse?
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)170b/a : It mundifieþ softely & ceseþ gnawing or bityng [L mordicationem].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)40a/b : He feleþ with yn his eyȝe a prycchynge and bitynge.
- 1451-1500 Tundale (Wagner)891 : Stronge bytyng þai hade within With wood edderes..þat within hem were gnavyng ay.
b
- c1440 Treat.Prayer (Thrn)296 : With-owttene dedly syne and with-owttene preue byttyng of conscience.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)234/29 : Sorwes and bitynges, þat is rewþe and wailyng.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.34.21b : He wile..forȝeue þe trespas..for swilk a litil payne heere of bitynge of conscience.
4.
(a) Affliction; (b) slander.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)102 : It is a folych hope to wene to be saue among the byttynges of synnys.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prol.Is.(Dc 369(1))p.224 : Wee also to ben opene to the bitingus of manye men.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.12rb (1.4) : Here vryn apperiþ as þer were in heuede heres, and þai þat hauen þis two passions..þai felen grete ych aboute þe vesye, wiþ ȝykyng abouten þe tayl end. Wherfor him likeþ tochyng þeraboute, and cold þinges, be cause of bytyng and ychyng & tykelyng.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (BodeMus 187:Harvey)f.2v (1.3) : It is callede 'monoculus,' i. on-eyede, for it haþ but one hole. & þerfor, þer þe mater comeþ in, þer it most go oute. & þat may it noȝt but þorgh mordicacioun, i. þorgh bytyng & fretying..of þe galle.
Note: Additional quots., sense 2. Editor's gloss: 'caustic action or effect'.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. biting.