Middle English Dictionary Entry
wether n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wether n. Also wethire, wethur, weþher, wed(d)er, wedor, weddur, wedre, whether, wheither, vedure, (N) wadir, (16th cent.) whethur & (in names) weter-, wethe-, wedr-, weider-, weidur-, wer(e)-, werre-, werri-, weyer-, warge-, woder- & (errors) wetchear, wert-; gen. wetheres, etc. & wethres, (in names) wetherese-, werdes-; pl. wether(e)s, etc. & wethres, wetheren. |
| Etymology | OE weþer, wæþer; for form in v- and some names also cp. ON: cp. OI veðr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A male sheep, ram; a castrated ram; ?also, an adult sheep; also, the flesh of a sheep or ram, mutton;
(b) a ram used as a sacrifice in religious ritual;
(c) the ram which bore the Golden Fleece;
(d) in cpds. and combs.: ~ ale, the drinking party given for the villagers by the lord of the manor after the mowing as a compensation for work in the demesne meadeus [cp. sithe-ale, s.v. sithe n. (c)]; ~ castrat, the flesh of a castrated ram; ~ fles (of gold, the Golden Fleece; wether(es flesh, sheep’s flesh, mutton; ~ hogge (lomb), a young ram; ~ shep, a male sheep, ram; ~ silver, a customary rent paid in lieu of rams’ lying at the lord’s fold [cp. lomb-silver, s.v. lomb n. 6.(b)]; wether(es skin, a sheepskin, fleece; wether(es taloue, tallow made from ram’s fat; belle ~, q.v.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)258/323 : Þe weþeres heued a man smot of þat he fel ded anon.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1210 : Vourti þousend of ruþeren he let quelle þer to, & of fatte weþeren an hondred þousend al so.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)113.4 : Hij heden þe mounteyns as weþeres [L arietes] & þe littel hilles as lambren of shepe.
- (1381) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.4 : This endenture witnisseth þat john Remmesbury…hath deliuered to william Hunte…at melplaisch c wethers; and Also…vii Ewen and vii Rames and xlvii hogges; jtem, v sowes, vii bores.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.30.35 : He seuerde…þe sche-geyt, & þe schepe, & þe heȝe geyt, & þe weþers [WB(2): rammes].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.165 : In a boon of a wethres riȝt schuldre, whan þe flesche is aweye is sode [vr. i-sode]…þey knoweþ what haþ be do, is i-doo, and schal be doo…by a spirit of prophecie.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.9 : Salomon his mete was euery day þritty corues of clene floure…and an hondred weþeres.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)797/20 : The Pigmeys…ryden vppon weþeres and fyȝten with cranes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11649 : Wolf and weþer, leon and ox, Sal comen samen, and lamb and fox.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)64.14 : Kled ere weþres [vr. weþhers] of schepe þat blete.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.269 : For þy lacchesse þow leest meny wederes, And ful meny fayre flus falsliche wasshe!
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1374 : Lo, Troilus, men seyn that hard it is The wolf ful and the wether [vrr. wheither, whether] hool to have.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)9b/a : Berbex: a weþer [StJ-C: wetchear].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)519 : Wedyr [Win: Weddyr], scheep: Aries, berbicus.
- a1450 Simpson Nominale (Simpson)91/216 : Vervis: vervex; anglice, vedure.
- (1450) Lin.DDoc.43/32 : Item, to my Shepard at Sewell xx wedres and xx s.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)290/21 : At ans he wolde ete a quarter of a weddur, or ij hennys, or a guse, or a swyne shulder, or a pacok, or a crane, or a hale hare.
- (1465) Acc.Howard in RC 57555 : Item, the viij day of Novembre, my master had ynne of ewes and weders that were bout of Grene, xx.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)152b/b : Hise metis schulen be sutil and tendre & digestible…as hennys, chapouns, chikenes, kidis, weþeris, fesaunt, patrichis, smale briddis.
- (1477) Acc.Croscombe in Som.RS 45 : Item, of the gyfte of…John Malleway, the elder, 4 wedors, sold for vij s. iv d.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10207 : He fore with his fos in his felle angur, As a wolfe in his wodenes with wethurs in fold.
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3998 : Balaac…vii alteres wrogte…On ilc alter fier alðerneðer And ðor-on an calf and a weðer.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.15.9 : Take…a koou of þre ȝere, & a sche geyt of þre ȝere, & a weþer of þre ȝere.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Esd.10.19 : For þer gilte þei shulden offren a weþer [WB(2): ram] of þe sheep.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)57/29 : Obediens is better þan sacrifice & do as God hoteþ is better þan offre fatnesse of weþeres.
- c1429 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)2455 : Ysaac…was delyvred fro dede And a wethire cleving in breres sacrified in his stede.
- c1460 Dub.Abraham (Dub 432)269 : Turne þe and take þat wedyr there And sacrifye hym on þat awtere.
- c1475 O lord omnipotent (Trin-C R.3.21)113 : Thy chyldren in templys of thy law Offred theyre wethers in homage and fewte.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)77/29 : Take þe wedyr þat ys byhynde hym, tyed by þe hornys to brerys, and offor hyt ymstede of þy sonne.
c
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)155 : In a cuntre was cald Colchos…There was a wonderfull wethur…With a flese þat was fyne, flamande of gold.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)161 : This whethur and þe wole were wonderly keppit…By too oxen oribull on for to loke, And a derfe dragon drede to be-holde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)547 : I…put you in plite your purpos to wyn…Both the whethir & þe wolle a-way for to lede.
d
- (1239-40) Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.1 ()493 : Tota villata habebit sexdecim denarios, quadrantem, quae vocantur werthale, wetherhale.
- (1251) Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.1314 : Ricardus Berengarius tenet unam dimidiam virgatam terrae, pro qua dat…merchetum, leyrwitum, herietum…hydagium, fissilver, wethersilver.
- (1292) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 282 : De v s. de consuetudine de wethersilver in festo Apos. Petri et Pauli.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)114/1391 : Johannitius in hys Buk of Synagogis says þat sum fodys causys…wykkyd blod & of evyll mellynge: over-ald bred, sawty brede, & evyll bakyne brede, mowlyd bred; beef, wadyrs flessh.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)144b/a : Emplastre constrictif of rupturez in which almen accordeþ is of pelle arietina, i. weþer or shepe skyn.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)150a/a : Þe summite of it [instrument] it is brode…In which may be bounden a burse of leþer or a bledder of a swyne or of a wedre shepe.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)150b/a : He schal ete good holesumme flesches as weþer flesche, ȝunge kidde fleische þat is to seyen soukyng.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)23566 : The wethyr flees he sowhte, which flees of clene gold hit was.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)129 : Pro tumore tibiarum: Take welle cresson…& do þer to þikke wyn derstes & wheten branne & weþur talewe.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)233 : Put þerto suet of an hert, oþer bokke, oþer newe talow of a weþer schep…& mak þerof aplayster, & ley to þe brusour.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)122/11 : Take hennebane, rybwort, smalache…may-buttyr and wederis-talow…stampe hem, and late hem stondyn ix dayis; þanne boyle hem all well to-gedyr, and streyne hem thorow a cloth; and make þer-of an oynement.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.51/25 : I will my scheperd hafe vj wedyr hogges & my Swynnard iiij Swynne (schotes of halfe ȝere old).
- a1475 Gilb.Angl.(Wel 537)270/10 : Take a newe weþires skyn…and kit þe skyn to smale pecis, and seþe hem in watir til þei ben tendir.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)161/9 : Grose metys be þise: beff and porpres…Þat mete qwyche is inne a mene gendryth none inflacion…as is…wedrys flesch.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)163/30 : Pelleus…Sende…Iason…with a ffresshe felloshippe, into the Ile of Calcos to wyn the wethyr fleis of golde of Oetes the kynge.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)62/24 : Meene metes engendren none inflammacion…as lambe, kyd, wether castrot, and all flessh that ben hote and moist.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)758/12 : Agnus: a wedyrlombe.
2.
(a) Astrol. & astron. The first sign of the zodiac, Aries;
(b) bot. ~ winde, the plant Lonicera caprifolium, woodbine [prob. from misinterpretation of withe-winde n.].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.207 : Þe cercle of [read: þat] þe sonne holdeþ his cours ynne by the ȝere is i-deled in twelue parties, and eueriche partie þerof is i-cleped a signe, and euerich signe haþ his owne name; Þese beeþ þe names of þe signes: þe Wether, þe Boole, þe Twynnes, þe Crabbe, þe Leon, [etc.].
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)458/24 : Þat cercle equinoxialis touchiþ þat cercle þat hatte zodiacus in tweyne signes: þat on hatte Aries and þat oþir Libra, þe weþer and þe balaunce.
- ?c1400 Sloane SSecr.(Sln 213)17/8 : If one or tuo leue ouer, þan þat þou sekes longes to þe Weþer…And if sex or seuene, þan longes it to þe Gemyns.
b
- c1300 Add.15236 Gloss.(1) (Add 15236)110/76 : Caprifolium: gallice, chevrefoyle; anglice, wetherwynde.
3.
Mil. A battering ram.
Associated quotations
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)86/22 : Ordeyne for cariage to þe oost, of charyettis, cartis and waynes…for tymber also þat nediþ to makynge of engynes, wetheres, sowes, and oþer gynnes to assaile wiþ walled townes and castelles.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)102/9 : Weþeres, þat is nouȝt elles but a greet beem of tymbr yschod at þe ende wiþ a grete pece of yren…þat men myȝte come to þe wal of þe castel or þe toun þat were beseged; þan shulde þat bem be hangid vppon þre trees wiþ ropes ymade þerefore, and þe ende yschod wiþ yren schulde be to þe walwarde so þat he myȝte touche þe wal but yf it were a foot or tweyne.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)102/23 : Þis gyn…brontid & busshed aȝenst þe wal as doþ a weþer aȝenst anoþer wiþ his heed, þerfore it is clepid a weþer.
- c1450(?a1402) ?Trev.Reg.Princ.(Dgb 233)438/12 : To þe mast of þe schip scholde be honged a long tree iheled wiþ ire in eyþer ende for to smyte bothe schip and schip men, as þe instrument þat hatte 'þe wether' smyteþ þwalles of a cyte þat is byseged.
4.
In surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.231,257].
Associated quotations
- (1131) EPNSoc.20 (Cum.)160 : Wederhale.
- (c1150) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.)38 : Werrebi.
- (1154-74) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.) ()38 : Werebi.
- (1174) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.) ()69 : Werdeslea.
- (1185) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.) ()69 : Werle.
- (1199) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)69 : Wereslea.
- (1214) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.)38 : Wargebi.
- (1219) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames377 : Ivo de Werreby.
- (1226-8) Bk.of Fees365 : Petrus le Weider.
- (1240) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.) ()38 : Werriby.
- (1242) Doc.Ireland in RS 53 ()117 : Robertus Wetheresenecke.
- (c1250) EPNSoc.20 (Cum.)254 : Weyermelok.
- (1268) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)69 : Weyeresle.
- (1279) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)69 : Wethesle.
- (1308) EPNSoc.20 (Cum.) ()160 : Wedral.
- (1327) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.) ()69 : Wethele.
- (1340) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)336 : Atte Woderok.
- (1364) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.) ()38 : Tempilweterby.
- (1417) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms64 : Walt. Wetherherde.
- (1476) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames ()377 : Henry Weydurherd.