Middle English Dictionary Entry
virǧī̆n(e adj.
Entry Info
Forms | virǧī̆n(e adj. Also vergin(e, vergen, wirgin; pl. virgines. |
Etymology | OFvirgin, virgine, viergine; also cp. L virgineus adj. & ME virǧī̆n(e n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a woman: young, unmarried, and without sexual experience; of a bee: young and unmated;
(b) characterized by virginity, virginal; also fig. and in fig. context; also in epithetic phrase [last quot.];
(c) of earth: uncultivated;
(d) ~ honi, ?honey which comes from a newly built comb; ?honey which flows of itself from the comb; ?honey which has not been clarified, raw honey;
(e) ~ waxe, fresh unused wax, new wax.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1148/6 : Ȝonge virgine been worcheþ bettre and makeþ bettre hony þan þe olde.
- c1450(1438) GLeg.St.Nich.(GiL2)(Eg 876)51/15 : One of his neighaboures…hadde thre doughtres virgines.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)426 : Marye…ber a Barne of vyrgyn flour.
- a1425 LOL (Wnds E.I.I)45/13 : Marie…cecede in soule fro al fleshly desyr of þis lyf, and kepte so hir soule virgin wiþ þe body.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.231 : Olyue tre Is premynent to virgyne chastite.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Eliz.Spalb.(Dc 114)110/9 : Wiþ hire clene virgyn-lippys she kysseþ…þe feet of oure lordis ymage.
- a1475(?1445) ?Lydg.Cal.(Rwl B.408)243 : Seynt Felice! pray Iesu…With blessyd Seynt Cuthburge, þat virgyn flour.
c
- c1450(1438) GLeg.St.Barth.(GiL116) (Eg 876)77/13 : Adam…was fourmed of the erthe that was virgine atte that tyme.
d
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)202 : For salue: Tak apound of virgyne hony, [etc.].
e
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1323/8 : Þe more newe wex is, it is þe better to worche…And boþe figures yprented and lettres ywrite þerinne dureþ and lasteþ þe lenger tyme And such wex is ycleped virgyne [L virginea] wexe.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)334 : Neptenabus…took virgyne waxe And made a popet after þe quene.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)30/40 : Þan putte to a litle oyle of olyue…wiþ als miche virgine wax togidre dissolued at þe fire by it self.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)510 : Vyrgyne wex: Cera virginea.
- a1450 Dub.158 Recipe in NM 86 (Dub 158)203 : Stamp hem to-gedyr with swynes grece & a lytyll hony & vergen wex.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)280/904 : Tak dowkes dunge, hony, wyrgyn wex, floure of barly & of benes, [etc.].
- ?c1450 Iff a man (Stockh 10.90)296/43 : A quarter of vergyn-wax þou take.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)40/6 : Take…iiii dragmis of vergine-wax, [etc.].
- c1470 Bible F.(Cleve-W q091.92-C468)81/5 : In the middis therof ther was a cofre…al about that xij gret chaundelers…echone with a gret tapour of virgin wax brennyng.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)81/a/a : Take a cuppeful of þe iuys of wormod and as myche as half an egge of virgin wex which þat schal be dissolued in þe same iuys.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)13/2 : Take an old cok þat ys xii monthe old oþer more and drawe hym fayre and fille hym ful of virgine wex.