Middle English Dictionary Entry
whēten adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | whēten adj. Also whetin, wheton, whettine, (K) huetene & (early) hwæten(e, (SW) ȝweten, (early infl.) hwætena & (in place names) whaten, whati(n(g, whiten, watin(g & (error) fætune. |
| Etymology | OE hwǣten, (in place names) whetin, whatin, LOE waten. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Made of wheat or wheat products, wheaten;
(b) pertaining to the wheat plant, of wheat;
(c) ~ ere, her. a stylized ear of wheat used as a heraldic device;
(d) in place names [see Smith PNElem.1.271].
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)231/16 : Cnuc þisse wyrta wurtruma mid ele & mid fætune [?read: hwætenan; OE hwætenan] meluwe & mid sapan.
- c1300 SLeg.Cuth.(LdMisc 108)52 : Nim…þe milk of one kov þat is of o colour, Iuys of smal-Ache do þar-to, and clene ȝwetene flour; seoth it to-gadere.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)82/21 : Þe wyfman grat myd childe…more hi uynt smak in ane zoure epple þanne ine ane huetene lhoue.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)33 : Bynd hym vppe with fflour [of] Rys, oþer with whetyn floure.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)156 : Lete hym tak li. [sem.] of feyre sauge, & wasche hyt clene, & do hyt in acoffyn of wheten dow, as þou woldest acapon.
- a1475 Lord how (Brog 2.1)p.8 : I clynge as dothe a whettyne cake.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)133/12 : Wið wodes hundes slite, nim þeos wyrt, gnid, & hwæten corn; leȝe on wunde.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)35/12 : Nim þanne earixena wyrtruma…and do þær æcern to, oþþer hwætena flysma.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)74/22 : Þæt clæne hwætene corn, þe Crist þa embespæc, tacnæð hine sylfne.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)65 : Take þe same erbys, when þey beon sodyn, and wrynge hem…& do þer to wheton branne, to holde in þe licour.
c
- (1400) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.78 : [14 tapits of red] tapiserie [of the arms of the said earl and the lady his wife and of the earl’s livery, viz.] wheteneris.
d
- (1195) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.) ()46 : Whetindune.
- (1255) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)46 : Watindone.
- (1306) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.) ()46 : Whatendon.
- (1325) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)46 : Whatyngdon.
- (1347) EPNSoc.55 (Stf.) ()169 : Wheton Aston.
- (1403) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)46 : Whatidon; Watyngdon.
- (1421) EPNSoc.55 (Stf.) ()169 : Whetenaston.
- (1441) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)46 : Whatyngdon.
- (1478) EPNSoc.55 (Stf.) ()169 : Whytenaston.