Middle English Dictionary Entry
weǧǧe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | weǧǧe n. Also weg(e, wegh, wedge, wagge, vegge, (early) wecg & wēg(ge; pl. wegges, etc. & (error) yeges. |
| Etymology | OE wecg, wæcg. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An instrument or a tool, usu. of metal or wood, thick at one end and tapering to a narrow edge at the other, used to force apart two surfaces, split rock or wood, tighten a structure, etc., a wedge; also, a wedge-shaped part of the mechanism of an astrolabe [quot. a1450(1391)];
(b) agr. a wedge-shaped piece of wood used to hold open a cleft in the stock of a tree for the graft of a scion;
(c) a pin, peg, nail, cleat.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)517 : Coyne, cune, et terrere: Bolax, wegge, wymbul.
- (1354) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.xxxvi : Camera…Item, ij colpikkes; Item, ij yeges [read: weges] ferrei.
- (1379) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81103 : De iij Wegges ferri.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)315/29 : If þou miȝt not bringe þe boon to his propre place…take a strong boond & sette it vndir his chyn…& wiþ a wagge [L cuneo] þou muste opene his mouth.
- (1422) Invent.Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.12206 : vj hokys debiles, vj weggs ferri.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)10b/b : Bone is paxillare or basillare which, as it war a cune, i. wege, is festenyng & sustenyng alle þe forsaid bonez above þe palate.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)103a/a : The restorer afterward put in his thomb in to his mouþ & his oþer fyngerz vnder þe mandible, or a cune, i. wegge, of tree.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)5026 : He cleue hem with his swordis egge, As man doth the tre with wegge.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)520 : Wedge, to cleve woode: Cuneus.
- (1448-9) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99237 : 3 wedgez ferr. pro lucracione lapidum in quarrera.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)1.14.5 : Than is there a large pyn…thorugh which pyn ther goth a litel wegge, which that is clepid the hors, that streynith all these parties to-hepe.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)356/235,237 : Me thynkith þis crosse will noght abide…Goode wegges schall we take þis tyde, And feste þe foote…Here are wegges arraied For þat.
- (1459-60) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9989 : ij secures, iij yrenweggez, j scala, j Grape.
- (?1474) Stonor1.147 : Yn þe Backehousse þer ys lefft…j cabulle, j axe, j weegge of yron.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)30a/a : Þer beþ two oþere smale schorte bonys þe whiche ben callid Ossa rostralia…& ech of þese bonys is y-sett bitwene þe spaude boon and þe canel boon in þe maner as it were a wegge, for to make þe more stidefast & þe more strong þe afornseid iuncture.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)628 : Intersimonium: wegge.
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.246 : If they nyl bere, a wegge [L cuneus] out of a bronde Ywrought dryue yn the roote…let hit stonde; Ek graffe hem in Aprile is good to do.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.372 : A uegge in hit ther most be pitte aforn, That hit, puld out, the tre theron may clinge.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.1017 : Let bore hem thorgh the body ther & here, And putte in euerie hole a wegge or pyn.
- a1500(?a1450) Treat.Garden.(Trin-C O.9.38)31 : A wegge thu sette yn myddys the tre…Where yn the graffe schal be leyde.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)55a/a : It [suturing] is done þat a threded nedele is put in þorgh boþe lippez; After, þe nedele is retourned agayn bi þe same hole vn to þat þat þer abide one ere or bouȝt in which is putte one of þe heuedez of þe cauille, i. wegge [Ch.(2): pyne; L cauille].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)103a/b : Be þe bodie streched…of aiþer partie ouþer wiþ a bande wiþ a piller and cauillez, i. wegez, or pulhiez or tournez & like ingeniez.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)251/5 : Þai maken persede trepanes aboue þe scharpenes And wiþ a wegge in chaungynge by þe holes.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)81 : Clyte, or clote, or vegge: Cuneus.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)6 : Cavella: a wege.
2.
Mil. A wedge-shaped formation of troops.
Associated quotations
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)19a/a : Cuneus: a wegge or a company.
- ?a1440 Hortus (Brist-U)274 : Cuneus: a wegh or a cumpany of knitis.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1945 : The boorys hed is a triangulere Of men, a boorys hed as thaugh it were…Eek out herof thei make a Boorys hed And Cuneus thei name it, or a wege…It russheth on our aduersayrys egge And shaketh of, ye mony a myghti segge.
3.
(a) A coin;
(b) a wedge or formed piece of gold or silver, an ingot.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)62/7 : Ga to þære sæ & wurp ut þinne angol, & þone fisc þe hine raðest forswylhð, geopene his muð, þone gefintst þu þæron ænne gyldene wecg.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)688 : E coupez du coin un coigner [glossed:] a wegh [vr. wegge].
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)53 : Et cepez vn coyne du coigner…And hakkeþ a wegge of þe coyntre.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(Hrl 2277)31 : Of his fader god a niȝt a weg [Ld: beiȝ] of golde he nom In a clout wel stilleliche & to here house he com.
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(Hrl 2277)36 : He com & fond þe weg of gold þat þe gode man hadde ibroȝt.
- (1420) Let.in Ellis Orig.Let.ser.2.183 : Most soverayne…Lord…we ben in Harfleu whith ȝoure goode, that is in Gold coyned xxx m li…and in wegges of silver drawyng by estymation to halfe a tonne tyght.
- a1425 St.Anthony (Roy 17.C.7)121/32 : He saw a grete weg of masse golde, and wedyre þat þe deuell fyned it to Anton or elles þat heuenlyche vertu schewed it, þat es vnknawne.
- ?c1430(c1400) Rule & T.St.Francis(1) (Corp-C 296)49 : Þei wilen not touche an halpeny or ferþing wiþ þe coyn & armes of þe cros & of the kyng, & þis semeþ for dispit of þe cros or of þe kyng, for a weeg of siluer or a cuppe of gold þei wolen handil faste.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)317 : Pruse mene maken here aventure Of plate of sylvere, of wegges gode and sure In grete plente.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)344/19 : Þay were accorded to-gadir…yn þis maner: þat þe King of Spayne schulde…yeue to þe Duk of Lancastre golde and seluyr þat was cast yn-to grete weggez.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)48/4 : For sumtyme made þe vesseles of syluyr whech longed on-to þe cherch to be molten, and þe weggis þerof be sold and departed to por men.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. wedge.