Middle English Dictionary Entry
venesǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | venesǒun n. Also veneson, venesun, venisoun(e, venison(e, venisin, venisun, veneison, veneisun, vennison, weneson, wenison, wennesone, wennissun & vensoun, venson, vensun, wensonne & (error) venisum. |
| Etymology | OF veneson, venison, veneison, AF veneisun, venesoun, venesun, venisoun, venisun, vars. of OF venoison; cp. AL venisona. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A wild animal hunted for food or sport, game animal;—often coll.; also, specif., deer; taken (cacchen) ~;
(b) a game animal of a specific level of maturity or with flesh of a certain type;
(c) the meat of a game animal; also, a piece of meat from a game animal; also, the carcass or dressed carcass of a game animal; ro ~;
(d) ?hunting, venery [could also be construed as (c)];
(e) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)329 : Þai biþouȝten hem bliue Hou þai venisoun miȝt take, Gode mete þer of to make.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Ph.(Manly-Rickert)C.83 : A theef of venysoun that hath forlaft His likerousnesse and al his olde craft Kan kepe a forest best of any man.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1996 : Ther scholde he with his Dart on honde Upon the Tigre and the Leon Pourchace and take his veneison.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6343 : A Folk þere woneþ…Þat eteþ noiþer cow ne chalf, Bot of panters and lyouns, And þat hij nymen as venysouns [LinI: venesons].
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1500 : Corineus was go for to chace Venison to take of grace.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)51 : This worthy Sowdon…Shope him to grene woode to goon, To chase the Bore or the Veneson, The Wolfe, the Bere, and the Bawson.
- c1450 Twiti Venery(2) (Yale-BA Porter MS)56/30 : Yf…it be in gres tyme of vennyson…þe greyhound…schall haue þe hide.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)21426 : Swych houndys…I ha…ffor to cachche me venysoun.
- a1500 Treat.Hunt.(Cmb Ll.1.18)53/171 : How mony venesonez bene þer? I answer, þe hert, þe boor, þe har.
b
- a1500 Treat.Hunt.(Cmb Ll.1.18)48/55 : I sey þat hit [hare] is veneson bycause he beres talowe & es þe key & þe he off huntyng.
- a1500 Treat.Hunt.(Cmb Ll.1.18)52/152 : On þis maner his he [buck] soght, for he is no weneson, & berez talowe.
- a1500 Treat.Hunt.(Cmb Ll.1.18)53/183-5 : The hare es of þe venson when he es oueryered, and than bereth he argent; The hert when he es off v ȝer, þen begynneth he to be venson, but when he es off vii ȝere, þan is he venson holych.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)342 : Huy nomen with heom into heore schip…Venesun of heort and hynd and of wilde swyn.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1726 : Biforn hem com þe beste mete…Kranes, swannes, ueneysun [F veneisuns], Lax, lampreys.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)4104 : Arthour schal alle his tounes Astore wiþ flesche & venisouns.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)335 : Þov hast y dremed of venesoun, þov mostest drynke a torn.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3615 : Bring me now sum venisum [Göt: venisun], And þou sal haue mi benison.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1375 : Frekez he beddez Verayly his venysoun to fech hym byforne.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1668 : Þare he lifed a grete sesowne, With rotes and raw venysowne.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7048 : But we [read: he] wole do come in haste Roo venysoun, bake in paste.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)662/10 : Ferina: wenyson.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)508 : Venysone: Ferina.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1331 : Bukke & do & hert wyþ horn…þey slowe…& stored þem wel of venyson.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)689 : Furst set forthe…Capoun, pigge, vensoun bake, leche lombard.
- a1475 The boris hede (Brog 2.1)p.93 : Then commys in the secund kowrs…Furmante to potdtage, with wennissun fynn.
- a1475 VPhilibert (Brog 2.1)p.17 : Wer beth…Thi wennesone, thi wyld foulle, spycus of delyte?
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9)262 : Sethen brittuns he þe best As venesun in forest.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)401 : So feyre þat veneson he gan to dight That bothe hym byheld squyere and knyght.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)90/323a : Ferina: a wensonne.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)92/324b : Ferina: vensunn.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)759/16 : Ferina: venisyn.
d
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)745/24 : Þees meyne…lyuen by preyes and by venisoun [L venationibus].
e
- (1314) Feet Fines Kent in Archaeol.Cant.13290 : John Venesoun.
- (1320) Pat.R.Edw.II439 : John Veneson…Veneyson.