Middle English Dictionary Entry

vein(e n.(1)
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms vein(e n.(1) Also vene, vena, vain(e, wein(e, wain(e, wane, (error) vyne; pl. veines, etc. & veinus, veinnis, veanx, (early SW) veinene.
Etymology OF veine, vain(e, vainne, AF vene & L vēna.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1a.
Anat. (a) A blood vessel; also in fig. context; also, fig. the blood, the innermost seat of one’s feelings, the heart; the veines of his grucchinge, the essence of his complaint; (b) in generalizing phrases: everi ~, alle the veines, every part of the body, every bit; in everi ~, over alle veines, in every part of the body; totally, fully; also, keenly, severely.
Show 36 Quotations
1b.
Anat. (a) A vein as distinguished from an artery by location, structure, behavior, or function; also, ?a venule or arteriole [quot. ?c1475]; (b) in cpds., combs., and phrases referring to specific veins: ~ arterial, arterial ~, one of the four pulmonary veins, or their juncture at the left atrium of the heart; ~ ascending (kile), ascending (kilis) ~, holwe ~, the inferior vena cava [see also kile n.(1) (a)]; ~ basilica, ~ of (on) the livere, basilica (bas, livere) ~, the basilic vein [see also livere n.(1) (b)]; also, one of the four dorsal digital veins of the foot [quot. ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 142b/b]; veines capillars, capillar veines, ?venules; ?arterioles; ~ cephalica, ~ of the hed, cephalica (hed) ~, the cephalic vein [see also hed n.(1) 1c.(d)]; ~ coral, coral ~, the median cubital vein; also, ?the cephalic vein [quot. a1400 Lanfranc 131/12]; ~ meden, a condition producing a painful, swollen, tortuous vein in the leg; also, such a vein; veines menstrue, menstrual veines, ?veins presumed to connect the uterus and the mammary glands; ?the two uterine veins and their tributaries; veines miseraices, miseraice veines, tributaries of the portal vein, including the mesenteric veins, the gastric veins, and the splenic vein, and their tributaries [see also miseraice adj. (a)]; ~ of the bak, a vein of the arm, suitable for bloodletting; ~ of the elboue, ?the anterior or posterior ulnar vein; ?the median cubital vein; ~ of the forhed, ?one of the two supratrochlear veins; ~ of the gret to, one of the dorsal digital veins of the foot; ~ of the herte, herte ~, ?the median cubital vein; ?the median vein of the forearm; ~ of the longes, ?the median cubital vein; ?the accessory cephalic vein; ~ of the thoume, capital ~, a dorsal digital vein in the thumb, an extension of the cephalic vein; ~ of the wombe, a superficial vein of the foot; ?the medial marginal vein; ~ organik, a jugular vein [see also organik adj. (c)]; ~ salvatel, ~ of the splene, a vein between the ring finger and the little finger of the right hand; ~ sophena (sophene), sophene ~, the small saphenous vein; bodilich (mediana, middel) ~, the median cubital vein [see also middel adj. 1.(d)]; commune ~, ?a venous trunk before its division into tributaries; eie ~, an extension of the cephalic vein that joins the dorsal venous network of the hand; maister ~, ?a large or main vein; also, one of the saphenous veins [quot. a1500 Add.37075 Gloss]; milken (milki) veines, ?veins presumed to connect the uterus with the mammary glands; ?chyle vessels, lacteals; nekke ~, ?an equine jugular vein; particuler ~, ?a vein branching off from a larger venous trunk; pouse ~, one of the four pulmonary veins, or their juncture at the left atrium of the heart; purpure ~, ?a superficial antecubital vein suitable for bloodletting; ?the median antecubital vein; ramouse ~, the inferior vena cava; pl. the hepatic veins.
Show 75 Quotations
1c.
Anat. An artery; arterie ~; ~ aborchi (pulsatile), the aorta; ~ arterial, arterial (wosi) ~, the pulmonary artery; pl. the left and right pulmonary arteries; ~ of the pouse, pouse ~, an artery; also, the aorta; felen (gropen, tasten) ~, to check (someone’s) pulse.
Show 16 Quotations
1d.
In phrase: ~ blod, blood drawn in bloodletting; also, the act or process of bloodletting [1st quot.].
Show 5 Quotations
1e.
Anat. A bodily passageway, meatus, or duct; ~ kile, the ureter; veines of urine, ?ureters; ?urethras; vocal ~, ?the larynx; ?the fissure between the vocal folds in the larynx, the rima glotidis.
Show 7 Quotations
1f.
Anat. A sinew, ligament, or filament; pl. ?the vocal folds of the larynx; ?the vocal ligament.
Show 5 Quotations
2.
A sap vessel of a plant; also, a vascular bundle of a leaf.
Show 3 Quotations
3.
A channel of water, stream, rivulet; a spring; a well; an underground watercourse; also, fig. a source (of life, wickedness, etc.); also, ?a bloodline, one’s lineage [quot. a1382, 1st].
Show 12 Quotations
4.
A linear deposit of minerals, metal, ore, etc.; a lode; also, a streak or vein within a stone or nugget of ore, a seam or filament of contrasting texture or color; ~ of erthe, a substance found in or extracted from a deposit; ~ of mountaine, ?a cupreous mineral; ?mountain blue, copper carbonate.
Show 12 Quotations
5.
Fig. ?A natural feature of personality, a propensity.
Show 1 Quotation

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)538/14 : The veynes þe whiche ben late blode in men ben 33..In the hede ben xiii: two behynde þe eres, two in þe corners of the eyȝen, two holwe veynes, and two of þe hattrelle, þe veyne of þe forhede, þe veyne of þe liȝte [*Ch.(1): one of þe puppe; L puppis], þe veyne of the nose, þe two veynes vnder þe tonge.
    • Note: New phrase.
    Note: veine of the ~, the occipital vein.
    Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1b.(b).
    Note: See sense 5. of light n.: "The faculty of sight..pl. eyes."
    Note: DMLBS: pupula: "1. pupil (of the eye); 2. (by synechdoche) eye.
    Note: See MED pǒupe n.(2), sense (b): "the rear part of the head."
    Note: See J. Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. light: "In the sense 'lungs,' substantival use of adj. light 'of little weight'. The sense of 'back of head' remains unexplained."
    Note: Perhaps the translator of the Latin confused the form 'puppis' with 'pupula' (pupil of the eye)--the diminutive of 'pupa'.--notes per MLL

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vena.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. kilis vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. arterial vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. base vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. basilica vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. capillar vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. capital vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. cephalica vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. coral vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. eye vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. head vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. heart vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. hollow vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. kilis vena.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. kilis vene.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. liver vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. menstrual vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. mesaraic vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. middle vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. milky vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. miseraic vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. organic vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. purple vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. purpur vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. ramous vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. sophene vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein basilica.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein cephalica.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein chili(s).

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein meden.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein mediana.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein menstrue.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the elbow.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the forehead.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the head.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the heart.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the liver.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the lungs.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the spleen.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the thumb.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the womb.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein on the liver.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein sophena.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vena basilica.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vena cephalica.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vena meden.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vena sophena.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1b.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vene.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. artery vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. pouse vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein abhorti.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the pouse.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. wosy vein.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(e)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the urine.

©2025 Regents of the University of Michigan. For details about this collection's copyright see the MEC copyright statement and the U-M Library Copyright Policy. Data last refreshed Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at 12:18:00.